Paris to Normandy with 3 Nights in London

Home to more than 10 million people, the "City of Light" is majestic in its architecture and artistic heritage. More than a destination of pleasurable externals, bourgeois absolutes and just-baked baguettes (French law demands they bake them fresh thrice daily), Paris is great sightseeing, incredible shopping and leisure dining that always comes with desserts in the form of delicate trays of the finest chocolates and macaroons.

Paris is so much more than the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, Notre-Dame and the Louvre. This trip, stroll the Marais and shop along rue des Francs Bourgeois or walk under the arches of the oldest square in Paris, Place des Vosges. Take time to explore the Latin Quarter to see the church of St. Severin, the Sorbonne and rue Mouffetard -- not just because it's where Joyce, Orwell, Balzac and Hemmingway once lived, but also for the rows and rows of fresh food glistening like bouquets of colourful gems under the street market's faded French-blue-striped awnings. Stop by the bookseller's stalls along the banks of the Seine around Notre-Dame for antique and second-hand books, comic strips, post cards and posters at great prices.

Saint Germain-des-Pres and the stately Church of St. Sulpice's beautiful Delacroix murals are a must-see this trip -- as is the St. Germain Church, the city's oldest church -- before heading down its enchanting streets, through the old squares and artists' studios that surround it. Don't forget to leave time to head up to the little village of Montmarte and the old cobbled streets where Renoir, Lautrec and van Gogh lived and worked; there are wonderful views of the city.

Vernon is a picturesque town located in Normandy, France. Nestled along the banks of the Seine River, it offers stunning views of the countryside and charming architecture. Vernon is renowned for its rich history, with attractions like the medieval Château de Bizy and the beautiful gardens of Claude Monet's house in nearby Giverny.

Caudebec-en-Caux is a charming commune located in Normandy, France. Situated on the banks of the Seine River, it offers picturesque views and a rich historical heritage. With its quaint streets, traditional half-timbered houses, and a beautiful medieval church, Caudebec-en-Caux attracts visitors seeking a peaceful and authentic French countryside experience.

Caudebec-en-Caux is a charming commune located in Normandy, France. Situated on the banks of the Seine River, it offers picturesque views and a rich historical heritage. With its quaint streets, traditional half-timbered houses, and a beautiful medieval church, Caudebec-en-Caux attracts visitors seeking a peaceful and authentic French countryside experience.

The capital of Normandy, Rouen is just a bit over an hour's train ride from Paris. If you've only got a day and you're intent on doing the "if it's Tuesday it must be Paris" shtick by heading off to the big city on your own, we won't dissuade you -- particularly if you've not been there before.

But Rouen's worth a look, too. With 2,000 years of history, it is one of the country's most ancient cities, laid out by the Duke of Normandy in 911. Victor Hugo called Rouen "the city of a hundred spires." Like Paris, the city is divided by the Seine, and like Paris, Rouennais refer to the sides as Rive Gauche (Left Bank) and Rive Droite (Right Bank). The Old City is on the Right Bank. Chock-a-block with cobbled streets dotted with French Norman architecture dating back to the Middle Ages, it is where you'll see the gothic Notre-Dame Cathedral and swear you've spied Monet painting a cityscape across the way, as he did. Visit the thyme-covered mound in the square where Joan of Arc burned at the stake (place du Vieux-Marche) in 1431 while the English had control of Rouen from 1431 - 1449.

Over the centuries, great devastation came to Rouen -- including 45 major fires in the first half of the 13th century. WWII destroyed all its bridges, many of its spires, and much of the area between the cathedral and the quais -- resulting in the city being almost entirely rebuilt in the years since the end of the war.

Rouen is also a terrific jumping-off point for other great haunts in Normandy -- marvellous places like Giverny (31 miles/50km), Honfleur (44 miles/72km) and Dieppe (36 miles/58km). And we can't say enough about the entire region being a spread-out bonanza of creamy Camembert, velvety omelettes, oysters so fresh you'll think they jumped from the sea unto your plate and Bon Bere (cider) in provincial cafes anywhere you go.

Conflans-Sainte-Honorine is a picturesque town located in the Yvelines department of France. Situated at the confluence of the Seine and Oise rivers, it offers stunning views and a rich history. Known for its charming streets, historic monuments, and peaceful atmosphere, it is a delightful destination for visitors and locals alike.

Home to more than 10 million people, the "City of Light" is majestic in its architecture and artistic heritage. More than a destination of pleasurable externals, bourgeois absolutes and just-baked baguettes (French law demands they bake them fresh thrice daily), Paris is great sightseeing, incredible shopping and leisure dining that always comes with desserts in the form of delicate trays of the finest chocolates and macaroons.

Paris is so much more than the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, Notre-Dame and the Louvre. This trip, stroll the Marais and shop along rue des Francs Bourgeois or walk under the arches of the oldest square in Paris, Place des Vosges. Take time to explore the Latin Quarter to see the church of St. Severin, the Sorbonne and rue Mouffetard -- not just because it's where Joyce, Orwell, Balzac and Hemmingway once lived, but also for the rows and rows of fresh food glistening like bouquets of colourful gems under the street market's faded French-blue-striped awnings. Stop by the bookseller's stalls along the banks of the Seine around Notre-Dame for antique and second-hand books, comic strips, post cards and posters at great prices.

Saint Germain-des-Pres and the stately Church of St. Sulpice's beautiful Delacroix murals are a must-see this trip -- as is the St. Germain Church, the city's oldest church -- before heading down its enchanting streets, through the old squares and artists' studios that surround it. Don't forget to leave time to head up to the little village of Montmarte and the old cobbled streets where Renoir, Lautrec and van Gogh lived and worked; there are wonderful views of the city.

London is one of the world's greatest cities. Diverse, ethnically and linguistically, it offers an intoxicating mix of grandeur, history, style and culture. From ancient streets, leafy parks and grand architecture to iconic landmarks, neon lights, world-class shopping and a cool arts scene, there's nowhere in the world quite like this thriving metropolis. Known as Londonium to the Romans, London has been a major settlement for two millennia. The City of London is the capital's 1.12 square mile historic nucleus and modern financial centre and often is referred to as the "Square Mile." The rest of London stretches for a remarkable 30 miles on both sides of the River Thames. Contemporary museums, such as the Tate Modern and Saatchi Gallery, add an option to beloved standards like the Victoria and Albert Museum (better known as the V&A) and the National Gallery. You can splurge on Saturday morning along Portobello Road or stroll Jermyn Street for gentlemen's shops bearing royal warrants. But it's also fun to join the flocks of shoppers at fashion-forward boutiques along New Bond Street, Regent Street or -- less expensively -- within the markets and funky shops of Brick Lane in the East End. Visitors typically spend most of their time in and around the West End, where London's main attractions -- Piccadilly Circus, Charing Cross Road's book shops, Covent Garden, Soho, Regent and Oxford Streets, Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Carnaby Street -- are located. Farther west are the pricier neighbourhoods of Belgravia, Kensington (Kensington Palace, Albert Memorial, Royal Albert Hall), South Kensington (Science Museum, Natural History Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum), Knightsbridge (Harrods, Harvey Nichols), Mayfair, Chelsea (Kings Road) and Notting Hill (Portobello Road). The City of London's financial district (home to St. Paul's Cathedral, Fleet Street, Tower of London) is a must for history lovers. In medieval times, the City constituted most of London, but over the years, urban areas sprawled far beyond. As the City's boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, it is now only a tiny part of the metropolis, though holds city status in its own right.

London is one of the world's greatest cities. Diverse, ethnically and linguistically, it offers an intoxicating mix of grandeur, history, style and culture. From ancient streets, leafy parks and grand architecture to iconic landmarks, neon lights, world-class shopping and a cool arts scene, there's nowhere in the world quite like this thriving metropolis. Known as Londonium to the Romans, London has been a major settlement for two millennia. The City of London is the capital's 1.12 square mile historic nucleus and modern financial centre and often is referred to as the "Square Mile." The rest of London stretches for a remarkable 30 miles on both sides of the River Thames. Contemporary museums, such as the Tate Modern and Saatchi Gallery, add an option to beloved standards like the Victoria and Albert Museum (better known as the V&A) and the National Gallery. You can splurge on Saturday morning along Portobello Road or stroll Jermyn Street for gentlemen's shops bearing royal warrants. (Prince Charles gets his pyjamas at Turnbull & Asser.) But it's also fun to join the flocks of shoppers at fashion-forward boutiques along New Bond Street, Regent Street or -- less expensively -- within the markets and funky shops of Brick Lane in the East End. Visitors typically spend most of their time in and around the West End, where London's main attractions -- Piccadilly Circus, Charing Cross Road's book shops, Covent Garden, Soho, Regent and Oxford Streets, Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Carnaby Street -- are located. Further west are the pricier neighbourhoods of Belgravia, Kensington (Kensington Palace, Albert Memorial, Royal Albert Hall), South Kensington (Science Museum, Natural History Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum), Knightsbridge (Harrods, Harvey Nichols), Mayfair, Chelsea (Kings Road) and Notting Hill (Portobello Road). The City of London's financial district (home to St. Paul's Cathedral, Fleet Street, Tower of London) is a must for history lovers. In medieval times, the City constituted most of London, but over the years, urban areas sprawled far beyond. As the City's boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, it is now only a tiny part of the metropolis, though holds city status in its own right.

London is one of the world's greatest cities. Diverse, ethnically and linguistically, it offers an intoxicating mix of grandeur, history, style and culture. From ancient streets, leafy parks and grand architecture to iconic landmarks, neon lights, world-class shopping and a cool arts scene, there's nowhere in the world quite like this thriving metropolis. Known as Londonium to the Romans, London has been a major settlement for two millennia. The City of London is the capital's 1.12 square mile historic nucleus and modern financial centre and often is referred to as the "Square Mile." The rest of London stretches for a remarkable 30 miles on both sides of the River Thames. Contemporary museums, such as the Tate Modern and Saatchi Gallery, add an option to beloved standards like the Victoria and Albert Museum (better known as the V&A) and the National Gallery. You can splurge on Saturday morning along Portobello Road or stroll Jermyn Street for gentlemen's shops bearing royal warrants. (Prince Charles gets his pyjamas at Turnbull & Asser.) But it's also fun to join the flocks of shoppers at fashion-forward boutiques along New Bond Street, Regent Street or -- less expensively -- within the markets and funky shops of Brick Lane in the East End. Visitors typically spend most of their time in and around the West End, where London's main attractions -- Piccadilly Circus, Charing Cross Road's book shops, Covent Garden, Soho, Regent and Oxford Streets, Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Carnaby Street -- are located. Further west are the pricier neighbourhoods of Belgravia, Kensington (Kensington Palace, Albert Memorial, Royal Albert Hall), South Kensington (Science Museum, Natural History Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum), Knightsbridge (Harrods, Harvey Nichols), Mayfair, Chelsea (Kings Road) and Notting Hill (Portobello Road). The City of London's financial district (home to St. Paul's Cathedral, Fleet Street, Tower of London) is a must for history lovers. In medieval times, the City constituted most of London, but over the years, urban areas sprawled far beyond. As the City's boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, it is now only a tiny part of the metropolis, though holds city status in its own right.

London is one of the world's greatest cities. Diverse, ethnically and linguistically, it offers an intoxicating mix of grandeur, history, style and culture. From ancient streets, leafy parks and grand architecture to iconic landmarks, neon lights, world-class shopping and a cool arts scene, there's nowhere in the world quite like this thriving metropolis. Known as Londonium to the Romans, London has been a major settlement for two millennia. The City of London is the capital's 1.12 square mile historic nucleus and modern financial centre and often is referred to as the "Square Mile." The rest of London stretches for a remarkable 30 miles on both sides of the River Thames. Contemporary museums, such as the Tate Modern and Saatchi Gallery, add an option to beloved standards like the Victoria and Albert Museum (better known as the V&A) and the National Gallery. You can splurge on Saturday morning along Portobello Road or stroll Jermyn Street for gentlemen's shops bearing royal warrants. (Prince Charles gets his pyjamas at Turnbull & Asser.) But it's also fun to join the flocks of shoppers at fashion-forward boutiques along New Bond Street, Regent Street or -- less expensively -- within the markets and funky shops of Brick Lane in the East End. Visitors typically spend most of their time in and around the West End, where London's main attractions -- Piccadilly Circus, Charing Cross Road's book shops, Covent Garden, Soho, Regent and Oxford Streets, Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Carnaby Street -- are located. Further west are the pricier neighbourhoods of Belgravia, Kensington (Kensington Palace, Albert Memorial, Royal Albert Hall), South Kensington (Science Museum, Natural History Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum), Knightsbridge (Harrods, Harvey Nichols), Mayfair, Chelsea (Kings Road) and Notting Hill (Portobello Road). The City of London's financial district (home to St. Paul's Cathedral, Fleet Street, Tower of London) is a must for history lovers. In medieval times, the City constituted most of London, but over the years, urban areas sprawled far beyond. As the City's boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, it is now only a tiny part of the metropolis, though holds city status in its own right.