travis bickle
Nov 6, 11, 12:39 am
Good day,
Mrs Bickle and I will be travelling to France (first time) in May, 2012 - no kiddos.
I need some input from people who can give me some "finely-tuned" information. We will arrive in CDG on a Thursday. We plan separate day trips to both Versailles and Chartres that weekend.
Q1 - Which day of the week would be better to go to Versailles? Friday? Saturday? Makes no difference?
Q2 - Every place I have seen on the web says to arrive "early" at Versailles in order to minimize amount of time standing in line. How early is "early"? I am not thrilled with the prospect of getting up at "0-dark-thirty", and then going by metro to the train station to get to Versailles.
Q2a - We do not intend to stay for the night time fountain show at Versailles. Does that mean it would be okay to arrive "later" (i.e., a decent hour) at Versailles?
Q3 - some website I saw stated that I could buy both the train ticket to Versailles AND the entry ticket for Versailles together at the gare. Is that correct, or was I guilty of "reading while tired"?
Q4 - The Versailles website allows for online purchasing of tickets. Does anyone have any experience with this? I particularly would like to know if your USA credit card was accepted there, or what?
Q5 - we have been looking into some information about the trip to Chartres, but any and all input you have on that tour, eateries, etc is well appreciated.
Last, but not least, we will also be making trips to the west of Ile-de-France; viz., Caen; Bayeux; Normandy Beaches; Villedieu-les-Poeles; Mont St Michel; and possibly Rouen -- any/all comments welcomed.
Oh, BTW, thanks to all at FT. The trips Mrs Bickle and I have enjoyed are because of the information posted here (her job involves NO business travel, and I am retired = NO business travel). Hence, every time we leave home, it is completely on our dime - thanks for keeping us informed on garnering points/miles.
Mrs Bickle and I will be travelling to France (first time) in May, 2012 - no kiddos.
I need some input from people who can give me some "finely-tuned" information. We will arrive in CDG on a Thursday. We plan separate day trips to both Versailles and Chartres that weekend.
Q1 - Which day of the week would be better to go to Versailles? Friday? Saturday? Makes no difference?
Q2 - Every place I have seen on the web says to arrive "early" at Versailles in order to minimize amount of time standing in line. How early is "early"? I am not thrilled with the prospect of getting up at "0-dark-thirty", and then going by metro to the train station to get to Versailles.
Q2a - We do not intend to stay for the night time fountain show at Versailles. Does that mean it would be okay to arrive "later" (i.e., a decent hour) at Versailles?
Q3 - some website I saw stated that I could buy both the train ticket to Versailles AND the entry ticket for Versailles together at the gare. Is that correct, or was I guilty of "reading while tired"?
Q4 - The Versailles website allows for online purchasing of tickets. Does anyone have any experience with this? I particularly would like to know if your USA credit card was accepted there, or what?
Q5 - we have been looking into some information about the trip to Chartres, but any and all input you have on that tour, eateries, etc is well appreciated.
Last, but not least, we will also be making trips to the west of Ile-de-France; viz., Caen; Bayeux; Normandy Beaches; Villedieu-les-Poeles; Mont St Michel; and possibly Rouen -- any/all comments welcomed.
Oh, BTW, thanks to all at FT. The trips Mrs Bickle and I have enjoyed are because of the information posted here (her job involves NO business travel, and I am retired = NO business travel). Hence, every time we leave home, it is completely on our dime - thanks for keeping us informed on garnering points/miles.