afang

Noticed that the train leaving from CDG do not take off till the next morning. Found a cheaper fare going from Paris mont 1 et2 to La Rochelle at about 130 /person.

What will i expect from this ride, looks it'll take about 3 hours to get there (long travel day + flight from Dallas!)

Also where exact is this Paris Mont 1 Et2? Is it in the city or close by the airport? I assume we would need to take taxi to get to this station?

Thanks in advance!

ContinentalFan

I took this trip in 2004. Montparnasse is in the city of Paris. There are buses from the airport that will take you there. I wouldn't suggest taking a taxi from the airport, IMHO, the Air France bus is better. There is a TGV station at CDG, but I have never figured out how to get to other stations in Paris.

The ride is very enjoyable--fast and comfortable. I would suggest spending the extra money and getting a ticket for first class. IIRC, we were given a meal, but I don't recall if it was included in the ticket--I was traveling with a group.

You get a great view of the French countryside. It's really beautiful.

Have a great trip.

afang

wow that was fast.

Thanks for the great info!

so mont 1 is this station here?

http://www.paris.org/Gares/Montparnasse/

You said that Air France Bus is good enough, is it easy to find these things when we get off from AA's DFW-CDG Flight?

This will be our first time to Europe and i'm looking forward to it

Thanks again!

R xTravel

Here's a link for the AirFrance Coach/Bus information:
http://www.airfrance.com/double6/pas...P?OpenDocument

Since you're flying AA, I believe you will be landing in Terminal 2A; but no guarantees.

I haven't used the AirFrance Bus only the Roissy Bus to get into Paris from CDG. But have never had a problem locating the pick-up point(s) by stopping by one of the Infromation Desks and asking one of the agents for the closest Roissy Bus "stop".
From the AirFrance Bus Chart, looks like you want Bus Line 4. Make sure you get on the right AirFrance Bus or you will end up at Porte Maillot or by the Etoille/Arc de Triompe.
You should probably ask at the Information Desk where you can catch the AirFrance Bus Line 4, they will give you the exact exit to use (very handy that each exit door is numbered - look above the door).

There are ATMs after Passport Control/Immigration & Baggage Claim in the Arrivals Hall(s) in case you need cash/Euros.

Caution about AA/CDG - be prepared to disembark via stairs and not a jetbridge. First time to CDG on AA via ORD, plane landed in the nether regions of CDG, "deplaned" via stairs, transported via bus to Terminal, more stairs upward to Immigration. Also, if you're going home CDG-DFW, you may encounter stairs within the terminal after security/Duty Free to your Gate (which hopefully, will be a jetbridge and not a "bus/stairs" combo).

There's no Arrivals Lounge at CDG, but there is an Admirals Club airside which you can use day of departure if you're a member or flying Business (alas no First on AA to CDG). Here's a link in case:
http://www.aa.com/content/travelInfo...alsParis.jhtml

Bon Voyage,

RxTravel

ContinentalFan

Yes, you have found the station. You can find out what you need to know here. There are at least two options in traveling to La Rochelle. There are a few direct trains (La Rochelle Ville) and there are others that connect in Poiters. If it's your first time to Europe, I'd take the direct route. As I mentioned earlier, I would also travel first class. It's about a 30% premium, by IMHO, it's worth it.

The trains are clean and fast. I have found that people in Paris are very helpful. Here are two tips: (i) try and speak French. Bad French works, because people will come in and rescue their language by speaking English; (2) No matter how poorly someone speaks English, compliment them on what a good accent they have. You're home free after that!

If you bring a cell phone, set the alarm to ring about 20 minutes before your scheduled arrival. I know you think you're going to stay awake, but you never want to take a risk of missing the station.

La Rochelle is a very beautiful city. There are a lot of things to see and do there. I think you'll have a great time.

France is a wonderful country. I think it’s really beautiful. I find the people to be very friendly and accommodating. I have never found the French to be rude.

Getting from CDG to Montparnasse
I think that the bus is the easiest way, but if you're feeling adventurous, you can take the RER to Denfert then take the Metro to Montparnasse. If it's your first time in Europe, I wouldn't take this route. It's easy to buy the wrong tickets when moving from the RER to the Metro.

You might also consider a shuttle. There are private services and shared services. Since it's a commercial site, I won't post it here, but one option is Pari Shuttle--you can figure out the URL! You will have to make a reservation in advance.

I believe the Air France bus you want is number 4 or line 4. The bus stops at various points in the airport, so you won't have to walk far. It has two stops. The first is Gare du Lyon, the second is your stop, Montparnasse. The great thing about taking bus (or van) is you get to see Paris. It is a beautiful city.

I have never taken a taxi from the airport, but I seem to remember that they charge a flat fee to anywhere in the city. It is probably under 100 Euro, but I will leave it for someone else to comment on that one--I will search. The good thing about a taxi is you get to see the different driving norms that the French use. It is a good education if you're going to rent a car. IMHO, the French seem to be able to combine aggressiveness and politeness. It's quite something to behold! By the way, if you have a lot of luggage, a taxi might be the best bet.

By the way, if you haven't checked out this site, Aeroports de Paris, it's well worth a look. The link I provided is to the English language version. It has nice maps of the terminals. It also has a section where you can enter a question and have it answered by e-mail. I haven't tried it, but it would be interesting to see what "informations" they send you.

afang

Thanks again for the great info!

Looks like we'll not be bring a lot of luggage. A roller and a backpack for me at most. I'm wondering would it be too weird for us to walk around with a roller after arriving in France? I know we have about 3 or 4 hours of free time after arriving in Paris.

TIA!

afang

Friend of ours highly recommended the river tours.

they bought this:

http://www.cometoparis.com/interact4...6.php4?doc=208

just wondering if anyone had any experience with them!

TGV

Going to Montparnasse station with some luggage I think the AF bus is the simplest way to go. I would not recommend RER/Metro as it implies some steep stairs, especially in the connection station at Denfert Rochereau.
With the bus be prepared to quite a long trip time, first between CDG terminals, and then in Paris, as the bus route serves Gare de Lyon (another station) before going to Montparnasse.
For taxis they don't charge a flat fare from CDG to Paris but are metered. The price per km varies according to the location (one fare outside Paris, another fare inside Paris, including the "Boulevard Périphérique, the highway loop around Paris), and the day/time.
A trip from CDG to Montparnasse should be 50-70 euros, depending on the time of the day and the traffic.


TGV from the CDG station don't go to other Paris stations, they go to other cities.
In the train station you have 2 tracks for suburban trains, (RER line B). This line crosses Paris from North to South and has a lot of connections with other RER (suburban trains) or Métro lines. There are signs: "Trains to Paris" in the airport.
This line will bring you direct to Gare du Nord, to Gare de l'Est (with some walking here, or a one station métro connection, Line 4), and with one change to Gare de Lyon (change in Chatelet to RER line A), St Lazare (change in Gare du Nord to RER line E), Austerlitz (change in St Michel to RER line C) and Montparnasse (change in Denfert-Rochereau to Métro line 6). But I would not recommend using it with a lot of luggage.

MorganB

Montparnasse has a "consigne" where you can leave your luggage if you like. That way you dont have to drag it about while waiting on your train. It is well indicated so just follow the signs. It is a pay service but isnt excessively priced.

Out of curiosity, are you booking your tickets on the SNCF website (http://www.voyages-sncf.com)? If you are dealing with Rail Europe you should look at the SNCF site as it can be MUCH cheaper.

afang

i priced out tickets from there too but it seems that it's not for US residents..

ContinentalFan

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you; I have been traveling. You'll be fine bringing luggage. When you get to Montparnasse, you might want to look for "left luggage" in the station. I think it's still up and running. If you have a few hours, you could take one of those double-decker tours of Paris. It is one of the most beautiful cities on the planet; I am glad you will have some time to enjoy it.

alohatoall

Afang, you can indeed book tickets on the SNCF site -- you can often get much cheaper PREMs fares. Just don't take the insurance, and you can print your tickets at home. BTW, we spent 4 days in La Rochelle in May and loved the town.

afang

Thanks for the info. I'm just puzzled at how to go about and purchase them. it asked me where the tickets are delivered to and I don't see United States there, so i assume that i chose France? and then i print them out from the computer?

P.S. Wow 2 million miles! nice

alohatoall

Correct, just use France. You'll find complete instructions at www.slowtrav.com/france/trains/tgv_online.htm (can't get the "hyperlink" to work). And do take the Air France bus, which leaves from C2, I believe. Be sure to get the one that goes to Gare Montparnasse (after another stop), since there is more than one route. Enjoy La Rochelle - how long will you be there, and do you want some restaurant recs???

afang

We'll be in La Rochelle from 26th-29th. crashing in our friend's place.

I haven't booked any hotels yet back in Paris, we'll be in Paris from 29th to 4th (returning to DFW on the 4th) i know that we might get the river tour from http://www.cometoparis.com.