ArchiMark

Greetings,

Trying to finalize our end of Sept France trip itinerary. Could use some creative advice from a Fodorite please!

Will pick up a car at Charles de Gaulle and head out of Paris. Winding our way through several areas and ending up in Provence for 4-5 days.

On previous trip like this, we dropped the car off at the Avignon TGV station, hopped on the TGV to Paris and spent a few days there. Then went from Paris back to Charles de Gaulle airport to fly home.

All in all, this worked great.

However, this trip we didn't feel like going to Paris before going home. Want to straight from Provence to the airport. Problem is our flight home leaves at noon. So not quite enough time to take TGV from Provence straight to CDG airport.

So...options so far are:

1) Take 6:40 PM TGV day before flight and get into CDG about 10 PM. Either camp out at CDG till next morning or go to a nearby airport hotel.

2) Take TGV early in the morning into Paris and like before stay overnight and then take Roissy buss to CDG next morning.

Having said all of this, is there any other option we've overlooked that would avoid options 1 and 2 above?

I know it may sound funny that we're trying to avoid Paris, but we've been there several times and just not in the mood it seems right now....

Appreciate any ideas!

Mark

MorganB

You could fly from Montpellier or Marseille to CDG on Air France.

welch

Flying is by far the easiest way, but the least expensive way to fly is to book a round trip and throw away the return. The airlines don't like this, but there's about a 50 euro per person savings in doing it!

ira

Hi AM,

>I know it may sound funny that we're trying to avoid Paris, but we've been there several times and just not in the mood it seems right now....<

Don't worry, the feeling will pass and you will be normal again.

I go for option 2.

ArchiMark

Thanks for the ideas morganb, welch, and ira!

Thanks for the comforting words, ira!

You guys are great!

Mark

TimS

Have you considered flying easyJet? There is a flight leaving Nice at 06:00 which arrives at CDG at 07:45. EasyJet also flies from Marseille to Orly and from Toulouse to Orly, but the morning flights won't get you to Paris in time to make your connection at CDG. When I plugged in an arbitrary date of Sept. 30, I found one-way prices ranging from 7.99 to 29.99 EUR. Since easyJet is a discount airline, the longer you wait to buy a ticket, the higher the price. Last minute tickets cost as much as those on a national carrier.

MorganB

Easyjet is a good idea. Just keep in mind that they have very strict weight requirements on luggage and charge through the nose for excess baggage. I have considered connecting with them before but there luggage requirements are too low for my needs on an international trip.

JoeG

ArchiMark:

We did the same thing in Oct. 2002 and will have the same circumstance next March. We are planning to stay at the CDG Sheraton or similiar spot. We will likely venture into Paris for dinner and fly home the next day.

JoeG

Underhill

You might check our the TGV schedule to the Gare de Lyon and take a cab out to Roissy.

TimS

One more train option: Take an overnight train to Paris. You would arrive in plenty of time to get to CDG.

Christina

I don't think they have many overnight trains any more as the TGV is so quick, there is little market. IN any case, I would never do that as you have the worst of everything -- complete waste of time and can't see anything, just endless hours stuck on a train.

I'd fly, also - and have, from Nice to Paris before a connecting flight to US.

I think the other main alternative would be to take the train up to some other place to stay much closer to Paris, but one more pleasant than CDG where you might enjoy spending the last night. One on an easy run to CDG, and not too difficult to get to by train from Avignon or wherever you are. YOu don't say when your plane leaves from CDG, either, which could make a difference.

Kristinelaine

I think she/he mentioned that the flight leaves at noon.

TimS

In his original note, the poster said that his flight leaves CDG at noon. That's why in my first note I suggested flying from Nice to CDG on easyJet. There is a night train from Marseille to Paris, but it doesn't run every day. It leaves at 22:04 and arrives at 08:53 with one change around 07:00. For people who enjoy traveling by train and who can reserve a couchette at far less cost than that of a hotel room, it's not a bad way to go.

beaux

Is it too late to just get an open jaw ticket? (e.g. US-CDG and Nice or Marseille-US) They cost about the same as a round trip to and from Paris.
We recently did this in reverse...US-Nice and CDG-US and took Easyjet from Nice to Paris. Easyjet was fine and a great deal.

Sue4

I had your same dilemma in May, with a noon flight out of CDG. I ended up returning the car in Avignon and taking an afternoon TGV to CDG, I think arriving around 6:00 P.M. Stayed overnight at the Courtyard Marriott, which is very nice. They have a lovely restaurant, nice bar area in the lobby, and a shuttle back & forth to the terminals. They also have a wonderful breakfast buffet. This hotel caters to business people and is really quite a nice place to overnight. This beats stressing out trying to get to the airport from afar on the same day!

ArchiMark

Thanks to all who've replied and all the great ideas!!

As of now, we're leaning towards taking the TGV from Avignon to CDG and stay overnite at a nearby hotel. Then take a shuttle bus down the street to CDG after petit dejeuner.....

Thanks,

Mark