Betty1

Three friends and I will be arriving at CDG at 7:40 am on Saturday, May 19 after an overnight flight from EWR and need to go directly to our rental house somewhere near Dijon. (Not chosen yet but will probably be just west of Dijon or Beaune.) At least two of my friends say they will be fine to pick up the car at CDG and drive. But, jet lag aside, is this the best option? Are we likely to find long lines at the car rental counter? Will traffic around Paris be bad even on a Saturday morning? If we do drive from CDG, would it be better to go into Paris as far as the peripherique and around to the A6 south of Paris (viamichelin recommends this route) or stay east of Paris by taking the autoroute to Melun and then over to Fontainebleau and pick up the A6 there (recommended by mappy but looks a bit tricky)?

Other options I'm considering: RER to Massy, pick up car there (anyone done this?); AF bus to Orly, pick up car there; AF bus to Gare de Lyon, take train to Dijon, pick up car there. It looks like it would be easier to get on the A6 from Massy or Orly. The disadvantage of taking the train to Dijon is that I was hoping we could stop in Auxerre on the way down, assuming we are not dead tired by that time.

What would you do in this situation? TIA.

Robert2533

I would take the TGV and pick the car up in Dijon. The train from Gare de Lyon takes about 1 hour 45 min on average, and is much more relaxing than driving.

The jet lag usually isn't that bad traveling from the east coast, but the train should get you to your destination a lot quicker and without the added stress of picking up the rental can and driving the 3 + hours it will take you to reach Dijon.

RonZ

Personally I would just drive out CDG, and aftering comparing the routes on viamichelin and mappy would probably opt for the A6 route. I'm not sure that the additional complications of the other one are worth whatever time savings may result.

PalenqueBob

There is one train a day right from CDG to Dijon if it fits your schedule.

Betty1

Thanks for replies thus far.

I wish the TGV from CDG to Dijon would work, Bob. Unfortunately, it doesn't leave until about 7:30 pm.

Has anyone had the experience of picking up a car at CDG and heading south or southeast?

Betty1

Anyone else have an opinion?

MorganB

Hi Betty,

You will need to end up on the A6 by taking the A3 to the A4 to the A86 to the A6. Is a bit complicated. You could go all the way into Paris and take the periferique but then you might be hit with traffic. You might want to consider renting a GPS unit to help you around Paris.

superheterodyne

>>
You will need to end up on the A6 by taking the A3 to the A4 to the A86 to the A6. Is a bit complicated. You could go all the way into Paris and take the periferique but then you might be hit with traffic. You might want to consider renting a GPS unit to help you around Paris. <<

Slightly longer but less complicated and less crowded (though on a Sat morning it will not be an issue) : A104 from Roissy to the A4, then N104, then A6.

PalenqueBob

As CDG is well out of the Paris conurbation, heading from it east and then south will be a snap - towards the east is Reims and the Champagne country; then via Vezelay to Dijon.

Traffic is a lot better of weekends around paris but from CDG you can easily avoid most of it.