How To Get From Paris(Orly Airport) To Loire Valley??
Feb 6th, 2009, 08:31 PM
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How To Get From Paris(Orly Airport) To Loire Valley??
We will be flying from Pisa to Paris (orly airport) and need to get to the Loire Valley. Is there a train or do we need to drive?
Feb 6th, 2009, 09:09 PM
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For the Loire valley you can take a train to either Blois (for the castles Blois, Chambord, Chéverney) or Tours or Tours/St. Pierre-des-Corps (for Chenonceaux and others), so first of all decide which castles you’re aiming at, you can’t do them all in a hurry.
Bring up a map on http://maps.google.com/, for example by inputting > Blois, France < then zooming out until you see Blois on the right and Tours on the left.
Direct trains from Paris for Blois take a different route than those for Tours, but you can go to Blois via a switch in Tours (or the other Tours station called St. Pierre-des-Corps).
From Orly take the Orlyval airport shuttle to either of these two stations: Pont de Rungis or Antony, both near the Orly airport.
From either you then you can take the RER line C (suburban light rail, details at www.ratp.fr) to Massy-Palaiseau, an outer suburb southwest of Paris.
There you walk from the RER stop across to the “real” train station Massy and board a train for St. Pierre-des-Corps which is one of the two stations in Tours. They run about one every hour.
From St.P. you can either take a bus or a local train to the castles (there is plenty of information as you arrive - millions have come before you...), or you take another train from there that goes on to Blois.
This will be easier than taking a bus from outside the Orly terminal to the Métro terminus Villejuif-Louis Aragon for line 7, then switch to line 5 at Place d’Italie for three more stops, get off at Gare d’Austerlitz and take a direct train (direct or via a switch in Orléans) to Blois.
Details at www.voyages-sncf.fr.
Bring up a map on http://maps.google.com/, for example by inputting > Blois, France < then zooming out until you see Blois on the right and Tours on the left.
Direct trains from Paris for Blois take a different route than those for Tours, but you can go to Blois via a switch in Tours (or the other Tours station called St. Pierre-des-Corps).
From Orly take the Orlyval airport shuttle to either of these two stations: Pont de Rungis or Antony, both near the Orly airport.
From either you then you can take the RER line C (suburban light rail, details at www.ratp.fr) to Massy-Palaiseau, an outer suburb southwest of Paris.
There you walk from the RER stop across to the “real” train station Massy and board a train for St. Pierre-des-Corps which is one of the two stations in Tours. They run about one every hour.
From St.P. you can either take a bus or a local train to the castles (there is plenty of information as you arrive - millions have come before you...), or you take another train from there that goes on to Blois.
This will be easier than taking a bus from outside the Orly terminal to the Métro terminus Villejuif-Louis Aragon for line 7, then switch to line 5 at Place d’Italie for three more stops, get off at Gare d’Austerlitz and take a direct train (direct or via a switch in Orléans) to Blois.
Details at www.voyages-sncf.fr.
Feb 7th, 2009, 05:42 AM
#3
Hi ronnieh; If you are staying in the Loire for three days, it will be a lot easier to rent a car for those three day's. That will give you much more flexability to see Chateau's. Rent at Orly and return it to Orly. Then take the train into Paris. ENJOY Iris
Feb 7th, 2009, 07:02 AM
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DalaiLlama has given you very detailed information, but some of it is incorrect.
The Orlyval is a driverless shuttle train that goes from the airport to the RER B station at Antony. (Antony is not on line C.) I suggest that you take the free airport shuttle bus to the Pont de Rungis RER C station. From there you can take a RER C train directly to Gare d'Austerlitz where you can catch a train to Blois.
The Orlyval is a driverless shuttle train that goes from the airport to the RER B station at Antony. (Antony is not on line C.) I suggest that you take the free airport shuttle bus to the Pont de Rungis RER C station. From there you can take a RER C train directly to Gare d'Austerlitz where you can catch a train to Blois.
Feb 7th, 2009, 08:05 AM
#5
Hi ronnieh; Everone is different. We like to drive. See all these bus/train changes. Then you have to consider the connections. Not for us. A drive from Orly to Blois is two hours or less. If you wanted to, you could go to Chartres [one hour from Orly] first and visit the Cathedral. Then to Blois [one and a half hours]. Or on your return to Orly, visit Chartres then. Much more flexability. Consider a car rental. ENJOY Iris
Feb 7th, 2009, 10:08 AM
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I would (and have) pick up a rental car at Orly for touring the Loire. Nothing could be easier, particularly as you are flying into Orly.
You are already south of Paris, the roads are excellent, of course, etc.
Suppose you could do the Loire Valley without a car but I think you will enjoy it more and be able to get off the beaten path, visit small villages, etc. with a car.
You are already south of Paris, the roads are excellent, of course, etc.
Suppose you could do the Loire Valley without a car but I think you will enjoy it more and be able to get off the beaten path, visit small villages, etc. with a car.
Feb 7th, 2009, 10:14 AM
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TimS makes two good points, about the Orlyval not being the one that goes to Pont de Rungis, and about Antony being on RER B not C.
For you, however, that changes nothing: You can get to Massy-Palaiseau from both Antony (where Orlyval goes and where you board RER B for Massy-Palaiseau) and from Pont de Rungis (where another airport shuttle goes, not the Orlyval, and where you board RER C for Massy-Palaiseau).
Point being: To get to Massy-Palaiseau from Orly airport, you can do it from both Antony (via RER B) and Pont de Rungis (via RER C).
Both RER B and RER C lines stop at Massy-Palaiseau.
Hope that clears it up.
You asked "...do we need to drive?"
I guess the enthusiastic votes for driving made it clear that, while you certainly do not HAVE to drive, it is a popular option.
For you, however, that changes nothing: You can get to Massy-Palaiseau from both Antony (where Orlyval goes and where you board RER B for Massy-Palaiseau) and from Pont de Rungis (where another airport shuttle goes, not the Orlyval, and where you board RER C for Massy-Palaiseau).
Point being: To get to Massy-Palaiseau from Orly airport, you can do it from both Antony (via RER B) and Pont de Rungis (via RER C).
Both RER B and RER C lines stop at Massy-Palaiseau.
Hope that clears it up.
You asked "...do we need to drive?"
I guess the enthusiastic votes for driving made it clear that, while you certainly do not HAVE to drive, it is a popular option.
Feb 7th, 2009, 10:37 AM
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If you decide to go to Massy Palaiseau, it will be cheaper to take the free airport shuttle bus to Pont de Rungis and the RER C from there to Massy Palaiseau. The fare is €1.50.
The fare for the Orlyval to Antony is €7.60. The fare from Antony to Massy Palaiseau on the RER is €1.50.
The fare for the Orlyval to Antony is €7.60. The fare from Antony to Massy Palaiseau on the RER is €1.50.
Feb 7th, 2009, 01:33 PM
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Thanks everyone for the reply's to my message. However, I'm sorry I didn't make myself completely clear. We were planning on renting a car once we arrived in the Loire Valley, I just didn't know if we had the option of taking the train to the LV area and then renting the car or did we need to rent the car at the airport because there wasn't an option of taking the train from Orly to LV. However, from the comments I see have the option of renting the car at the airport or taking the train and renting in LV. One way or the other, we plan on having a car once we get to LV. Thanks again.
Feb 7th, 2009, 02:05 PM
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It's about a two-hour drive from Orly to Blois, which is more or less in the center of the area with the chateaux. The town of Tours is 2 hrs, 30 minutes.
As you can't catch the train from Orly and as you want a car in the Loire Valley, this seems like a no-brainer to me.
As you can't catch the train from Orly and as you want a car in the Loire Valley, this seems like a no-brainer to me.
Feb 8th, 2009, 01:51 PM
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If you're looking to minimize expenditure, take the free shuttle to Pont de Rungis, the RER C from there to Massy-Palaiseau, ride SNCF to Tours, and pick up your wheels there.
Savings: airport pick-up fee, fuel, and AutoRoute tolls. By not going via the RER B at Antony, you also avoid the obscene OrlyVal fare.
Not having to navigate from ORY to the A10: priceless.
Savings: airport pick-up fee, fuel, and AutoRoute tolls. By not going via the RER B at Antony, you also avoid the obscene OrlyVal fare.
Not having to navigate from ORY to the A10: priceless.
Feb 8th, 2009, 04:40 PM
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You can certainly get TO the LOire by train. But to tour it effectively you really need a car, since many of the chateaux are located either in tiny towns or out in the countryside with extremely limited public transit.
Feb 11th, 2009, 10:49 AM
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<i>Author: nytraveler
Date: 02/08/2009, 08:42 pm
Oh - and it's easier to rent a car at the airport - and you have a better chance of getting the type of vehicle you want (longer hours, much greater selection etc).</i>
"Easier?" Either place, you give them your DL and CC. You sign the form.
In places where selections are limited, you can often get a free upgrade if they're out of the one you requested.
From my point of view, renting at the airport has absolutely nothing to recommend it.
Date: 02/08/2009, 08:42 pm
Oh - and it's easier to rent a car at the airport - and you have a better chance of getting the type of vehicle you want (longer hours, much greater selection etc).</i>
"Easier?" Either place, you give them your DL and CC. You sign the form.
In places where selections are limited, you can often get a free upgrade if they're out of the one you requested.
From my point of view, renting at the airport has absolutely nothing to recommend it.
Feb 11th, 2009, 11:41 AM
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In this post/forum I believe, someone mentioned Costco, has anyone Rented a Car through Costco when in France? I went on the Costco Wensite, they have several compagnes listed, which one did you use?
Thanks
Thanks
Feb 11th, 2009, 11:46 AM
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envoyage sez "I am interested to know what the best price you get to rent a car, I am going to Ouest of France myself , landing in Nantes, I will need to rent a car then."
Get quotes from the websites of all the companies you can think of, including kemwel, sixt, autoeurope, europcar etc.
They all are brokers, you rent from local franchises that contract with those brokers for the prices you see - usually better prices than if you just walked into the same franchise on the same day!
And the quotes can vary hugely, so check them all.
They will list the addresses of the franchises, so you use http://maps.google.com/ to locate them and you plot your course from the airport or the train station or whereever.
Get quotes from the websites of all the companies you can think of, including kemwel, sixt, autoeurope, europcar etc.
They all are brokers, you rent from local franchises that contract with those brokers for the prices you see - usually better prices than if you just walked into the same franchise on the same day!
And the quotes can vary hugely, so check them all.
They will list the addresses of the franchises, so you use http://maps.google.com/ to locate them and you plot your course from the airport or the train station or whereever.
