April1961

In several weeks my wife and I will be traveling to Paris, then take a train over to Normandy.
We will be staying at the Holiday Inn, right outside of DE Gaulle airport. But all of the information and emails requesting assistance are VERY confusing to us. Originally I was told that the train station is not that far away,but according to the e-mail below, it is very far .
here is an email example : :: From our hotel, you have to take the below free shuttle to SNCF train station.
We have a free shuttle service every day from 5am to midnight. It’s a big black bus with the logo “Holiday Inn” on it which runs every 20minutes to the SNCF train station at level 5 (next to terminal 2F) and at the RER train station at Roissy Pole (schedules attached).
For more information, please click on the below link..

http://www.hotels-roissy-tourisme.co...ineraires.html

Then, you have to take several trains (about 1h15 of trip).

The easiest is to take a taxi (about 50-70 €).

Has anyone actually taken the train from the Paris station to Normandy ?
Thank you for your comments.

VolCrew

Are you trying to get to Caen or Bayeux or the beaches? I don't know of any train to the latter; you will have to go by car or tour van to the beaches.

Gretchen

Out of curiosity, why are you staying out at the airport? ARe you taking a train from the Roissy train station to Normandy (Caen or Bayeux). I don't believe there is such.
One reason I recommend renting a car at CDG to get to Normandy is to keep from having to go all the way into Paris to get a train to Normandy.
Your link is a tourist link, and I have no idea what you would be trying to quote from it.

April1961

We are going to stay at Bayeux for two days,
the tour we are signed with picks up right outside of the Churchill hotel.
Our main concern is getting from Paris to Bayeux within our timeframe. This station concern really has us worried

PalenQ

It's pretty straight forward if confusing at first glance - take the hotel shuttle to the TGV station (SNCF station) in terminal 2 and take the RER (a fast metro) and then at Gare du Nord follow signs for RER E - direction Madeleine (I believe - anyway to the west) and take RER E until the end of the line

and then you have a walkway right into Gare Saint-Lazare which has frequent trains, about hourly to Caen - some of these go onto Bayeux - try to get a direct one -

buy your thru ticket CDG airport to Bayeux at the TGV train station ticket window - this will include a ticket for the RERs to Saint-Lazare and a ticket that can be used on just about any St-Lazare to Caen/Bayeux trains (except if one is marked Corail TEOZ and I do not think there are many or any of these on that line) - this is not a high-speed line and has regional trains you can just hop on with a valid ticket.

Be sure to cancel your ticket before boarding the train as St-Lazare or you will be considered to be riding without a valid ticket and face a penalty - to do this stick in in the 'composteurs' machines to date-stamp them before getting on the train.

Once in Bayeux the town center is a short walk from this sleepy little used train station.

For lots on French trains I always spotlight these IMO fine sites: www.seat61.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com - they also have lots on the Bayeux - D-Day Landing Beaches - the most famous of which are just several miles from Bayeux - mini-vans will pick you up at your hotel - you can arrange them once there by visiting the local Tourist Office (Syndicat d'Iniative) in the town center - no need to pre-book - they sell slots on several competing tours.

greg

The trip as outlined is somewhat complicated because you are starting you trip to Bayeux from an awkward location. Was there a compelling reason why you are staying at the airport? I presume you are flying into CDG.

Look at all the logistics involved as it stands:
1. arrive by plane at CDG
2. hotel shuttle CDG --> Holiday Inn (about 2.5 miles, 10 min)
3. overnight at Holiday Inn

4. hotel shuttle Holiday Inn --> CDG (about 2.5 miles, 10 min)
5. RER train CDG --> Gare du Nord
6. RER train Gare du Nord --> Gare St-Lazare
OR
Combine 4+5+6. Take taxi from Holiday Inn CDG --> St-Lazare ~50-60EU

7. SNCF train St-Lazare --> Bayeux

If you stayed in Paris, you get:
1. arrive by plane at CDG

2. RER train CDG --> Gare du Nord/St.Michel, etc
3. Taxi/bus/RER/metro/walk to your hotel
OR
Combine 2+3: take a taxi from CDG --> your hotel in Paris, ~50-60EU

4. overnight in Paris
5. Taxi/bus/RET/metro/walk to Gare St-Lazare
6. SNCF train St-Lazare --> Bayeux

If your tour pickup is on the same day you arrive in Bayeux, starting from Paris instead of CDG reduces your travel time on that day.

janisj

You completely lost me at >>We will be staying at the Holiday Inn, right outside of DE Gaulle airport.<<

WHY?

adrienne

I bet you're spitting baguettes right now! Don't despair. The directions above are brilliant but could be confusing to someone unfamiliar with Paris.

You can't get to Normandy from the train station at CDG airport. You must go into Paris to the correct train station. There is no "paris station" there are 6 train stations and the one you use depends on where you're going.

The first part of the instructions above get you into Paris inexpensively via public transportation (RER) and to the correct station. You need to be at Gare St-Lazare for your train to Normandy.

If I were you I would take a taxi from your hotel to the train station.

Also if I were you I would find a hotel in Paris unless you don't plan to spend any time there.

RM67

You can probably do it as CDG - Lille - wherever in Normandy and miss out central Paris altogether. The reason I say this may be possible is because I did something very similar to this when returning from Quimper in Brittany to Lille to catch Eurostar.

janisj

april: You did get some of this info on your other thread . . . http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ndy-france.cfm

PalenQ

You can probably do it as CDG - Lille - wherever in Normandy and miss out central Paris altogether.>

No that route would take several hours and multiple changes of trains according to bahn.de/en - the German Railways online scheduling site for all European trains and usually infallible.

The quickest way from Lille to Bayeux is to go back thru Paris according to www.bahn.de/en - so forget any idea of doing what would be an all-day trip - the fastest and best way is to go to Gare Saint-Lazare (perhaps airport buses will take you there or to the nearby Opera if the RER changes are daunting - or an airport shuttle service.

Gretchen

Apparently they never paid ANY attention to the other thread--or pay any attention to how to have a trip to Paris that will be enjoyable.
Do not stay at the airport. Go into Paris. Leave from there.
Dear heavens. Now they are going via Lille, and can't even get into Paris to get to Bayeux.
Can't wait for the trip report.

RM67

Not via Lille - my point was there are trains that come from there which do not stop at any Paris terminus but which DO stop at CDG before heading west. Thus you might be able to do it without going into Paris itself, albeit with a change to head north but avoiding a packed city centre and the metro.

kerouac

The trains from CDG go to places like Nantes, which is far too far south when you are going to Caen.

PalenQ

No any other route than via Gare Saint-Lazare would be hours longer and more expensive. Ditch that idea for the Caen-Bayeux area. There is just one option from CDG - REr or bus or private car transfer or taxi from there to Gare Saint-Lazare then direct train to Caen and Bayeux. www.voyages-sncf.com for schedules and fares but NO need to advance book - there are minor savings perhaps but then you peg yourself into a specific train at a specific time and if you miss it you're out and have to buy a full-fare ticket anyway.

On TGV lines there can be significant discounts but on the normal Paris to Bayeux trains I think the discount is minor if available on all.