stever

Ok - as a single guy I was cheap. But, this time I'm travelling with my new wife to Paris for 5 days (then Avignon 4 days and finally Nice 8 days) in 2 weeks and she's never been to Europe. Typically, I'd metro or bus in as cheaply as possible from the airport to the nearest point to my hotel and walk the rest of the way with my backpack on. This time, I'm married, with 2 large bags of luggage (2 - 21 inchers and a 2 - carry ons - 1 each per person) and she's not going to want to shlep her luggage (albeit on wheels) too far from a metro station up a hill. Can we metro/bus into that general area and taxi to this hotel, or is there a better way to do it?

Being married is very expensive when you travel! ;o) I used to stay at 2* hotels for under $65 a night. Them days are over! It'll be our 3rd year anniversary trip - all 4* stuff. I want her to have a stress free experience, but I DON'T want to pay $50 for a cab from the airport if there's another reasonable method of getting to our hotel.

Lastly, from Paris to Avignon (6 days later), what's the best method of getting there to Hotel D'Europe (we won't rent a car-we don't do the "driving thing in a foreign country&quot. TGV train? Some other train? How much money would it cost (approximately) and how long does it take - TGV vs another method?

THANKS!
Steve
USA

francophile03

You're treating your new wife to a 4* hotel and you say you want her to travel stress free. But why won't you take the taxi? For 45 euro it's worth it to me. Yes, you can take the metro/bus and lug your suitcases-is that stress free?

stever

Um, yeah - you got a point, but, how hard IS it to lug these 2 suitcases on metro and then to the hotel from there, maybe taking a taxi from the metro stop? Is it a bus into Paris or metro? And lastly, is it a straight shot to the area near our hotel is or is there a change in stations? As for the change in stations... is that a difficult maneuver with 2 moderate sized pieces of luggage?

What can I say - the thrifty genes are hard to get rid of, even at 42!

If I HAVE to take a taxi after a totally sleepless from hel* night on the plane, we will! I know she'd be alot happier. I just HATE spending an extra $35 US if I don't have to, ya know? That's... an incredible lunch for 2 at a cute little moderately priced brasserie! My wife hates it when I say stuff like that (comparing the price of something to a nice meal - but you're not my wife . I'm sure most of you would just say - "spend the freakin' money and forgetaboutit". Maybe I will, but I want to know my options.

Merci,
Steve
USA

francophile03

That's a small price to pay, don't you think? I never did the metro/bus thing but there are alot of stairs in certain metro stations!

RachelG

Take the taxi--from airport to hotel is one time I usually take taxi over metro--I love the metro and don't mind carrying luggage a ways; but after a long flight and being tired, it's worth the money to take the taxi. Now going from hotel back to airport, I often take the metro depending on amount of luggage, etc.

progol

steve,
I'm with francophile-- definitely spring for a taxi ! If you're spending the bucks for 4* hotels, the few extra ones for a cab will be minimal. You'll forget about it a few hours later, believe me. If you schlep on the metro, you'll have a tired and cranky wife for a lot longer than your own memory of spending a few extra dollars!

I know this, I've got a cheap gene, too, but have learned the balance between thrift and treating myself. And a cab after a long flight is really a small but important way of doing that.

If you really still want to save a few dollars and not get your own cab, aren't there limo options where several people are driven into the city? Or a bus directly from the airport to some spot in the city, where you can then get a cab?

Still, spring for the cab; your wife will love you all the more!

uhoh_busted

um....there's a lot of people here who use a Limo service. We did for the first time coming back from our hotel to CDG and it was only about $30 for the two of us and all our luggage. You share a van with others going into the city, but it is less stressful than the Metro and less expensive than a taxi. (The taxi has always been my preferred transport on arrival. It's just easier.)

uhoh_busted

oo0h oooh, forgot to mention, you can probably easily manage via Metro to the TGV for your trip to Avignon.

DonTopaz

Time for a compromise - there is middle ground.

Take the Air France bus (Les Cars Air France) from CDG to Montparnasse - the price is 11.5 Euros each. The bus lets you out across from the Meridien hotel, and there are always plenty of taxis. From there, it's a short cab ride (no more than 10 Euros) to your hotel.

(Be sure to take the Air France bus to Montparnasse, which leaves every 30 mins, and not the AF bus to Porte Maillot/Place Etoile, which leaves avery 12-15 minutes.)

Randy

As to your transportation from the airport to you hotel. you could take a taxi, the RER or have Paris Shuttle take you from the airport to the door of your hotel. If it was me, I would take the RER from CDG to Luxembourd and walk the couple of blocks from the RER to your hotel that I think is located on rue de Vaugiard (by the way, paris.org lists this hotel as a 3 star, but I may have the wrong hotel).

Last year I used Paris Shuttle from my hotel to CDG and I think I will use them in the future. It is hastle free. Go to their web site, http://www.paris-anglo.com/ashuttle/ , for details and make the reservation for them to pick you up at the air port when you plane arrives. The cost is 14.5 euro per person and that is a little less than the $50 taxi.

Now to your TGV question. I have taken the TGV a number of times from Paris (Gare Montparnesse) to Nantes which is about 250 miles and with stops at Le Mans and Angers the train only takes 2 hours and 12 minutes. Another great thing about the TGV is that they are on time. The price for this round trip ticket is 110.50 euro. Go to the TGV web site and check the prices for your trip. http://www.tgv.com/homepage/index.htm And, yes, the TGV is FAST!

Your hotel is not far from Gare Montparnesse, but I have a feeling your bride won't like shlepping her suitcase the six or seven blocks. You might consider taking a taxi for this.

Hope I have been of some help.

Bon Voyage!

Statia

I'm in agreement that if this is a special trip, then maybe it's better to spring for a taxi.

However, my husband and I always do the RER train from CDG to the city with a 22" rolling suitcase and one carry on each (four bags total). You must be able to carry the bags up and down stairs, though. Once we can roll the suitcases, we put our carry-on on top of it and go. The RER line from CDG to the city is 7.70 euro per person.

Christina

you're being cheap, not thrifty. It doesn't make sense to blow all that money on a 4* hotel and then refuse to take a taxi which is much cheaper relatively, given you are splitting the cost between two people. Notice the prices someone gave above who suggested you take the AF bus to Montparnasse (spending about 25 euro total) and then a cab to your hotel (maybe 10 euro, maybe more with tip). Now, that is probably about 10 euro total less than you'll spend on a taxi where you won't have to be doing all that bus to taxi etc stuff. Also, you will have to walk a ways from the AF bus to the taxi stand at Montparnasse, I've done it several times and it's not a few feet -- more like a block at least. Is that worth saving 10 euro?

However, if you must shlep around on public transporation with all those bags, just take the RER from CDG straight to the Luxembourg stop. The hotel is within walking distance.

stever

Man - you guys/gals don't mince words! Thank you, thank you... I've decided to take her in a taxi. Heck, this gal is worth doing a chauffeur driven limo. What the hel* was I thinking? I'm not 32 and single anymore. I'm 42 and I make enough to afford a $50 cab ride now and then in life. I don't want to go out of this world and wish I spent an extra $15 here and there to make my wife happy.

Man - I need to stick a crowbar in my wallet more often. Life's too short to be cheap. Dang...

Embarrassed, but back on track! And yes, we'll do the TGV if it's that fast.

Eternally grateful to all who responded and happy for my "new" husband lesson,
Steve
USA

Gretchen

Take a taxi. I also wonder how you are going to see Provence and Nice without a car. You will definitely miss a LOT. Driving in France is very easy--and especially in Provence, highly enjoyable.

stever

To Gretchen: Maybe we'll get brave and rent a car in Provence. In Nice, can't we just take buses or the train to Monte Carlo, Cannes, and the other coastal cities? We were told NOT to have a car in Nice as transport is pretty decent and the traffic in Nice is bad. Bottom line is we're not going to have a car in Nice.

Steve
USA

ira

Hey Steve,

Glad to see you came to the right decision.

mlloyd

I recommend taking the Air France Bus. My husband and I took it 4 times to and from the airport during our 2 week stay in Paris/Europe. Anyone can ride it, and it is nice, nicer than a city bus. They are lined up outside of the airport and you don't have to wait. The cost was 10 Euros for each of us. It will take you to the Arc de Triomphe and then you can catch a cab from there is you don't want to take the metro.
To get on the bus, we asked at the airport and they told us where to go. It was very easy.

andy

Steve- If you are going to be in Provence, esp at the Hotel D'Europe, You might seriously CONSIDER a CAR...
As another post said, You will DEFINITELY miss out on terrific scenery in Provence--all those neat little villages to drive and stop at...all those wonderful out of the way romantic stops--PLEASE PLEASE spring for a car and make this trip so memorable for your wife....

you do NOT need a car in NICE unless you want to go up to Vence or St Paul de Vence ( both of which are worth seeing and are North of Nice)...also the drive from Nice down to St Tropez is GORGEOUS..You do NOT need a car for every day in Nice-but you might consider a 1 -2 day rental to see specific sights.....

Just a heads up...

lily1210

Steve, you may be able to save on your paris-avignon TGV by getting a PREM fare which is a discounted rate for second class cars on the TGV. Rather than 110Euros from Paris - Annecy, we are paying 25 Euros. You use www.sncf.com to pre-book the TGV. If the discounted fare is available it will display as one of the options available for your designated date/time of departure. I know others on this site who say they've paid 24Euros Paris-Avignon. A fellow poster with the id hanl provided great instructions on reserving tickets on this sncf site. If you do a search on hanl you should find them. Have a great trip