Bikes from Charles de Gaulle?
 

I will be flying into Charles de Gaulle with a bicycle in a "box". I will be by myself and speak very little French. Does anyone have any suggestions of how I can get to my hotel near the Eiffel Tower? I know that it is close to a metro stop Dupleix. <BR> <BR>Merci

http://www.airportexpress.fr/ <BR>

Your choices are: taxi (easiest and most expensive, about 300F); one of the commercial airport shuttle services (I've never used one, so can't make a recommendation); taking the Air France shuttle (about 55F)to the Gare Montparnasse, then getting on the orange métro line, direction Charles de Gaulle Etoile and going 4 stops to Dupleix; taking the RER to St-Michel métro stop, switching to the RER C5/C7 line and changing at Champs-de-Mars/Tour Eiffel to the orange métro line, direction Porte d'Orléans and going two stops to Dupleix. <BR> <BR>How big and heavy is the box? If you're arriving early in the morning, the RER and métro will be very crowded with commuters, and the St-Michel station is a vast underground labyrinth requiring a good deal of walking and climbing of stairs and escalators. <BR> <BR>

The AirportExpress sounds like the best way, there is no way you can navigate the RER and Metro with a bike box. We have flown out of CDG with our bikes, but friends took us to the airport and we used American Airlines bike bags. If you plan to use the trains in France shop for a bike bag, you'll need one for the trains into and out of Paris. We had a frustrating experience last year trying to get our bikes on a train from Deauville to Paris, we needed bike bags, everyone knew what they were but no one, including three bike shops, knew where to get them.

If you are traveling with just a backpack, and decide to use the RER, unbox the bicycle so that you can wheel it on and off the cars, up the stairs, etc. The train terminus is CDG, so the cars are empty when you enter; if you station yourself at the end of the car, as close to the wall as you can get, you'll be all right. As StCirq pointed out, the St Michel station is nightmarish during rush hour - you'd probably be better off walking or riding the bike from St Michel to your hotel. <BR> <BR>If you've got luggage-luggage that you can't carry while handling a bike, you'll need a van to carry the bike; it'll be expensive, but I suggest you contact a car/driver service and explain your needs. As most taxis are too small to carry a bike, you might have to wait a while for a taxi that's big enough.

Thank you all for your great advice. <BR>Richard... I thought I read that you could take your bike on the trains out of the city during non commute hours? What would I do with the 300.00 bike bag (which is usually hard plastic) while I am riding. My goal was to take day trips from Paris on my bike. I guess I could rent one but in Paris they are "city bikes" not road or touring bikes. Any more ideas? should I give up the idea of riding???? <BR>

We used the airport shuttle service four times on our last trip in and out of Paris twice during that trip. They were prompt and it worked wonderfully since we were staying blocks away from the Eiffel Tower. They give you a toll free number to call (no change needed) that you use upon arrival. The cost was 89FF (which when charged came to about $13 per person). Just explain that you have the bike bag--they pick you up in a van and it should fit just fine. Marilyn

Lauri, <BR> <BR>This is the fourth time this week that I've been able to make good use of the following article in the Sunday travel section of www.nytimes.com - - www.nytimes.com/2001/03/18/travel/PARISBIK.html - - alas, it will expire tomorrrow unless you want to pay to read it, so I will e-mail it to you. It appears that you have listed a "real" e-mail address. <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex <BR>

Thanks Rex, the "Grey Lady" comes through once more.

Ain't she "da best"? <BR>