GardenKim

Hello, does anyone know an economical way to get to the Chateau Chenonceau from Paris? I was all set to buy TGV train tickets to St. Pierre des Corps but surprised that they are so expensive. Maybe I'm doing something wrong on the SNCF website but they are almost $200/person roundtrip and it's less than an hour trip.

amaclise

We took a small tour van which, while I don't like tours, was economical and pretty much self guided. We got to see a lot and didn't have to fumble around with a map all day.

I don't remember our company but I am sure there are several.

$200 does seem wrong to me.

barbmike

Paris to Tours is about 55-60 euros/per person round trip. I don't know the cost from Tours to Chateau Cehenonceau since we had a rental car for a week. Good Luck.

indytravel

Are you sure you're plugging in Chenonceaux (with an "x&quot?

I used www.voyages-sncf.com for Oct. 19th. There's a one-way Prems fare for 25.10euro, full fare is 40.60euro. Double that for round trip and you are no where near 200USD. Not a bad time either leave Paris Montparnasse at 7:50am arrive Chenonceaux at 10:07.

By the way, Chenonceau is absolutely gorgeous. Make sure you see the kitchen gardens off the left as you walk in. They are amazing.

indytravel

Sorry the gardens are "off to the right" as you enter. Must be suffering from dyslexia today.

grantop

If your schedule is flexible, try a different day/time of the week and see how the price compares. Make sure you are looking at "off peak" tickets - I believe they are less expensive, and check to make sure that you aren't buying a first class ticket (it will indicate it in the colored box with the price in it). Also, I am looking at buying Paris/St Pierre de Corps here at home and the SPdC to Chenonceaux leg in Paris. The Paris/SPdC leg has 20 Euro Prem fares (each way) that I can print at home, and I'll buy the tickets for the local train (SPdC to Chenonceaux) in France - they are only about 5 Euro each way and since they are "No reservation required" they can not be printed at home. As soon as our plans are firm, I will purchase - there are limited number of seats at the Prem fare so we could lose it if we don't book soon

grantop

Not to hijack Kim's post, but can someone offer some information as to what the towns of Chenonceaux and St Pierre des Corps are like? Should we plan on spending a little time there? Are there nice cafes? Small shops?

Thank you

indytravel

St Pierre des Corps is an ugly, ugly suburban sprawl suburb of Tours. It's on the outskirts of Tours and really quite unattractive.

If you have time catch a "navette" the free trains that shuttle between St-PdC and Tours proper. Tours is actually a lovely town. Nice fine arts museum, beautiful cathedral and a half-timbered old town that's pretty to stroll. I love the gemail museum too. Gemail is a form of back-lit stained glass that is beautiful.

The town Chenonceaux is tiny, tiny. I stayed a couple of nights there in 2001. There is not much else to do then the chateau. I stayed a couple of nights to live out a high school dream. Chenonceau chateau was on the cover of my 1st year high school French book. I swore to myself I'd see it and I did.

There's a somber yet pretty cemetery in the town but not much else. You can walk the entire thing in less then 45 minutes. No shops in Chenonceaux but 3 or 4 hotels that exist to support the chateau crowd.

grantop

Thanks Indy, that will really help us plan our time/visit. I appreciate your comments.