glsebs

We will be in Paris for a week in March. We wanted to go to Reims to Boyer Les Crayeres for a couple of days for our anniversary. We are trying to figure out the logistics. Do we fly into CDG and rent a car and drive to Reims directly for a couple of days, drop the car in Reims and take a train into Paris. Or do we take the train from Paris after a few days there and rent a car in Reims or do we not need a car in Reims at all? Another thought is to take the train to Reims after 4 days in Paris, rent a car for our stay and then drive to CDG for our return flight. Any ideas?

CKEnglish

Don't forget that you can book a car through your airline - which often gives exceptionally good rates - and you don't have to necessarily have to pick it up the day you arrive. We frequently will fly into a main city airport - enjoy that city - then take the train/subway back out the airport to pick up a car - go out into the country and return the car to the airport when we are ready to fly home. No one-way fees - and public transport is usually excellent & inexpensive between inner city accomodation & airports. Reims is an easy drive from CDG - and the joy of driving is you can get off the autoroute onto the smaller roads - through champagne country. Very nice, indeed.

alg

We went to Reims as a day trip on the train...for longer stays I would have preferred a car. Th champagne houses are too spread out to walk and you may have to wait for a cab. Having a car will allow you the freedom to explore more of the area. When you visit Reims might be dictated by your flight times...when do you arrive? Depart?

glsebs

What you both say makes sense. We will rent a car then...either at CDG when we arrive or in Reims and then drop at CDG when we depart. We arrive at 8:30 a.m. and depart at 11:40 a.m. I am always concerned renting a car at the airport and then driving being really tired after a night flight. How long is the drive from CDG to Reims?

RonZ

The drive from CDG to Boyer should be a little under 2 hours...once you actually get on the road, that is. I suggest you get directions to the hotel. It took us a while to find it when we went. Request a table in the main dining room.

glsebs

Thanks for the advice. We will be at the hotel for two nights. Any other suggestions in the area for dinner the second night?

CKEnglish

As previous response - the drive is really quite short and not at all tiring. Since the trip to Reims is a special occasion - consider having it at the end of the trip - you won't be tired from the flight (I'm in mid 50's and starting to notice that it takes me the better part of 2 days to get over the trans-atlantic flights). Your plans sound like Reims should be the icing on the cake - rather than the platter underneath!

flsd

On our last trip to France, we picked up the rental car at CDG and, although tired from the flight, immediately drove east (we stopped at Chateau Thierry before heading to Reims). Once you get on the highway to Reims (A4? I don't have my map handy), it's a piece of gateau, so to speak. A car is helpful there because, as has been noted, if you're hoping to visit some of the champagne caves, they are rather far apart.

There are several nice restaurants in town on the place Drouet D'Erlon and adjoining streets, from Alsatian to Indian. Check out the Reims tourism website: http://www.ville-reims.com/ for listings of restaurants and other info about the city.

glsebs

Thanks all for your help and suggestions. We are going to go to Boyer Les Crayeres at the end of the week as the last night we are there is our anniversary and a dinner there to celebrate sounds incredible.
I think we should take a train from Paris to Reims and then pick up a car there which we can use to go around the area for the couple days and then drive to CDG and drop the car before our 11:40 a.m. flight.
I don't think we will need to go to CDG to get a car to drive to Reims...I would hope we could get a car there and drop at CDG.
Any thoughts?

lisaindc

glsebs,

I spoke with my parents this morning and they are in France and headed to Boyer Les Crayeres tomorrow night for the weekend. My mom posts on the forum frequently (Judy) and I will tell her to check this thread when they return to let you know if she has any restaurant recommendations.

RonZ

One of the main reasons to stay ar Boyer is to experience the restaurant, so I personally wouldn't think of dining anywhere else over a 2 night stay.

On our recent trip to Reims we left from Paris, picking up our Europcar rental at the Gare du Nord. People avoid driving in Paris, but this is a breeze--a straight shot to the highway. Also very easy to get from the rental places to the garage, which is right in the station. You pass right by CDG, but cabbing out and then renting a car would be in my opinion a complete waste of time and effort. But to each their own.

Our first stop was in Compiegne to visit the chateau, which took us up to noon. Then we walked around the lovely town and had some lunch.

Then to Tardenois and a one night stay at the Chateau de Fere. This is a fine hotel with a very good restaurant.

In the am we stopped at the American Memorial and Cemetary [many, many white crosses], and then on to Reims going through Chateau Thierry and some very pretty countryside over the back roads.

Our stay at Boyer was all that was excpected and more, dinners the high point--incomparable setting and service, fine cuisine. The gave us passes for a champagne house tour at Piper-Heidsieck, which is right down the street. You ride through the tunnels in a little vehicle with comentary in the language of your choosing.

flsd

The only reason to rent a car at CDG is if you're getting it immediately upon arrival in France. It's a headache there to pick up the car and make your way out of town. Otherwise, if you've already been in Paris a few days and then want to commence your driving vacation, I'd suggest a car rental office at Gare de Lyon.

glsebs

Again, thanks for all the help...this board is a life saver. The concensus seems to be to pick up a car at a train terminal and drive out of Paris to Reims. My husband said he is not worried about driving in Paris, but after being there several time, the traffic does seem to be a little daunting. But I guess this makes the most sense.
As for dining, one anniversary dinner at Boyer Les Crayers will be all we want...personally, I can't eat those 8 course dinners two days in a row...too much food and too expensive.
I am sure the hotel cann suggest simpler restaurants for the other dinner.

RonZ

flsd wisely mentioned the Gare de Lyon, because it is very easy to get from there to the A4 autoroute [Porte de Bercy].

The rental places are across the street from the station on the right side. From the station, you walk across a bridge. At street level [if taking a cab], you enter an unmarked door to the right of the garage and go up an escalator. There are no signs as to auto rental at street level.

Another consideration would be a point of interest along the way that you might like to see.

Examples--Porte de Bercy for Vaux le Vicomte; Porte de la Chapelle [from Gare du Nord] for Chantilly and Compegnie.