Driving from CDG to Loire Valley - suggested stops
 

Hi. A newbie here. I have been checking Fodor's for a couple of weeks and have found these member forums to be very helpful in planning our upcoming trip. My husband and I will be flying from the East Coast to Paris in September (arriving early morning Wednesday in CDG) and will be driving to the Loire Valley to spend 3 nights in Segre. Hubby hasn't been to Europe in over 20 years. This will be my first time. We have already printed the Michelin maps and will also have a GPS with us.

May I ask for suggestions re places along the way to the Loire Valley where we can stop for lunch and coffee/ bathroom breaks? Any other suggestions to make our drive more enjoyable will be much appreciated. Thanks!

If you are staying in Segré, NNW of Angers, it would make sense to go via Chartres and use the rest stop to see the cathedral. It's worth the stop, however brief.

Michale, thanks for the suggestion and for taking the time time to reply. Reading up on Chartres now. Sounds lovely.

If you are purposing to take an all night trans-Atlantic flight, then rent a car and embark upon a 5 hour, non stop car journey in a rented vehicle with which you are not familiar, using roads on which you have never travelled (some very high speed), and in a country neither you nor your husband have a real familiarity, I suggest you seriously rethink this strategy.

At some level, you must realize how dangerous this plan is. Fatigue combined with numerous highway unknowns can be a very hazardous travel combination. This is a time when you should take the train to Angers. There are a good number of daily departures from CDG for the approximately 3 hour trip to Angers where you could pickup your rental car for a much shorter, and infinitely safer 35 minute drive to Segré.

Although a bit strongly stated, Sarastro has a point. That train ride will be more comfortable than your flight, unless you're flying business or first class, and you can get a nice nap. Beats the h*ll out of driving on French roads if any part of your journey from CDG to Segre will be off the autoroutes.

We have done it both ways...picked up the rental at CDG and then driven for a couple of hours; we've also trained to a regional town to make better time and pick up the car from there...this is probably the most relaxing for the reasons cited above.

1) Getting out of CDG is relatively easy, but we always seem to run into traffic jams (les bouchons) south of Paris
2) Usually by the time you clear customs, pick up the car, gas up etc., it's getting close to meal time. I don't know about your husband, but mine doesn't do hunger well. As a matter of fact, he gets pretty snarky. Problem is, once he stops to eat that's it; he literally can't keep his eyes open and we have to stop! We never make it very far down the road, but know this so just have a hotel already chosen and reserved along our intended route. If you had more time, I'd say drive from CDG to Chartres, spend the night there at the lovely Monarque Hotel (gourmet restaurant) and discover the town at leisure after a nap, but it sounds like you have a strict time table to keep.

With the train, you can eat, take turns napping and arrive in the Loire somewhat refreshed and ready to go. That's what I'd do with such little time.

I stopped at Fontainebleau (technically I got lost and ended up at...) Nice place to visit and have some lunch

Thank you all for your replies and I do appreciate the advice about taking the train. At the risk of nagging, I have asked my husband about this several times but he assures me that driving after the long flight won't be a problem and he does know well enough to stop if he's tired. I have to say that every 3 or 4 weeks, he makes a 9-hour drive (mostly on interstates) and often turns around after 48 hours; he pretty much knows his limits.

We are in no particular rush to get to Segre but I do want to check in our hotel before it gets very late at night. Based on Michael's suggestion, I have read up on Chartres and look forward to seeing the town and the beautiful Cathedral. Fountainbleau sounds wonderful but will take us too far away.

In case we need another stop - I'd appreciate another suggestion for a place to stop enroute. Many thanks!

Oh - I forgot to mention that my only concern about Chartres is that we will be there on September 8th, the day when Catholics traditionally celebrate Our Lady's birthday. So, if there's a big celebration that day and parking will be a problem, we may have to skip Chartres.

I checked the church's website (I don't read or speak French). Their calendar didn't appear to have anything for that day but will have someone who knows French read the website and confirm for me.