Continuing from another post, I am making business travel arrangements for someone who has not been to Europe before. Needs to go from CDG to Caen and on to Herouville St Clair, which looks to me to be a suburb of Caen.

It looks like the simplest thing will be either a taxi or shuttle from CDG Terminal 2 (Delta) to St. Lazare, train to Caen, bus or taxi to Herouville.

France experts, am I on the right track?

If shuttle or private driver is best, any recommendations?

Thank you!

Hi D,

www.ratp.fr gives directions for public transport.

A shuttle is about 18E. A cab is about 50E.

Shuttles:
www,parishuttle.com
www.paris-blue-airport-shuttle.fr/index_en.php
www.beeshuttle.com

As far as I know, RATP only gives directions within the Ile de France and RATp only covers Paris transporation and its environs. Caen is a city in another region (northern Normandy), rather far away for the Paris transport system or the RER. NO cab will take you there for 50 euro, that's for sure.

I think you are definitely on the right track.

RER B to Gare du Nord (30 minutes). RER E from Gare du Nord to Saint Lazare (5 minutes). Fare: 8.40€

kerouac,

Thank you so much. I believe he can take the RER B right from CDG, correct? Unfortunately, his flight gets in at 11:25 am and it doesn't look like he can make the 12:10 pm departure from St. Lazare. The next departure is not until 3:45 pm.

Any suggestions? I know you are our Fodorite in France!

I did this 2 years ago going to Rouen. No way would he make the 12:10 train! One must get to the CDG RER first (I walked, as I deplaned at Terminal 2), then the line was horrific that day to buy the RER ticket. Maybe not always,but bad that day. Then I took a taxi from Gare du Nord to St. Lazare. A little wait at the taxi stand, too. The change to RER E that Kerouac suggests is probably better than the taxi. Unless he takes a taxi direct from CDG, which I remember wishing I had done. If he is on "business" travel, maybe that would be the best option! Definitely easier, albeit more expensive. But he still couldn't make the 12:10 train. It's great relaxing on the train after the usual airport hassles.

Perhaps you made a typo and left off a number, but the next train after the 12:10 is at 13:45, not 3:45. Technically speaking, the RER E train to Hausmann-St Lazare leaves from the Magenta RER station which is connected to Gare du Nord.

For a zoomable map of the RER & Metro system, go here: http://tinyurl.com/6ypurt. For detailed information, including photos, on getting from CDG to Paris on the RER, go to www.parisbytrain.com.

Yes trains to Caen from Paris go about hourly (though the French do have some gaps in early afternoon IME in schedules - unlike much of Europe.

and the connection that Kerouac and TimS and others mention at Gare du Nord is rather simple - follow signs for RER E and then board the spiffy modern automatic metro to the end of the line - take the escalators or lift up and follow signs for "Grandes Lignes" at Saint-Lazare (Grandes Lignes being mainline trains and not Banlieue (sp?) trains or suburban train section of the station. Buy a thru ticket CDG to Caen at CDG RER station and it should i believe cover the RER E portion as well.

Thanks so much everyone for your details and suggestions!

I'm trying to make it as easy as possible. Yes, business travel and so $ is not the main concern. Never been out of No. America, so this will be a bit of an eye opener for this traveler.

He'll only be in France for 2 days so the less complicated the better. Just one day in Paris and he doesn't like art. Being the fabulous and dedicated assistant that I am, I did volunteer to go in his place.....

Being the fabulous and dedicated assistant that you are, he should pay your way to Paris so you can immerse yourself in art while he's off in Herouville St Clair!

Dayle, I'm going to pipe in once more. Under his circumstances, have him take a taxi to St. Lazare. With only 2 days in France, make it easy!