First trip to France -- help to airport
 

I'm taking my first trip out of the country in a few weeks and need some advice from seasoned travelers. Your comments on shoes and clothes and shopping have been very useful, so I'm hoping you can solve my dilemma:
I'm traveling with friends, but am leaving a day earlier. We'll be staying in Ile de France, east of Paris. I need to get to Charles de Gaulle. Do I go by train or taxi? I'll have a lot of luggage and don't think that's a wise course of action. And I have a feeling the taxi will cost a chunk of change. Help!

look into a shared shuttle

Ask your hotel if they have an arrangement with a private car company or shuttle.

I just made arrangements for us to be picked up at CDG and driven to our hotel. The taxi price that was quoted to me was 60E. It's going to cost a total of 34E for two of us to take the shuttle arranged by the hotel (19E each; it would have been 26E for one). I believe it's a private car. We had this same arrangement in Rome and it was very convenient.

Why do you have a lot of luggage?

And what airport are you landing at? You say "I need to get to Charles de Gaulle," but you don't give a clue where you're coming from.

Without some concrete info from you I don't know HOW anyone is gonna help you out.

My apologies; I'll be more specific. I'm traveling from my hotel in Ile de France to Charles de Gaulle by myself.
The hotel says it has no shuttle/service to Charles de Gaulle. My choice appears to be taxi or train for a 44-kilometer ride. My assumption is that I need to know the name of a company/shuttle service that I can hire on my own, but I really don't know what the right solution is.
I expect I'll have three pieces of luggage --- two wheeled bags and a duffel.

What is the nearest train station to your hotel?

OK - I now get it. I was confused, but you mean you are leaving CDG for home a day before your friends.

You need to tell us the name of the town or village where you are staying. No one can tell you the best way to get to CDG w/o knowing where you are traveling from . . . .

(I also ask - WHY will you have a lot of luggage??)

I'll be staying in Bailly Romainvilliers. I think it's close to Disneyland.

And as for luggage, please understand that as I'm writing from Phoenix (where there is zero public transport), I'm a little befuddled by the concept of dragging luggage on what I presume to be something similar to a city bus. That's why I'm thinking a train is not my best bet .... but I know my Fodor's friends can guide me in the right direction.

Thanks much.

As both StCirq and janisj asked, why soooooo much luggage? How long is your trip?

Tom

Two and a half weeks. I'm checking a suitcase and will have a carry-on bag; I presume I'll have a duffel, too, with purchases and gifts.

Airport Connection
airport-connection.com
reservation center is open 7 days a week, from 7am to 11pm, at +33
(0)1 43 65 55 55.

Call these folks and ask about a shared shuttle, the driver was very helpful with luggage at the hotel pickup.

Sorry to belabor the point, but as others have indicated, you need to seriously rethink your luggage. Are you traveling with your friends by train or car? If by car, have you considered how much room you will have (I take it there will be at least 3 of you since you say "friends" in the plural)? It is generally not a wise idea to travel in Europe with more luggage than you can comfortably carry by yourself. You may end up being miserable. One wheeled checked bag and one carry-on should be sufficient for a 2.5-week trip. Back in the days before the no-liquids rule, people frequently did trips of that length with only carry-ons (and some still do - by using small containers or buying their liquids once they arrive at their destination). If you make a lot of purchases along the way, you can usually have them shipped back (this also ensures that things don't get damaged as you lug them around!).

I'm not at all sure that the shuttle companies would go that far out from Paris. Another option would be to get a taxi to Disneyland bus station and take the VEA bus to CDG. Costs 16€ and takes about 45 minutes. They recommend that you take the bus at least 2.5 hours before your flight. I would add at least an hour to that. Here is the website for VEA.
http://www.vea.fr/uk/infos-lignes.asp

I agree with others that you should try to reduce your luggage to no more than two pieces. Good luck!

The one positive about staying in Bailly-Romainvilliers is that you are right beside the ring road, thus a taxi-ride to CDG -- 45 km or 28 mi -- would be entirely on multi-lane motorway.

All the comments about luggage are not sniping but sound advice.

I am trying to imagine one person piloting two rolling suitcases -- they do tend to go in independent directions!