I've been looking at this station - and am discovering that it is quite large! And my French isn't that great.
From the street level - where would I enter to get to the TGV trains that go south?
If I am on a Metro - is that different?
Thanks for the help.

The Metro is different. You do not exit into the train station itself. the Metro is Montparnasse Bienvenue. As I recall, you can exit facing the entrance to Montparnasse rail station, but you must cross the stree to get to it.

The station never struck me as being luggage friendly. I would take a cap to the station myself, but that depends on your budget.

tt

It's a large station, but pretty easy to navigate. From the métro you walk outside and see the statrion across the street. I believe you'll go up at least one flight of an escalator to get to the main floor. Look for signs saying Grandes Lignes and you'll end up in the main open area where the TGVs line up. There's a huge board in the middle showing the departing trains and designating their quai number. You'd really have to be rather thick not to figure it out, so don't worry.

This is a good station. Large, intuitive, and relatively new since it used to be on the boulevard where you'll see Metro tunnel entrances.

In all of the Paris train stations, whether coming from the metro or not, just follow the signs that say "SNCF Grandes Lignes".

Excellent! Thanks to everyone for their advice. I did notice the Metro seemed to be in a different location from the station - so thanks for the clarification. We travel light with only one 22" rolling suitcase each... so hopefully that won't be a problem.

As recommended in another post: we are thinking of the RER B from CDG to the Denfert station, then the Line 4 toward Porte de Clignancourt but getting off at Gare Montparnasse.

Taking the AF #4 bus to see sights above ground isn't out of the question - just don't want any traffic delays.

Hoping to also catch lunch somewhere before boarding the TGV south.

Thanks again!

Arriving at the Montparnasse-Bienvenue metro station, if you follow the SNCF Grandes Lignes exit signs all the way, you will indeed end up inside the train station, not across the street from it. I don't know how bob_brown went wrong.

I guess I just followed the crowd to the exit. The station is full of tunnels.
Glad to know there is a connecting tunnel that enables a pedestrian to avoid crossing the street.

Being weak with French does have its drawbacks, that is for sure.

If you need to get an early start, it's nice to know there is a Paul's bakery store-front just after the metro exit into the Gare...sure beats the café/bar breakfast there!

And if you come in from Chartres on the train and want to get out to a taxi stand? What kind of signs would one look for?

I was going to say, I use that station a lot, and they have many metro exit/entrances within it. I think all Paris train stations have metro exits/entrances inside them, don't they? Many metro stops have multiple exits, however, that is not unusual.

oh, you would look for a sign that says "TAXI". It is blue with white writing.

The taxi stand at Gare Montparnasse is off bd Montparnsse in front of the tower. It's at pluce du 18 Juin 1940.