I'll be arriving at CGD Paris, with two teens at 7 pm on a Friday night in late June, and catching a TGV train from Gare de Lyon about noon the next day. Where should we stay to make the transition the smoothest? Of course, it would be nice to make our 17 hours there have some Parisian character to it-meaning not a business hotel at the airport and McDonalds for breakfast. Yuck.

You could choose a hotel either next to Gare du Nord or next to Gare de Lyon. They are both prime hotel zones with easy airport access. The RER B (rail) goes straight from CDG to Gare du Nord and there is an Air France coach that goes straight from CDG to Gare de Lyon. And the RER D connects Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon in about 8 minutes.

We did this in reverse (arriving by train, leaving by plane the next day) and stayed at Hotel le Senat. You can take the RER from CDG, and then a cab the next day to the train station. Le Senat is a five minute walk from the Luxembourg RER. It will be about a 10 minute taxi ride to Gare de Lyon. Great location, lovely hotel.

Thanks Kerouac. I didn't know there was an RER ( line D ) from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon. I'm just starting to learn about all these options.

There's a decent Ibis close to Gare de Lyon that is pretty reasonable and you'd be able to get to more touristy spots pretty easily.

http://www.accorhotels.com/gb/hotel-...th/index.shtml

txtree, thanks for the info! I'm just starting to become familiar with places in Paris and now I've learned about Luxemborg RER and how close it is the Gare de Lyon. I'll check out Hotel le Senat right now..

Thanks DebitNM, I'll check that out too!

I found the Ibis near Gare de Lyon and it is a good price. Thanks! However I also found a spacious apartment close to the Eiffel Tower (600m away) on rue Augereau for just a little bit more. Would the Eiffel Tower apt. be easy enough to get to from CDG and then to Gare de Lyon for a 1:20 TGV departure?