Looking at the directions by RER from CDG airport to our hotel in the first district it says to take RER B up to Chatelet Les Halles station and then change for line 14 in the direction St. Lazare up to "Pyramides" station. Once there take rue des Pyramides, the take the first street on the right and arrive in rue St. Roch.

This seems like an awfully long journey after flying from Los Angeles to Paris and being tired, should we be opting for a taxi. Maybe I'm wrong and the train is simple. For Italy we took the train from the airport to Rome and it wasn't bad, we will each have 1 large suitcase.

There are a lot of opinions here about this question. If you do a search on something like Paris Shuttle, you should find some threads.

IMHO, after flying on a long flight, I want to get to the hotel in the easiest manner - which for me is taxi. (Have the name and address or the map from their website printed out and hand it to the driver.) This is not necessarily the least expensive way to get to the hotel.

The other options:
1. train, the least expensive but can be more complicated and schlepping bags up and down steps;

2. shuttle, which, depending on the number of people, could be more or less expensive than a taxi. It may be a longer ride depending on many people are dropped off before you.

3. Air France bus to ?? and then take a taxi. I have done this, or I would know where it stops! But you should be able to find out that information with a search.

Sometimes for me, it is a question of convenience and less hassle than the cost of the ride.

Yes, it's a hassle, especially with a "large suitcase." And especially going through Chatelet - people have disappeared there for months at a time.

Others will tell you otherwise, but I'd strongly advise taking a taxi.

My 14 yo daughter burst into tears somewhere in the bowels of Chatelet last year as we tried to follow the signs towards Pompidou. We finally did emerge.

Chatelet Les Halles, oh boy. I wouldn't do that with luggage. (I don't think I burst into tears there, but I felt like it once.)

It sounds like you're staying not far from the Opera. Why don't you take the Roissy bus to the Opera and take a taxi from there? No schlepping luggage up and down stairs at metro stations, and MUCH cheaper than taking a taxi all the way from CDG.

Take the Roissy Bus, head to the right when you disembark, walk to the corner and board the 68 city bus. You can buy a ticket from the driver. Get off at the Pyramides stop.

Hi S,

Since you are concerned about jet lag, transferring and walking, spring for a cab.

Check with your hotel. They may use a car service.

We stayed at the Hotel Henri IV Rive Gauche and they had a car (a small van) pick us up. We were the only passengers on that trip although going back to the airport three weeks later we shared the car with others.

I can't remember the exact price but I know that the price for two of us was still less than the cost of a cab. If I remember correctly, the car was E19 for each of us and the cab would have been about E50. Something like that.

If they don't use a car service, I'd spring for the cab and just count it in as part of the cost of the vacation.