&quot;...maybe they are too <i>tired</i> by this time...&quot;

But that's a constant. Getting your entourage to, and boarding, a shuttle, Air France bus, taxi, or RER all require the same amount of energy. Ditto getting off at the other end.

With a taxi or door-to-door shuttle, of course, you're done at that point, whereas on Air France or RER, you have another leg to go. Each person can decide whether avoiding that is worth the premium.

If you want the best of all worlds, take the train to GdN and a taxi from there (although the trip to Republique <u>is</u> already paid for...)

As a guy who has hung around Place de la Republic and environs approximately forever, I'm delighted to hear some other folks know that there are Paris arrondissements higher (in every sense of the word) than No. 7. Have a great stay!

Dave, perhaps we should put together the first annual &quot;Fodors Place de Republique Get-Together&quot; the last weekend of February for the purpose of prying people out of the lower-numbered districts.

Sunday, 3 p.m. at the Cafe Coca?

That sounds great, but could you post the address (or at least an approximation?) I don't think I've been there in the past and it's not ringing a bell for me. I'll put up a separate posting for other Fodorites as soon as I have the details (Sunday, Feb. 27, 3 p.m., Cafe Coca -- so far!)

'Scuse me, but I don't want to pry people out of the lower arrondissements! Leave us 'boonies' alone :O

Refining that proposed rendez-vous: Cocoa Cafe, 3 ave. de la Republic. I'll phone tomorrow to be sure they're open on Sunday. Travelnut: I share your sentiment to a certain extent, but don't all those folks cooped up in that great museum without a turnstyle -- a.k.a the 5th and 6th arrondissements -- deserve a little pity and a little help?

I just do what I want since it's my money, but I do find getting to and on and dealing with the RER more trouble than walking straight out the door and getting in a taxi which drops you at your hotel. I would think more trouble with several youngsters in tow and perhaps a bunch of peraphernalia.

Anyway, the RER doesn't go to Republique so it can't be five minutes to there. Even to the closest RER stop near Republique, which would be Gare du Nord probably, is about 30 minutes train time according to RATP. And then you'd have to transfer or take a cab or something.

Take the taxi in, and once familiar with Paris public transportation you might decide to take the RER out.

Very good. I have a fix on it near the intersection of rue Malt and Avenue de la Republique. Hopefully we can get a few Fodorites to join us and I'll place a separate posting for that. See everyone at 3 p.m. this coming Sunday.

Read my lips:

CDG to Gare du Nord (40 minutes via RER).

Gare du Nord to R&eacute;publique (5 minutes via Ligne 5).

Total cost: &euro;26.80 (no tip)

Obviously, if you could have a limo waiting for you, it would be far more convenient. It just depends on how much convenience each of us is willing to pay for.