traveler2005

Sorry to post up three different questions, but I have thought of another and not sure that it would be apparent under the other topic titles.

Could someone give me an approximate price and time to allow to take a taxi from the Eiffel Tower area to Charles DeGaulle airport (Sunday morning if that makes a difference).?

We had planned to take the metro/RER and did take it to our hotel. However, we are thnking about taking a Fat Bike tour that mirors the end of the Tour de France route the morning of the end of the Tour de France. It sounds like a once-in-a-lifetime thing to do, but it would not be worth missing the plane.

Here is the timetable we are looking at:

Fat bike tour 6:45-8:45
Metro/RER to airport - 9:-10:30
margin at airport 10:30 - 1;30
Flight leaves at 1:30

We could take a taxi, but I wonder if it would actually be quicker. It could be slower.

(This is the day that the Tour de France ends in Paris.)

DebitNM

We used Taxis G7

http://www.taxisg7.com/estimation-tarif-duree-course

Note: you can reserve in advance for 5 euros extra;
time starts from when driver arrives.

janisj

>>(This is the day that the Tour de France ends in Paris.)<<

I'd never (ever) plan a car trip through central Paris on the same day the Tour ends. Traffic and crowds will be enormous.

Plus do you want the hassle of going to the meeting point, taking the bike tour, then back to the hotel to retrieve your bags then to CDG?

djkbooks

Fat Tire does have storage for things like large backpacks. Not sure if they'll allow you to store luggage. You could phone or e-mail and ask. They all speak English.

However, in my experience, those tours do not necessarily end on time and you'd have to ask ahead of time whether you'd be allowed to return to the office on your own ahead of the group and guide. (Sometimes, people are slow, or the tour just takes longer or most people don't have a pressing appointment afterward so it's more leisurely. The tours end, usually, at the Eiffel Tower, and the tour is often extended so people can spend more time there.)

If you decide to take a taxi from Fat Tire, best bet is to phone G7 when you're ready to go. (English speaking dispatcher 01 41 27 66 99). There would be an "approach fare" (meter starts from where the driver is dispatched) on the meter, not something I'd worry about with a plane to catch. Drivers will know the best route, if necessary, to avoid the finish activities. You could book in advance, but they will not likely wait for you if you're late, mostly because there's no place to stand/park, and that would add more to the meter than approach fare especially adding the booking fee.

The portion you'd need of nearby RER C will not be operating until August 22nd. An alternate route would be to take Metro 6 from the station Dupleix, toward Nation, to the stop Denfert Rochereau and transfer there to RER B to CDG, making sure to watch the display and get on a train to CDG. You might want to purchase your tickets ahead of time so as not to have to depend on finding an attended ticket sales window or bother with the machines (whether you'd need coins, bill, or if your - USA - credit card will work if it's not chip/PIN). The alternate route may take a bit longer. You can get the timing on the RATP website, making sure you enter the actual date/time, but I usually double those times.

Personally, it's not a risk I would take, but it might work out just fine for you.

Much may depend on your airline and departure terminal. With some airlines/terminals, you need every minute of that three hours to check in, get through passport control, then through security, then to your gate. Some airlines have dreadfully understaffed check-in desks and the line moves painfully slowly. With others, all that takes an hour or less.

Christina

wow, I can't imagine deciding to do a bike tour the morning you intend to leave the country in only a couple hours.

I suppose a taxi would just go onto the peripherique to the west (avoiding going to the Arc and Porte Maillot) and the Tour de France route wouldn't affect it, but I haven't checked its route map, which you can do. Taxi fares are higher on Sunday. I don't think a taxi would go through central Paris in that situation, which they couldnt' do, anyway, those streets are closed.

Generally, it could take 45-60 minutes most likely and probably cost 55-60 euro, that's what it costs me on Sundays recently (a bit more in my case, but I am leaving from a farther location which I accounted for). There are taxi estimators online that estimate it at about 58 euro (29 km at 1.56 euro/km due to Sunday plus 2.60 euro to start and about 10 euro wait time for traffic).

I think the metro/Rer is actually likely a safer bet. What is the reason you are considering a taxi? If it's because you think it would be quicker, I wouldn't do it for that reason.

traveler2005

Yes we were considering the taxi as a possible quicker option. I had my doubts since it would deal with traffic.

On the other hand, we wouldn't have the time-wasting step of trying to figure out where to go when we are transferring. We have been successful all walk, but it hasn't been easy. On the other hand, it has been a good opportunity to practice my meager French and talk to locals.

We did talk to Fat Bike about storing our luggage there, but I think you have brought me down to earth.

It sounded cool to be able to ride the route of the Tour de France on race day complete with champagne at the end. HOWEVER, we don't want to miss our flight.

Our French skills may have gotten us around the city, but I don't think they are good enough to start new lives if we miss our plane (joking - about the start new lives part, not about our French not being good enough).

Back to workine on my trip journal. We plan to go to Disneyland tomorrow.

djkbooks

<<On the other hand, we wouldn't have the time-wasting step of trying to figure out where to go when we are transferring>>

It's really an easy transfer, you just have to pay attention so as not to get on an RER B train going the wrong direction.

Generally speaking, though taxi rates (not to be confused with fares) are, indeed, slightly higher on Sundays, that is offset with much less traffic. And, as noted, there is much less traffic on Sundays and there are few streets closed off for the "finish".

On the other hand,

<<It sounded cool to be able to ride the route of the Tour de France on race day complete with champagne at the end.>>

May not be as worthwhile as you would presume. And, much would depend upon whether the tour ends on time.

You really don't have to fill up every minute of your stay...

Christina

taxi rates aren't just "slightly" higher on Sundays, the fare per km is about 25% higher. And the km don't change as to whether there is traffic or not.

kerouac

The Tour de France in Paris just goes through the usual streets. It sounds like a complete rip off to charge for a tour through those streets when you could do the same thing on a Vélib free of charge.

As for a taxi, no problem on a Sunday getting to the airport.

traveler2005

We are home. Thought someone might be interested in the "rest of the story."

We decided that the timing was too close and not to try the bike tour on Sunday.

It "probably" would have been OK, but it wasn't worth taking the chance. The day before we left, trains were delayed at one Metro stop that we were at for a half hour. That is the sort of thing that can happen, but not be predicted.

Also, since I was concerned about carrying luggage up stairs when transferring (I thought I remembered a non-working escalator at the transfer point), we walked to the nearest RER stop (about 15 minutes) rather than taking the Metro to the RER.

Also we kept backing up our time to start in order to leave a larger margin.

From the hotel door to the boarding gate only took us about 2 hours. I'd rather have a few hours to kill at the airport than the stress of worrying and running at the end.

It all worked out well.