I dont't think it would matter whether you went to Vaux-le-Vicomte on the way out of Paris or on the way back in. The main thing is that you would leave the autoroute around Fontainbleau and take small roads southwest to Orleans. There you can get on the autoroute again or continue on small roads towards Blois and Amboise and Tours.

Paris rush hours are mornings from 7:00 to 10:00 or so and afternoons from 4:00 to 7:00. That's very approximate...

It is easy to rent a car in Chartres and drive on to the Loire Valley. We did this in March 3 yrs ago. Chenonceau and Chambord are must sees. In March it was still cool & log fires were burning in massive fireplaces in the chateaux. Another interesting chateau is Cheverney which is still occupied by a Viscount and his family. the gardens there are lovely and this is a family who like to hunt. There were about 100 French foxhounds in their kennels.

The chateau of Valencay is seldom mentioned, probably because it is a little out of the way. However, I can tell you that it is well worth the trip.

I'm susprised nobody has recommended you take either a TGV to Tours and rent a car there or to Blois and rent a car there. There is an Avis office in the rail station at Blois and even more car rental offices in Tours.

When I had priced out the TGV tickets to Tours and back to Paris, for the 4 of us it added up to almost the cost of 2 days car rental, with the car rental price being the same in the Tours area or Paris.

Monique123 - we're also planning on renting a car at Gard du Nord to go to Normandy - in July and were wondering if another location in Paris would be easier. Prior to picking our car up, we will be in Paris for the week but are leaving on Eurostar on our return - so thought it would be easier out of that location. When are you going? What co. and what location did you decide to rent from? For us too, the train would be an expensive alternative - I was surprised at how much the trip out to Bayeux cost for two -- at least 1 or more days car rental and not as convenient -- provided we can find our way out of and back to Paris!! Let us know how your experience goes and any advice would be helpful!

I answered in this thread back in January, but since that time we have added a full trip report with pix to our website. Someone may find it useful:

http://www.onelittleworld.com/loire_1.html

We rented a car from CDG and drove to Bayeux. The only problem we had was after a long flight I was tired. The traffic out of Paris is bad but not any worse than say Houston or Dallas, Kansas city. We went the toll roads all the way. That was interesting the first time trying to figure out what to do.

You will be tired and I think thats the biggest problem.

If going to Normandy, Gare Montparnasse or St. Lazare would be preferable to pick up a car; there is less of Paris to cross.

In terms of the train tickets costing as much as the train..I assume you <b> also </b> figured in the cost of gasoline for the car as well as any tolls, insurance coverage, etc.,.....or did you?

And then there is the time it would take to drive there from Paris...even with my lead foot I couldn't possibly beat a TGV to Tours from Paris but I guess in the end it is a matter of personal preference.