Versaille, Normany.... then to Marseille
 

we are planning a trip in April and have committed to 1 week in Provence. We have the week prior free and would like to fly into Paris and see Versaille , Normandy, and Mt St Michel. Then I need to get to Marseille to meet up with friends. Is the train from the airport an option directly to Normandy...then see versaille on the way back?....best way to Marseille is???

no, I don't believe you can take a train from the airport to Normandy. I think you can go by train from Caen to Versailles without too much trouble (meaning you don't have to go back to Paris).

I would take the train to Marseille, but I'm sure you could fly if you wanted.

sorry, I checked and I can't find a train from Caen to Versailles that doesn't go through Paris, thought there was a route. IN any case, you can do that if you are driving, of course.

You an get a train from CDG to Le Mans, but it's not in Normandie

About every 3 hours there are direct trains from CDG Airport TGV station (terminal 2) to Rennes from where you can take a train or buses to Mont-Saint-Michel (Pontorson by train but by bus right to Mont-Saint-Michel

then take a train to Bayeux for the D-Day base and from there back to Paris for trains to Marseilles.

To go to Bayeux or Caen from the airport involves going into Paris to Gare Saint-Lazare then frequent trains to Caen and Bayeux from there.

For lots of good info on French trains check out www.voyages-sncf.com or www.capitane.com and also these superb IMO sites - www.seat61.com; www.budgteteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com. You can save a lot of money by booking TGV trains in advance. Trains Bayeux-Caen have relatively little advance savings so just buy tickets for them once there.

No,you can't get from the airport to Normandy. As Pal has said, you can get to Rennes, which is in Brittany, and get from there to le MSM, but then you'll need to get a train to Normandy from there, and then go back to Paris and catch the RER to Versailles.

If wanting to go to Normandy first it ain't too hard from CDG - either take an airport bus to the Opera (I think they do there) which is a short stroll from Saint-Lazare station for trains to Caen and Beayuex - or take the RER from the airport to Gare du Nord and change there to RER E and take it to its terminus at Madeleine (I believe) which has a walkway to Saint-Lazare station - fairly straight forward but the transfer at Gare du Nord can be a bit hectic if you have a lot of luggage.

You could leave luggage in the luggage storage at Gare du Nord for a few days however if you want - 48 hour limit I believe though - maybe can do longer?