We will be dropping off our rental car on the morning of Friday, June 24, at the Versailles-Chartiers station. We plan to visit the palace that day, then take the train to our hotel in Paris. It looks like it's a 25 minute walk from that station to the Palace. That's all good. The wrinkle is that we had planned to stash our luggage in the lockers at the palace for the duration of our visit, since there aren't lockers at the SNCF station. But now, (since the anti-terrorist security plan), you can't store anything longer than 55cm, so that eliminates that choice. Any suggestions on what to do with the bags? I thought of asking the car rental people about storing them, but am not sure that's really a good idea. Worst case scenario -- I guess we could keep the car for the day and leave them in it, but that doesn't seem secure either. Help! Thanks.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
Your last two sentences really are your best options, but I'd go with the first one first.
Posted by
Paris
10201 posts
Yes, send an email to the car rental agency. I bet you're not the first ones to ask!
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
Sherrie, Slightly off topic, why did you choose Versailles - Chantiers station? (note spelling) That may be the station for long distance trains, but the nearest one to the palace is Versailles-Château - Rive Gauche, which is the one recommended and a lot less than 25 minutes walk.
As for your cases, I would ask the car hire company nicely if you could leave them in their office and pick them up later. And, if the office is at Versailles - Chantiers you then have the 25 minute walk back as well.
Posted by
OP
Birmingham AL
346 posts
Thanks y'all. Chris, I chose that station because it was the only one I could find that worked with the really good rental deal I found, that let me pick up at CDG and return between Amboise and Paris. Many variables, etc. but that's why. Anyway, for future reference, they (Hertz) said no. I emailed a hotel that's about 5 minutes from there in the direction of the Palace to see if they would let us check the bags with them for a fee. If that doesn't work out, I think we will just jump on a train and go on to Paris and come back to Versailles another day. We don't have firm plans in Paris that can't be changed. As always, good advice here.
Posted by
Oak Park, Illinois
4535 posts
Chris, she isn't taking the train to Versailles, she is dropping her car off at the rental place which is next to the Chantiers station (and the two stations are no more than 10 minutes walk from each other).
I'd go with Laura's plan B, which is to keep the car for the day with your bags in it and drop it off afterwards at Chantiers, then just take the train into Paris from there. I know there used to be a car park in the gardens itself; check to be sure it is still open. There is also parking near the chateau (check on their website for locations of car parking versus all the busses that park out front). Yes you pay a little extra for the rental day and some for the parking, but avoid the wasted time of coming and going to-from Paris.