We arrive at CDG at 11:25 am and need to get to Caen on the same day (July 13). The date is firm. That said, with all the train stations and transfers, and leaving time for customs, if we take the train from CDG to Caen, it will take close to 6 hours (including transfers) as there is no direct route and we must go through St. Lazare to get there. My question is, would we be better off just picking up our car at CDG and driving to Caen? Has anybody made that drive? It will be a Wednesday on an upcoming big holiday. Help?? Also, how do I find out what the tolls would be for that route?
Many thanks for any help or advice.
Val
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
The drive is easy enough and has been discussed fairly often in this forum. The only downside to the plan is if you've arrived on a trans-Atlantic flight and not gotten any sleep on the way over. See www.viamichelin.com for driving routes and toll estimates.
Posted by
North Georgia, USA
1155 posts
What you propose is exactly what we plan to do. We arrive early in the day and will pick up a rental car at CDG and drive to Bayeux, taking our time with two or three stops along the way to ward off potential drowsiness. We have done this on other cross-Atlantic trips and have not had an issue with being too tired to drive safely. Many caution against this as being hazardous on the road, but I think each person has to gauge their own ability to rest on the flight and ability to drive after the flight. I'm sure others will weigh in, too.
Posted by
Knoxville, TN, USA
7209 posts
And when you're finished with that rental, drop it back in Caen and take the train back.