Because of airline rescheduling I’ve ended up with two extra nights in France after staying in Amboise for several days. Our flight leaves CDG T2 at 2:30pm. We are seasoned senior travellers but haven’t been to France in decades. Here are the options I’m considering and would appreciate your comments.
1. Taking the train to Chartres and staying there both nights to see the cathedral, etc. and leaving the morning of our flight via train to Gare Montparnasse and, then to be safe, probably to CDG by taxi. By todays schedule I could arrive at Montparnasse at 10am. Am I playing with fire?
2. Is train, which seems to take 1/2 a day, the best way to get from Amboise/Tours to Chartres?
3. The 2nd option would be to visit Orleans instead as it’s on a more direct, but slower, train route to Paris but without doing more research I don’t know if Orleans is worth while. This would leave me with the same time predicament in getting through Paris on the morning of our flight, only from Austerlitz station.
4. 3rd option would be to go directly into Paris and stay in Roissy-en-France near CDG and RER it into the city for the 1 1/2 days there but we’ve already seen the highlights of Paris.
5. And then there’s always the possibility of taking the train into Roissy-en-France from either Chartres or Orleans the night before our flight and avoid the hassle of getting to CDG.
Thanks
Cheers
Posted by
Green Bay
20158 posts
And then there’s always the possibility of taking the train into Roissy-en-France from either Chartres or Orleans the night before our flight and avoid the hassle of getting to CDG.
Considering the possibilities of strikes or other disruptions, this would be your safest option.
Posted by
Edmonds, WA 🌨 ☂
11193 posts
I too vote for #5
Posted by
Florida (previously California)
3707 posts
i would do either the options set out in 4. or 5. I can't imagine not being able to find things to see and do for a day in Paris. Definitely not the options set out in 1. or 3.
Posted by
la la land...
858 posts
Two nights in Chartres? Umm, Chartres is great for a half day, as a day trip from Paris, but 2 nights? No, especially not putting yourself at some risk of not being able to get to CDG due to strikes, delays, whatever...
With a 2:30 pm flight, I would stay in central Paris for your last 2 nights (or at least your final night) and arrange a taxi to get you out to CDG. I am a fan of staying at a CDG hotel the night before for AM flights, but not mid afternoon flights.
Posted by
OP
Calgary
13 posts
Wow. While I thought I might get some of this advice I didn’t expect to get totally blown off on options 1 & 3. I will now be revising my plans. Thanks to you all.