We are traveling to France in August. The first week of our trip will be spent in Provence. We are thinking of either ending our trip in Annecy/Chamonix or Dordogne. We will hav a car to travel from Provence to one of ether places. Neither seem very easy to get back to Paris for a Saturday evening flight at 6;30. For friends that have traveled this route many times can you place make some suggestions.
Much appreciated
On a typical Saturday (but you must check your actual travel date for exceptions), there are direct TGV trains departing around 9:00 and 11:00 from Bordeaux-St-Jean (where you can drop a rental car) to Aeroport Charles de Gaulle TGV station. Travel time about 3h30 or 3h45.
Trains from the Chamonix, Annecy, or Geneva all require at least one connection to reach Paris airport (sometimes just a connection in downtown Paris), but there are direct trains departing from Lyon's Gare Part Dieu around 8:30 and 11:00, travel time two hours to CDG.
Car rental offices won't necessarily be open early enough for the first train departures I listed in each case, as well as you'd need time to drive there. If dropping a car at Geneva airport, specify the French side of it.
Sorry, but it’s not sensible to spend your last night 400 miles from Paris when you need to be at the airport at 3.30 latest for your return flight. It’s just asking for trouble and a missed flight, particularly on a Saturday in August when the French roads and rail services are very busy. Stay closer to Paris.
The last time we drove from the south of France to Orly to drop a car we were literally 4 hours later than the Michelin prediction. Luckily we didn't have a plane to catch; we were just dropping the car. Always be a cab ride away from the airport the day of a high stakes flight. So if you have a couple of days for the Dordogne -- which is wonderful -- go for it and return to Paris the evening before. If it is a day -- make that last night, Paris.
Jennifer that is a very valid point and one that we thought about too. I think it would be best to head back friday night and stay in Paris.
Laura, Thank you for your response. I think the best thing to do is return the friday night before and relax and enjoy our last night in Paris.
If we decide on Annecy and Chamonix wouldy ou drive to Geneva or Lyon and take the high speed train into Paris? or should we take the train from Annecy and transfer. Which train station would we go into?
And if we return from Bordeaux is that the closest ? and again which station is Paris do we go into.
TGVs from Bordeaux to Paris itself depart about hourly, take 2 hours, and arrive to Paris Gare Montparnasse. Although that sounds very flexible, booking ahead is still a good idea to moderate the ticket price.
Annecy has a few direct TGVs per day that take 4 hours or less and arrive to Paris Gare de Lyon. I'd probably choose that over Geneva.
Several car rental agencies have offices at both Bordeaux and Annecy train stations.
For just easy-to-read schedules around Europe, Looking Up Train Schedules and Routes Online gives you the Deutsche Bahn train schedule link and tips for using it. For France specifics, including ticket prices (but not including RER connections between central Paris and CDG), you can see www.oiu.sncf or other ticket sales agents.
