My daughter and I will be traveling from the US to Paris in May. She really wants to see Chamonix, so we're planning to spend two nights in Paris, then take a train to Gare de Lyon, rent a car and drive to Chamonix for one night. Then we're driving back to Paris for the rest of our trip. Does this sound doable? Our trip is short, and we don't want to spend too much money. It's our first trip to Europe.
Thanks for any thoughts you might have! :)
"two nights in Paris, then take a train to Gare de Lyon, rent a car" - "Gare de Lyon" is the station in Paris from which you take trains to south and east France including Lyon.
Perhaps you should be taking a train from Gare de Lyon to Chamonix, picking up the car there are driving back to Paris, dropping the car off at Charles de Gaulle airport before taking your return flight.
Alternative would be to pick up the car in Lyon (2 hours from Paris Gare de Lyon by TGV), and either return the car to Charles de Gaulle airport or to Lyon station and catch a TGV from Lyon to CDG (also ~2 hours).
Chris has given you very accurate information ( as he always does ) . I will make a suggestion on a different tack . You don't say how long you will be in Paris after you return from Chamonix . Another way to do this , assuming you will have at least several days total for Paris , would be -- Arrive in Paris , recover from Jet Lag and get the most out of your allotted time there . THEN -- go to Chamonix ( I have been there several times and love the place ) and stay two full days , if possible . Then go to Geneva , and fly home from there . This plan would be more efficient in my estimation . Chamonix is charming , and it's a shame to arrive in mid afternoon , and leave less than twenty four hours later .
We have two nights booked in Paris followed by one night in Chamonix, then another two nights in Paris before our flight back to the U.S. It's a short trip, and I've had no real idea how to do this most efficiently. Thank you so much for your suggestions! :) I think a flight back to Paris might be a wonderful idea.
Well , your trip will most certainly whet your appetites to return ! Chamonix is lovely , and Paris , what can be said !
You are aware that the trip from Paris Gare de Lyon (the train station) to Chamonix is 7 1/2
hours by train and if you drive the trip is 6 1/2 hours...if you don't get lost! The option
Chris suggested is to fly HOME from Geneva...not to Paris.
If you try to do this in such a short period of time, you will end up very frustrated. Just
not enough time.
I want to pick up the car somewhere outside of Paris. We're staying at the Hotel Du Printemps, and I think driving will save us time, but I'd rather not pick up the car in Paris. I'm just not sure of the most economical and fastest way of doing this. If we fly, we'd probably have to store luggage someplace and pay for transportation getting to and from the airport to and from the hotel and wherever else we want to go. If we drive, we'll pay for the rental car, gas and tolls, but we'll get to see some scenery. It's too fast, I know, with just one night in Chamonix. But that's our itinerary. :/
Two nights in Paris, one night in Chamonix, and then another two nights in Paris.
Do able? Sure. But not recommended, IMO.
Taking the metro/train to the rental location and picking up a rental car takes time, getting out of Paris will take time, plus the long drive, you'll be lucky to arrive in Chamonix mid/late afternoon, if all goes well. Then to have to get back to Paris the next day......you'll see Chamonix for a few hours.
We stopped in Chamonix on our trip at the end of April 2005, we were driving Zermatt to Paris with stops in Chamonix and Annecy. We only stayed for lunch in Chamonix because with the very, very low cloud cover we saw pretty much no scenery. We ended up staying over night in Annecy, which is beautiful. It is a long drive, returning the car in Paris was quite stressful since we weren't familiar with the station.
I'd really give some thought as to how important Chamonix is on your first trip. It will be there for the next time when you can actually enjoy it.
If you must do it, take the train both ways or train one way and drive the other I personally wouldn't fly that short a distance plus time wasted getting to and waiting in the airport......
More time would be sweet but you could consider a fast train to Geneva and from there they have van service to Chamonix which takes about an hour. If you leave Paris early you will be in Chamonix before sunset. Go up Aiguille du Midi first thing in the next morning and you could head back to Paris that night.
I would recommend 4 nights in Paris, then 1 in Chamonix rather than checking in and out for the split visit you mention. And fly into Paris and home from Geneva if you have not already purchased your flights.
But a quick visit is feasible.
