Recommendations for 3 bonus days in France - Would love some ideas!

OntarioJen,
Have you spent much time in Paris before? You only have 3 nights in Paris before your departure. That is about 2 1/2 days. Why not take those extra days at the beginning in Paris? After arrival at CDG, you have 3 nights (2 1/2 days) to spend. I would stay in Paris since there are dozens and dozens of things to see and do. Plus, arrival day may be somewhat absorbed by jet lag. And Paris is PARIS!
Bonne chance!

I agree you should add the days to Paris. With additional time, you can make the day trip to Giverny, which was very beautiful in late September.

Thank you! This hadn't even occurred to me. We were so focused on taking off but this does make sense. I haven't been to Paris since a teen so only remember the main attractions like Versailles.

If we did this would it make sense to keep the train departing from CDG or would it be better to depart from another station?

I have no concept of distance or convenience for the various stations in and around Paris!

No need to go from the CDG train station to Lyon. The Gare de Lyon in Paris will have TGV trains to Lyon.

OntarioJen,
I don't even consider Versailles as part of Paris. To me it is a day trip outside of Paris. You can stay in the city and fill every minute of many, many days seeing and doing wonderful things! Check the RS books or any other travel guide on Paris. Or check the forum for oh, so many experiences to have in the city!

If you like Burgundy wine, you could certainly go to Beaune. It's accessible by train from Paris. If you don't have a car, it's easy to get to wineries via bike (better option) or book day tours.

Other option, I'd recommend is to go to Bordeaux. However, you would have to fly Bordeaux to Lyon.

Hope this helps!

Bordeaux is a great option, take one day in the city and one day in the vineyards-maybe Saint Emilion. It’s got so much to offer.

Bordeaux to Lyon is a PIA. Bunch of mountains in the middle. Enjoy Paris.

Download the SNCF app to manage, cancel, etc. your train tickets!

I agree with the others about giving that extra time to Paris, even though it means splitting your Paris time into two parts. You might consider staying in different parts of the city at the beginning and end, to simplify sightseeing and get a feel for two neighborhoods.

Use the SNCF app to see what fare difference you might have rebooking from Gare de Lyon instead of from CDG. Using Gare de Lyon would save you a trip out to the airport on the 18th, maybe worth a fare difference.

I haven't been to Bordeaux, but, with due respect to that city, it's way out of your way for so little time. Any of us could name multiple destinations for an extra three days in France, but geography and the transportation network matter.

Thanks all! We decided to book the bonus time in Paris, though a different part of the city. The front end will be in the 6th arr. then we'll explore Montmartre at the end of our trip.

I switched the train tickets on SNCF at 40€ for two. Worth it for the convenience of not having to go back to CDG.

We're looking forward to our trip! Now I can scroll through all the great restaurant and attraction ideas on the forum. :)

I would suggest spending the extra days in Paris. I did this time after cutting out other parts of the planned trip.