Hello-
We will be arriving at Orly at approx. 11:30 am on Sunday, July 12. We would like to head directly to the Normandy area, and stay until Tuesday morning. What is the quickest way to do this? Should we rent a car at the airport and drive there, or take a train to Normandy and rent a car there? If we take the train, I understand we have to get to Gare St-Lazare, and it's kind of complicated (3 transfers). So a taxi may make this trip easier. Or should we just rent a car at the airport, and return it in Normandy (more expensive) and take the train back to Paris?
Posted by
885 posts
Will you be jet-lagged when you arrive in Orly?
Posted by
OP
Fairbury, Il
48 posts
No, we will have spent the previous 11 days travelling through Germany and Italy. The plane departs Pisa at 9:00 am.
Posted by
885 posts
Since you are arriving on a Sunday, you will have more flexibility renting a car at an airport like Orly, than you will in a smaller place where many rental facilities will be closed. A rental car will also give your more flexibility in where you stop on your way to your destination. We found Orly to be very easy as a return. I have not rented from there.
When figuring out where to rent and which transport to take I use a variety of sites: viamichelin.com for approximate road times, several car rental companies to compare prices, sncf or other train sites to see availability of trains. It's a puzzle!
Since you won't be jet-lagged, a car may be best. We were a family of 4 so a rental car was almost always best for us.
Posted by
OP
Fairbury, Il
48 posts
Thank you for this information! I think maybe a car will be best-to avoid the stress of getting to the train station.
Next, I must research the return trip to Paris. We will only be spending one and a half days in Paris-our flight leaves out of CDG on Wed. at 5:00 pm. I'm not sure if it would be wiser to return the car in Normandy and take a train back to Paris Tuesday morning?
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
10623 posts
You'll be almost at your destination in Normandy in the amount of time it will take you to get to the St. Lazare train station. All you need is a GPS in the car that takes you west near Versaille and then on.
Posted by
OP
Fairbury, Il
48 posts
Great points, and I thank you all!