We were going to take the train from CDG airport to Amboise, but the train timing is a bit tedious (3 stopovers!) Does anyone have an opinion on how difficult it is to drive out of the CDG airpot to the Loire Valley? I know driving in Paris isn't recommended, but I am wondering if driving out of the airport is fairly straight forward.
Thanks
What time does your plane land at CDG? If the timing is right, you can take a TGV directly from CDG to St-Pierre-des-Corps and then change to a regional train for the ten-minute ride to Amboise.
Driving would be OK, as long as you wait until after the mornign rush hour is over. Use the major highways down past the east and south sides of Paris, and stay away from the Boulevard Peripherique...it's always busy. You can use maps.google.com, the Viamichelin site, or similar mapping site to plot a route. But you may want to reconsider the train. I find 3 TGV runs from "Roissy," (the stop at CDG terminal 2) straight thru to St. Pierre des Corps, then a few minutes' wait for a local train to Amboise. Travel time's about 2.5 hours (at least as fast as driving) and booking up to 90 days in advance can get you some cheap fares. Check http://www.voyages-sncf.com
You won't have to actually drive through the center of Paris (which would be a nightmare!). I have driven le Perpherique, and although it was not fun, it was managable. Once you exit the greater metropolitan Paris area, traffic in most of France is fairly light. But- are you flying directly from North America? If so, consider the effects of jetlag on your ability to drive the distance between CDG and Amboise. Driving is a reasonable option, but you may need some rest first.
