Loire Valley

Personally, I would be tempted to take the train to Caen and rent there. You'll be tired after a transatlantic flight. And if you want to visit Caen (or Rouen) you could easily stay your first night in the city and pick up the car in the AM when you are fresh and ready to go. It looks like you can rent a car in either train station, but Caen has more options. I had some fun checking out the drive. If you take the toll and highway option it's a 3 hour drive. If you go the scenic route it's close to 5 hours per google maps. ; ) Pam

Thanks. I wasn't looking forward to driving out of Paris. Could I catch the train at CDG and travel directly to Caen or do I take a train to Gare du Nord then to Caen?

Several years ago my wife and I took about the same route that you describe. We rented a car at CDG and drove to Giverny which is on the way to Normandy, It took about 2 hours driving around the northern outskirts of Paris. After an hour or so there we drove on to Les Andelys for the night. We went to Normandy beaches and the Loire Valley the next day. I would like to have spent more time in Normandy but did not have time. After 2 days in Loire area we drove back to CDG to return the car there. My wife ended up dropping car off in Versailles where she met her parents and I flew on home. We did not think driving in France out of Paris was much different from driving here once you understand the direction signs. However we did not get inside the Peripherique(sp)-ring road for Paris.

I would second Richard's suggestion of renting the car at CDG. While many people like taking the train to someplace and then getting a car, it depends how comfortable you are about driving from the airport to the outer areas. We have gone from Giverny into Paris. We have gone from Paris to Auxerre. With our flights, we like to get our car, drive for about two hours, stop at our hotel, rest, shower and then see the sights. Taking the train and then renting a car has always seemed like too much work to us. It also depends on what you might like to see between Paris and Normandy before going to the Loire Valley. Have fun!

If, you're going to use the trains, you to have to take the RER into Paris, switch to the metro at Nord and then make your way to G. Lazare to catch a train heading north. Just to get to Lazare is going to take an hour and a half, probably. In less than two hours you can drive from the airpot to Rouen. Three will get you to Caen, which would still beat the train. And all you have to do with your luggage is toss it in the car instead of humping it all over the place. Ducking around the north of Paris is a piece of cake and it's all well-marked freeway. Chunk the car when you get back to Paris. It's useless, and parking costs will eat you alive.