Would it be better to rent a car in paris or some where closer to mont st michael for overnight trip? I fly out of CDG at 1PM, and not sure how long it would take to drive?
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
Not quite sure of the question. Getting the car in the city is okay. Driving time from either Paris or CDG to MSN is about four hours if you get lucky on the twenty miles closest to MSN.
Coming back, you're going to be pushing it. If you figure a 1:00 CDG departure, you have to be at check-in by 9:00. That means the car place by 8:00 or 8:30. So a 4:30 departure from MSM might be okay, EXCEPT that mess of roads north of Paris (numbers unremembered, but they're essentially around Argenteuil and Saint-Denis and out to Le Bourget) is going to be overflowing with morning truck traffic. If I left MSN at 3:30, I'd still be puckering the whole way.
It might do to start looking at Plan B.
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
Steve's right. I can't subtract. Adjust what I said by an hour. It's still going to be a mean day.
Also, if you're spending the night on the mont at MSN, it's a bit of a hike from the hotels to the parking area down on the causeway.
Posted by
Mission Viejo, Calif., USA
1010 posts
We just visited Paris for almost three weeks. We took a Gray Line/Cityrama tour to the Mount. It took four hours to get there and even longer to get back, due to traffic. It is a boring trip. The Mount isn't realy anything exciting inside. The view from outside is great. We had to climb and climb in the heat, which was terrible. Make sure you take hats. The heat in May was unbearable. It is a very tacky and touristy area. I have read that it is great to spend the night and see the tides. That might be, but I would have gone insane spending the night there. We were sorry we spent so much money. Our long trip to Normandy (through Gray Line) was great. We totally recommend that if you get time, take the day trip to Bruges. The short ride on the canal (about 45 minutes) is wonderful. Elaine, Mission Viejo, Calif.
Posted by
Parkland, Florida, USA
44 posts
We just returned from Europe. We rented a car in Caen after getting off the TGV , viewed Normandy beaches and stayed overnight there. Drove to Pontoroson the next day and viewed Mt St Michele. Next morning we drove to Rennes and returned the car to take TGV to Paris.
What I learned.
-In small towns get to the car rental place before they take their aft breaks.
-Never drive without a GPS or smart phone GPS. It will save you many a time.
-Keep in mind that you have to find a gas station before turning the car in. We lucked out in Rennes. You may find yourself driving many kms before seeing a service station and the refill rates at rental car offices are astronomical. Keep the fuel receipt to show the return clerk that you filled the tank.
-Normandy and the surrounding area is very easy to drive through and enjoyable when we were there. I do not know how it is when everyone in France is on vacations. We saw many car trailer campers ready to roll in people's backyards.
-Expect delays such as construction, slow trucks and big city traffic to mess with your timetable.
-Compared to the USA, I found it harder to navigate in off expressway France due to most signs being placed too close to the turn and only one sign posted. Don't be scared of driving around a traffic circle again to make sure you are on the right road.
-Expect surprises after you turn the car in like the Paris strike and power problems in our later night line train to Berlin to make this a memorable trip.