My wife and I would love to take a high speed train from Paris to Lyon with the plan to leisurely drive back to Paris over 3 days with stop-overs in Burgundy.
Question: what's the best train station to land in Lyon (as well as hotel recommendations)? Also, where are the cheapest yet most reliable car rental operators in Lyon located?
Thanks!
Javier and Rio
Philadelphia, PA
Your plan sounds like a lot of fun!
The TGV only stops at one station in Lyon, Part Dieu. (It leaves from Gare Lyon in Paris and takes about 2 hours).
For least-expensive rental, arrange to rent before you leave Philadelphia. You should shop around, but try consolidators like Europe by Car and Auto Europe.
I'd recommend not having a car while in Lyon--arrange to pick up the day you leave.
If the TGV is running beyond Lyon it will stop only at Part-Dieu. Ones terminating at Lyon go on to end at Perrache. It really doesn't matter which station you pick as they are both in the centre - it isn't like some cities where the high-speed line station is out of town. Lyon has a pretty good public transport network or you may be able to walk to your hotel.
Philip is of course correct! (Part-Dieu has better rail connections, however.)
You didn't ask this, but I'll tell you: DO NOT TURN YOUR CAR IN AT CHARLES DE GAULLE!! You will not find the rental car turn-in. The signage is either non-existent or flat out wrong. After wandering 45 min my wife ran into the car rental desk to ask, and was told "the next ramp, it's marked." It's marked all right, "Parking." Skipped it and was forced to drive back into Roissy, came back yet again and took the parking ramp, found the Sixt area (across the barricades) but could not get there. Finally parked the car in the public parking area and brought the key back to the desk and told the agent where to find the car. Blood pressure was back to normal in a day or two.
Thank you all for your quick replies. We've just purchased our one way TGV tickets from Paris to Lyon in June! We're renting a car at the Perrache station the following day with the plan to drop it off in Paris (NOT Charles de Gaulle airport) three days later.
One more question though: I'd love to treat my wife to an amazing dinner in Lyon but would love some recommendations. I've heard so much about the gastronomic experience in Lyon but don't have a sense for where to go. We'll be staying at the Hotel de Celestin but would be willing to travel for dinner. Any thoughts??
Thanks again!
Javier in Philadelphia
