CDG airport to Le Puy

[Camino Chrissy]

I have plans to walk the LePuy route in June 2018 with two seasoned camino friends. We live in various midwestern U.S. cities and will be flying separately into Paris on the same day, but most likely arriving at different times. My question is this... Would it be better to wait for each other at the airport, or head to a prebooked convenient airport hotel that has shuttle service? We would then plan to take the train together the following day to get to LePuy, but would need to shuttle back to the airport to catch that train. Another option would be to each make our own way to Lyon by train to a prebooked hotel near the train station after our separate arrivals in Paris. This option would get us closer to our destination and save the time and expense of an overnight at the Paris airport hotel. Thoughts anyone? (We've been to Paris before and don't plan to do any siteseeing there ahead of time) Thank you in advance for any opinions you may have. I might add we do not (yet) speak any French, nor have we booked our flights. The task of figuring out the logistics of how and where to meet up upon our arrivals is rather overwhelming.

 

[Kanga]

I had a similar dilemma recently with meeting up in Spain. In the end we elected to meet up at the airport (one of our number having stayed at an airport hotel overnight) and travelling onwards together. That way we only had one set of travel arrangements to make, instead of three separately.

When I look up the train timetable from the CDG Airport to Lyon there seem to be three services, but all early in the morning, one at 6:57am, one at 8:30am and one at 9:58am. If you are planning to take one of those, then I'd probably stay at an airport hotel the night before - easy for you all to meet there. I think you can get a room for three people at the Ibis, which would make it reasonably economical.

 

[SabsP]

@Camino Chris : most likely it will be Charles de Gaulle CDG airport but Paris Orly airport also gets some flights from USA.
Do you already know which airport?

 

[Purple Backpack]

I often meet people at the airport and coordinate the flight times to arrive close together. Can everyone meet in Chicago (or Montreal/Toronto/NYC/DC) and fly from there? If not, the overseas flights pretty much land in the morning so the wait wouldn't be too long. Then just jump on a train around noon and head down to Lyon. No need to go to an airport hotel in the morning, just to sit around all day. I have also found it works best to meet outside customs, at the nearest coffee place.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

@Camino Chris : most likely it will be Charles de Gaulle CDG airport but Paris Orly airport also gets some flights from USA.
Do you already know which airport?

Yes, most likely CDG as I believe there are more flights available, but I probably should double check that info.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I had a similar dilemma recently with meeting up in Spain. In the end we elected to meet up at the airport (one of our number having stayed at an airport hotel overnight) and travelling onwards together. That way we only had one set of travel arrangements to make, instead of three separately.

When I look up the train timetable from the CDG Airport to Lyon there seem to be three services, but all early in the morning, one at 6:57am, one at 8:30am and one at 9:58am. If you are planning to take one of those, then I'd probably stay at an airport hotel the night before - easy for you all to meet there. I think you can get a room for three people at the Ibis, which would make it reasonably economical.

Thanks for the tip, Kanga. I hadn't yet looked at the train times and didn't realize they mostly run in the mornings.

 

[Felipe]

As a general rule, when I travel, I try to keep it as simple as possible. But that's me...
If you prefer to stay in a hotel near the airport, consider the Ibis CDG. It is practically at the airport no need of a shuttle, you cross a parking lot and you are in. Very convenient. It is basic but it has everything you need for an overnight. When you leave, you just drop the keys, no fastidious and slow check out rituals.
Don't confuse it with the Ibis Roissy CDG, which is further away.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I often meet people at the airport and coordinate the flight times to arrive close together. Can everyone meet in Chicago (or Montreal/Toronto/NYC/DC) and fly from there? If not, the overseas flights pretty much land in the morning so the wait wouldn't be too long. Then just jump on a train around noon and head down to Lyon. No need to go to an airport hotel in the morning, just to sit around all day. I have also found it works best to meet outside customs, at the nearest coffee place.

Sounds like some good ideas here. I need to find out the train schedules. I thought I'd read somewhere that there is an AVG train and also a slower train leaving the airport.

 

[Kitsambler]

The app from SNCF (French national railways) is your friend for train schedules. My guess is, your party will be originating from one or two Midwest airports, so there's likely some consolidation going on while still in the US. Most US overnight flights arrive Europe in the morning, so there's only a 2-3 hour window and you will all have arrived. Check the arrival times in Paris, first one to land collects bag, exits Customs, and halts almost immediately thereafter to wait for the others. Then everyone boards the next train together. Easy!

An alternative, if tickets have not yet been purchased, is to fly into Lyon.

 

[SabsP]

Another group of decent hotels in France is Campanile, same pricerange as Ibis.

 

[hotelmedicis]

There is a daily 14:00 train from Paris Bercy arriving in Clermont Ferrand around 17:30 with another train going right to Le Puy arriving around 20:00. If your plane arrives in the morning, as most do coming from the USA, you will have plenty of time to clear immigration and hop a train (RER B) to Paris and get to Paris Bercy train station which is right near the Gare de Lyon. You could all book tickets on that 14:00 train to Le Puy, changing in Clermont Ferrand (it's one ticket) and be in Le Puy that evening at 20:00 with another 2 hours of daylight at least. You'll have to keep an eye on that train and see if they're still doing it next summer, but there are lots of trains from Paris connecting to Le Puy each day. Another option would be to fly directly to Lyon and then hop a local train to Le Puy and meet there. Please contact me if you need more info, I've spent 20 years in Paris and would be delighted to help in any way possible.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

There is a daily 14:00 train from Paris Bercy arriving in Clermont Ferrand around 17:30 with another train going right to Le Puy arriving around 20:00. If your plane arrives in the morning, as most do coming from the USA, you will have plenty of time to clear immigration and hop a train (RER B) to Paris and get to Paris Bercy train station which is right near the Gare de Lyon. You could all book tickets on that 14:00 train to Le Puy, changing in Clermont Ferrand (it's one ticket) and be in Le Puy that evening at 20:00 with another 2 hours of daylight at least. You'll have to keep an eye on that train and see if they're still doing it next summer, but there are lots of trains from Paris connecting to Le Puy each day. Another option would be to fly directly to Lyon and then hop a local train to Le Puy and meet there. Please contact me if you need more info, I've spent 20 years in Paris and would be delighted to help in any way possible.

I was hoping to make our plans as simple as possible and thought by taking a train out if CDG would be easiest. We were hoping to not have to take a train into Paris as that option seemed less smooth. Are you saying it is just as easy to do that? Remember, we do not speak French. I may PM you, since you offered more help, with particular questions later as you seem to have so much knowledge of Paris and navigating the train systems. Thank you.

 

[ChloeRose]

I'd stick to an airport meetup, just to see how you're all feeling after the flight. Someone may need to crash before heading out. If I learned anything on my Camino, it's that planning too far in advance will bite you in the butt!

 

[hotelmedicis]

I was hoping to make our plans as simple as possible and thought by taking a train out if CDG would be easiest. We were hoping to not have to take a train into Paris as that option seemed less smooth. Are you saying it is just as easy to do that? Remember, we do not speak French. I may PM you, since you offered more help, with particular questions later as you seem to have so much knowledge of Paris and navigating the train systems. Thank you.

I checked the SNCF website and there is a train from the CDG to Lyon and onward to Le Puy leaving at 13:58 and arriving at 19:27. It appears to be a daily departure as I checked several days. This would avoid, as you say, going into Paris, and you would have plenty of time to clear immigration and have a leisurely lunch. Do PM me anytime.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I checked the SNCF website and there is a train from the CDG to Lyon and onward to Le Puy leaving at 13:58 and arriving at 19:27. It appears to be a daily departure as I checked several days. This would avoid, as you say, going into Paris, and you would have plenty of time to clear immigration and have a leisurely lunch. Do PM me anytime.

Thank you for looking up these details for me. I really appreciate your time and expertise. I will PM you at a later date when and if needed. Many thanks!

 

[hotelmedicis]

Thank you for looking up these details for me. I really appreciate your time and expertise. I will PM you at a later date when and if needed. Many thanks!

Yes, PM any time. You will be able to reserve and buy your SNCF train tickets about 90 days before the date of travel so you have plenty of time.

 

[whariwharangi]

Twin Jet has flights from Paris Orly to Le Puy en Velay LPY

 

[whariwharangi]

SNCF is the train service provider

SNCF website indicates several trains daily from, Paris Roissy CDG2, Paris Gare de Lyon, and Paris Bercy (there are 8 stations in Paris) to Le Puy en Velay via one or more of Nimes, St Etienne, Lyon Perriche, Lyon Part Dieu and others. If you stay at Paris overnight then you don't need to go back to the airport to catch your train.

There is a wide range of duration times from 4 to 8 hours ... so pick wisely.

There is an international airport at Lyon. Do not take the train from Lyon airport as it travels via Paris. Take the (expensive) tram to downtown Lyon and catch the train to Le Puy from either of Lyon Part Dieu (where the airport tram terminates) or Lyon Perriche (accessed from Part Dieu by another tram, metro, or bus ... see Lyon TCL) (it matters to know which one your train is leaving from).

 

[Camino Chrissy]

SNCF is the train service provider

SNCF website indicates several trains daily from, Paris Roissy CDG2, Paris Gare de Lyon, and Paris Bercy (there are 8 stations in Paris) to Le Puy en Velay via one or more of Nimes, St Etienne, Lyon Perriche, Lyon Part Dieu and others. If you stay at Paris overnight then you don't need to go back to the airport to catch your train.

There is a wide range of duration times from 4 to 8 hours ... so pick wisely.

There is an international airport at Lyon. Do not take the train from Lyon airport as it travels via Paris. Take the (expensive) tram to downtown Lyon and catch the train to Le Puy from either of Lyon Part Dieu (where the airport tram terminates) or Lyon Perriche (accessed from Part Dieu by another tram, metro, or bus ... see Lyon TCL) (it matters to know which one your train is leaving from).

Thank you for that info. I did just check the Twinjet option, but their calendar didn't go out as far as next June. Most flights I did see were rather high though. Hopefully the trains will be a better option for us. I apreciate the suggestions and taking the time to respond to my inquiry.

 

[Risky]

Hi Chris,

My wife and I are just back home after walking Le Puy en Velay to Santiago de Compestela, a most excellent adventure.

We flew in to Charles De Gaulle (CdG) on, the 29th April, a busy Saturday morning. We hadn't booked the TGV from CdG because of the potential of flight delays (which occurred).

When we tried to buy tickets at CdG, at about 8:30 am, we found that the next available tickets weren't until 6 pm. So rather than wait, we caught the train in to Paris-Gare de Lyon, which was easy, even with very limited French.

We then bought a ticket for the next service to Le Puy en Velay. Basically, we caught the next TGV to Lyon Part-Dieu at about midday. From Lyon Part-Dieu we then had a short train trip to Firminy and then a bus to Le Puy En Velay - due to works on the rail line. We arrived in Le Puy en Velay at about 6 pm and walked from the station to our hotel.

Don't sweat it, as it was all very easy. Work out your plan, have back up options and when the time finally arrives..........enjoy the journey.

Bon Camino

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Hi Chris,

My wife and I are just back home after walking Le Puy en Velay to Santiago de Compestela, a most excellent adventure.

We flew in to Charles De Gaulle (CdG) on, the 29th April, a busy Saturday morning. We hadn't booked the TGV from CdG because of the potential of flight delays (which occurred).

When we tried to buy tickets at CdG, at about 8:30 am, we found that the next available tickets weren't until 6 pm. So rather than wait, we caught the train in to Paris-Gare de Lyon, which was easy, even with very limited French.

We then bought a ticket for the next service to Le Puy en Velay. Basically, we caught the next TGV to Lyon Part-Dieu at about midday. From Lyon Part-Dieu we then had a short train trip to Firminy and then a bus to Le Puy En Velay - due to works on the rail line. We arrived in Le Puy en Velay at about 6 pm and walked from the station to our hotel.

Don't sweat it, as it was all very easy. Work out your plan, have back up options and when the time finally arrives..........enjoy the journey.

Bon Camino

Thank you for taking the time to reply. I appreciate your suggestions and will make note of them as we get closer to departure. Glad to hear you had a "most excellent adventure" and hope mine will be on par with yours!