Logistics (Paris to Le Puy)

[TravellingSonn]

Salut à tous,

I need your help, yet again!

I've decided to fly into Paris (CDG) and spend the night near the train station.

What I'd like to know is;

How far is (CDG) airport to the train station?
Can anyone recommend accommodation near the train station?
Which train line do I take? How much does it cost? Can I book online?
How long is the train ride to Le Puy?

Merci pour votre temps.
Sonia

 

[Kitsambler]

I've decided to fly into Paris (CDG) and spend the night near the train station.

Why would you inflict this on yourself? There are so many better options. Assuming you have a morning arrival in CDG, you can be in Le Puy in time to settle in and have a lovely dinner. Or, spend two nights in Le Puy - which allows you to recuperate from jet lag and nose about a lovely, interesting town.

How far is (CDG) airport to the train station?

The train station is in the airport. Terminal #2 I think. People-movers/shuttle trams connect the terminals.

Can anyone recommend accommodation near the train station?

Check http://www.hotels.com for best rates if you truly want to do this (not recommended, as I said).

Which train line do I take?

Take the TGV, change at Lyon to regional RER train, change at St Etienne to a local to Le Puy.

How much does it cost? Can I book online?

It is possible to book online and reserve a seat (TGV requires seat reservations) at http://www.RailEurope.com http://www.SNCF.com or http://www.deutschebahn.com. However, one can only book 90 days in advance, and if your flight schedule changes, there is no refund for the train ticket change. You may want to wait until arrival Paris to get your ticket. Depending on when you buy, between 80 and 120 euros as I recall.

How long is the train ride to Le Puy?

Around 5:30 hours

 

[TravellingSonn]

Hey Kitsambler,

Thanks again for your informative reply.

I'll have to wait and see how I feel once I arrive. Given the flight time from Sydney, Australia to Paris is around the 24 hour mark. Upon booking my flights I'll ensure I arrive into Paris early morning, so if I'm feeling up to it, I can make my way down on the same day. Good point!

Thanks for the other info, you're a wealth of knowledge!

Merci,
Sonia

 

[gittiharre]

Hi, I have walked the Le Puy route twice now and both times flew directly from Auckland New Zealand to Paris, arriving about 6 am. I hopped straight onto the train at the airport which went directly to Lyon, where you change for St Etienne and then again for Le Puy. With a bit of luck one is in Le Puy around 2 pm and it is lovely to spend 2 nights there or head off the next day and walk a short 8 km day....I personally see this as a far more pleasurable experience than staying near the airport in depressing Paris suburbia...it is wonderful to wake up in rural France on your first morning. Gitti

 

[KiwiNomad06]

Sonn- I have spent four days sight-seeing and getting over jetlag in Paris each time before I have climbed on trains to start walking! If you do that, it doesn't really matter exactly where you stay in Paris, as it won't be a very long metro ride to the station for the trains to Le Puy. I left from Gare de Lyon I think, but there are various options, depending on when you leave Paris. You will have to change trains, perhaps at St Etienne or Clermont-Ferrand. They will print out various options for you at a train station in Paris if you want. I've booked at the small SNCF office in CDG in the past, even though I wasn't leaving from there, as the queues were shorter...
Margaret

 

[Thornley]

Sonia,
Sydney to Paris , land early A.M
Either fly from CDG [ Air France ] or the cheaper way from Orly , which is a simple train from CDG to Orly , without leaving the airport.
If you consider your accommodation in Paris mate thats the airfare to Lyon.
We never considered Paris and had a wonderful time in Le Puy after arriving the normal way by air
** Arriving in Lyon and then the bus/train to Le Puy.
Better shopping in Le Puy than Paddington Sonia, travel light and take your time before the walk .
Best wishes,
David

 

[julie]

Hi Sonia

I usually opt for jumping straight on the train. The flight from Australia is so long that it really doesn't make that much difference to keep going.

It's much more pleasurable to have a good night's sleep at your destination than it is to face yet another journey the next day. You can then spend the day recovering from the trip and discovering Le Puy before setting out the day after.

If the idea of changing trains seems a bit daunting when your brain is messy from lack of sleep, you could always just go as far as Lyon (you have to change trains there anyway) and rest up before tackling the couple of hours to Le Puy.

 

[TravellingSonn]

Gitti, Margaret,David and Julie, thanks for your input guys! Much appreciated.

All I need to do is figure out what I'd like to see/do prior to the walk. Decisions, decisions.

Thanks guys!

 

[camino07]

Hi Sonia
Seemingly you can fly direct to Lyon via Dubai with Emirates now from Perth and I'm sure that would be from ES too. Just a thought!
Heather

 

[Thornley]

Hi Sonia,
If you are going to stay in Paris for a day or so avoid staying near the airport, no need.
You are 40 minutes away from Gare Du Nord Station on the blue line. Trains every 10 minutes from inside the airport.
Plenty of hotels/pensions just outside this station .

We always miss the 7.30am however catch the 10.25 am [ Air France 7652] to Lyon and have never paid more than $170 A for the direct flight , landing in just over an hour.
Lyon was the capital of France before Paris and is a wonderful city to visit.

** There is also a flight at 1.20pm if you arrive mid morning.
Qantas /Air France will ticket you the whole way when booking.

David

 

[TravellingSonn]

Heather & David,

Thanks for your suggestions. I think a flight to Lyon from Paris is the go!

Thai Airways has the quickest flight to Paris touching down around 6:30am. I checked out Air France (on jetabroad) and the cost is what David mentioned.

I tend to suffer from jetlag quite badly. I just want to get there as soon as possible.

Thanks again guys,
Sonn

 

[robertt]

Just to give a dawdler's perspective:

I stop over on the way to Europe, preferably in Singapore. There, to keep it simple, I can sleep at the airport hotel without doing customs and immigration. Chicken-rice time! If I take that combo where you leave Singapore within 24h, my luggage is automatically booked through to Paris. On arriving in Paris, I just head for the Bastille-Marais area and spend a night there. (That's the part of Paris I prefer to the big monumental end. It's fun.) Then I dawdle on to Le Puy by train, as described. Maybe I'll stop in Lyon some time, just to check it out.

I spend plenty of time in Le Puy, then, when it feels right, I start walking up the Aubrac Plateau. (Although next time it will be the Stevenson or Regordane.)

When the money and/or Schengen period run low, I head home from wherever I happen to be, with much dawdling and stopping over, so I don't have to endure long train or bus rides. (My post Camino stops have been San Seb, Bordeaux and Segovia. Choice!)

To plan my trips and Caminos, I ask myself one brutal question: What would a real sissy do?

 

[TravellingSonn]

Yeah! I booked my flights!

In the end I decided to fly from Sydney - Paris - Lyon

I land into Paris on Sunday 19th May at 6:25am.

My flight to Lyon departs Paris at 10:25am the same day.

I'm soooo excited, I just can't hide it! :lol:

Thanks guys for your recommendations/suggestions.

Let the training & French lessons begin...

Bon chemin
Sonn

 

[Kiwi-family]

Well, you won't be seeing Notre Dame or the Louvre, but you WILL have a blast! Go easy on yourself until you get adjusted. We had a (cheap) 40 hour flight from Auckland to Paris and it took us three days to be waking at the right time! It's toolate to tell you now about our wonderful week in Paris pre-Camino!

 

[TravellingSonn]

Wow! A 40 hour flight to Paris! That's intense :shock:

My flight to Paris is 24 hours. I learnt my lesson when I flew to South Africa earlier this year which was a 32 hour flight. By the end of it, I was ready to explode! lol

These days I'm happy to pay that little bit extra for a quicker flight.

Ahhh Paris, the city of love! I've been there before so I don't feel guilty missing it. :wink:

 

[Kitsambler]

So you have a 4 hour layover at CDG. This is not too much time, as CDG is possibly the worst airport in Europe for changing planes. Here are some suggestions:
- Check your flight info to suss your terminals out in advance
- Arm yourself with maps of your arrival terminal and your departure terminal
- Locate the transport/shuttle lines that link the several buildings
- Do some advance planning for your eating/drinking needs (do not arrive parched or starved) as you must collect baggage and clear immigration before you will find refreshments
- I do not recall whether you will need to pass through security screening again, but if so, that factors in to both liquids purchases and schedule planning

The worst part is, the signage in CDG is almost useless (and this assumes one can read the necessary French); the number/placement of directional signs is inadequate; the layout is not logical. But, once you pass this hurdle, the rest of your trip will be smooth sailing!

 

[TravellingSonn]

Kit,

Thanks a mil for the heads up. I printed all the CDG terminal maps and I'll ensure I study them well before I land.

I'll be entering France with my EU passport so I'm hoping the EU immigration line will be quickier. Fingers crossed.

Thanks again for sharing.
Sonn

 

[ffp13]

So you have a 4 hour layover at CDG. This is not too much time, as CDG is possibly the worst airport in Europe for changing planes.

Hi, my next Camino is also via Paris flying from Oz scheduled to arrive at 930am.

How much time should I allow before my connecting flight to Madrid ( yet to be booked)

From your description the airport sound very much like their train connections, confusing and poorly marked.

I don't want to spend a night in Paris , I just want to get to Spain the cheapest fastest way.

 

[Kitsambler]

Hi, my next Camino is also via Paris flying from Oz scheduled to arrive at 930am.
How much time should I allow before my connecting flight to Madrid ( yet to be booked)

If you are changing airlines, I suggest the bare minimum is 3 hours (assuming a low intensity time of day, you speak French, and you have been in CDG previously). Otherwise, 4 hours - or if during heavy travel weeks, maybe 5. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

 

[julie]

I travel on an Australian passport and getting through Immigration at CDG has always been very quick. However, you can be held up if you need to collect baggage. Normally I take my backpack on the plane and check through a tube containing my poles and sharps (knife, safety pins, needle).

The tubes don't come out on the carousel with the regular baggage. They come on a trolley with the oversized luggage. Last time I had to wait quite a long time because the tube didn't come out on the first trolley load of oversized items.

If the time between transfers is a bit tight, I don't check anything through and buy those restricted items in France - usually at Decathlon because their stores are plentiful though they are often located on the outskirts of the town.

 

[ffp13]

Thanks Julie,

Depending on which line is longer I can enter as either EU or Oz citizen.

Like you I carry as much as I can onto the plane, what I check in is easily replaced should the airline loose it. My carry on is not easily replaced regardless of how much compensation is paid eg broken in hiking boots etc.

I will probably plan for a long stay in the airport, and fly to Madrid later in the afternoon, delays with international flights are common , I can't afford to loose a flight from Paris to Madrid because my flight to Paris was delayed.

Regards

Frank