Any tips for rail in Paris?

[stuartmoss]

Hi All,

I'm flying into CDG for the weekend in October, Ive been to Paris once before but it was by bus, and I was only a teenager, so can't remember much, but I just wondered if anyone could answer the following:

1. Which Paris main station is most accessible from CDG?
2. What is the area near the station like (I'm thinking of getting a hotel near there for ease of access in and out).
3. Any tips or advice for using the Paris Metro e.g. day tickets, fares, things to be aware of etc.?
4. Are all the main sites (Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomph, Pomidou (sp?), Louvre) accessible by Metro?
5. I went years ago to Paris, and went on a funicular railway, but have no idea where it was - any likely suggestions, and is this accessible by Metro?
6. Are there any good locations for some sneaky freight photos (I'll be with the Missus, so this would need to be more 'by accident' - ooh look at that....I never knew) while we're doing something else.

Thank you!

Stu.

 

[ess]

The train from CDG to Paris is not the most pleasant rail trip you'll ever take!

 

[lj9090]

Hi All,

I'm flying into CDG for the weekend in October, Ive been to Paris once before but it was by bus, and I was only a teenager, so can't remember much, but I just wondered if anyone could answer the following:

1. Which Paris main station is most accessible from CDG?
2. What is the area near the station like (I'm thinking of getting a hotel near there for ease of access in and out).
3. Any tips or advice for using the Paris Metro e.g. day tickets, fares, things to be aware of etc.?
4. Are all the main sites (Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomph, Pomidou (sp?), Louvre) accessible by Metro?
5. I went years ago to Paris, and went on a funicular railway, but have no idea where it was - any likely suggestions, and is this accessible by Metro?
6. Are there any good locations for some sneaky freight photos (I'll be with the Missus, so this would need to be more 'by accident' - ooh look at that....I never knew) while we're doing something else.

Thank you!

Stu.

1. Gare du Nord would be the most accessible main station, however you'll be coming in on the RER B so anywhere along that line would be equally accessible.
2. Given the above, there's no reason to stay near a main station. There are better areas to stay. I've stayed near Anvers at the bottom of Montmartre which was perfect for that, although a bit of a fiddle to get to anywhere on the Metro, and also between Trocadero and Arc du Triomphe which was a bit better to get around from but a lot less interesting.
3. I usually just buy a mobilis z1-2 day ticket which seems to currently be €6.80. Single tickets are cheap though, especially if you buy a carnet, so depending on how many trips you do this might work out better. I don't do this though because with the day ticket there's no temptation to walk a few stops.
4. The Metro is a very dense network so everything is easily accesible, often from several stations. I find it feels more like a tram system that happens to be underground than a underground train system. Arc de Triomph, the Louvre have both have stations right underneath, Eiffel Tower is a little way from several stations but not that far really. Much the same with Pompidou - although try and avoid Chatelet les Halles as it's a very large station with a lot of walking.
5. Probably the one that takes you up to Sacre Couer in Montmartre. An advantage of the mobilis ticket is this is included. Best stops would be Abbesses or Anvers, the former being far nicer to exit out of.
6. No idea, sorry! I would imagine you'd have to go quite some way from anything touristy so whatever there is might be a hard sell.

One tip nobody seems to know - if you can grab the RER to get across town - anything more than a few stops on the metro and the extra speed and lack of stops outweighs the fact it's not quite as frequent.

 

[button_boxer]

One tip nobody seems to know - if you can grab the RER to get across town - anything more than a few stops on the metro and the extra speed and lack of stops outweighs the fact it's not quite as frequent.

But if your destination is outside the périphérique then the RER will cost more than the metro - t+ tickets are valid on the whole metro network including the parts that are outside Paris proper, but on the RER they're only valid within the Paris boundary. So for Vincennes, for example, the metro to Bérault or Chateau de Vincennes will be cheaper than the RER to Vincennes station.

 

[CC 72100]

Hi All,

I'm flying into CDG for the weekend in October, Ive been to Paris once before but it was by bus, and I was only a teenager, so can't remember much, but I just wondered if anyone could answer the following:

1. Which Paris main station is most accessible from CDG?
2. What is the area near the station like (I'm thinking of getting a hotel near there for ease of access in and out).
3. Any tips or advice for using the Paris Metro e.g. day tickets, fares, things to be aware of etc.?
4. Are all the main sites (Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomph, Pomidou (sp?), Louvre) accessible by Metro?
5. I went years ago to Paris, and went on a funicular railway, but have no idea where it was - any likely suggestions, and is this accessible by Metro?
6. Are there any good locations for some sneaky freight photos (I'll be with the Missus, so this would need to be more 'by accident' - ooh look at that....I never knew) while we're doing something else.

Thank you!

Stu.

1) Gare du Nord is direct from CDG. Paris Est next door to Nord is therefore also quite accessible. So too is Gare de Lyon - a same platform interchange at Gare du Nord for the RER D. As other posters have said, the line from the airport goes through some sensitive areas. I would strongly advise doing a non-stop service, even if it means letting one train go.

2) Can't really say - I lived outside of the city so can't comment!

3) A metro (or RER in zone 1) single is 1 euro 70. A carnet of 10 tickets is also available, at around 13 euros if memory serves me correct. If you're making several journeys on the same day, you may want to consider a Mobilis - a day zonal ticket. If the visit is over several days, a Paris Visite - which the RATP flog to the tourists as the (expensive) solution may actually work out better value. If you're under 26, a Ticket Jeunes on the weekend is half price of the Mobilis, but only available in zones 1-3 or 1-5 on weekends and French public holidays.

4) Yes :

Eiffel Tower - Bir-Hakeim (M6), Champs de mars Tour Eiffel (RER C)

Louvre - Palais Royal Musée du Louvre (M1, M7)

Arc de Triomphe - Charles de Gaulle-Étoile (M1, M2, M6, RER A)

Pompidou - Can't remember, sorry!

5) Yes - the Montmatre funicular, which can be used with any normal travel pass. I used Anvers station. The area around Sacre Coeur is rather ugly with lots of tacky tourist shops though...

6) We had a thread on this recently. I've seen freight at Melun which is towards Fontainebleau should you wish to visit the Chateau there, and at places towards Meaux, but there is nothing touristy whatsoever in that direction.

For getting around, the RATP produce an app "Visit Paris by Metro" which is designed to be used by tourists who may have their phone in offline mode. Not only does it have a metro map, but it also lists some of the popular attractions and their respective stops.

One final word of caution: please be careful around the major tourist hotspots. Towards the end of my YA in March, I was at places like the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe by myself (so not in a big group of English) and got approached by (mainly Romanian) scammers. If they ask you "Speak English!", a Gaelic shrug followed by a "bah non" and walking off sorts them out just fine.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

But if your destination is outside the périphérique then the RER will cost more than the metro - t+ tickets are valid on the whole metro network including the parts that are outside Paris proper, but on the RER they're only valid within the Paris boundary. So for Vincennes, for example, the metro to Bérault or Chateau de Vincennes will be cheaper than the RER to Vincennes station.

Yes - the t+ ticket is advertised as 'RER in Paris'. Similar situation for La Défense - zone 3 for the RER, considered as Zone 1 for the metro.

 

[Gordon]

Hi All,
1. Which Paris main station is most accessible from CDG?
2. What is the area near the station like
3. Any tips or advice for using the Paris Metro e.g. day tickets, fares, things to be aware of etc.?
4. Are all the main sites (Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomph, Pomidou (sp?), Louvre) accessible by Metro?
6. Are there any good locations for some sneaky freight photos
Stu.

Points 1 and 2
If you are with a better half, I recommend finding a hotel anywhere in Paris that suits your needs/looks attractive. Tripadvisor is the usual place for reviews. It has rarely let me down, as long as you disregard unneccesary ‘mark downs’ which can artificially drag down a hotel’s review score (for example ‘parking is rubbish’ irrelevant to international travellers not using a car)

This map shows the public transport links from CDG: http://www.aeroportsdeparis.fr/ADP/...-car-parks/Paris-CDG/Access/public-transport/

The RER service does not terminate at Gare du Nord (the whole basis of the RER being a network of cross-city routes) so there are places where you could opt for hotels that are directly served by the RER train from CDG.

The map also shows that there are alternatives to the train, including various buses that terminate at other points in Central Paris – almost certainly designed to terminate in areas where international tourists are likely to find preferred hotels.

Point 3
Useful English info here:

http://en.parisinfo.com/how-to-get-to-and-around-paris/maps-and-plans

Mobilis for travel only:
http://www.ratp.fr/en/ratp/c_21148/mobilis/

Paris pass:
http://www.parispass.com/how-it-works/index.html#.U2k95vldWSo

Other options (French info only):
http://www.ratp.fr/en/ratp/r_92961/les-titres-destines-aux-touristes/

Point 4:
This map overlays the main tourist sights onto a metro map. Very useful:

http://mapsof.net/map/paris-tourist-transport-map#.U2ldbfldWSo

Also worth buying the traditional hard copy Michelin maps of Paris which show main buildings clearly:

http://travel.michelin.co.uk/paris-tourism-city-plan-53-scale-120-000-935-p.asp

Point 5: Montmartre funicular

Point 6:
Search for ‘Paris’ to find recent discussions of this type. However, I doubt they will suit an ‘accidental’ freight viewing opportunity.
The only thing I can think of is Fontainebleau station which is on the classic main line south towards Lyon but I doubt the freight volume is high enough these days to get much – especially at weekends

4. The Metro is a very dense network so everything. I find it feels more like a tram system that happens to be underground than a underground train system.

In fact that is exactly the concept that the metro followed – it really was conceived as an ‘underground tram system’. Don’t forget though it is actually a mixture of sub-surface and ‘el’ (elevated a la Chicago or Liverpool). It was designed to replace the surface tramways, and most lines follow the line of roads, hence the sometimes sharp corners and squealing wheels on some lines!



.

 

[lj9090]

Yes - the t+ ticket is advertised as 'RER in Paris'. Similar situation for La Défense - zone 3 for the RER, considered as Zone 1 for the metro.

As I found out when I though I'd quickly nip to La Defence from Etoile. The barriers didn't let me out so I just went downstairs and caught the next train back, fortunately no-one was around to notice as I beleive I was liable for a fine for trying that.

 

[34D]

Somewhere maybe the Rive Gauche area (south bank) would be good for being with a wife/girlfriend.

My one abiding memory of a Paris trip several years ago was that the bra shops allowed (and encouraged) the lady to try them on and then go show the boyfriend. I saw my good lady and several other good ladies thus.

 

[CC 72100]

As I found out when I though I'd quickly nip to La Defence from Etoile. The barriers didn't let me out so I just went downstairs and caught the next train back, fortunately no-one was around to notice as I beleive I was liable for a fine for trying that.

You would have been, but you obviously made the mistake of thinking that fare evasion was a serious issue that very few people do in Paris :roll:

 

[island]

Paris Visite is a horrible tourist trap. However, it is the only relevant zonal ticket valid to CDG/ORY airports. Cheaper tickets such as Mobilis (equivalent to a day travelcard) and ticket jeunes weekend are not. You can get a single ticket ("billet origine-destination") if you prefer. There are no return tickets.

It is possible to split tickets but rather less convenient than here as a ticket is only valid if it's been through a barrier. So if you (say) get a single to La Plaine Stade de France and a zone 1-2 Mobilis, you have to take a stopping train and get off and go out and back in the gates. It's up to you which to choose.

There is also a coach service called Roissybus which takes you to Central Paris (near Opera I believe) for around €10.

Paper tickets for all of the above are tiny. Like 3 by 1 inches. Paris does have a contactless transport card called Navigo but it does not have a stored value option (only season tickets) so tourists don't use them.

Vending machines at all stations and ticket booths at most stations sell pretty much every kind of ticket you will want. Vending machines have an English option. All accept cards (Visa/MasterCard, chip & PIN cards only), and most accept coins (5c up to €2). Some also accept notes, although there is a limit to how much you will be given in change, so don't expect to pay with a €50 note. Some machines are dedicated to Navigo. Cash acceptance at ticket booths is being phased out.

As mentioned above, the ticket t+ is valid in zone 1 on all services and also on any Metro service irrespective of zone. Metro services being those identified only by a number or a number plus "bis" (literally "twice" but used in the same way we would use A as a number suffix). There are unlimited transfers as long as you do not exit through a ticket gate. It's also valid on buses, where one transfer to or from a tram or another bus is allowed within two hours.

Day tickets require you to write the user's name and the date of validity on the front prior to use. Like FCC Carnets, this can sometimes be difficult so make sure you have a ballpoint pen or very thin permanent marker. If you're writing a 1 or 7, probably best to do it in the French way (1 looks like an upside-down V with the left stroke a bit curled, and 7 has a horizontal bar through it). Single tickets must be stamped on the side with the magnetic strip prior to use. The ticket gate will normally do this for you (older ones will just stamp a few blue diagonal lines, newer ones will print the station, date and time). In the event of an inspection, tickets without the required validation will be deemed invalid.

As a general (but not infallible) rule you will need to insert your ticket to exit the station when using the RER as different fares apply. No need usually to do this on the Metro which is a flat fare (and the exit gates are often just push-doors). Some ticket gates are Navigo only and don't accept old-fashioned tickets.

If you have a smartphone download the RATP app, which has several offline functions.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

You would have been, but you obviously made the mistake of thinking that fare evasion was a serious issue that very few people do in Paris :roll:

Endemic , to say the very least. The RER is a social millieu for the unwaged , often undocumented , and unsavoury. Especially lines B and D

"Faites attention"

 

[island]

Oh, and don't encourage the buskers, deaf-mute people selling trinkets, or other mendicants.

 

[CC 72100]

Paris Visite is a horrible tourist trap. However, it is the only relevant zonal ticket valid to CDG/ORY airports. Cheaper tickets such as Mobilis (equivalent to a day travelcard) and ticket jeunes weekend are not. You can get a single ticket ("billet origine-destination") if you prefer. There are no return tickets.

Yes - the airport is one Zone 5.... oh wait, but not if you buy a zones 1-5 travel-card, it's suddenly not in zone 5, it's now in a special place only accessible if you have the most expensive ticket. Cheers SNCF/RATP/STIF.

I think it's about 9 euros from city centre -> Airport. I'll be doing it later this month so will report back.

With regards to the "billet origine-destination", I made that mistake on my second day there. Bought a ticket at my local station in zone 3 (Fontenay-sous-Bois) to Gare de Lyon. At Gare de Lyon, I successfully obtained the Navigo pass, but then used this same ticket back to Fontenay, which worked all of the barriers as expected. Also had an on-train check on the way back (which STIF have now abolished, in their infinite wisdom, due to budget cuts!) and got through perfectly unscathed.

It was only the next day when my ticket didn't work in the same way again that I realised just what had happened. Somehow, 2 sets of barriers and an on-train check hadn't picked up that I was using a ticket in the wrong direction, so evidently using it as a return. Bit of a mystery that one!

Endemic , to say the very least. The RER is a social millieu for the unwaged , often undocumented , and unsavoury. Especially lines B and D

"Faites attention"

Indeed. Northern bits of the B, most (all?) of the D, all of the J would be on my 'avoid' or 'only when confident' list.

When I had to use all of the above lines, I certainly didn't have any valuables on show. On our RER B train to the airport we had a busker going down the train, coach to coach using the emergency doors. On the J I've had all the youths light up cigarettes on our coach, making lovely travelling conditions. On the TER Bourgogne I've been offered spliffs of God knows what on the way back to Paris from Melun.

Some RER lines are ok though. The A is fine in most places, apart from perhaps the Cergy branch late at night. The C is also pretty fine, and no tourist would ever really have a reason to use the line E anyway!

Yep, there's certainly a variety alright!

Oh, and don't encourage the buskers, deaf-mute people selling trinkets, or other mendicants.

Turn away and ignore is the best policy. Unfortunately, it's the product of a system with so few visible staff.

 

[northwichcat]

Current Foreign Office advice:

Travel to and within France can be disrupted by strike action. Check with your travel provider before you travel.

Don’t be distracted around tourist attractions and cash points. Pickpockets can work in gangs: one to distract you while the other one goes into your bag. Keep your belongings close to you in restaurants and bars. Thieves and pickpockets operate on the Paris underground, RER lines and at mainline stations, for example Gare du Nord.

There have been several victims of serious assault on the RER line B, which serves Paris Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports and Paris Gare du Nord Eurostar terminus. There have also been serious assaults on RER line D, which serves the Stade de France.

 

[CC 72100]

Current Foreign Office advice:

That doesn't really surprise me!

Transilien.com (the SNCF website for the Paris area) is showing trains marked as 'KARE' and 'KABE' (terminating at Massy-Palaiseau) as the non-stop services, with 'PITA' and 'PINS' services as the stoppers (terminating at Saint-Rémy-les-Chevreuse).

It's very easy to see where RER trains stop, so they non-stopping trains should be easy to spot on the day.

 

[Southwest]

The train from CDG to Paris is not the most pleasant rail trip you'll ever take!

That's an understatement!

 

[ChiefPlanner]

That's an understatement!

With some trepidation on my part my eldest (who is 21) , chaperoned his sister (aged 16) , last year on this route. His description of some of the clientele was striking - and this was at 1700 in the evening. There is nothing like this in the UK - and the French should be thoroughly ashamed. I am not talking about social engineering here - just the maintenance of decent travelling standards.

PS - do not consider travelling on the tram from St Denis either - unless you are very confident and lack steal able items.

Having lived and worked in London for over 30 years - I have no qualms for myself , or my offspring / wife travelling on the London network - more than I can say for the (deserted staff- wise) - good infrastructure , poor customer ambience. Much to do with the geography of Paris - where the RATP tends to serve the better inner areas , whereas the RER often serves the challenging areas.

 

[CC 72100]

With some trepidation on my part my eldest (who is 21) , chaperoned his sister (aged 16) , last year on this route. His description of some of the clientele was striking - and this was at 1700 in the evening. There is nothing like this in the UK - and the French should be thoroughly ashamed. I am not talking about social engineering here - just the maintenance of decent travelling standards.

PS - do not consider travelling on the tram from St Denis either - unless you are very confident and lack steal able items.

Having lived and worked in London for over 30 years - I have no qualms for myself , or my offspring / wife travelling on the London network - more than I can say for the (deserted staff- wise) - good infrastructure , poor customer ambience. Much to do with the geography of Paris - where the RATP tends to serve the better inner areas , whereas the RER often serves the challenging areas.

To be perfectly honest, alarm bells would ring whenever I saw a place listed as being in 'Seine-Saint-Denis' (the department of which St Denis is the 'main' city). It's like an entirely different worlds up there compared to central Paris, you can feel it on the metro lines as the closer you get, the more 'interesting' individuals join the train.

As I said, I would never do the RER B stopping service. Places like Drancy, Sevran, Aubervillers... (Ok, I'd pretty much name all of the stops!) are amongst Paris' worst suburbs.

As a 20 year old male from the country, I did find it rather uncomfortable and hard-going at times on some of the lines with a bad reputation.

As for the whole RATP/SNCF thing - I suppose you're right to be fair. The RATP half of the RER A serves much better communities, and exactly the same situation for the RATP part (the Southern bit) of the RER B too.

I don't think of 'outskirts = dodgy', 'Paris city = lovely' by default though. I've visited some lovely places out in the suburbs (I lived in one!) and also seen a fair share of unsavoury characters slap bang in central Paris on the metro too.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

The Metro feels better - and is cleaner (despite low staff ratios) - and there are plenty of interesting folk around - though the legless ,half-naked guy on line 1 was a bit of a challenge cavorting around on a trolley.

Must not put people off - but I really think London does better (as indeed does Berlin and Barcelona - and are I say it, New York !!)

 

[CC 72100]

The Metro feels better - and is cleaner (despite low staff ratios) - and there are plenty of interesting folk around - though the legless ,half-naked guy on line 1 was a bit of a challenge cavorting around on a trolley.

Must not put people off - but I really think London does better (as indeed does Berlin and Barcelona - and are I say it, New York !!)

Indeed!

 

[island]

Some Metro trains release the doors before they come to a stop, which can be a bit disconcerting.

 

[CC 72100]

Some Metro trains release the doors before they come to a stop, which can be a bit disconcerting.

Same on some of the older RER stock, particularly the MS61 stock on the RER A. Does seem to depend on the driver though - some release more in advance than others.

I think it is any stock with the 'flick bar' to open the doors which have this. Newer push button stuff, which although release the doors before coming to an absolutely complete stop, don't do this nearly as much.

 

[stuartmoss]

Thanks everyone for your helpful posts....I've a lot to digest there....and with some trepidation. I wasn't aware that the RER was such a dodgy network to travel on. I'll certainly have my wits about me!

 

[radamfi]

I did a day trip to Paris a few weeks ago and I spent most of the time in the suburbs, as that is where the interesting transport is.

I was most interested in the dedicated busways in the south of the region, routes TVM and 393. The two routes, especially the 393, have almost complete segregation, priority at signals, have tram-like platforms and have platform ticket machines. These routes are considered important enough to be shown on the RER/Metro/tram plans of the Île-de-France region. They provide orbital links and connections between many RER, metro and tram stops, and also serve several shopping centres.

And, yes, I went to Saint-Denis, to go on the rubber-tyred 'tram' line. The suburban lines out of Paris Nord have brand new Bombardier trains so that is an alternative way of getting to Saint-Denis. There is a good value Ibis hotel not far from La Plaine-Stade de France RER station. Millions of people use the RER every day without trouble, so as a tourist you are statistically even less likely to have a problem as you will only be using it for a day or two.

 

[CC 72100]

And, yes, I went to Saint-Denis, to go on the rubber-tyred 'tram' line. The suburban lines out of Paris Nord have brand new Bombardier trains so that is an alternative way of getting to Saint-Denis. There is a good value Ibis hotel not far from La Plaine-Stade de France RER station. Millions of people use the RER every day without trouble, so as a tourist you are statistically even less likely to have a problem as you will only be using it for a day or two.

I never did the 393 during my time out there, a shame

The Z 50000 Bombardier units are very different, they look very nice for the moment but we'll see whether the light coloured interior stands the test of time.

On the whole the RER is safe, just got to keep your wits about you and just be aware that the line from the airport isn't the nicest. I just wouldn't like to be sat there in full tourist mode with a suitcase if I was on a stopping service. It's probably all common sense really!

 

[Polarbear]

A few years back, I was in Paris for a few days & being a transport enthusiast type, decided to have a wander around in the suburbs.

Personally, I never ran into any trouble, but I did feel a little uneasy on T1 from St Denis to the other end & this was at around 11:00 on a weekday morning. It was wedged for most of the journey & it's safe to say that none of that line runs in any "tourist" areas!

Generally, I found the metro to be OK but as has been said earlier, you just have to keep your wits about you when travelling on some of the RER lines & some of the bus routes in the suburbs.

 

[Gordon]

Thanks everyone for your helpful posts....I've a lot to digest there....and with some trepidation. I wasn't aware that the RER was such a dodgy network to travel on. I'll certainly have my wits about me!

I've never had any trouble. I find some of the foregoing a bit OTT. I felt just as 'uneasy' at West Ealing a few weeks ago. Foreign travel has always been a case of having a sense of balance.

One of the 'rules' of travelling on TEFS steam tours decades ago was not to make yourself look like a tourist, eg by using a plastic shopping bag instead of a professional camera case, or by getting a guide book or map out overtly . If you follow this rule away from city centres it probably helps.


.

 

[stuartmoss]

I've never had any trouble. I find some of the foregoing a bit OTT. I felt just as 'uneasy' at West Ealing a few weeks ago. Foreign travel has always been a case of having a sense of balance.

One of the 'rules' of travelling on TEFS steam tours decades ago was not to make yourself look like a tourist, eg by using a plastic shopping bag instead of a professional camera case, or by getting a guide book or map out overtly . If you follow this rule away from city centres it probably helps.


.

That's good, thanks for the perspective there. I have to admit I was quite worried from reading some of the previous posts. I've had a good dig around Trip Advisor and it seems that if I pass myself of as being German and not British, I'll get a lot less hassle from beggars et al - I can do that easily enough!

Anyway, my plans have progressed, I was really unsure of the areas along the RER from CDG to Gare du Nord and the area around the station in terms of hotels, so I've gone for a 'wildcard' option and got a good deal at the same time. I'm now going to be stopping in the Novotel in Versailles, which I managed to get for £290 for 3 nights B&B. The hotels in the city centre with good reviews all seemed so expensive. I'm happy with the choice I have made as I like the Novotel brand and absolutely love the Palace of Versailles - and my wife has never been there. So my thoughts for the trip so far are as follows:


Friday

Land CDG 16:50

RER Blue line for a B3 from CDG to St-Michel Notre Dame and change to yellow line for a C5 service to Versailles Rive Gauche.

Then spend Friday evening wandering around the Versailles suburbs, which I'm sure will be a lot more chilled out than the city centre and will ease me back in to a bit of schoolboy French. If our wander extended as far as Versailles Chantiers - are there any passing freight or loco hauled possibilities?


Saturday

EARLY start and a day ticket to get from Versailles - Château - Rive-Gauche into the city centre and back, with the intention of arriving at the Eiffel tower for opening time and going right to the top. After which we will walk across the Seine, pass Musee National de la Marine, and walk down Av. D'Lena to the Arc de Triomph. Go up the Arc and then afterwards walk down the Champs Elysees to Place Concorde, back across the Seine and then head back to Versailles from Invalides.


Sunday

Early start and a day ticket to get from Versailles - Château - Rive-Gauche into the city centre and back, getting off the train at Musée d'Orsay and arriving at the Louvre for opening time with a visit followed by a walk along the River Seine to Notre Dame Cathedral. From there a wander up to the Pompidou (we may or ay not go in - I just want to see the building to be honest). From there the RER to Châtelet - Les Halles, changing at Saint-Michel - Notre-Dame for the RER back to Versailles.


Monday morning

The Palace of Versailles, before flying home at 17:30 from CDG, I'm guessing we would need to arrive at CDG for 15:30, so would need to leave Versailles by 14:00.


SO - how does this sound to those with Paris knowledge?
Am I being too ambitious giving the limited time that we have?
What would be the best RER tickets to get?

Also possibly a silly question, the nearest train station in Versaille to where I'm staying is actually the Versailles - Rive Droite, but this isn't on the RER network, so I haven't really considered using it, presuming it would be easier to stick to one network. Can anyone think of a logical reason why I should use it instead of the RER within my plans?

As usual all advice appreciated. THANK YOU.

 

[radamfi]

Also possibly a silly question, the nearest train station in Versaille to where I'm staying is actually the Versailles - Rive Droite, but this isn't on the RER network, so I haven't really considered using it, presuming it would be easier to stick to one network. Can anyone think of a logical reason why I should use it instead of the RER within my plans?

There's no reason why you shouldn't use non-RER trains. You could mix things up, use RER sometimes and Line L from St Lazare other times. There's no difference in fare and you can use the same tickets on 'normal' trains and the RER, including changing between the two. Both Versailles and St Lazare are the terminals of the L train so you can board before departure. There is a connection between L and the RER at La Defense.

The L train runs every 15 minutes daytime and every 30 minutes evenings:

http://www.transilien.com/contents/fr/Docs---PDF/Fiches-horaires/hiver2013/LAJ-AN14-D26-LS-version0403.pdf

http://www.transilien.com/contents/fr/Docs---PDF/Fiches-horaires/hiver2013/LAJ-AN14-D27-D-version0403.pdf

I would recommend downloading and printing the Ile de France rail map:

http://www.transilien.com/contents/fr/Docs---PDF/Plans/Carte fusion_03_2014.pdf

or download the RATP app which has a similar map.

 

[CC 72100]

That's good, thanks for the perspective there. I have to admit I was quite worried from reading some of the previous posts. I've had a good dig around Trip Advisor and it seems that if I pass myself of as being German and not British, I'll get a lot less hassle from beggars et al - I can do that easily enough!

Anyway, my plans have progressed, I was really unsure of the areas along the RER from CDG to Gare du Nord and the area around the station in terms of hotels, so I've gone for a 'wildcard' option and got a good deal at the same time. I'm now going to be stopping in the Novotel in Versailles, which I managed to get for £290 for 3 nights B&B. The hotels in the city centre with good reviews all seemed so expensive. I'm happy with the choice I have made as I like the Novotel brand and absolutely love the Palace of Versailles - and my wife has never been there. So my thoughts for the trip so far are as follows:

I really liked Versailles the place when I went there. Unfortunately, I picked te wrong days for the Chateau and the queues meant that I didn't get chance to have a look around it.