SemiMike

For a trip this spring, we will fly into CDG, and will be staying in a
small town near Quimper I originally thought it would be best to get to
Gare Montparnasse, take a train to Quimper, then rent a car, versus the
7 hour drive to Quimper from CDG. However, with transit times and train
trip (about 5 hours alone) it would seem to be more effective to just
rent the car at CDG and drive.

Does anyone have any experience in this area? Thanks.

Mister Bartlett

SemiMike <[email protected]> wrote:

> For a trip this spring, we will fly into CDG, and will be staying in a
> small town near Quimper I originally thought it would be best to get to
> Gare Montparnasse, take a train to Quimper, then rent a car, versus the
> 7 hour drive to Quimper from CDG. However, with transit times and train
> trip (about 5 hours alone) it would seem to be more effective to just
> rent the car at CDG and drive.
>
> Does anyone have any experience in this area? Thanks.

I think it all depends on how you like driving. It's not that thrilling
of a route, so I would personally prefer going by train, so you can
relax a bit after your flight. Other people like driving for its own
sake, and don't get stressed by navigating in unfamiliar territory!

B;


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Padraig Breathnach

"SemiMike" <[email protected]> wrote:

>For a trip this spring, we will fly into CDG, and will be staying in a
>small town near Quimper I originally thought it would be best to get to
>Gare Montparnasse, take a train to Quimper, then rent a car, versus the
>7 hour drive to Quimper from CDG. However, with transit times and train
>trip (about 5 hours alone) it would seem to be more effective to just
>rent the car at CDG and drive.
>
>Does anyone have any experience in this area? Thanks.

Not exactly the same, but broadly similar. If you check further, you
will probably find that the train option is also quite expensive, and
that hiring a car at Quimper might not be easy (because it is not an
arrival point for many people wanting cars). The drive is easy enough,
and if you have time to play with you can make interesting stops on
the way.

--
PB
The return address has been MUNGED
My travel writing: http://www.iol.ie/~draoi/

L'Avalanche

Mister Bartlett a �crit :
> SemiMike <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > For a trip this spring, we will fly into CDG, and will be staying in a
> > small town near Quimper I originally thought it would be best to get to
> > Gare Montparnasse, take a train to Quimper, then rent a car, versus the
> > 7 hour drive to Quimper from CDG. However, with transit times and train
> > trip (about 5 hours alone) it would seem to be more effective to just
> > rent the car at CDG and drive.
> >
> > Does anyone have any experience in this area? Thanks.
>
> I think it all depends on how you like driving. It's not that thrilling
> of a route, so I would personally prefer going by train, so you can
> relax a bit after your flight. Other people like driving for its own
> sake, and don't get stressed by navigating in unfamiliar territory!
>
> B;
>
Your car is about the only place where you can smoke.
You can make the trip an interesting one, stopping in places the train
will not even show you.
If you wish to get quickly to Quimper, the train is more relaxing,
perhaps.
You still have to cross Paris, get to station (no porters) find car
rent in Quimper.
There is generally no place where you can leave your luggage, because
of security rules.

Bernard T. Higonnet

SemiMike wrote:

> For a trip this spring, we will fly into CDG, and will be staying in a
> small town near Quimper I originally thought it would be best to get to
> Gare Montparnasse, take a train to Quimper, then rent a car, versus the
> 7 hour drive to Quimper from CDG. However, with transit times and train
> trip (about 5 hours alone) it would seem to be more effective to just
> rent the car at CDG and drive.

If you are arriving from the US and have lost a night's sleep in the plane I
would discourage either alternative. Continuing with the same assumption,
if you feel you must do this take the train: you will feel terrible but
will still be alive...

You could rent a car at CDG and drive a little bit and flop down in some
hotel to sleep and continue later.

Bernard Higonnet

Joseph Coulter

SemiMike wrote:
> For a trip this spring, we will fly into CDG, and will be staying in a
> small town near Quimper I originally thought it would be best to get to
> Gare Montparnasse, take a train to Quimper, then rent a car, versus the
> 7 hour drive to Quimper from CDG. However, with transit times and train
> trip (about 5 hours alone) it would seem to be more effective to just
> rent the car at CDG and drive.
>
> Does anyone have any experience in this area? Thanks.
>
If coming in from overseas you will arrive in the morning dog tired, do
not drive. Your other option if you have not purchased tickets is to fly
on to a regional city such as Rennes or Nantes and drive from there. The
airfare for a transatlantic flight may not be much more.

Joseph Coulter

Bernard T. Higonnet wrote:
> SemiMike wrote:
>
>> For a trip this spring, we will fly into CDG, and will be staying in a
>> small town near Quimper I originally thought it would be best to get to
>> Gare Montparnasse, take a train to Quimper, then rent a car, versus the
>> 7 hour drive to Quimper from CDG. However, with transit times and train
>> trip (about 5 hours alone) it would seem to be more effective to just
>> rent the car at CDG and drive.
>
> If you are arriving from the US and have lost a night's sleep in the plane I
> would discourage either alternative. Continuing with the same assumption,
> if you feel you must do this take the train: you will feel terrible but
> will still be alive...
>
> You could rent a car at CDG and drive a little bit and flop down in some
> hotel to sleep and continue later.
>
> Bernard Higonnet
this is my other idea, other than flying on to a closer place, One could
drive say to Chartres and have a chance to visit the cathedral before
going on.

Terry Richards

"SemiMike" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected] oups.com...
> For a trip this spring, we will fly into CDG, and will be staying in a
> small town near Quimper I originally thought it would be best to get to
> Gare Montparnasse, take a train to Quimper, then rent a car, versus the
> 7 hour drive to Quimper from CDG. However, with transit times and train
> trip (about 5 hours alone) it would seem to be more effective to just
> rent the car at CDG and drive.
>
> Does anyone have any experience in this area? Thanks.
>

I live in Brittany so I guess that qualifies as experience

Neither option is clearly better.

If I was making that trip (as I have several times) I would get the car at
CDG. It's not a bad drive once you clear the peripherique (Paris ring road).
However, it is about 7 hours of driving right after an overnight flight and
the first part is definitely the worst. If you have any doubts about being
up for it then you should seriously consider alternatives.

With the train, the hard part is getting across Paris to the station.
Especially if you have to drag a load of luggage up & down steps. Once you
are actually on the train, it's quite a pleasant trip. I *believe* you can
get a train direct from CDG and change at Le Mans which may be a better
option. I haven't tried it myself though.

When my wife goes back to the States, we get her a connecting flight from/to
Brest. Brest to Quimper is an easy drive in about an hour on good, non-busy,
roads with nice scenic views of the coast.

Hope this helps,

Terry.

Ulf Kutzner

SemiMike schrieb:
> For a trip this spring, we will fly into CDG, and will be staying in a
> small town near Quimper I originally thought it would be best to get to
> Gare Montparnasse, take a train to Quimper, then rent a car, versus the
> 7 hour drive to Quimper from CDG.

You might try to get a TGV from CDG to Rennes. It might even be bookable
as codeshare on air tickets.

Regards, ULF

proo

Don't forget to factor in the tolls if expense is also a factor.