dmu

As mentioned somewhere else, it's far too early for the SNCF to announce its December time-tables and fares. I just took a mid-June date at random, bearing in mind that June isn't peak time in France (no school holidays or jours fériés). Some one on your other Train thread put the SNCF link for you. You have to enter the details yourself, it's impossible to transfer a filled-in page.
You're going to have to decide between getting to Bordeaux to have a cheaper flight to Paris, catching the train at Ruffec (local taxi to the station), or getting to closer, but more expensive, airports.
You must specify which airport you are leaving from. I imagine that long-haul flights leave from Roissy; if so, make sure your domestic flight doesn't go to Orly.... If it is Roissy, then enter "Roissy Charles de Gaulle (CDG2) Gare TGV" on the SNCF site and give a date in September (no school holidays or jour fériés) to have an idea of off-peak autumn fares.

Ooops. Even September is too early to give fares, although the site does give the time-tables.

helen52

yes the Paris charles de gualle only there are 3 choices one says TVG not sure what other ones say but come up different prices thanks

Novocastrian

If you're going to travel to Roissy/CGD on a TGV train, it'll arrive at the Gare TGV. The prices are different if you use RER which arrive at the other stations. There are shuttles (or walkways) between each of the rail terminals and each of the airport terminals. Have you booked your flight to Oz yet?

helen52

how early can you book a train for December, no have not booked flight yet but will do any day now flight is 13th December at 12.25pm

dmu

Three months beforehand, but the earliest train leaving Ruffec at 8h02 won't get you to CdG early enough (11h45).
If you don't want to take a flight later than 12h25, then it might be advisable either to sleep over in Bordeaux or wherever, as you'd be obliged to take an early morning flight, or arrive in Roissy the evening before by train (hotels are usually cheaper than Paris). I'd be inclined to take the latter option since it'll be winter and you never know what imponderables might occur....
Either way, you can't avoid all the expenses involved in getting to Roissy on time (and returning home after your trip)....

helen52

Thanks did notice that, have looked at hotels for the night pretty reasonable would go the previous afternoon and stay overnight, have found website and looked at timetable and current prices will look again nearer the time thanks for your help, oh and see RER says CDG 1 or 2 suppose that depends which terminal you are flying from

dmu

The RER in this case is the fast train-cum-métro that passes North-South through Paris, which arrives in the underground RER station in Roissy. Not the same as the TGV train coming from the Provinces.

wetwang

Remember the old days when we would simply go to a travel agent and let them sort it out?

helen52

yes but look how expensive they are and limited companies to deal with, no budget airlines, I like the challenge of finding the best price, especially if dates do not matter too much even the travel agents are cheaper on line

wetwang

And that is the death knell of the Travel Industry.

I am like you, will spend hours trawling for bargains but there comes a time when a bit of professional help will save hours and is not necessarily more expensive. I just got a Hong Kong flight plus TGV to CDG through an agent for the same as the Internet . Hopefully they get the Travel Agency discount from Cathay Pacific and TGV.

Today I spent over 4 hours trying to book Bergerac to East Mids on Ryanair but the website is down.. I will have to try again tomorrow .
You are right that Budget airlines have no commission for agents but it is often a pain trying to book.