Giverny after we land and get car?
Dec 29th, 2004, 06:33 PM
#1
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Giverny after we land and get car?
Does this sound logical for us "oldies"? We fly from San Diego to Boston and then to Paris (change of planes)
We will get a lease car at CDG. We then plan to drive to Giverny for the rest of the day and night. Is this somethng that is feasible? Plane gets to CDG at 11AM.The Fodor book and Steves book mention staying in Senlis if you are tired, as it's close by, but it's North and we eventually are heading to Normandy, etc.
Does this sound reasonable?..My husband and his trusty PDA say that Giverny is about an hour from the airport?
Also he says this route is not too bad as it doesn't go into Paris. It's on the way to places we want to see.
I think we will be exhausted but....
I told him I would check with the experts!!!!
We will get a lease car at CDG. We then plan to drive to Giverny for the rest of the day and night. Is this somethng that is feasible? Plane gets to CDG at 11AM.The Fodor book and Steves book mention staying in Senlis if you are tired, as it's close by, but it's North and we eventually are heading to Normandy, etc.
Does this sound reasonable?..My husband and his trusty PDA say that Giverny is about an hour from the airport?
Also he says this route is not too bad as it doesn't go into Paris. It's on the way to places we want to see.
I think we will be exhausted but....
I told him I would check with the experts!!!!
Dec 29th, 2004, 06:41 PM
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Oops! My finger slipped so my reply posted before it was finished.... Anyway, yes it's a reasonable plan. There was a post on this very subject a few days ago. Type Giverny into the search box at the top of the page, and the thread will probably appear.
Dec 29th, 2004, 06:50 PM
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Here's the link for you. Realized it might be difficult to find due to the word "train" in the title. Check it out; it really is relevant:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34546067
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34546067
Dec 29th, 2004, 06:58 PM
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I suppose it depends on how jet lagged you are. I get there and I am either energized and read to go, or I am in a fog and would not want to be driving in strange territory.
I, myself, would not plan on it because I don't like to drive when I am fuzz brained. By the time you clear passport control, reclaim your luggage, get your car, and mill about trying to get out of that tangle called CDG, you may be fizzed out.
Have you flown such a long trip before?
If you have you might get some idea of how you will feel.
I am presuming you will be flying without a night in a hotel all the way from San Diego.
I personally cannot sleep when flying cattle class and I usually arrive in a state of fatigue. Those seats are torture because of my long legs and there is no way I can get comfortable enough to do more than doze.
I, myself, would not plan on it because I don't like to drive when I am fuzz brained. By the time you clear passport control, reclaim your luggage, get your car, and mill about trying to get out of that tangle called CDG, you may be fizzed out.
Have you flown such a long trip before?
If you have you might get some idea of how you will feel.
I am presuming you will be flying without a night in a hotel all the way from San Diego.
I personally cannot sleep when flying cattle class and I usually arrive in a state of fatigue. Those seats are torture because of my long legs and there is no way I can get comfortable enough to do more than doze.
Dec 29th, 2004, 07:35 PM
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The drive is not that far. But bob_brown is right. Flying from the west coast you probably will have been awake for 24 hours or more. How does jet lag effect you, how fluent are you in French (road signs can be confusing at the best of time but in a sleepless jet lagged fog they can be even worse)? If you are used to West Coast/Europe flights and know you can cope then it isn't too far to drive.
But if you land at 11 a.m., you will not have you car and be on your way until at least 1 p.m. and likely later (after collecting your luggage, immigration, rental car shuttle, paperwork, etc.)
But if you land at 11 a.m., you will not have you car and be on your way until at least 1 p.m. and likely later (after collecting your luggage, immigration, rental car shuttle, paperwork, etc.)
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Dec 29th, 2004, 08:09 PM
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We flew from California to CDG last September on much the same schedule and drove a bit past Giverny without problems. It's a fairly easy drive and doesn't take all that long--I think your plan is perfectly reasonable.
Dec 30th, 2004, 12:37 AM
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Ther's a nice, tiny hotel right in Giverny-I spent the night there once. Maybe someone here can give you the name of it? Maybe you could use a one night stay there to soften the jet lag factor, and enjoy Giverny too!
Dec 30th, 2004, 05:46 AM
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HI
I'm with those fuzzy-brained unfortunates who doesn't want to immediately get into a car to drive, either as driver or passenger, if it can possibly be avoided.
Have you considered changing planes, flying to one of the cities in Normandy (one of them must have an airport?), staying overnight, and starting your drive from there? And then backtracking toward Paris at the end?
Giverny is just a very easy daytrip by car or train from Paris, if you're going back to Paris anyway...
I'm with those fuzzy-brained unfortunates who doesn't want to immediately get into a car to drive, either as driver or passenger, if it can possibly be avoided.
Have you considered changing planes, flying to one of the cities in Normandy (one of them must have an airport?), staying overnight, and starting your drive from there? And then backtracking toward Paris at the end?
Giverny is just a very easy daytrip by car or train from Paris, if you're going back to Paris anyway...
Dec 30th, 2004, 08:23 AM
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I should have mentioned above that we fly from SF to Europe and usually pick up a rental car after we land. We then drive for a bit to our first destination. Having done that with no problems several times, I decided to reply to Lois' post, encouraging her to do the same thing. Just take your time when you land at CDG, get your luggage and maybe have a bite to eat before you start out. The drive to Giverny is an easy one and the distance isn't great. Make sure you have a good map. You can collapse in a heap when you get to your lodging.
Dec 30th, 2004, 08:59 AM
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Thanks for the good suggestions..we are not going till next Fall but have a big USA trip for two months before that so I want all my ducks in a row. If someone can find the name of the hotel in Giverny would appreciate it.
We will be in France almost 7 weeks so I have lots of planning to do.
We will be in France almost 7 weeks so I have lots of planning to do.
Dec 30th, 2004, 09:23 AM
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Loisco--I remember some of your original posts. Again, coming from the perspective of people who really suffer from jetlag AND who hate to rent cars, I still think your plan is perfectly sensible. Even if for some reason you didn't pick up the car until 1 pm, you still would be on the road at a good hour.
The thing I like about your plan is that you're not wasting time on unnecessary transfers or rest stops which always seem to me to be more tiring than helpful.
I think I told you that we stayed right in the woods outside of Giverny at La Reserve. Here's their website:
http://giverny.org/hotels/brunet/
The owner, Didier, sold us the tickets to Giverny and told us how to make the much-needed dawn attack on the gardens. We had a lovely stay there and a very, very lovely time at the gardens.
The thing I like about your plan is that you're not wasting time on unnecessary transfers or rest stops which always seem to me to be more tiring than helpful.
I think I told you that we stayed right in the woods outside of Giverny at La Reserve. Here's their website:
http://giverny.org/hotels/brunet/
The owner, Didier, sold us the tickets to Giverny and told us how to make the much-needed dawn attack on the gardens. We had a lovely stay there and a very, very lovely time at the gardens.
Dec 30th, 2004, 10:47 AM
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In October 2004, we flew non-stop from DFW to CDG and arrived at 7:45 AM. We skipped baggage claim (only carryons) and were at the Hertz counter by 8:15 (the car rentals area at CDG can be tricky to find; it is located downstairs on the lower level). We had driven to Giverny many times (we usually go in the spring and in the fall each year) so we knew how to drive there without going near Paris.
When exiting CDG, follow the signs towards Cergy-Pontoise; folow the signs until you get to Pontoise; this is a non-toll motorway with little traffic. When you get to Pontoise, there will be signs directing you to Rouen (N14),follow these signs. The road is four lanes at first but drops to two lanes. Take the first exit towards Vernon; this road leads straight to Giverny (you get there before you come to Vernon).
We arrived in Giverny around 9:35, parked in the lot directly across from the house, and wasted ten minutes before we realized that the house opened at 9:30 instead of 10:00.
There are other things to do in the area. Chateau Bizy in Vernon is exquiste; it was a big surprise for us and we thoroughly enjoyed our visit. Les Andylys is also fairly close.
Several years ago, we stayed at a B&B a few blocks from Monet's house; in fact, he used to visit the B&B in te old days when it was a tavern. We also stayed at an inexpensive hotel on the outskirts of Vernon a year or so ago. We have never found the Formula One that is supposedly near Vernon. The Giverny website has a list of B&Bs, hotels, and other lodging options. They also list activities.
In October of this year, after we left Giverny, we drove to Etretat to view the beaches and rocks; Monet spent a lot of time here painting the formations.
We then continued to Mont St. Michel but we do not get jet lag and are comfortable driving in France.
When exiting CDG, follow the signs towards Cergy-Pontoise; folow the signs until you get to Pontoise; this is a non-toll motorway with little traffic. When you get to Pontoise, there will be signs directing you to Rouen (N14),follow these signs. The road is four lanes at first but drops to two lanes. Take the first exit towards Vernon; this road leads straight to Giverny (you get there before you come to Vernon).
We arrived in Giverny around 9:35, parked in the lot directly across from the house, and wasted ten minutes before we realized that the house opened at 9:30 instead of 10:00.
There are other things to do in the area. Chateau Bizy in Vernon is exquiste; it was a big surprise for us and we thoroughly enjoyed our visit. Les Andylys is also fairly close.
Several years ago, we stayed at a B&B a few blocks from Monet's house; in fact, he used to visit the B&B in te old days when it was a tavern. We also stayed at an inexpensive hotel on the outskirts of Vernon a year or so ago. We have never found the Formula One that is supposedly near Vernon. The Giverny website has a list of B&Bs, hotels, and other lodging options. They also list activities.
In October of this year, after we left Giverny, we drove to Etretat to view the beaches and rocks; Monet spent a lot of time here painting the formations.
We then continued to Mont St. Michel but we do not get jet lag and are comfortable driving in France.
Dec 30th, 2004, 03:03 PM
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Dorothy...thanks for the hotel name. A few questions..why did you choose to stay outside the town?..was it because of parking?...just curious.
I should mention to all of you nice posters, we plan to end the 6 1/2 week trip in Paris (10 days) and do the rest of the trip first.
I should mention to all of you nice posters, we plan to end the 6 1/2 week trip in Paris (10 days) and do the rest of the trip first.
Dec 30th, 2004, 10:43 PM
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Loisco- can't help too much with the driving, as we went by train, and you are the best judge of the jet lag effect. I stayed at La Musarderie, which I booked online, a little hotel with a restaurant, charming room and owners, quiet, very reasonable, walking distance to Monet's house, which I think is open April-Oct, so I would doublecheck that for your trip itinerary. I don't know what entry lines are like in September, but in April, we were advised to be at the house before 1. We saw long lines and waited until the following morning and had the whole place to ourselves for about 2 hours, with maybe only 20 other visitors. Enjoy.
Dec 31st, 2004, 10:58 AM
#19
Underhill thank you for the cheery get well cards. I'm on my feet now.
I can highly recommend the lovely hotel
e Jardin de Giverny" that has an excellent restaurant and you can walk to all three places, Monet's house and garden, the American Museum, and the Ancient Hotel Baudy.
I can highly recommend the lovely hotel
e Jardin de Giverny" that has an excellent restaurant and you can walk to all three places, Monet's house and garden, the American Museum, and the Ancient Hotel Baudy.
Dec 31st, 2004, 03:22 PM
#20
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Hi Cig...well we got 5 reommendations for this restaurant (another post of mine). I can't find a website for it and you say there is a hotel.????..that would be great. I wish I could find it online. Can you help direct me.
Thanks
Thanks
