Paris CDG to Brittany - train/car versus car only?

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.

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

"SemiMike" <mmocella@> wrote in message
news:1169232367.298749.307500@a75g2000cwd. o...
> 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.

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