Overlord-Neptune

Based on our own frequent travel experience between the UK and France, we have compiled some travel advice, which we hope clients may find useful.

For clients arriving at a Paris Airport and travelling by train from Paris CDG to Caen / Bayeux, there are a few viable options.

On this page you will find direct button-links (above) to external train ticket reservation systems, along with many tips, safety & advisory info, as well as alternative transit suggestions, intended to assist clients when making the best possible travel arrangements and ultimately enjoy a stress-free trip.

→ We have included a Trip Advisor review link describing our Premium Transport Solution (entitled ‘Three Memorable Days’, which can be found on our Trip Advisor page), as well as other useful external website links for your perusal.

Paris CDG (Charles De Gaulle Airport) to Normandy: a regional train service, travels from CDG Airport into Paris and for trains to Normandy your departure station will be Paris St. Lazare. The RER B does not travel directly between CDG Airport and St. Lazare but it’s doable with easy connections once you get into Paris. The RER runs frequently from CDG and advance reservations aren’t necessary. There is a button link below to info on the CDG / Paris RER routes and timetables are available on the website: Paris By Train

These are the three routes you can follow from CDG Airport to Paris St. Lazare.

1) Take the RER B Gare du Nord – Magenta Station

After a 5-min ride, disembark and follow signs left for the RER E to St. Lazare (Cost 10 Euros p/p).

2) OR Take the RER B to Chatelet (one stop beyond Gare du Nord), disembark then take the Metro Line 14 to St. Lazare.

3) OR why not take an ‘Uber‘ ride from CDG Airport to Paris St. Lazare?. Simply sign up online via the ‘link above or download the app directly to your phone.

You’ll need to enter your details (name & phone number), pay by card in advance when booking on your phone at the airport (max pre Covid fare was 45 Euros for this trip) and then await your cab outside. You will receive the full cab description (colour, make, model, registration number) directly to your phone

Obviously we do not recommend accepting ‘offers’ from loiterers in the arrivals bay. Uber is big business in Paris – please make sure you travel only with your designated driver.

Top tip: We also recommend waiting until the luggage carousel starts moving before contacting Uber. Your driver may well be waiting for you as soon as you exit the arrivals hall – he/she should have your name displayed on their phone / tablet (please travel only once electronic proof of your pre-reservation has been confirmed by your driver).

If making the journey by train, it’s a good idea to book your St. Lazare & Bayeux / Caen tickets in advance as fares become more expensive the closer you are to your travel date. Schedules are usually posted ninety days in advance, but you can do a “dummy” booking to see what you can expect. For train bookings, we can use the TGV, ‘Rail Europe’ site or the ‘Oui.SNCF’ site (SNCF is France’s version of British Rail), and clicking the links above will open each on a new page.

→ There are quirks in the system that affect American and Australian travellers in particular, so read the info here and the accompanying links before you start this process. You will also find info on the various ticketing levels, and if you are travelling immediately after landing at CDG, I would book the highest level ‘modifiable’ ticket from St. Lazare. With these more expensive ‘modifiable’ tickets, there is a small increase in price payable at booking, which enables you to change your ticket if you do get to the station early or miss your train – or in the worst case scenario if your plane is late (it does happen…). So please read the conditions on these changes carefully.

→ We would suggest allowing at least three hours between your plane’s arrival and the St. Lazare departure. CDG to St Lazare shouldn’t take more than 90 mins – 2hrs (max), including waiting / walking / buying tickets / RER B / RER E trains. Please make sure you have at least 11 Euros p/p in currency in your pocket for the ticket machines. and please always keep an eye on your bags on the train. Never allow anyone to carry your bags for you, especially if ‘assistance’ is offered when geting off the train (!).

Aside: When we travel ourselves, we get into Paris CDG from Glasgow, Scotland at 14:10, get to St. Lazare by 15:45, and usually take the 17:08 Cherbourg train direct to Bayeux (be careful as it stops in Caen first – 15 minutes from Bayeux). I have however used Uber (independent taxi service) three times recently and it was seamless – 40 minutes from CDG Airport to St Lazare.
Tip: There is also a Burger King, and a toilet at St. Lazare Train Station right beside your platform.

Important Info: At the entrance to St. Lazare Station toilets, there is a kind of reception desk / concierge. Do not leave your luggage at the desk just before entering the toilets, as the toilet concierge will insist upon it (since there is insufficient space inside the toilets for all of the travellers and their luggage). Instead, attempt to enter individually, so that one person may stand guard by the luggage, inside at the toilet ‘reception desk’. Better safe than sorry…

If you have any difficulty whatsoever navigating Paris, try to seek out hotel, café or restaurant staff for assistance (they’re usually very good English-speakers in Paris). Or, if all else fails and you’re completely ‘stuck’ you may of course try calling us directly and we will do our best to assist.

We wish you a safe and pleasant trip!

Usefiul Info: Call 112 from any phone for emergency services in France.

Lastly:

→ As well as being a D-Day Tour Guide company (as experienced certified French ‘Guides Conférenciers’ and members of ‘The Federation Of Normandy Guides’ and ‘Interpretor Guides’, in possession of professional French chauffeur cards), we also operate combined Cultural Visits to French Heritage sites, along with D-Day Tours (providing customized simple or complex itineraries, spanning multiple days or more, within our Flagship Overlord-Neptune Tour).

→ However, we are also a French Transport Company (with french Transport Licences), and so we regularly provide flexible Transport Solutions for groups of varying sizes (from 8 to 63 passengers).

→ Part of that service incudes regularly collecting clients in Paris (from Airports and hotels), who come to spend several days touring D-Day sites & Cultural/Heritage sites with us. A good example would perhaps be found at Trip Advisor & here too, where clients typically opt to spend a day visiting Bayeux itself (The Tapestry and Cathedral and medieval Bayeux’s attractions); Le Mont Saint-Michel (with Calvados Tasting enroute at a famous Normand Orchard on the way back from Le Mont or a return trip via Cancale, to have dinner at a famous Cancale ocean-side oyster eatery); a day at St-Malo, Rouen; two days to Britanny or La Loire (castles); a day visiting Deauville, Trouville and Giverny Gardens or La Côte Fleurie (Honfleur, Le Pays d’Auge), sometimes one of these is programmed on the way back to Paris. Clients often spend a day sightseeing and a last day shopping before returning home.

→ We also work regularly alongside a French-American guide (Cécilia), who takes our clients around the Palace of Versailles in the morning, organises lunch for the group and then takes them of a walking tour of La Bastille in the afternoon. She comes highly recommended. We also drop clients off at their accommodation in The Loire Valley or at any of the ‘Outside Zones’ listed on our website (2024 Tours).

We strongly recommend booking in advance to avoid disappointment (see Cultural Visits or Private Tour pages on our homepage for more information – or just use the quick-links above).

Our Airport Shuttle service has built-in flexibility and our drivers will wait up to 3 hours for you in Paris should your flight be delayed. You will find all the pertinent information and flexible options available on our Premium Transport Solutions page (and on the ‘Helpful Info’ menu).

CDG/Paris RER routes and timetables

Based on our own frequent travel experience between the UK and France, we have compiled some travel advice, which we hope clients may find useful.

For clients arriving at a Paris Airport and travelling by train from Paris CDG to Caen / Bayeux, there are a few viable options.

On this page you will find direct button-links (above) to external train ticket reservation systems, along with many tips, safety & advisory info, as well as alternative transit suggestions, intended to assist clients when making the best possible travel arrangements and ultimately enjoy a stress-free trip.

→ We have included a Trip Advisor review link describing our Premium Transport Solution (entitled ‘Three Memorable Days’, which can be found on our Trip Advisor page), as well as other useful external website links for your perusal.

Paris CDG (Charles De Gaulle Airport) to Normandy: a regional train service, travels from CDG Airport into Paris and for trains to Normandy your departure station will be Paris St. Lazare. The RER B does not travel directly between CDG Airport and St. Lazare but it’s doable with easy connections once you get into Paris. The RER runs frequently from CDG and advance reservations aren’t necessary. There is a button link below to info on the CDG / Paris RER routes and timetables are available on the website: Paris By Train

These are the three routes you can follow from CDG Airport to Paris St. Lazare.

1) Take the RER B Gare du Nord – Magenta Station

After a 5-min ride, disembark and follow signs left for the RER E to St. Lazare (Cost 10 Euros p/p).

2) OR Take the RER B to Chatelet (one stop beyond Gare du Nord), disembark then take the Metro Line 14 to St. Lazare.

3) OR why not take an ‘Uber‘ ride from CDG Airport to Paris St. Lazare?. Simply sign up online via the ‘link above or download the app directly to your phone.

You’ll need to enter your details (name & phone number), pay by card in advance when booking on your phone at the airport (max pre Covid fare was 45 Euros for this trip) and then await your cab outside. You will receive the full cab description (colour, make, model, registration number) directly to your phone

Obviously we do not recommend accepting ‘offers’ from loiterers in the arrivals bay. Uber is big business in Paris – please make sure you travel only with your designated driver.

Top tip: We also recommend waiting until the luggage carousel starts moving before contacting Uber. Your driver may well be waiting for you as soon as you exit the arrivals hall – he/she should have your name displayed on their phone / tablet (please travel only once electronic proof of your pre-reservation has been confirmed by your driver).

If making the journey by train, it’s a good idea to book your St. Lazare & Bayeux / Caen tickets in advance as fares become more expensive the closer you are to your travel date. Schedules are usually posted ninety days in advance, but you can do a “dummy” booking to see what you can expect. For train bookings, we can use the TGV, ‘Rail Europe’ site or the ‘Oui.SNCF’ site (SNCF is France’s version of British Rail), and clicking the links above will open each on a new page.

→ There are quirks in the system that affect American and Australian travellers in particular, so read the info here and the accompanying links before you start this process. You will also find info on the various ticketing levels, and if you are travelling immediately after landing at CDG, I would book the highest level ‘modifiable’ ticket from St. Lazare. With these more expensive ‘modifiable’ tickets, there is a small increase in price payable at booking, which enables you to change your ticket if you do get to the station early or miss your train – or in the worst case scenario if your plane is late (it does happen…). So please read the conditions on these changes carefully.

→ We would suggest allowing at least three hours between your plane’s arrival and the St. Lazare departure. CDG to St Lazare shouldn’t take more than 90 mins – 2hrs (max), including waiting / walking / buying tickets / RER B / RER E trains. Please make sure you have at least 11 Euros p/p in currency in your pocket for the ticket machines. and please always keep an eye on your bags on the train. Never allow anyone to carry your bags for you, especially if ‘assistance’ is offered when geting off the train (!).

Aside: When we travel ourselves, we get into Paris CDG from Glasgow, Scotland at 14:10, get to St. Lazare by 15:45, and usually take the 17:08 Cherbourg train direct to Bayeux (be careful as it stops in Caen first – 15 minutes from Bayeux). I have however used Uber (independent taxi service) three times recently and it was seamless – 40 minutes from CDG Airport to St Lazare.
Tip: There is also a Burger King, and a toilet at St. Lazare Train Station right beside your platform.

Important Info: At the entrance to St. Lazare Station toilets, there is a kind of reception desk / concierge. Do not leave your luggage at the desk just before entering the toilets, as the toilet concierge will insist upon it (since there is insufficient space inside the toilets for all of the travellers and their luggage). Instead, attempt to enter individually, so that one person may stand guard by the luggage, inside at the toilet ‘reception desk’. Better safe than sorry…

If you have any difficulty whatsoever navigating Paris, try to seek out hotel, café or restaurant staff for assistance (they’re usually very good English-speakers in Paris). Or, if all else fails and you’re completely ‘stuck’ you may of course try calling us directly and we will do our best to assist.

We wish you a safe and pleasant trip!

Usefiul Info: Call 112 from any phone for emergency services in France.

Lastly:

→ As well as being a D-Day Tour Guide company (as experienced certified French ‘Guides Conférenciers’ and members of ‘The Federation Of Normandy Guides’ and ‘Interpretor Guides’, in possession of professional French chauffeur cards), we also operate combined Cultural Visits to French Heritage sites, along with D-Day Tours (providing customized simple or complex itineraries, spanning multiple days or more, within our Flagship Overlord-Neptune Tour).

→ However, we are also a French Transport Company (with french Transport Licences), and so we regularly provide flexible Transport Solutions for groups of varying sizes (from 8 to 63 passengers).

→ Part of that service incudes regularly collecting clients in Paris (from Airports and hotels), who come to spend several days touring D-Day sites & Cultural/Heritage sites with us. A good example would perhaps be found at Trip Advisor & here too, where clients typically opt to spend a day visiting Bayeux itself (The Tapestry and Cathedral and medieval Bayeux’s attractions); Le Mont Saint-Michel (with Calvados Tasting enroute at a famous Normand Orchard on the way back from Le Mont or a return trip via Cancale, to have dinner at a famous Cancale ocean-side oyster eatery); a day at St-Malo, Rouen; two days to Britanny or La Loire (castles); a day visiting Deauville, Trouville and Giverny Gardens or La Côte Fleurie (Honfleur, Le Pays d’Auge), sometimes one of these is programmed on the way back to Paris. Clients often spend a day sightseeing and a last day shopping before returning home.

→ We also work regularly alongside a French-American guide (Cécilia), who takes our clients around the Palace of Versailles in the morning, organises lunch for the group and then takes them of a walking tour of La Bastille in the afternoon. She comes highly recommended. We also drop clients off at their accommodation in The Loire Valley or at any of the ‘Outside Zones’ listed on our website (2024 Tours).

We strongly recommend booking in advance to avoid disappointment (see Cultural Visits or Private Tour pages on our homepage for more information – or just use the quick-links above).

Our Airport Shuttle service has built-in flexibility and our drivers will wait up to 3 hours for you in Paris should your flight be delayed. You will find all the pertinent information and flexible options available on our Premium Transport Solutions page (and on the ‘Helpful Info’ menu).

CDG/Paris RER routes and timetables

Based on our own frequent travel experience between the UK and France, we have compiled some travel advice, which we hope clients may find useful.

For clients arriving at a Paris Airport and travelling by train from Paris CDG to Caen / Bayeux, there are a few viable options.

On this page you will find direct button-links (above) to external train ticket reservation systems, along with many tips, safety & advisory info, as well as alternative transit suggestions, intended to assist clients when making the best possible travel arrangements and ultimately enjoy a stress-free trip.

→ We have included a Trip Advisor review link describing our Premium Transport Solution (entitled ‘Three Memorable Days’, which can be found on our Trip Advisor page), as well as other useful external website links for your perusal.

Paris CDG (Charles De Gaulle Airport) to Normandy: a regional train service, travels from CDG Airport into Paris and for trains to Normandy your departure station will be Paris St. Lazare. The RER B does not travel directly between CDG Airport and St. Lazare but it’s doable with easy connections once you get into Paris. The RER runs frequently from CDG and advance reservations aren’t necessary. There is a button link below to info on the CDG / Paris RER routes and timetables are available on the website: Paris By Train

These are the three routes you can follow from CDG Airport to Paris St. Lazare.

1) Take the RER B Gare du Nord – Magenta Station

After a 5-min ride, disembark and follow signs left for the RER E to St. Lazare (Cost 10 Euros p/p).

2) OR Take the RER B to Chatelet (one stop beyond Gare du Nord), disembark then take the Metro Line 14 to St. Lazare.

3) OR why not take an ‘Uber‘ ride from CDG Airport to Paris St. Lazare?. Simply sign up online via the ‘link above or download the app directly to your phone.

You’ll need to enter your details (name & phone number), pay by card in advance when booking on your phone at the airport (max pre Covid fare was 45 Euros for this trip) and then await your cab outside. You will receive the full cab description (colour, make, model, registration number) directly to your phone

Obviously we do not recommend accepting ‘offers’ from loiterers in the arrivals bay. Uber is big business in Paris – please make sure you travel only with your designated driver.

Top tip: We also recommend waiting until the luggage carousel starts moving before contacting Uber. Your driver may well be waiting for you as soon as you exit the arrivals hall – he/she should have your name displayed on their phone / tablet (please travel only once electronic proof of your pre-reservation has been confirmed by your driver).

If making the journey by train, it’s a good idea to book your St. Lazare & Bayeux / Caen tickets in advance as fares become more expensive the closer you are to your travel date. Schedules are usually posted ninety days in advance, but you can do a “dummy” booking to see what you can expect. For train bookings, we can use the TGV, ‘Rail Europe’ site or the ‘Oui.SNCF’ site (SNCF is France’s version of British Rail), and clicking the links above will open each on a new page.

→ There are quirks in the system that affect American and Australian travellers in particular, so read the info here and the accompanying links before you start this process. You will also find info on the various ticketing levels, and if you are travelling immediately after landing at CDG, I would book the highest level ‘modifiable’ ticket from St. Lazare. With these more expensive ‘modifiable’ tickets, there is a small increase in price payable at booking, which enables you to change your ticket if you do get to the station early or miss your train – or in the worst case scenario if your plane is late (it does happen…). So please read the conditions on these changes carefully.

→ We would suggest allowing at least three hours between your plane’s arrival and the St. Lazare departure. CDG to St Lazare shouldn’t take more than 90 mins – 2hrs (max), including waiting / walking / buying tickets / RER B / RER E trains. Please make sure you have at least 11 Euros p/p in currency in your pocket for the ticket machines. and please always keep an eye on your bags on the train. Never allow anyone to carry your bags for you, especially if ‘assistance’ is offered when geting off the train (!).

Aside: When we travel ourselves, we get into Paris CDG from Glasgow, Scotland at 14:10, get to St. Lazare by 15:45, and usually take the 17:08 Cherbourg train direct to Bayeux (be careful as it stops in Caen first – 15 minutes from Bayeux). I have however used Uber (independent taxi service) three times recently and it was seamless – 40 minutes from CDG Airport to St Lazare.
Tip: There is also a Burger King, and a toilet at St. Lazare Train Station right beside your platform.

Important Info: At the entrance to St. Lazare Station toilets, there is a kind of reception desk / concierge. Do not leave your luggage at the desk just before entering the toilets, as the toilet concierge will insist upon it (since there is insufficient space inside the toilets for all of the travellers and their luggage). Instead, attempt to enter individually, so that one person may stand guard by the luggage, inside at the toilet ‘reception desk’. Better safe than sorry…

If you have any difficulty whatsoever navigating Paris, try to seek out hotel, café or restaurant staff for assistance (they’re usually very good English-speakers in Paris). Or, if all else fails and you’re completely ‘stuck’ you may of course try calling us directly and we will do our best to assist.

We wish you a safe and pleasant trip!

Usefiul Info: Call 112 from any phone for emergency services in France.

Lastly:

→ As well as being a D-Day Tour Guide company (as experienced certified French ‘Guides Conférenciers’ and members of ‘The Federation Of Normandy Guides’ and ‘Interpretor Guides’, in possession of professional French chauffeur cards), we also operate combined Cultural Visits to French Heritage sites, along with D-Day Tours (providing customized simple or complex itineraries, spanning multiple days or more, within our Flagship Overlord-Neptune Tour).

→ However, we are also a French Transport Company (with french Transport Licences), and so we regularly provide flexible Transport Solutions for groups of varying sizes (from 8 to 63 passengers).

→ Part of that service incudes regularly collecting clients in Paris (from Airports and hotels), who come to spend several days touring D-Day sites & Cultural/Heritage sites with us. A good example would perhaps be found at Trip Advisor & here too, where clients typically opt to spend a day visiting Bayeux itself (The Tapestry and Cathedral and medieval Bayeux’s attractions); Le Mont Saint-Michel (with Calvados Tasting enroute at a famous Normand Orchard on the way back from Le Mont or a return trip via Cancale, to have dinner at a famous Cancale ocean-side oyster eatery); a day at St-Malo, Rouen; two days to Britanny or La Loire (castles); a day visiting Deauville, Trouville and Giverny Gardens or La Côte Fleurie (Honfleur, Le Pays d’Auge), sometimes one of these is programmed on the way back to Paris. Clients often spend a day sightseeing and a last day shopping before returning home.

→ We also work regularly alongside a French-American guide (Cécilia), who takes our clients around the Palace of Versailles in the morning, organises lunch for the group and then takes them of a walking tour of La Bastille in the afternoon. She comes highly recommended. We also drop clients off at their accommodation in The Loire Valley or at any of the ‘Outside Zones’ listed on our website (2024 Tours).

We strongly recommend booking in advance to avoid disappointment (see Cultural Visits or Private Tour pages on our homepage for more information – or just use the quick-links above).

Our Airport Shuttle service has built-in flexibility and our drivers will wait up to 3 hours for you in Paris should your flight be delayed. You will find all the pertinent information and flexible options available on our Premium Transport Solutions page (and on the ‘Helpful Info’ menu).

CDG/Paris RER routes and timetables

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