On my trips overseas I have used the Amex insurance for $25 flat rate per car rental. There are a few countries where it doesn’t work, perhaps Ireland was one? But it certainly worked in France and was hassle free. Even better is the United Explorer card, where there is no additional fee for primary car rental insurance overseas or here.
I rented cars in Europe, and drove my fluent D around. Smaller cities, sometimes very small cities have rental car agencies, and I like renting at the edge of a small city, and escaping town for rural driving only. In her small city, I was shocked to find myself running red lights, because I wasn’t seeing their much smaller stoplights. She set me straight, and I gave her all authority to correct me as needed. You certainly get comfortable with roundabouts!
Another caution, watch when adding fuel! D just told me about her camping trip in France last summer with her BF. He added the petrol, and somehow they realized before long that they had added the wrong sort of fuel. It was diesel only, and they added regular (or vice versa). He is not a French speaker and didn’t understand the warning by the fuel tank. Luckily it didn’t ruin the engine, but did ruin a day as a mechanic drained the fuel tank, and luckily charged only Eu200 for the experience.
Support the suggestion to look at a route from Detroit to NYC and then on. This is what we are doing traveling from OR to Milan in April. We will stop two nights in NYC both for the jetlag and we want to visit various places.
From Detroit you would not have such a long flight.
DO make it as direct as possible. We drove in France an number of years ago, though not in Paris, and it was fine.
Jetlag??? DTW to NYC is a 1 hr flight and are both on Eastern time zone. I see no advantage to deliberately doing this. Plus OP is trying to minimize travel time & cost, and i can’t think of a more expensive place in America to “get over jetlag” than NYC.
Will check out Detroit to NYC , and then NYC to Marseille only because I know my brother and his family flew NYC-Marseille direct for a decent price summer 2013 - something like $600-$700. But with no overnight stay in NYC for us.
Nope, not into Nice. But now I do remember my sister in law saying something about whatever airline it was (I’ll have to ask her), it actually might have been seasonal.
XL Airways, a charter airlines, used to have a JFK - Marseilles non-stop. Don’t think they have it any more. That would be an uncomfortable flight because plane is configured to have many more seats.
Also, keep in mind that in airline speak, the term “direct” means that there is a stop but no change of planes required. “Non-stop” is something different, and means what it says.
The NYC-Marseille direct flight was on XL airlines. JFK to Marseille. They currently don’t show a direct, but my SIL said that when they went direct flights were posted later (closer to summer). Just FYI!
Speeding tickets due to French cameras are very reasonable. Roman ruins in France close for lavish 2 hours lunch breaks. Interesting city in the area for a day trip is Avignon.
Two years ago, so very out of date info, we flew SFO to Frankfurt and then changed to Marsailles. we were doing a study abroad in Aix-en-provance. It was a bit hard to customs in Frankfurt, but do-able and worth it to us for the $$. Upside was also that we could travel that far with DS who was going to Budapest. Luftanza as I recall.
I’ve been using Tin Leg travel insurance. Seems a bit less costly than some others.
I will be flying into Paris (CDG) with a Friday ETA of 1pm in May. The next day at 4pm I have a flight out of Orly to Copenhagen.
I’ve noticed there is rail line that heads from CDG south through the center of Paris and you can make one change to get to Orly.
So I’m wondering how difficult it is to get on and off the train at the two airports with one piece of baggage on wheels and a back pack–for what will be a tired traveler. I have also come across a shuttle company SuoerShuttle that advertises decent prices and says it will pick you up and/or let you off most anywhere in town. Any thoughts/suggestion re railroad transit and/or shuttle service for my scenario?
Since I’m getting in at 1pm and not leaving the next day until 4pm, that gives me the opportunity to spend two half-days in Paris. So I’m also looking for a hotel for Friday night. Something near Gare du Nord seems reasonable but any thoughts about other areas to book a room along the RER north-south line would be appreciated.
Then I’m meeting DD at the end of her study abroad in Copenhagen and we will travel to Amsterdam and Paris for a couple of weeks before returning home from CDG. I’ve been to both those cities more than once–but not for at latest 20 years so I’m open to any thoughts about hotels. Thinking about the Latin Quarter in particular since I’ve never stayed there when in Paris, maybe near the Sorbonne and walkable to Notre Dame.
I’ve never used Orly, but CDG and most other major airports in europe have a rail station right in the airport. I’ve managed a ton of luggage on my own from CDG via train, so for u, a small rolling piece of luggage & a backpack shd be a piece of cake.
Btween Amsterdam & Paris, u can take the Thalys highspeed train.
Buying Thalys tickets are like plane tickets, the sooner you buy, the cheaper they are.
When we were in Paris, we took a shuttle, arranged by the hotel to take us to CDG. As I age, I don’t like to schlep luggage (even a carryon) up and down. My trapezius doesn’t like it.
If you’re anywhere near reasonably fit, a suitcase and a backpack should be no big deal at all to schlep from airport to train. M business partner and I have schlepped multiple pieces of large luggage; one piece would be a breeze.