Driving vs train in France

We are 2 couples travelling to France and I have read a lot of recommendations that if you go north, it is better to take the train to Rouen and then rent the car there, but I wonder if that is money efficient for 2 people but not much of a difference when divided by 2 couples. Is it because of the driving out of Paris?

We are planning going Paris-Rouen, Honfleur,cheese route ,Bayeux and Mont St Michel. On the third day drive back to Paris for one last night and then back home.......should I stay with the car and drive myself to the airport (it wont affect the rental days total), or return it as soon as I get to Paris?

Any nice stops along the way from MSM?

Thank you for any input.....

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The train to Rouen is usually chosen to avoid driving in Paris, the difficulty of which is exaggerated. There is a ring road around Paris, the peripherique, that connects to the highways. So driving out of Paris, the key is finding the most direct way to get there. Honfleur, an utterly charming town, is an easy drive.

Returning to Paris, dropping the car somewhere and taking a train is a good option.

Driving routes, time estimates:

www.mappy.co.uk/direct/mappy/accueil…

viamichelin.com/viamichelin/…MaHomePage.htm

France rail map, schedules:

…raileurope.com/map_of_europe/france.html

http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en

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I agree. I would probably pick up the car at Porte Maillot on the western edge of Paris. From there it is a straight shot to the Autoroute towards Rouen. Most of the rental companies have agencies at P.M. Don%26#39;t forget all the places that are worth seeing as you head NW from Paris — Giverny, Château Gaillard, Jumièges etc.

If you drive back from MStM you will be driving exactly the same route as you took on the way there. I suggest you drive to Rennes and drop your car there and take the TGV back to Paris. Besides everything else that will probably end up saving you time as the TGV takes only a couple of hours.

You could even spend the night in the area and take the TGV direct to CDG from Rennes in the morning. There is a departure at 06:10 arriving CDG at 09:26 but the next train is 3 hours later. But of course you may prefer to spend your last night in Paris.

Advance purchase one-way fares on either of these routes are as low as 25€, booked at voyages-sncf.com. Use this excellent guide by MorganB to help you with the booking process: http://tinyurl.com/qpdef

Good luck!

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