[Idyllchat] Correction : Train to Versailles

Sun Oct 14 13:58:29 EDT 2007

  Correction: it should be: www.voyages-sncf.com

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Bill Kover 
  To: Lotta Rao 
  Cc: Idyllchat 
  Sent: Sunday, October 14, 2007 1:54 PM
  Subject: [Norton AntiSpam] [Idyllchat] Train to Versailles

    Lotta:
    I looked up the train schedule on www.voyages-scnf.com for arrival in Versailles by 9:00am.  It showed (in addition to the Gare Austerlitz trains) an 8:00am commuter train departure from Gare Lazare.  My original plan was to use Gare Lazare to catch the commuter train to the Rive Droite train station in Versailles.  Then we could walk to the entrance of Versailles.   However, everyone keeps saying (and I keep reading) to take the RER C train, which leaves from Gare Austerlitz.  Gare Austerlitz is across the Seine past Notre Dame.  Is there a reason I shouldn't use the Gare Lazare commuter train to go to Versailles?  The travel time is actually shorter than Gare Austerlitz RER C.   

    If Gare Lazare is out of the question, then here is my backup plan :
    We will probably avoid the Metro most of the time because of the lack of accessibility and elevators.
    With regard to your recommendation on (1) below, I was thinking that we could walk to St. Michel using the wheelchair, then descent at St. Michel (I can carry the wheelchair down) and catch the RER C to Versailles.  How easy is it to get to the RER C at St. Michel?

    Thank you,
    Bill

      ----- Original Message ----- 
      From: Lotta Rao 
      To: Bill Kover 
      Sent: Tuesday, October 09, 2007 1:33 PM
      Subject: Re: [Idyllchat] Versailles Day Trip

      Hi! 

      I thought I would chime in as well...

      1. To get to Versailles you will need to get on the RER C. From the Marie Stuart, your best bet is actually to take the Line 4 metro from Etienne-Marcel to St Michel and change to the RER C there. 

      2. As part of your Untours package you will be given a Paris Visit Pass. This pass will allow you to travel out to Versailles.

      3.  Others have answered this better than I.

      4. In general, Versailles is crowded. To avoid crowds as much as possible try to get to Versailles early or late. 

      5. Picnics at Versailles are the best! I highly encourage this especially because you will be living near such a great food street (Montorgueil). When you go out to Versailles you may consider visiting the Potager du Roi, a small produce garden commissioned by Louis the 14th in 1678, which still today grows heirloom vegetables and fruit. The garden has a small produce store. I wouldn't depend on it for picnic food (it depends on the season and the day what you will find) but it can sometimes present you with some small edible treasures! 

      Have fun!

      Lotta
      French and Spanish Untour Team

      On 10/8/07, Bill Kover <ShutterbugBill at verizon.net > wrote: 

          Subject: Versailles Day Trip

          Our Paris Untour next Spring will include a day trip we plan to make to Versailles. We will be in the 2nd Arrondissement on Rue Marie Stuart. It appears that the most convenient train station for us will be Gare St. Lazare. We plan to take an early train so that we arrive by 9:00am.

          My questions are as follows:
          1) Is the Gare St. Lazare train station a good choice for the trip to Versailles?

          2) Is it easy to purchase train tickets at the train station on the day of departure? Or is it better to get the train tickets ahead of time? We do not want to be in a long line waiting to buy tickets with the train ready to leave.

          3) Are the grounds at Versailles wheelchair friendly?

          4) What day of the week is best for visiting Versailles to avoid crowds?

          5) We will be on a tight budget. Is it feasible to bring a picnic lunch and eat on the grounds? Or is there a reasonably priced cafe or restaurant there?

          Any information that you can provide would be appreciated.
          Thank you.

        _______________________________________________
        This message was sent by IdyllChat.
        To reply or send a new message, email to:
        IdyllChat at lists.untours.com

        Visit the IdyllChat archives:
        http://mailman.dca.net/pipermail/idyllchat/ 

        Search Idyllchat Archives for any subject at: http://search.dca.net/sites/untours/main.html 
        >
        Read real Untourists' candid accounts of their Untours:
        > http://www.untours.com/triplogs.html To unsubscribe, change to digest delivery, or
        temporarily pause delivery, visit:
        http://mailman.dca.net/mailman/listinfo/idyllchat

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  _______________________________________________
  This message was sent by IdyllChat.
  To reply or send a new message, email to:
  IdyllChat at lists.untours.com

  Visit the IdyllChat archives:
  http://mailman.dca.net/pipermail/idyllchat/

  Search Idyllchat Archives for any subject at: http://search.dca.net/sites/untours/main.html
  >
  Read real Untourists' candid accounts of their Untours: 
  > http://www.untours.com/triplogs.html To unsubscribe, change to digest delivery, or 
  temporarily pause delivery, visit:
  http://mailman.dca.net/mailman/listinfo/idyllchat
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman.dca.net/pipermail/idyllchat/attachments/20071014/8073387a/attachment-0001.htm