We recommend that you arrive on a Sunday afternoon.
Please confirm with your host family your date and approximate
time of arrival. Send a letter or call several days before
you travel so that the family does not wait all day for
a phone call. Then, if necessary, you may confirm your exact
time of arrival once you are in France.
From Paris, the quickest way to get to Tours
is to take a TGV (fast train).
- Directly from Charles de Gaulle airport if you fly.
- From Montparnasse railway station if you come from elsewhere.
- If you come from London by Eurostar, change at Lille and
not Paris. The TGV is direct from Lille Europe to Saint-Pierre-des-Corps.
- From Brussels, the TGV is direct or with a change at Lille
Europe to Saint-Pierre-des-Corps.
- Since Tours railway station is in a cul-de-sac some TGV
don’t stop in Tours but at Saint-Pierre-des-Corps
(a suburb). From there take a free shuttle train to Tours.
The shuttle train will be on the same platform as the TGV.
It will take you five minutes to get to Tours.
A TGV ticket always includes the reservation
which is compulsory. If possible, in order to be sure of a
seat, buy your ticket before leaving your country. The ticket
will indicate the number of your coach (voiture) and seat
(siège).
To validate your ticket, don’t forget
to punch it in one of the orange machines located at the entrance
to the platforms.
FROM CHARLES DE GAULLE
AIRPORT (TGV STATION) TO TOURS
The TGV station is at terminal 2 (CDG 2)
after halls C or D, on the ground level. If you are at terminal
1 (CDG 1°), take a shuttle bus at gate 28 on the arrivals
level, line 3 (red). If you are well ahead of time, why not
wait at the Sheraton hotel bar situated above the TGV station.
If the TGV to Tours is not on the same platform, go to the
above level and then down again to another platform.
On Sundays there are 3 TGV from the airport
to Saint-Pierre-des-Corps. A second class return ticket costs
€ 85 or € 55 (for under 26 years). These prices
may vary according to the day and time of travel. Departures
are at 8 :55 am (arrival at 10 :35), 1 :45 pm (arrival at
3 :20), 7 :14 pm (arrival at 8 :51).
Please consult the SNCF web site for up to date information:
www.sncf.fr
HOW TO GET TO MONTPARNASSE RAILWAY
STATION
- From Charles de Gaulle airport
Take an Air France bus. Buses run every
half hour from 7 : 00 am until 9 : 00 pm. Buy a ticket
on the bus. A one way trip costs 11,43 euros and a round
trip costs 19,82 euros. It takes 45 - 60 minutes to get
to Montparnasse railway station. The bus will drop you
off outside the station, rue du Commandant Mouchottes.
- From Orly airport
Take an Air France bus. Buses run every
12 minutes from 6:00 am until 11 : 30 pm. Buy a ticket
on the bus. A one way trip costs 7,62 euros and a round
trip costs 12,96 euros. It takes 30 - 45 minutes to get
to Montparnasse railway station. The bus will drop you
off outside the station, rue du Commandant Mouchottes
-
From another railway station in
Paris
Take the subway (métro) or a taxi
to Montparnasse railway station.
If you wish to take the subway, don’t forget that
you will have to walk quite a lot. Look for lines Porte
d’Orléans, Châtillon-Montrouge, Mairie
d’Issy or Charles de Gaulle-Etoile. These four lines
stop at the subway station Montparnasse-Bienvenue. The
name of a subway line is the name of its final destination.
AT MONTPARNASSE RAILWAY STATION
Buy a train ticket to Tours. A second class
return ticket costs about 62 euros or 45 euros ( under 26
years). Costs also vary according to the day and hour of travel.
There are approximately 12 TGVs daily to Tours or Saint-Pierre-des-Corps.
The journey takes 55 minutes. Please consult the SNCF web
site for up to date information: www.sncf.fr
You will be met in Tours by your host family.
If you did not give your exact time of arrival in Tours to
your host family, please call them prior to leaving Paris.
To use a phone booth, you need to buy a télécarte
(10,6 euros or 16 euros) from a machine using your Visa or
Mastercard or from a tobacconist.
IF YOU DRIVE
Use the Tours center motorway exit which
will lead you directly to boulevard Heurteloup, you will see
the office de tourisme on your right and the station on your
left, then place Jean Jaurès where the city hall (hôtel
de ville) is. In case your family’s home is hard to
find, we advise you to call them in order to decide on a meeting
point.
Beware of thieves: do not leave anything
on view in your car, neither baggage on the backseat nor on
the parcel shelf.
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