Landing in Paris - any campgrounds near CDG?

blackbird05

Hi everyone, first I wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone who's been answering my posts with tidbits of information - I'll have to return the favour when I come back from my trip!
Now, on to more questions! D-day for the European bicycle tour is fast approaching (April 27th!), We're arriving at Charles the Gaulle airport (with bikes in boxes) at around 6 pm. I'm worried about getting to Paris by bike after the trip, since everything's unfamiliar, it'll be late and we'll be jet lagged. Camping is a definite option, but I can't find campgrounds less than 20 km from the airport. Does anyone know of any campgrounds close to the airport?
Alternatively, we were thinking of busing it into Paris and hostelling it for the night, then putting our bikes together in the morning. However the Roissy bus to Paris apparently stops near the Opera, and I can't find any hostels nearby that station. Has anyone used some kind of alternate plan that they could suggest?
Thanks!

wojo

I flew in CDG from Bangkok via Abu Dabi on an overnight flight combo, so I was a little tired. I ended up riding to a nearby suburb that was on one of the train lines and staying in a 39 euro a night place. A few days later, I moved down to a 38 euro a night hotel near the eiffel tower.

The Michelin guide lists a campground within suburban Paris. It may well be the one that you found 20 kms from the airport. You may want to check the official Tourism website for Paris. I seem to recollect that they had more than one campsite listed.

Another option worth considering is taking the train directly from the airport. You will probably not clear French immigration and customs in any short order, so you should be able to bring your bike on the train. There is a symbol on the cars that says which car you can bring a bike in. You may have to take a shuttle bus from your terminal to the train terminal. Some people will say you can take your bike - others say no - but if it's in a box, it's just luggage right? I left from Paris by taking my bike on the train - then riding to the terminal.

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BlueTwo

The bigest problem with landing in big cities ,,,, either pre book a hostel and take the expense of a taxi or bus ,,or both ,,,,, or since you are arriving at 6 pm you can probably count on a delay or finally getting off the plane late ,, lets say about 8pm after you have all your stuff together and taken a deep breath ,,,,, then you can start to put your bikes together ,, slowly ,,,,,be nice about getting rid of the big cardboard boxes,,,,, remember those people are just like us doing jobs and always looking for something interesting in the work day,,,,, hang around the airport for a while ,, it might be 2am at this point and you have had food and drink and relaxed to the new language ,, then just head out on the bikes looking for a place to rest,, often there is some shurb land at the outskirts of airports ,, just a little place for a tent,,not to far to hit houses ,,, sheath camping is part of bicycle camping,,,, if all else fails find a cafe ,all are open early and are every torerate of people hanging around ,, the first few days are always surreal,,, so have fun with them,,

have fun ,,BlueTwo wishes you well

BlueTwo

an addition to my last post , is look around your own airport and you will see what I mean ,,there is always space ,, near the airport to camp ,,, I have been very lucky in my travels ,,, If you return to the same airport you can explore the big city then and you will be vastly more experienced about sheath camping and finding hotels and hostels,,,

good luck ,,from BlueTwo

blackbird05

Thanks for your reply Feel more secure about landing late at a foreign airport - knowing it CAN be done!
Cheers!