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Travel - International
AIR: The national airline is Air France (AF) (website: www.airfrance.com). Many airlines operate to France, including an increasing number of low-cost airlines from the UK.
Approximate flight times: From Paris to London is 1 hour 5 minutes; from Nice and Marseille is 2 hours.
From Paris to Los Angeles is 15 hours 5 minutes; to New York is 8 hours (3 hours 45 minutes by Concorde); to Singapore is 15 hours 5 minutes; and to Sydney is 25 hours 5 minutes.
International airports: Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG), also known as Roissy-Charles de Gaulle, (website: www.adp.fr) is 23km (14 miles) northeast of the city (travel time – 40 minutes). There are coaches to the city at least every ten minutes. Taxis are readily available and journeys to the centre cost around €33. An airport limousine service can also be hired for approximately €91. Roissybus services operate from the airport to Place de l’Opèra between 0545-2300 every 15 minutes. Fare is approximately €7.32. Air France coaches run from Etoile via Porte Maillot, from Montparnasse via Gare de Lyon and from Orly Airport to Roissy-Charles de Gaulle. Services run every 12-30 minutes and take 40-50 minutes. Fares are approximately €9-11. The airport is also easily accessible by train on the RER B line or SNCF with connecting ADP shuttle bus.
Paris-Orly (ORY) (website: www.adp.fr) is 14km (9 miles) south of the city. Coaches and buses run to the city every 12 minutes (travel time – 25 minutes) from outside Orly Ouest. Taxis are available. RER B and C trains run every 15 minutes via Saint Michel (travel time – 45 minutes).
Bordeaux (BOD) (Merignac) (website: www.bordeaux.aeroport.fr) is 12km (7 miles) west of the city. There are coaches, buses and taxis to the city.
Lille (LIL) (Lesquin) (website: www.lille.aeroport.fr) is 12km (7 miles) southeast of the city. Coaches and taxis are available to the city.
Lyon (LYS) (Lyon-Saint-Exupéry) (website: www.lyon.aeroport.fr) is 25km (15 miles) east of the city. Coaches or taxis are available to the city.
Marseille (MRS) (Marseille-Marignane) (website: www.marseille-provence.aeroport.fr) is 30km (19 miles) northwest of the city. Coach service only departs to the city.
Nice (NCE) (Nice-Côte d’Azur) (website: www.nice.aeroport.fr) is 6km (4 miles) west of the city. Buses depart every 20 minutes. Taxis to the city are available.
Nantes (NTE) (website: www.nantes.aeroport.fr) is 15km (9 miles) south of the city. Trains and buses depart frequently to the city.
Strasbourg (SXB) (website: www.strasbourg.aeroport.fr) is 10km (6 miles) from the city centre (travel time – 30 minutes). Buses and taxis are available to the city.
Toulouse (TLS) (Blagnac) (website: www.toulouse.aeroport.fr) is 10km (6 miles) northwest of the city. Coaches to the city depart every 20 minutes. Taxis are available to the city.
Facilities at the airports listed above are all of a high international standard and include bank/bureaux de change, duty-free shops, restaurants and bars.
There are also small airports with some international flights at Biarritz, Caen, Deauville (St Gatien), Le Havre, Montpellier, Morlaix, Rennes and Quimper.
Departure tax: None.
SEA: The following companies run regular cross-channel services:
P&O Stena Line (tel: (0870) 600 0600; website: www.posl.com) from Dover to Calais (travel time – 1 hour 15 minutes);
P&O Portsmouth (tel: (0870) 242 4999; website: www.poportsmouth.com) from Portsmouth to Le Havre (travel time – 5 hours 30 minutes during the day and 8 hours at night) and from Portsmouth to Cherbourg (travel time – 5 hours during the day and 8 hours at night);
Seafrance (tel: (08705) 711 711); website: www.seafrance.com) from Dover to Calais (travel time – 1 hour 30 minutes);
Hoverspeed Fast Ferries (tel: (0870) 240 8070; e-mail: reservations@hoverspeed.co.uk; website: www.hoverspeed.co.uk) from Dover to Calais (travel time – 50 minutes by seacat) and from Newhaven to Dieppe (travel time – 2 hours 15 minutes by seacat);
Brittany Ferries (tel: (08705) 360 360; website: www.brittany-ferries.com) from Plymouth to Roscoff (travel time – 6 hours), from Portsmouth to St Malo (travel time – 8 hours 45 minutes), from Portsmouth to Caen (travel time – 6 hours) and from Poole to Cherbourg (travel time – 4 hours 15 minutes by ferry or, in the high season, 2 hours 15 minutes by seacat);
Condor Ferries (tel: (01202) 207 207; website: www.condorferries.co.uk) from Poole and Weymouth to St Malo (via Guernsey and Jersey) (travel time – 4 hours 30 minutes and 5 hours 30 minutes respectively), from Guernsey to St Malo (travel time – 2 hours 40 minutes) and from Jersey to St Malo (travel time – 1 hour 10 minutes).
These companies offer a variety of promotional fares and inclusive holidays for short breaks and shopping trips. Passenger and roll-on/roll-off ferry links to and from North Africa and Sardinia are provided by Southern Ferries/Société Nationale Maritime Corse-Mediterranée (SNCM) (see Travel – Internal section).
RAIL: International trains run from the channel ports and Paris to destinations throughout Europe. For up-to-date routes and timetables, contact French Railways (SNCF) (tel: (1) 5342 0000; website: www.sncf.com) or in the UK, Rail Europe (tel: (08705) 848 848; website: www.raileurope.co.uk). The channel tunnel: Eurostar is a service provided by the railways of Belgium, the UK and France, operating direct high-speed trains from London (Waterloo International) to Paris (Gare du Nord) and to Brussels (Midi/Zuid). It takes 3 hours from London to Paris (via Lille). When the high-speed rail link from London through Kent to the tunnel is fully operational (January 2007), the travel time between the two capitals will be reduced to 2 hours 15 minutes. The Eurostar trains are equipped with standard-class and first-class seating, buffet, bar and telephones, and are staffed by multi-lingual, highly trained personnel. Pricing is competitive with the airlines, and seats range from Premium First and Business to Standard. Children aged between four and 11 years benefit from a special fare in first class as well as in standard class. Children under four years old travel free but cannot be guaranteed a seat. Wheelchair users and blind passengers together with one companion get a special fare. For further information and reservations, contact Eurostar (tel: (0870) 600 0792 (travel agents) or (08705) 186 186 (public; within the UK) or +44 (1233) 617 575 (public; outside the UK); website: www.eurostar.com); or Rail Europe (tel: (08705) 848 848). Travel agents can obtain refunds for unused tickets from Eurostar Trade Refunds, Second Floor, Kent House, 81 Station Road, Ashford, Kent TN23 1PD. Complaints and comments may be sent to Eurostar Customer Relations, Eurostar House, Waterloo Station, London SE1 8SE (tel: (020) 7928 5163; e-mail: new.comments@eurostar.co.uk). General enquiries and information requests must be made by telephone.
ROAD: There are numerous and excellent road links with all neighbouring countries. Eurolines (4 Cardiff Road, Luton, Bedfordshire, L41 1PP; tel: (08705) 143 219; fax: (01582) 400 694; website: www.eurolines.com or www.gobycoach.com) runs regular coach services to France from the UK. For documentation and traffic regulations, see the Travel Internal section. The Channel Tunnel: All road vehicles are carried through the tunnel in shuttle trains running between the two terminals, one near Folkestone in Kent, with direct road access from the M20, and one just outside Calais with links to the A16/A26 motorway (Exit 13). Each shuttle is made up of 12 single- and 12 double-deck carriages, and vehicles are directed to single-deck or double-deck carriages depending on their height. There are facilities for cars and motorcycles, coaches, minibuses, caravans, campervans and other vehicles over 1.85m (6.07ft). Bicycles are provided for. Passengers generally travel with their vehicles. Heavy goods vehicles are carried on special shuttles with a separate passenger coach for the drivers. Terminals and shuttles are well-equipped for disabled passengers. Passenger Terminal buildings contain a variety of shops, restaurants, bureaux de change and other amenities. The journey takes about 35 minutes from platform to platform and around one hour from motorway to motorway. Eurotunnel runs up to four passenger shuttles per hour at peak times, 24 hours per day. Services run every day of the year. For further information about departure times of shuttles at the French terminal, contact Eurotunnel Customer Information in Coquelle (tel: (3) 2100 6543). Motorists pass through customs and immigration before they board, with no further checks on arrival. Fares are charged according to length of stay and time of year and whether or not you have a reservation. The price applies to the car, regardless of the number of passengers or size of the car. Promotional deals are frequently available, especially outside the peak holiday seasons. Tickets may be purchased in advance from travel agents, or from Eurotunnel Customer Services in France or the UK with a credit card. For further information, brochures and reservations, contact Eurotunnel Customer Services UK (tel: (08705) 353 535; e-mail: callcentre@eurotunnel.com; website: www.eurotunnel.co.uk).
Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.
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