Travel
Travel Note
Hotels & Other Places to Stay
Please see link below for local recommendations.
Flight
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
This is the closest airport you can fly into. The wedding venue is in Mairy-sur-Marne, which is approx. 120 miles from the airport in Paris. There are trains that can take you directly from Paris (Gare de l’Est) to Châlons-en-Champagne (10 min drive from the Chateau).
Train
Paris Gare de l'Est-> Chalons
For people spending time in Paris, the simplest route is: Arrive in Paris (CDG airport). Spend time. Take a train (or RER/taxi) into Paris Gare de l'Est. Board a train from Paris Gare de l'Est to Gare de Châlons-en-Champagne. There are direct trains available, and many take about 1.5–2 hours. So when you're booking tickets, your stations are: From: Paris Est (Paris Gare de l'Est) To: Châlons-en-Champagne This will require no transfers. Visit SNCF to book a train ticket from your pick up location to the Chalons-en-Champagne transit station at Av. de la Gare, 51000 Châlons-en-Champagne, France (Stop ID: 5111336A).
Train
CDG TGV station
Visit SNCF to book a train ticket from your pick up location to the Chalons-en-Champagne transit station at Av. de la Gare, 51000 Châlons-en-Champagne, France. Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) has its own high-speed train station right inside Terminal 2 called Aéroport Charles de Gaulle 2 TGV. You can board TGV trains there without ever going into central Paris. For Châlons-en-Champagne specifically, there generally is not a direct train from CDG to Châlons-en-Champagne, but there are connections that are often quite reasonable, typically via Champagne-Ardenne TGV (near Reims). The fastest journeys are around 1 hour 40–1 hour 50 minutes. After the transfer, it will take you to the stop in Chalons-en-Champagne that is only 10 minutes from the Chateau. Taxis need to be reserved beforehand to take you to the chateau. This is easiest if you are traveling directly from Paris airport, but will require a change at Champagne-Ardenne TGV.
Rental Car
Taxis
Taxis are available to pick you up directly from the train station in Châlons-en-Champagne and take you to your hotel/the chateau. Taxis need to be reserved in advance, because the town is small and it is difficult to find one spontaneously at the station. Click the link for reliable local options + shuttle info if you are traveling with more people.
Rental Car
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport
RentalCars.com is a great resource for finding cars. There are cars available at the CDG airport (like Budget, Enterprise, etc). Please keep in mind you will need an international driving permit.
Travel Note
Required Documents: US Passport
Must not expire for at least 3 months after intended departure date. Please note that the passport application process can take 4-6 weeks from the date that all required documents are received by the agency. Required fees are up to $195.
Travel Note
International Driving Permit
If you are going to drive a rental car while in France, you must have an International Driving Permit, which is basically a translation of your driver’s license information into multiple other languages. You can apply for this only (which is a little more expensive and takes longer to receive) or you can do it at a local AAA office for a $20 fee and you receive the IDP that day.