Notice: Air France pilots envisage to cease activity between June 11 and 14. For updated information see : http://www.airfrance.co.uk/GB/en/common/page_flottante/hp/news_air_traffic_air_france.htm
Orléans is located about 111 km south of Paris, in the centre of France. It can be reached from Paris by train or car.
To reach Orléans by car from Paris:
- Take highway A 10 in southern Paris, in the direction of Bordeaux
- Make sure to take the direction Bordeaux and Toulouse after the toll station about 30 km out of Paris
- Upon approaching Orléans, bifurcate on highway A 71 (directions Toulouse, Clermont Ferrand)
- leave the highway at the first exit
- continue to Orléans Centre along D2552, then D2152
To reach Orléans by car from Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle airport:
- Take highway A1 to Paris
- Upon reaching the ring road around Paris (Boulevard Périphérique), take direction Paris Est
- In the south of Paris, take highway A10, direction Bordeaux (etc.)
- Upon arrival on A10, proceed as above
To reach Orléans by car from Orly airport:
- Follow directions to Versailles, then to Bordeaux
- Upon arrival on A10, proceed as above
The A 10 highway has a toll of a little more than 12 Euros.
Important notice: the A10 highway, which had been closed since last week, opened again on June 10.
Toll-free alternative (but longer trip, better chance to get lost): Route Nationale (RN) 20. From Paris:
- Drive southwards to Porte d'Orléans or Porte d'Italie.
- Take the highway (blue panels) to Bordeaux, Lyon, Evry
- Leave the highway at the white panel Evry
- You should be on RN 20. Continue southwards to Orléans (GPS or map advisable).
To reach Orléans by train from Paris:
- Go to the Paris Austerlitz train station (south-eastern Paris, near the Seine River):
- from Roissy Airport ("Paris by train"): RER line B to Paris;
- In case of strikes, as foreseen during Saturday June 11 and Sunday June 12, RER B stops at Gare du Nord. Get off there and go downstairs to the subway (Metro). Take line 5 to Place d'Italie. Get off at Gare d'Austerlitz.
- Metro map of Paris: e.g.,http://www.plandeparis.info/paris-metro/metro-map.html (there are many others).
- Time table of RER B from Charles de Gaulle Airport to Gare du Nord for June 11 and 12: see pdf file under "Practical Information"
- Your RER B ticket to Paris continues to be valid on the Metro line 5 to Gare d'Austerlitz.
- from Orly Airport: Orlyval to Antony, then Orlyval and RER line B to Paris; change at St. Michel station to RER line C and get off at Gare d'Austerlitz. The part of RER B between the orlyval connection at Antony and Paris is NOT affected by the strike.
- from any of the other train stations in Paris: take the Metro to Gare d'Austerlitz (http://www.plandeparis.info/paris-metro/metro-map.html )
- At Gare d'Austerlitz take either a direct train to Orléans (1h06m travel time) or go to Les Aubrais (station near Orléans - most long distance trains do not stop in Orléans). Prefer an intercités train as they are faster.
- Hôtel Dupanloup is at 10 min walking distance from Orléans train station.
- If you arrive at Les Aubrais, take the tramway to destination l'Hôpital - La Source; get off at stop République (Orléans).
Important notice: Due to strikes in the French railway company SNCF, the number of trains to Les Aubrais and Orléans will be reduced (but there are still trains !). To get an up to date view of the trains scheduled for the coming day, please look at the SNCF web site http://www.sncf.com/en/timetables-updates-traffic . Search for trains between Paris and Orleans (when typing Orleans, you will get several suggestions - choose Orleans Centre). Most direct trains go to Les Aubrais near Orléans. There are also trains where you have to change in St. Pierre des Corps (near Tours), but this is more a detour. Updated time tables are also available under "Practical information".
