The hotel is set on the edge of the Loire Valley, a 35-minute drive from the small city of Le Mans, which is about an hour-long train ride from Paris. We have included more details below, but knowing many people will have varying travel plans, I wanted to share Rome 2 Rio (link), which is a travel planning tool that shows the best ways to get between destinations using flights, trains, buses, ferries, and more. It compares travel times and costs, helping you find the fastest or cheapest routes, and provides booking links for convenience.

It is an hour-long train ride from Paris-Gare Montparnasse or a one hour and 40-minute train ride from Charles de Gaulle Airport. We took the train from Montparnasse on our first visit, as we spent a few days in the Paris city center beforehand. The closest station to the Château is Le Mans. Once you arrive there, it is a 30 to 40 minute drive to the Château. Ubers and taxis are available at the train station.

Booking train tickets: Please be advised that when buying tickets for the train, you are reserving a specific seat for that exact scheduled train, similar to booking an airline ticket. Flexible fares are available; please see the SNCF website for more details.

Visit a booking site: Go to the SNCF Website (France’s national railway company) or download their app.

Enter your travel details: Input "Paris-Gare Montparnasse" or the location you are leaving from as your departure station, select your destination, and choose your travel date and time.

Choose a train: Review available trains, including departure times and prices.

Select a fare: Pick the class (first or second class) and any additional options, such as flexible tickets.

Purchase your ticket: Enter your payment details to complete the purchase. You’ll receive an e-ticket or a pickup option at the station.

At the station: If needed, print your ticket or download it to your phone. Arrive at the station early to find your platform and board the train.

It takes approximately 2h 10m to drive from Paris to Le Grand-Lucé.

If you plan to spend some time in Paris before coming to the Chateau, we do not recommend renting a car and driving into the city from the airport. Paris driving is extremely hectic and chaotic, and the parking situation can be difficult. Should you want to drive from Paris, our recommendation would be to rent a car from one of the train stations and plan to leave to travel from the rental site.

Outside of Paris, utilizing a rental car was very easy. We drove to Champagne, Normandy, and Le Mans with little issue. All toll booths around France are equipped with credit card readers, which makes it very easy to pay and go.

The Château is 154miles/247 km from Charles de Gaule (CDG) or 127 Miles/204km from Orly (ORY).

If renting a car, it is advisable to get an "International Driving Permit" through AAA, as it provides a translation of your license should there be any confusion:

https://www.aaa.com/vacation/idpf.html