1. CDG Airport to Paris, Gare de Lyon Station
After collecting your baggage and going through passport control, go to "information" in the airport building.
Ask where exactly you take the Air France Bus to the Gare de Lyon Station. The bus leaves from the front of the airport every half hour, and takes about 55 minutes to reach the Gare de Lyon Station.(From Terminal 1 the bus leaves from Door 34 on the arrivals level and from Terminal 2 it leaves from Door B1 and Door C2).
The bus is line no. 4 and the terminus for this bus is Montparnasse Station, in Paris, and the Gare de Lyon Station is the first stop within the city. The fare is 15 Euros. (For a group of 4 or more there is a 15% discount). Tickets can be bought on the bus.
2. Paris, Gare de Lyon Station to Mâcon-Loché TGV Station
In the station, go to "information".
Ask where to buy a TGV (high speed train) ticket to Mâcon-Loché.
Normally, you buy a ticket for a 2nd class non-smoking seat. After buying the ticket, find the yellow coloured machine which punches your ticket, "composter".
You have to do this, otherwise your ticket is not valid.
3. Departure indicator
Find which platform your train leaves from by consulting any of the TV screens or the huge "departures and arrivals board", which shows the number of your train, the departure time and platform number ("quai" or "voie" in French).
Normally they show the platform number around twenty minutes before the departure time. If the platform is not yet marked look carefully to see if your train is flagged in blue or yellow (Blue means that the train will leave from the main part (front) of the station (platforms A to N) and yellow means that it will leave from the far end on the left side of the station (platforms 5-23) so you can already make your way there if that is the case.
Once you are sure you have the correct train, you can get on board.
In the top right hand corner of your ticket, you can see which coach you are in ("VOIT" in French) and your seat number (PLACE). It is important to sit only in that place.
The journey from Paris to Mâcon-Loché by TGV (high-speed train) takes 1 hour 45 minutes.
4. Mâcon-Loché TGV Station to Taizé Community
When you arrive at Mâcon-Loché Station, take a bus for Taizé in front of the station.
It takes 50 minutes from the station to the Taizé-Community.
Please note that not all the trains from Paris have a bus connection. So make sure that you take a train that does have one. To be quite sure, you can check this out on the Trains to/from Taizé
Should you for any reason have to telephone to the community, please dial 03 85 50 30 30, using a telephone card ("carte téléphonique") which you can buy from any newspaper shop.