How to reach IJCLab
Location
IJCLab is located on the Orsay campus of the Université Paris-Saclay, 25 kilometers south-west of Paris. The easiest way to reach the Orsay campus is to take the RER B line to the Orsay-Ville station (35 minutes from Châtelet, around 2.5 Euros for a single ticket). Then it is a 15 min or less walk to the workshop location depending on which exit you use. The exit at the head of the train (from Paris) is closer to the IJCLab laboratory.
From Charles de Gaulle airport
The RER station is located at « Roissypole », linked by CDGVAL light rail:
- From Terminal 1: The RER station is not located inside Terminal 1. Take the CDGVAL light rail (5 minutes journey) to « Terminal 3-Roissypole ». CDGVAL station for Terminal 1 is located at level 2;
- From Terminal 2: The RER station is underneath Terminal 2, between Terminal 2C/2E and 2D/2F. Go to the rail station by walk (look for « Paris by train » or « Gare » signs) or board free shuttles;
- From Terminal 3: The RER station is not located inside Terminal 3. Look for « Paris by train » signs (follow the signposted footpaths). The RER station is 400 meters away from the terminal (5 minutes journey by walk) .
At the RER station, take the RER B in the direction of Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse (and not to Robinson), get off at Orsay-Ville. The price for a RER ticket from Roissy-Charles de Gaulle to Orsay-ville is 13 Euros and it takes 1h15 or more.
From Orly airport
Take the Orlyval at the price of 13 Euros (Automatic rail link connecting to RER line B) to the Antony station and then transfer to the RER B going to Saint-Rémy-lès-Chevreuse (and not to Robinson) and get off at Orsay-Ville. It takes about 35 minutes.
Tips (You will find maps, time tables, etc., about the metro and RER here.)
Please do not mistake the RER B station « Orsay-Ville » for the Paris metro station « Musée d’Orsay ». From Paris, you must buy a ticket specifically for « Orsay-Ville ». A Paris metro ticket is not sufficient !
There is a special ticket called « ParisVisite » .
It comes as a card with a coupon attached and opens the doors to the whole Ile-de-France network : Metro, RER, Buses, Trams, SNCF overland suburban trains. How about a few destinations ? – Disneyland Resort Paris (zone 5), the Château de Versailles (zone 4), Orsay-Ville (zone 5) or the airports at Charles de Gaulle (zone 5) and Orly (zone 4). The pass becomes valid from the first day of use (and not when you buy it). Once you have bought your ParisVisite pass, fill in the card with your name and first name. Take care to write the serial number of the card on the coupon and add your planned start date. The card and coupon must be kept together and produced for inspection when requested. The price for Five days (Zones 1-5) is 76.25 €.
From train stations in Paris
The main train stations (Gare du Nord, Gare de l’Est and Gare de Lyon are connected to the Metro/RER system going to Orsay-Ville. Consult the preceding paragraph for fares (coupons etc.).
By road from Paris
If you leave Paris from « Porte d’Italie » or « Porte d’Orléans », take the A6 moterway in the direction of Lyon ; on the moterway, after 10 km, follow in the direction of « Bordeaux » ; after another 10km, take the Orsay exit and follow signs to reach Orsay and « Faculté d’Orsay ». After this, look up in a local map to find IJClab.
If you leave Paris from « Pont de Sèvres », take the N118 in the direction of « Bordeaux », after 30 km, exit at Orsay. Then, follow « Faculté d’Orsay » or find the RER-B train station « Orsay-Ville ». After this, look up in a local map to find IJCLab.
In principle, going to Orsay from Paris in the morning is « against the flow » : « pros » do the trip in 30 mn ! The speed limit is 110 km/h on moterway, 90 km/h on national roads, 50 km/h in town.
