It's a huge and horrible station, no doubt about it. Even though I am a proponent of Paris being one of the safest places on earth, I don't DO Châtelet. If there's another way, do it. Otherwise, be really on guard and careful. You won't get physically harmed - that's pretty much for sure - but you might have a scare. You're not going to be there late at night, so it's probably fine, but if you're worried, pick an alternative.

Thank you.
Maybe take the RER to Gare du Nord and then take a cab to the hotel?
Or, I'm open to other suggestions

There is nothinh I have ever seen wrong at Chatelet. Sure, it is huge. But being huge, it also means that many metro lines cross here, and there are therefore crowds.

I would not make any special diversion unless there is some mobility issue.

Does anyone know if there is a flat rate fare from Charles de Gaulle to central Paris? If so what is that rate?

Or take the Air France coach to Etoile metro station and you are 5 stops away

Or take the Roissybus to Opera and then a short cab ride

No flat rate - it's metered. Our fares a couple weeks ago - to the 18th (bordering the 9th), so not the central - were 35-40 Euros, but those were on quiet (i.e. slim to no traffic) Saturday mornings.

We were in and out of Chatelet-les Halles last November as our hotel was just steps away.

We had no problems but it's a busy, bustling place and at 6pm I expect it would be very crowded.

One thing to be aware on the Metro in general is the automated entry gates. We were traveling with a carry on bag each but my husband also had a 24" rolling suitcase which was extremely difficult to fit through the various turnstiles on the Metro. You have to put the case through in front of you as the gate closes before you can pull it through if it's behind you.

One time we had to use an extra ticket to pull the case through as there was no one around and no way of getting through the automated gates without a ticket.

My daughter barely managed her 20" roll-aboard solo and usually she's perfectly capable of getting from A to B on planes and trains without help.

It is a big place and you have to walk a lot because of that, but I wouldn't hesiate to make a transfer there at 6 pm due to safety--I would for other reasons, I just don't do that kind of tranportation from the airport that involves a lot of trains and transfers. I am in there sooner or later during every trip, it never scared me. I have never gone through it with a suitcase, however, and don't look like a typical tourist.

Châtelet-Les Halles is the biggest underground transfer point in continental Europe. It is a madhouse, but it presents absolutely no problem to anybody WHO KNOWS HOW TO FOLLOW SIGNS! I am so tired of people claiming that it is a nightmare. While probably no a single Parisian will ever list it as their favorite station, it is still super useful and totally safe for anybody paying attention. Police presence is much higher than in any other station merely because of the number of people there.

Foreign visitors often have turnstile problems because they are not paying attention. There are both "suitcase roller" turnstiles for big baggage and "saloon door" passages designed for wheelchairs and other bigger problems.

I have never seen any city anywhere in the world with better facilities than that station.

>>>There are both "suitcase roller" turnstiles for big baggage and "saloon door" passages designed for wheelchairs and other bigger problems.<<<

Hmm, I presume they're not at every entry and exit point in all Metro stations though. My post above was general advice about luggage on the Metro.

We did look for alternatives after getting stuck once (can't remember the station)
We even asked a Metro worker who shrugged and pointed to the signs indicating put the case through first!

I have seen the suitcase rollers in some stations and yes we even got a 24" case jammed on that once!

No, only the big stations have the suitcase roller slots. But if you look at any other turnstile at any metro station, you will see a pictogram showing that baggage should always go through in front of you and never behind.

These pictograms are remarkably invisible to tourists.

Sassycat, if your suitcases cannot fit through the rollers, you may want to consider renting a truck for your baggage.

You'll be safe. Yes, it's huge and can be confusing for those not used to subways. IMO. it's not that much more difficult than transferring at the Times Square station.

My bigger concern is how much will you be carrying around: just a backpack? a roller and a gym bag each?

I would get a taxi outside the Châtelet station, should you decide on the taxi option. Quicker and cheaper. Maybe Kerouac can help with which Châtelet station exit to take to get a taxi (and how to get to it after disembarking from the RER).

It would be easier to walk from Roissybus stop by Opera to your hotel than deal with Chatelet/Les Halles station.

"Pictograms" and other signs are invisible to tourists because they're just unfamiliar with it all.

If you want a set rate, consider Shuttle-Inter (not 100% reliable, but none of them are).

Otherwise, just head for the taxi queue and take a taxi. For us, it's worth every Euro, especially after an overnight flight. If I had to economize, it would be on just about anything else.

It's one thing to live in Paris and use Châtelet station with some frequency - if I lived there I'd probably do that too. It's another thing entirely to spend all night on an airplane, schlep bags on the RER, and end up in what is potentially the largest, most confusing métro station anywhere. Yes, there are signs and pictograms, but jetlagged people toting luggage aren't likely to process that very quickly, if at all.

I always take a taxi - WELL worth it to me. If you don't want to do that, I agree with the suggestion to take the Roissybus to Opéra and walk from there.

I don't like the station because it is SO large, with so many transfers, and many stairs -- escalators only if you know where to find them. It's not hard to follow the signs in order to transfer, but it may take a lot of traipsing around to get to where you want to end up.

But I didn't find it any more dangerous than I would at any other large Metro station -- it's a CITY subway station, after all -- be aware of your surroundings! But in terms of safety, I wouldn't hesitate to use it at 6pm.

My husband and I stayed nearby there last year and had no problems when we needed to use it.

kerouac, believe me I travel light with one rolling 20 or 21" bag.
My DH decided to bring along an extra 24" case for his father's stamp collection. It was heavy and unwieldy... it got stuck.
We are still married!

I'll suggest a truck next time

Interesting....if you are staying at the Renaissance Park Vendome, would it not be a lot easier to take a taxi from Charles de Gaulle. It doesn't cost all that much given the rate of your lovely hotel. ....but perhaps I'm missing something here. To each his own, and just an idea!
My husband and I took a taxi from the airport a few years ago and our hotel was medium priced....but then we have ankle and knee issues. Taxi was about 45 euro then,, but I'm sure is higher now.
And your question was about the safety of Chatelet-Les Halles,,,sorry I digressed?

Thank you all very much for your input. In response:
We each have a 21-22" roller and a briefcase.
We prefer trains, metro, buses and walking. They are usually quicker and less of a hassle and generally more fun.
We are NYC natives so subways and confusing signs dont scare us. Having said that we also have enough common sense to avoid areas we have been warned about and certain modes of transportation very late at night. Personally I do not take offense when a non-New Yorker expresses concerns about the subway. I do not perceive it as a slight in any way. There's a certain reputation out there...deal with it.

At this point we narrowed our choices to:
1. taking a taxi
2. taking Roissybus to Opera and walking (thank you Michel)
3. changing to a hotel near the RER St. Michel area.
*We will be spending the majority of our time in the Marais and the Latin Quarter/St. Germain anyway so it makes a lot more sense. We could then to take the RER to/from CDG, and walk to a hotel.

My vote is for the #3.

So, can anyone recommend a hotel with A/C rooms and private toilet/showers in that area?

Thank you again

It doesn't sound like you think the RER and metro from the airport will be fun, though. It's not fun to me.

YOu don't have to take a hotel ner the ST Michel RER, there are other stops, like Luxembourg. No one seems to want a hotel near Denfert (I admit there aren't a lot of great ones right around the stop, nor too many near Port Royal, although there is one budget one near there I know--Hotel Pierre Nicole).

I'd choose Luxembourg stop myself, would never stay near St Michel. But I hate it down there. There are quite a few nice hotels near Luxembourg.

We stayed at the Renaissance Paris Vendome a few years back and we took the Roissybus to Opera and walked to the hotel with the same amount of luggage you have. It was easy.

We really did enjoy the hotel too. We got an upgraded room even though we were there on points, and as a Marriott Plat got free brekky too. It was a very good spread each morning in Pinxo.

Do you have status at Marriott? It really is a nice place,and close to the metro, but if you are paying out of pocket and not using points it would make sense to stay where you will play.

I don't think it's a myth that Chatelet has more crime than many other stations. I have seen the official statistics of crime in various stations and arrondisements, aned I think it definitely does. But some of that is just because it is so big, I think. There is always more crime in the bigger stations and where there are more tourists.

Given your concerns and where you are staying (if you stayed at your original), I would have thought getting out at Gare du Nord and then a taxi to your hotel not too bad a choice. Now the taxi queue at Gare du Nord can be a bit long, though, so maybe you don't want the hassle. But it might be less hassle than transferring to a metro line and then walking from the stop to your hotel, so it's all relative. Walking from the opera is a big of a hike.

If it were me, I wouldn't stay in that hotel.

If you stay near Saint Michel, you probably won't see much of Paris. People who sleep in the center rarely stray from the center, and that is an outright shame.