rafaben222

Hey guys I was looking for some advice on leaving Charles DeGaulle and visiting Paris during layovers...
So I have a 9 hour and 20 minutes layover at Charles DeGaulle on my way to Israel in June.
My flight arrives there on the 9th at 2:10 pm (hopefully) and it leaves to TelAviv at 11:30 pm on that same day...
On the way back, I arrive at Charles DeGaulle around 9:40 pm and leave at 1:30 pm on the following day..
I was wondering if anyone has ever left the airport during a 9 hour layover and had time to visit the city..
I was thinking taking the R&R B to Notre Dame and maybe taking a bus along the Siene and stretching to Eiffel Tower then doing the same thing back to Notre Dame to take the R&R.
It looks like it might take 3 hours to go through customs and get to Paris then 3 hours back.... so I might only have 3 hours in Paris.. If so I would just visit Notre Dame and walk around for a while... eat some good cheese and wine...
Have you guys ever had a similar experience?
What about the night time? Has anyone here ever left the airport to enjoy the night in Paris?
Let me know! Thank you so much

StCirq

I doubt it will take 3 hours to get through passport control (not customs - that's a 5-second exercise unless you have stuff to declare); more like an hour. Then some time to store your luggage, if that's necessary. Then an hour to get into the city center. An hour to get back to the airport.

You have plenty of time to hop into the city, have a look around, have a nice late lunch,and get back. I haven't ever done it, but I've flown into and out of Paris hundreds of times, and yes, that's do-able.

Christina

okay, you don't go through "customs". Even if that were a thing in Paris, which it isn't (it is more in some other countries, like Mexico, for tourists arriving), you wouldn't be doing it if you were just there on a layover as you'd have no luggage or goods with you.

So you will have to go through passport/immigration control, of course. IOt should not take 3 hours to do that and get into Paris, it has never taken me that long. At most, I'm out of the airport in an hour, including baggage claim, usually, and the RER trip is only about 45 minutes. So even with waits for the train, I'd expect more like 2 hours, not 3.

I haven't done this but would in your situation, but I know Paris well so would know exaclty where to go and how to use the RER, etc. And you will have to get back for security checks, also, that's the part that I might count on 3 hours for, one hour transit and arriving two hours before an international flight.

You could just get out around Notre Dame and wander around there, that would be easiest and it's right on the RER line to/from the airport. I would not start getting complicated with bus rides to the Eiffel Tower, etc. But you could if you don't spend much time around Notre Dame, although I don't think any bus actually goes right along the Seine from ND to the Eiffel Tower. There would be probably at least two transfers. The no. 69 bus does go direct there from about the Pont du Carrousel where it comes across from the Right Bank, which is a bit east of the Musee d'Orsay (approximately), but it doesn't run along the Seine, anyway.

greg

I think the 11:30pm flight is an AF flight. One of the key info you need to find out is when you need to start the security clearance process at CDG to board your TLV bound plane. Flights to/from the Ben Gurion airport usually come with stricter and more time consuming security procedures.

crefloors

Just me, I'd be a nervous wreck and wouldn't enjoy a thing in Paris.

The way security is now, I would not like to depend on a short time or line.

As I say, that's just me, type A and all. If you decide to leave the airport, hope you have a nice little visit and all goes well.

docdan

I'd agree with St Cirq above, who BTW is a Paris expert. Mind you, CDG is an airport notorious for flights _landing_ on time, but then waiting on the tarmac for a while for a GAte or God-only-knows-what . . . my point is obviously you need to be flexible and don't count on a specific quantity of time. With that caveat, if I was in your shoes, trying to get to the city for a brief stroll seems like a sound idea.

ira

Hi R,

Even if you only get into town long enough to visit Notre Dame and look at the Eiffel tower before having to return, it's worth it.

There is an Amorino Gelato shop at 47 rue Saint-Louis-en-l'île, not far from Notre Dame.

Enjoy your visit.

rafaben222

Wow guys thank you so much for your input! I am really excited about this! I am going to study all I can about the RER system and make sure I talk to AirFrance about when I have to be back for security check and then add an hour to that considering the route back to the airport!
Thank you so much Ira for the tip about the Amorino Gelato at the Saint- Louis-en-I'île! I'll make sure to check that!