JC98

We recently had a 3 hour layover at CDG (terminal with Air France) in the early morning, and the place had no heating! We were coming back from Asia and didn't have adequate clothing on us. It was freezing, and it didn't help that the chairs were mostly metal. We ended up going to the 2nd floor (heat rises) and huddled together like penguins to avoid hypothermia and survived. So pack a good jacket if you're having a long layover in CDG in the winter!

JC98

No wonder Fodor's ranks CDG as the one of the worst airports in the world!

rkkwan

That sounds like an excellent CDG experience if the main thing to complain about is no heat! Hahaha...

P_M

So much smoke at CDG, I'm surprised it wasn't warm from all of the people lighting up cigarettes.

tekwriter

I was very peeved at the design of our gate area at CDG where we had to wait for our United flight to Chicago... there were no toilets within the secure area, although they were just steps outside the metal detectors and x-ray machines. I had to wait in line to return to the gate, and even though I had fewer items with me, I managed to set of the alarm even though I'd passed through it initially without a peep! The snack area was miniscule too, and we had hoped to have a hot breakfast there - don't wait until you get to your gate to eat, if you need to!

Dukey

Despite the inadequacies of CDG why would anyone travel anywhere "without adequate clothing?"

Gretchen

I don't know if UAL uses the same gates as USAir--the miniscule snack bar fits--but there were rest rooms there. And a tiny duty free.

lydialikestotravel

We're flying US Air to CDG in April, which terminal and gates do they use for arrival and departure?

How much time should we allow for departure to return to the USA?

Thanks!

mikemo

lltt,
A week?

superheterodyne

Well, CDG has obviously central heating facilities, so probably there was a failure in your area.

Gretchen

Three hours for departure. I can never remember the terminal. We just go to the signs.

SuzieC

We flew USAir in October and we landed in Terminal 1.

It is now non-smoking.

lydialikestotravel

Thanks Gretchen and SuzieC.

marigross

Rule #1: Always travel with at least a light jacket and and a sweater!!! You never know when you might miss a flight and get stuck in a cold place. You never know when a plane might be diverted. Airplanes are usually too cold for me anyway.

Rule #2: Never check-in your coat, luggage might be lost and one will be left literally "out in the cold".

Rule #3: Always travel presentably. This is related to rule #2...You might need to show up in a business meeting wearing the clothes you are in and without a coat on top of that!

maitaitom

Fortunately I am flying Air Tahiti Nui to Paris next week. I have it on good authority that the ATN Terminal is a gigantic tanning booth, and that hula girls are serving mai tais and pina coladas 24/7. We plan on staying for a couple of hours before braving the cold of Paris.

Oh yeah, I just was offered eight million dollars from some guy in Nigeria. What a lucky week for me!

Suzanne2

I learned the hard way. Recently we were in Paris for 5 days with our luggage being lost. I had packed my coat in my suitcase. Big mistake. I was wearing one of those jogging suits. I had no hat gloves, scarves, or make-up.

As for CDG. I usually find it to be too warm. There is no decent food past security, so eat before you go. The check in lines are always really long. On our latest trip they were attempting to check in with those electronic machines. Then you had to stand in another line to check your luggage. then another line for passport control, another line for security, another line for a bus to take you to your gate. another line to board the plane. and so it goes.

JC98

No adequate clothing means no down jackets, etc. It was that cold in the terminal! I had on a long sleeve shirt and a fleece jacket and had to put on another t-shirt underneath. And it was still freezing.

Also, on the way to India, Air France lost all our check-in luggage for 7 days. We had a 2 day stopover in Paris enroute, and it was a challenge running around Paris to buy some replacements--like mosquito repellent (not easy to find good ones in the touristy parts of Paris)!

Christina

I always fly Air France from Paris to the US, and there are always toilets within the secure area and a snack bar. I don't think any airport food is any good, but the snack bar inside near the gate has okay coffee. I usually fly out of 2C, but I think recently they have used 2E or 2F sometimes. So, I don't know what terminal/area JC98 left from, but I wonder if maybe there were toilets there but he just didn't see them. IN fact, in 2C, I think there are two sets past security. I'm surprised someone would be flying in December and not have a decent jacket or coat on. That's kind of unusual.

FainaAgain

MaiTai, are you looking for somebody young and beautiful to take along to Tahiti after helping out a poor Nigerian?

tekwriter

Christina: We flew out of Satellite 1 which was a very small area comprised of maybe five gates, all United flights when we were there, as well as a Polish airline. Believe me, there was no toilet inside the secure area. I asked the security people (in French) because I couldn't believe it. They just shrugged and pointed outside.

Do you think there might be different standards of comfort for passengers of French airlines vs. others at CDG? IMHO, there is!