20 hours at CDG... what to do?
 

I just managed to get a pair of saver level seats on Delta/AirFrance from Newark to Rabat, Morocco for next fall (60,000 SkyPesos + ~$100 taxes/fees each).

The only issue: a 20 hours layover at CDG on the return. The flight arrives around 5pm and departs at 1:30pm the next day.

My wife and I have both been to Paris before and seen most of the major sites (never been to Sacré-Cœur). We're looking for ideas of how to spend the time.

Options I've come up with so far:

1) Get a room at one of the hotels at the airport and just relax. Don't really do anything.
2) Get a room in Paris. Take cab/bus into the city. Have a nice dinner, sight see for a few hours in the morning and then back to the airport.
3) Get a room somewhere outside the city, maybe a small town not too far from the airport. Have a nice dinner, wander the streets, and back to the airport.

Open to suggestions... I have points with Hilton/Hyatt/Starwood, so can probably come up with a free room in most areas.

Thanks in advance!

I think I'd be inclined to get a room at the airport, unload my stuff, then head for an evening on the town. Nice dinner, walk around until I was moved to get back on the train and head back to the hotel for a nice sleep. Leisurely breakfast in the morning and back to the airport. That's a good time for a flight out, no rushing.

Depends on how busy your vacation will have been.

If it was jam-packed I would go for # 1.

If it was fairly relaxed I would go for # 2. (There is no such thing as too much Paris.)

Hey, that is a great deal to get to Rabat. We might try for the same thing, but we'd be coming from the West Coast. Did you get it from Delta or Air France ? When is this trip and on what day of the week do you fly into Rabat ? It's difficult to find flights into the capital.

Get a hotel at CDG, go into Paris, walk around, have a meal, sleep, and fly. Perfect ending to what will be a great trip !

Normally I'd stay in the city, but the problem w/ plan B is you won't have a few hours to sight see in the morning. W/ a 1:30PM departure you'll need to leave central Paris by 9:30 or 10AM.

So I'd get a room at CDG and then spend the evening in Paris - dinner then a Seine cruise and back out to CDG/hotel.

But I'd leave it til I'm checked into the hotel - If I was too jetlagged I'd just eat at the hotel and crash for the night.

I doubt you'll be jetlagged coming back from Rabat to Paris - that's a fairly short flight.

But I agree get a hotel at the airport, then spend the evening in the city.

Enjoy Morocco - one of my favorite places on earth!

"<i> doubt you'll be jetlagged coming back from Rabat to Paris - that's a fairly short flight.</i>"

OOPS - I read the OP as this was the Newark > CDG > Rabat direction . . . missed that it was the <i>return</i> flight.

But since this IS a US-bound flight, even more reason to stay at CDG. There will be an extra level of security and you'd have to leave a central Paris hotel by 9:30.

Thanks all for the suggestions...

I might go for the room at the airport... that way if the flight is late (or we're just beat) we can stay out there. If we get in on time, I'll just drop the bags and take the bus or train into the city. With 9 months to plan, at least I have time to waffle!

Bedar - it was booked through Delta. Delta metal EWR to CDG, then Air France for the rest of the trip. Saturday red eye to Paris. The return is a noon flight on a Tuesday from RBA to CDG, then 1:30pm the next day departing CDG.

Are these good deals unusual, with an overnight layover? I recently paid $714 for an open jaw round trip from the West Coast to/from Rome/Pisa, which was $400 cheaper than anything else I saw. Homeward bound, we had 20 hours at LHR (AA/BA code share). Same deal from SFO, 20 hours at CDG (Delta/Air France code share), for a nice saving.

Our suitcases were checked through, all the way home, so even if you factor in the cost of a hotel, we enjoyed a bonus evening, somewhere fun, with no luggage to schlepp.

My choice would be to spend your night in the city. A 1:30 pm flight allows you the pleasure of breakfast in Paris at a sidewalk cafe, and a nice stroll, somewhere beautiful.

Astein - For when in the fall did you get tickets ? Begin Oct ? End Oct ? Nov ? I can't wait to play around with the Delta site but must wait till after Wed. Argh ! This year we got seats for 75K mi to Madrid, but when we've searched for the trip you got, they wanted 100-150K mi !! Again, congratulations. What good luck !

Bedar - my booking is 9/28 through 10/8. I wasn't able to find similar in mid-October, but there were tix in late October into November (at least when I searched).

Astein - Thanks so much for the info ! Happy New Year !!

You're welcome... let me know if you book!