7 hrs in CDG
 

I will be in Paris CDG Airport for 7 hours for transit. Any idea on what I can do? Is it worth it to go outside? Thanks!

My condolences... Paris is the most beautiful city I've ever visited, but CDG is by far the ugliest airport I've ever seen. Bring a good book.

I fly to CDG several times a month and I would caution you on leaving the airport to go into the city. Although you have 7 hours and think that that is alot of time-it really isn't. The limo service that picks us up at the airplane sometimes takes upwards of over an hour in rush hour traffic to get into the city. Combine that with shepping your carryon luggage,being tired and hungery and then trying to come back on time and go through security-well as the above poster said "bring a good book". The new part of the CDG terminal has smaller intimate areas for coffee and snacks and then there is always the shops? Most of the people that I have known that had a longer layover there find a good area to stretch out in and take a capnap(keep an eye on your stuff though).Bonne chance!

I took a room at the Sheraton hotel, located inside Terminal 2, and got the best 5 hour sleep. By the time I got to Bordeaux, I was beautifully rested for my drive to the Dordogne.

If you decide to book a hotel room, friends got the CDG Marriott for $40/night for a double through Priceline. If you haven't used PL, go to www.bidding.com for a tutorial on how to bid.

Bonne chance

I believe all the replies so far are off-base. Seven hours at CDG are plenty of time to visit the center of Paris. Of corse never take a taxi or a limousine because the traffic situation can be disastrous. Take the train. It will take you from CDG to the center of Paris in less than 45 minutes with no delay and regardless of weather conditions. Far less expensive too than other alternatives.

I don't do marathons.

Assuming you want to get back to the airport about 2 hours prior to your departure, that means you have 5 hours - IMO plenty of time to hop into Paris for a VERY brief visit. Take the RER (commuter train) - if there are accidents or backups on the périphérique your taxi or shuttle ride could get held up and cost you precious time (I went into Paris on September 22, the "journée sans voitures," and it took 3 hours from the airport!). Get off at the St-Michel stop, get out, and walk around the Latin Quarter, visit Notre Dame, have a quick bite to eat, and back to the airport. Unless it is a holiday or there's a public transportation strike (visit www.lesgreves.com in advance to see what's pending in the way of strikes), you should be fine. Enjoy!

Excellent advice from StCirq.

Originally posted by RaymondLuxuryYacht:

"Paris is the most beautiful city I've ever visited, but CDG is by far the ugliest airport I've ever seen...."

So Very, Very True!!! :-)

Best wishes, Dave

When you say 7 hours does that mean from landing time to take off time? If so that's not enough time to go into the city and get back 2 hours prior to flight time and leave enough meaningful time in the city. At best you would have just 2 hours in the city after taking the train/metro there and back. Airport immigration/customs/bus to RER station including return bus time 45 minutes, train/metro into city 1 1/4 hours each way, return 2 hours prior to flight is 5 1/4 hours leaving you 1 3/4 hours in Paris. Remember the wait times for RER trains, walks from RER to Metro, transit times between CDG and RER station etc. RER and metro tickets will cost you 18.60 euros or about $22.

Larry J

Be aware that the RER has frequent strikes. There was an RER strike during each of my 3 visits to Paris.

If you happen to be a member of American's Admiral Club, the club at CDG is one of their best, I've spent several hours there. But 7 hours is mkore than enough time to get into the city and walk around.

jlw,

If you're checked through to your final destination or can check in for your onward flight as soon as you arrive, you have plenty of time to go into Paris!

What would I do?

If it's a nice day, probably take the RER to Luxembourg or even Port Royal, walk through the Luxembourg gardens, then St-Sulpice, rue Bonaparte to the Seine, cross the Seine, walk through the Louvre courtyard and hang out on the terrace of the cafe Marly (under the arcades to your left when you're facing the Louvre with the Tuileries gardens behind you). Catch the Metro (line 1 dir. Chateau de Vincennes) at the Palais Royal stop for 2 stops to Chatelet and change to RER B to the airport (make sure to get on a train which goes to the airport - not all of them do). If you still have excess time/energy, get out of the Metro at Chatelet and cross the Seine to Notre-Dame. See the cathedral and catch the RER at the St. Michel / Notre Dame stop right in front of the cathedral.

On a rainy day, get off the RER at Chatelet/Les Halles, change to line 1 dir. La Defense, get off at Palais Royal and go straight into the Carrousel du Louvre shopping arcade/food court and from there into the museum - that way you won't get cold/wet.

I would get on the RER out to the airport a good 90 min. before flight departure time to play it safe.

Hope this helps,
Andre

You GO, Andre. If only I my camera bag wasn't so heavy or worth so much, yours would be the itinerary I'd follow. Nice work.

NYCFoodSnob,

Thanks for the kudos... you will note that I recommended hanging out, not eating a full meal at Cafe Marly. I think the Frères Costes have cashed in enough already :)

Andre

I ran into 2 women on RER B yesterday who had a 7-hr layover, and they took that opportunity to see the city.

Go to the RER and buy a Paris Visite card for ~16E for 1 day (good for RER, Metro, & Roissy bus). The RER B (short) train goes from CDG 2 > CDG 1 > Gare du Nord > Chatelet / Les Halles, etc. It takes 29min from CDG to Gare du Nord. If you get stuck on the local, it takes 39min. See http://www.citefutee.com/orienter/plans.php for maps. Make sure that you have a city map as well.

The girls that I ran into took RER B to Saint-Michel Notre Dame. Next, they planned to take RER B to see the Eiffel Tower, then Metro 6 to Charles de Gaulle Etoile to see the Arc de Triomphe.

Guess you can fill in as much as you need to do, but make sure that you plan plenty of time for your return. I'd plan a minimum of 1hr to get back from Chatelet / Les Halles, then minimum of 1 hr before your next flight. It will take you longer than you think to get back to the airport.

An alternate to get to/from the city is the Roissy bus. It goes between CDT and Opera, but is always ~1hr, and is prone to get delayed due to traffic.

Don't waste time stopping for lunch. Service will take longer than you think for that as well.

Good luck and enjoy!

Sorry - just noticed error in post above. They were to take RER B to Saint-Michel Notre Dame and then RER C to the Eiffel Tower.

I think that some of these suggestions are terrific if you are fully rested and have not been up all night..........before starting your trip on the RER-grab a cafe au lait to jumpstart yourself !

Should you decide to hang around, we had the same amount of time and opted to venture into the new boutiques and food stores that have opened, like the Androuet cheese shop(where I bought a wooden cow) We lunched at the new Brasserie Flo there. Nearby is Maxims and that looked inviting. Walking from one section to another terminal takes time so there really isn't much left to worry about and you can book brouse in one of the book stores.