Air show in Paris, what to expect
 

We just realized we will be in Paris during the Air Show, apparently it's a huge event and we had no idea!!.... Does anyone know what we should expect.... will it be empty during the day and crowded for dinner? will we have long lines everywhere??
Thanks so much!!

I would be worried if I didn't have a hotel or apartment booked but otherwise Paris is large enough to absorb the extra people. The "big" sites are so crowded now, hard to imagine them being any worse.

If there's a special restaurant where you want to eat, particularly if it's high end, you might want to make reservations now.

Apart from seeing some extracts on TV of the different planes, you will not able to notice anything different.

However, if you want to go to the Le Bourget airfield (on Saturday and Sunday as the previous days the entrance is limited to professionals of the air and space industry) be ready to be among thousands and thousands of spectators

"The "big" sites are so crowded now, hard to imagine them being any worse. "

...or any better.

In real cities trade shows of any kind, however important those attending the shows may think the shows to be, are simply pinpricks. Show attenders have more important things on their mind than hanging out at tourist attractions they've seen before, and they account for a derisorily small proportions of visitors that week anyway. Queues at the Eiffel Tower, and crowds gawping at the cliches in the Louvre are no greater or less because of a few plane-spotters (or fashion addicts, or...) in an exhibition centre miles away

Typically, trade shows cause a bit of congestion on public transport around the key venue and sometimes make it difficult to get into the sort of restaurants the industry concerned goes in for. But the only people deluding themselves things like the Paris Air Show are "huge" events are people with few interests outside the specific industry, or those touting it.

I would even think that the air show will fill up CDG airport hotels more than most of the hotels in the city, because it is one industry where the participants don't have to wait for the opportunity for a trade show to tack on some tourism. They are really there only for business.

(Le Bourget is on the same RER line as CDG.)

It does fill up hotels, of course, just like the auto show. However, I'm not clear on the question about something being empty during the day. Surely not the show, as that is why people are there (if they are attending).

Of course every person in Paris is not there for the air show, heavens, there are thousands of tourists in Paris at any given time.

This will be my 4th Paris Airshow. I usually bring my wife over the week before the show or the week after. We love Paris! I go to airshows around the world every year and this is by far the largest. This will be the 50th Paris Airshow (100 years) and attendance is anticipated to be a record high. What to expect? Expect transportation to be a nightmare. Getting a taxi from other than your hotel during peak hours will be nearly impossible. All of the best restaurants in the city will be completely booked for dinner Sunday through Wednesday. If you are staying at a top hotel the concierge will be able to get you in. Hotel room rates will be near twice their normal rate. Expect a few public transportation strikes as well during peak hours just to make moving around the city a little more fun!

Thanks for your replies.... hopefully it will be manageable...