CDG airport via RER to Chatelet/Les Halles
 

I am a senior traveling solo, as I've done before. This time Chatelet/Les Halles is closer to my hotel. Do the elevators or escalators usually work at that stop?

I have found that in Paris you never really know, I would say they would be working, but from time to time they don't. I have also found this true with the excalators at CDG.

If you have not been to Paris before I would try to avoid the Chatelet stop, it is large and can be confusing.

Being a senior I have the same concerns.

IF at all possible, avoid Chatelet Les Halles, reputed to be the biggest metro stop in the world. Even if elevators and escalators are working, there are long tunnels and too much walking for us.

I understand that Châtelet-les-Halles can be confusing to visitors because it is large but you don't have to worry about long tunnels unless you are making transfers to certain other métro lines. If you are arriving there from CDG because your hotel is near it then you won't have a problem. I never use the elevators, although I know there are some. But there are 3 exits you can take and all of them have escalators from the platforms all the way up to street level. Those exits are Porte Lescot, Porte Pont-Neuf and Porte Berger. If you mentioned the name and address of your hotel I'm sure you'd get suggestions of which exit is most convenient to your hotel.

It is true that sometimes an escalator or elevator can be out of service but that can happen at any métro/RER stop and there is no way to plan for this.

There is nothing wrong with Châtelet-Les Halles but a lot of people make a <b>big</b> mistake there. Instead of stopping to study the various orientation maps and all of the signs overhead, they panic and follow the crowd -- except that the crowd is going in every direction and not necessarily the one you want. If they spot an exit, they think "there's the exit!" without realizing that there are a lot of other exits.

Avoid the herding instinct! Know the name of your exit ahead of time.

I've been there many times and have never found the escalators not working. Unlike Odeon, for example. I've used the elevator there once and it worked fine but I cannot remember where it is. Regardless, I would keep your luggage to a minimum when using this mode of transport.