We are scheduled to depart CDG at 6:45 AM to FRA then to the US on Lufthansa leaving from Terminal 1.

I assume we need to be at Terminal 1 by 4:45 AM to check-in. If we stay at a CDG hotel the night before, do the shuttles run from the airport hotel to Terminal 1 that early (this would be a Sunday morning)?

Hi Ludlow,

You will make your flight with plenty of time to spare if you leave central Paris at 4:45 AM. You should be at the airport by 5:15 latest, far earlier than required to meet Lufthansa's 40 min check in deadline at CDG. This link provides details:
http://www.lufthansa.com/online/port...&cid=18002

Depending on where in Paris you're staying, I would feel comfortable leaving at 5:00 or even 5:15. This is especially valid on a Sunday morning.

Just book a cab at the front desk of your hotel the night before.

Hope this helps,
Andre

Meant to add:

If you want to stay at CDG anyway because you're just passing through Paris and don't want to go into the city, I would choose a hotel located within walking distance of a station on the automated CDGVAL shuttle train line that runs 24/7 between terminal areas. I hate having to rely on an early-morning shuttle bus that may be late or overcrowded.

In descending price order, these hotels would be:
- Sheraton CDG
- Hilton CDG (probably your best choice)
- Novotel Paris CDG Terminal
- Ibis Paris CDG Terminal
Beware: there are other CDG-area hotels that are also part of the Novotel and Ibis chains, so make sure to book those specific hotels!

Hope this helps,
Andre

The CDG Hilton shuttle runs very early. You can ask for even earlier times. I believe it starts @ 5:00. The breakfast buffet is very interesting and good. There was a group of Japanese students when I was there last. I never saw so much ketchup being used. They had bowls of it on their plates. Is that a trend in Japan?

The Sheraton is very nice too especially if you are coming off the train.

If you want an economy hotel at CDG, the Etap Hotel Roissy CDG Paris Nord 2 is a good choice. (It's one step below Ibis in the Accor chain.) Rates are €41 single, €44 double. It's also close to the CDGVAL.

Thanks everyone. We will have a rental car which we plan on dropping of at CDG the evening pror to our departure so the information on on-site CDG hotels is most valuable.
I wasn't sure what time the shuttles start running and how to get from the hotel to the shutle to Term. 1.