Is this a crazy idea but thinking of staying at an airport hotel at CDG for 2 nights and making day trips into Paris and coming back in late evening. We are arriving at CDG from Avignon and thought it would save the hassle of getting a hotel in the city and taxi back on the morning we fly out. We will have just spent 3 weeks in italy and France and just want to make things simple. any ideas?

Sheraton is actually in terminal 2, and many others are short shuttle rides away.

We stayed at the Sheraton our last night after a full day of driving in Provence and riding the TGV from Avignon to CDG and it was really nice to just get off the train and walk a few steps to the hotel, but I'm sure you can save some $$ if you take a shuttle to a different one.

When we return to the Paris area and have an early flight, we stay in Paris at a hotel next to the Gare de Lyon (station for Avignon arrivals). I would never "want" stay AT CDG. We've stayed the last night in Chantilly & Les Andelys and driven to CDG - and Dijon, Beaune, and Chambery & taken the train to CDG.

If you don't already have tickets, I sure would stay in Paris for 2 nights.

Stu Dudley

Staying at CDG will certainly make it simple. I used the Sheraton once for an overnight layover. After check-in I took the RER to Luxembourg and walked around the 5th and 6th, had dinner, and then took the RER back to CDG. The next morning I walked out the door of the Sheraton and walked to check-in in a few minutes.

I have mixed feelings about this. If it were ONE night, I'd certainly vote for the stay at the Sheraton. Two nights, I'm not so sure. Of course, that's probably the sticking point for your own decision.

Checking into the Sheraton is as easy as spaarne said, and you just walk out the lobby and ride down an escalator or two to the RER. Our stay there was an absolute godsend one trip when two of us began our travel after extended illnesses at home. All we had to do post overseas flight was fall into bed and zonk out.

By the way, I did consider other hotels near CDG with the shuttle and in fact booked one of them for our mid-trip "reconvene in Paris and then leave for..." segment of our very convoluted itinerary that summer. But our initial stay at the Sheraton was so painless that I cancelled our reservation at another airport hotel and rebooked the Sheraton.

Since you have two nights, definitely stay in Paris. Have you bought your train tickets for Avignon-CDG? If so, unless they're Prem's tickets which are non-exchangeable and non-refundable, exchange them for Avignon-Paris tickets at any SNCF station when you get to France.

It's only simple to stay at the airport if you stay for one night and stay in the Sheraton. Otherwise you're missing out on spending valuable time in Paris taking shuttle buses to the RER, then the RER into Paris, then the RER back out again, then a shuttle bus. But even if you stayed at the Sheraton, I can't imagine exchanging Paris for a stale airport experience. I'd stay in Paris and take a taxi the morning of your flight.

I didn't take any shuttle buses. The RER departs from CDG.

When I stayed there I had already reserved a room in the 6th. Then, while walking to the RER, I passed the Sheraton and casually stopped in to ask about a room. One was available at a lower cost than my city room. The Sheraton cancelled that for me and booked me in.

For a layover the convenience of the Sheraton cannot be overstated.

Sounds like you will only have 1 full day for making the trip into Paris (arrive from Avignon one day(what time?),spend that night at CDG, Sheraton perhaps,,,,,go into Paris that day, return to airport hotel, sleep, repack and off to terminal the next morning) We've stayed in Paris 3 or 4 times and did fine getting to the airport early morning by taxi,, but it IS kind of a hassle,,,,especially if you are coming off a THREE week trip to Italy and France! The Airport hotel, especially the Sheraton would be so convenient, room nice for reorganizing your belongings, repacking perhaps and very comfortable....and getting to the teriminal on the morning of departure would make things simple.
We stayed the night before in Chantilly one time and it was lovely and not far from CDG, but we had a car and drove in the early morning (kind of fun, dark etc),but with the "business" drivers. Worked fine ,and we are not young but rather adventurous that way sometimes.

One problem with many airport hotels is the high cost of meals in their restaurants. We got around that by getting a good rate at the Hilton on the executive floor, which gave us access to the club room and the all-day food service. Not full meals, but plenty of hot and cold offerings that were more than enough for us. Breakfast was especially good.

We plan on taking earliest train from Avignon so we could possibly be at CDG or Paris by noon maybe so would give us a day and a half in the city. We still would need a cab to a hotel if we got off at Gare de Lyon. don.t care to stay around train station. It would be hard to get a good breakfast at airport hotel as we tried last year and really not much of a choice...muffins and juice and we don.t drink coffee. It is a decision to make up our minds soon but thanks for ideas.

Some of the airport hotels have beautiful full buffet breakfasts,,,,,Hiltons, possibly Sheraton, and even those within shuttle reach of terminal.(Holiday Inn, RAdisson etc)
IF you have a full day and a half ,staying "in town" might be fine. You might look at the Brighton Hotel, on Rue du Rivoli, front room view of Eiffel town at night are spectacular, hotel is across street from Tuillieres Gardens, and the Louve not far. Lots of fun walking the streets.
AND: I remember a lovely breakfast,,,,cereal,eggs etc..........
(another choice is "egg mcmuffin" and milk at the aiport which would give you protein), (I"m serious)
A hotel on the right bank, Hotel Madison, I know has/or had a very full beautiful breakfast....they arranged a taxi to get us to the airport (and he even detoured to Montmarte for us to show the view to the other couple traveling with us )

Cornelius: If I understand correctly, you are planning to comute 4 times between CDG and central Paris in order to avoid having to commute once (w/ luggage) from central Paris to CDG.

How is this more convenient or less stressful? My question is genuine, not a slam.

Assuming you can change your train booking to bring you into the Gare de Lyon, I would choose a Paris hotel.

We've stayed at the Terminus hotel directly across from the Gare when we do the TGV to Paris before a flight home. We have reservations for the Terminus this coming July too. Nothing fancy - but adequate (spent next to zero time at the hotel - except to sleep). The Gare de Lyon area is not bad at all !!! Pretty architecture in the neighborhood. Last time were we there, we walked the entire Aquaduct to the Opera bldg, then spent a half-day in the Marais.

Bus & Metro service from the Gare is excellent. So for 1 1/2 days, you have access to all of Paris, and can return to your hotel for a mid-day nap or freshen-up/change of clothes before dinner.

We've dined several times at the Train Bleu AT the Gare de Lyon. A feast for the eyes, and the food is better than you might think (we are major foodies - and dine at 30-40 restaurants in France most years).

I would never miss a day IN Paris for an airport hotel. You'll see enough airport environment on the day of your flight - which is a major "bummer" for me.

An airport restaurant is not a Paris dining experience - reminds me of a business convention dinner. Its no way to end a vacation in Europe !!!

Stu Dudley

oops,,,reread my post, not that it makes ANY difference at all. The Hotel Madison is on the LEFT bank off Blvd. St. Germain (not the rightbank)
Hotel Brighton is on the right bank!Rue du Rivoli
Loads of good, comfortable, and reasonable hotels in the center of Paris. ~~~and your choice of what "reasonable"is.~