Last night in Paris-Stay at CDG?
 

We have a 10:50 am flight back to the states, and we are returning to Paris from a day in Reims. Shall we stay our last night in downtown Paris or near the airport? If we stay downtown, what's the most convenient area for easy access to trains to CDG? Thanks from a Paris rookie....

How are you getting to/from Reims? If by car, I think I would return to CDG as that's in the same direction. If by train, and the train goes to CDG from Reims, I also probably would just stay at the airport for that early of a flight. If you do stay in central Paris, I guess you mean the RER rail to CDG? If you want to want to an RER stop directly, I'd suggest you stay near the Luxembourg RER stop in the Latin Quarter, or even St-Michel. YOu could also stay near Gare du Nord as there is a decent hotel right in front of it, from what I've heard (and it will be cheaper) -- I think the Terminus Nord or something like that. That would be the most convenient for going to CDG early.

Thanks Christina. We are taking a train from Reims to Paris, so we may stay close to one of the stations.

I have stayed at the Terminus NOrd (used to be the Hotel Gare du NOrd) and it is a very adequate hotel and just right for getting the RER to CDG. Enjoy your last night in Paris and not at the airport.

There are a couple of decent hotels--including the only two star listed in the Michelin Red Guide-- near Port-Royal (one stop south from Luxembourg). From there it is a 45 minute ride to the airport. I suspect that you can find cheaper hotels in Paris proper than at CDG; besides, it gives you the opportunity to enjoy Paris for that last evening.

We had the same decision last September. We found the airport hotels overpriced. We decided to stay in Paris and take a cab to CDG early in the morning of departure. To be so near a great City and miss even an evening there, in my opinion, is a mistake.<BR><BR>We stayed a the &quot;Caron de Beaumarchais&quot; ($140/night prox) and had a great meal at &quot;L'Excuse&quot; near St. Paul's.<BR><BR>Good luck!<BR><BR>Anthony

It appears that you will be arriving in Paris in good time. In that case I'd stay in Paris and have the hotel reserve a taxi for the departure the next morning early. I think hotels ususally reserve taxis the day before departure so maybe you should let the hotel know this when making your reservations?

our flight back to the states is at 10:40 and I hadn't even worried about the connection. (biting nails) I have already made reservations at the Folkestone Opera. Will I have any problem getting a taxi or a shuttle back to CDG in plenty of time? We do have one concern; we have no seat assignments and AA told us that they were only given out at the desk in Paris. Said it was something like port control? where they decided which seat you needed when you checked in. and it was new since 9/11. Any comments on this? we have seats together coming over from DFW and we are hoping for an aisle seat for my husband who is big and tall.

brah, you should have no trouble getting a taxi to CDG in time for that unless there is something unusual going on. It's not that early (I might worry if you needed a cab at 4 am, for example). I couldn't get a cab a few times when it was raining as they are in short supply, but that was for going out in the evening during the week, not to get to the airport. (The desk clerk just told me to forget about it and take the bus, they wouldn't come forever.) I certainly would tell them the day before rather than wait until 7 am in the morning, though. I've never had a problem getting one around 9-10 am even without telling them in advance, myself.<BR><BR>If your flight is 10:40, I'd aim to get there around 8 myself and request a cab for 7:15. I don't take shuttles so wouldn't advise on them, but can't imagine why you'd have trouble getting one (beyond the usual, meaning they may or may not come when you want).<BR><BR>I don't think there's anything one can do to help you get a seat on AA if they won't reserve one for you. I wish I knew the secret myself as I seem to always have trouble with that myself. BA, for example, did the same thing to me in August (I don't recall why, they just said that was their process, no reserved seats) and even though I showed up about 3 hrs ahead of time for the flight and no one was there, they claimed all window seats were already taken. So, they were lying somehow when they told me no seat reservations were possible as someone got them, just not me. I asked the clerk what the secret was to getting one of those and she claimed she didn't know. They gave me an aisle, however, and &quot;wait listed&quot; me for a window, which I did then get at the last minute. So, I'd say show up plenty ahead of time and nicely request what you want and hope for the best.