PARIS Layover - time for exploration?
 

I have a 6 hour layover in Paris - 7am thru 2pm

Is that enough time to exit airport, get into the city for some brief exploration? Help!

It is not enough time to clear passport control, customs, get transportation to town and back and then check in for your new flight without causing yourself needless anxiety. There is enough to do at CDG to keep you amused for a few hours. And if you ask nicely you might be able to get into your airline's lounge to find a quiet place to read up on your ultimate destination.

Agree, not nearly enough time. Shop the Duty FRee.

I agree. Remember - you <i>may</i> touch down at 0700, but it may be 0830 or even later before you are able to jump on any transport into Paris. Now, it does look like you have already factored that in and only counted 6 hours. But still - sitting out on the tarmac waiting for the shuttle bus into the terminals will really eat into your free time.

And coming back, security lines at CDG can be dreadful, or not bad, but you won't know until it is too late.

Eat, shop, rest up . . . . .

The correct answer is neither &quot;yes&quot; nor &quot;no&quot; because no one here can predict when your inbound will actually arrive nor when you will clear customs and immigration.

If your luggage is checked through and you can check in for your outbound flight before leaving the airport, the only thing you will have to contend with when you come back is security, for which I would allow an hour to be safe. Add to that the time needed to get from the RER station to your gate. Since that is unspecified, the following assumes they're next to one another:

You would need to be on the RER back to CDG within a hour and a half of departure time. Since it takes a half hour to get to the city, two hours will be consumed in transit plus security.

So, if flight delay and customs and immigration allow you to get to town a couple of hours before you have to go back, I'd say: go for it.

Best case, airport chores will total two hours, transport one hour, so you will have three hours to sit by the Seine and sip your <i>1664</i>. Obviously, if you have to change terminals and don't get out of immigration until D minus 3h and/or your flight is late etc. etc., it may not be possible.

Play it by ear.

(I recommend buying a Five-Zone <i>Paris Visite</i> card to cover all your transport needs - RER, M&eacute;tro, and bus.)