Transatlantic flight to Paris/CDG - which side?
 

Which side of the plane, if any will I be able to get a view of Paris on arrival from the US? Thanks in advance.

ttt

Maybe neither. I recall just seeing farm fields.

The runways at CDG are East-West, and the approach depends on wind direction (planes take off and land into the wind). So, which side of the plane you want to be on depends on which way the wind is going to be blowing on the day you arrive, and not being a Paris weather expert, I wouldn't hazzard a guess as to which direction that would be, and even if I knew what the prevailing wind typically is, on any given day, it can be different.

There's usually a slight wind from the east, but approach patterns are so numerous and the factors that select them so variable that you can't really be sure to see Paris on arrival no matter where you sit. Very often you won't notice it at all, as both airports are quite a distance away from the city. In the old days, you couldn't actually overfly the city for security reasons, although for some reason this has now changed (I suppose increasing traffic overrode security concerns).

On one occasion I was very lucky, as our approach to Orly happened to take us directly along the south side of the city, on a very clear night. The entire city was lit up like a gigantic three-dimensional map, with all the major landmarks illuminated and easy to spot, and it was indeed beautiful to behold. But that was just pure luck.

On our last trip we had a great view of the Eiffel Tower, and I think we were sitting on the left side of the plane.

Keep in mind that the approach to Paris from the U.S. is from almost due north. The city is 30km beyond where you land. Remember Lindbergh first made landfall on the Irish coast? Here's a picture:

http://tinyurl.com/7szpd

(Note that the further west you come from, the steeper the angle.)

Okay, some pedant is going to chime in and point out that the air routes aren't perfect great circles.

Gee, I feel lucky. Our flight came in from Amsterdam. Even though I'd never been to Paris before, I recognized landmarks along the Seine as we flew right over town.

Hi R,

Aisle seat.

More room.

You'll be flying at night over water.

For a view of Paris from the air, google "Paris" and click "images".

((I))

You won't if you arrive early in the morning and if the weather is cooperating. Most airlines from the US arrive early in the morning depending on the pattern of the jetstream which airlines use to save fuel and time.

ttt