Leaving for Paris tomorrow (woo-hoo!). My sweetie and I are on different airlines flying into CDG. I'm on USAirways which I understand flies into Terminal 1. He's on Continental which I understand flies into Terminal 2. I'm scheduled to get in about an hour before him. Rather than just meeting at the hotel, I was thinking about trying to go over to Terminal 2 and meet up with him, then take the RER into the city together. Never having flown into CDG before though, is there an obvious place where one can meet arriving passengers, e.g. where they all come out of customs?

Meeting in CDG is subject to some tribulations, in my opinion. It is my least favorite airport!!<BR>There is a shuttle bus from T1 to T2, but T2 is not just one building; it is divided up into 5 separate halls, with a 6th one coming along.<BR>Before deciding fully what you want to do, I recommend that you find out the exact arrival hall in T2. Delta and Air France international flights often arrive at Hall C of Terminal 2. But Hall F, which is on the other side of the RER station, is now in full operation. <BR>Most of the Continental flights I know about are code shared with Air France and land at terminal 2C. BUT, you need to know for sure. Please, no guess work!!<BR>Because you cannot assume that international flights will be on time, I suggest you pick a definite plan for a meeting place and stick to it regardless of who gets there first.<BR><BR>My suggestion for a meeting place is this: Meet at a pastry and sandwich cafe known as La Brioche Doree. It is located in Hall C of Terminal 2. It located at the end of Hall C where there is a connecting walkway to Hall A and stairs that lead down to a shopping area and a connecting walkway to Halls B and D.<BR><BR>Any meeting place should be visible, centrally located, and offer a place to sit. I think La Brioche Doree meets these requirements.<BR><BR>It also provides an opportunity to eat some of the best pastry you will find in Paris and have a cup of coffee. Better still, most French cafes of this type will let you sit there for a long time as long as you are a paying customer. <BR><BR>Meeting at the customs exit might work, but there is a constant stream of people coming out of the gate and you do not know exactly when the passengers from a given flight will emerge. All incoming passengers must go through passport control and then walk through the customs gate. The last time I went through, the official was sitting at a desk reading something and people were streaming through in droves. <BR><BR>Also, you do not know for sure who will get there first. So meeting at a cafe would cover the situation regardless of who arrives first.<BR><BR>Good luck.<BR><BR>

Thanks, Bob. Do all passengers arriving at Terminal 2 go through the same passport control & customs route, or are there separate customs exits for each Hall at terminal 2? I checked, and it appears that Continental arrives at Terminal 2 Hall C.

Hall C has its own passport control and customs exit from the arrival gates.<BR>In fact T2 is really a collection of 5 separate buildings, with a 6th one on the way. Usually trans Atlantic flights with Air France, or with airlines that code share with Air France, use T2 with Hall C being the most used building.<BR><BR>The two times I have arrived at Hall C, we had to exit the airplane out on the tarmac and then ride a shuttle bus into the gate area. Then we went upstairs and waited out the line to get through passport control. Citizens of European nations that belong to the EU go through a special gate. The rest of us have to stand in line at passport control. The experienced people push up to the window as fast as they can to shorten the wait. <BR><BR>After passport control, you proceed to the customs office. Usually, the customs check is meaningless, but if those guys are acting on a tip and are looking for something contraband, the game suddenly changes. <BR><BR>Last year we landed at T1 and the passport and customs checks were minimal. That, however, was just before Sept. 11. I am not sure what to expect now. <BR><BR>There is a big diagram of CDG, T2 at this location:<BR>http://www.adp.fr/webadp/a_cont01_an.nsf/$$Affich?ReadForm&cle=X500520524<BR>

Bob,<BR>Is La Brioche Doree after U clear customs and baggage area?