Is a 6 hour layover in CDG long enough to go to Paris, eat and go back?

[karnitas]

Hi there.

I have a 6 hour lay-over in Paris next week, on my way to Kabul (long story). I arrive in Paris at 7:30 in the morning and depart 1:30 for Dubai.

I'm looking for a nice coffee and some pastries and the chance to stretch my legs a little. Is CDG like Schipol-Amsterdam, where a short 15 min train ride can get you to downtown?

I've never been to Paris, so I'm asking. Is it worth getting on a train and going into Paris? Or is there something nearby? Or is all the security and transits not worth the hassle and I should just eat in the terminal?

Thanks for your advice.

[souphie]

The train ride downtown from CDG is 40 minutes. You can do some great food shopping near Saint Michel but I'm not sure how much you can take with you. It can be worth it, assuming you actually have six hours.

[PBSF]

Estimating the time it takes to get into Paris and return to CDG, you would probably have about 2 hours of leisure time. As the above stated, it takes 40 minutes for the train to get from the RER train at the airport to either Les Halles or Saint Michel, the two stops with many nearby shops and cafes.. Allow another 20 minutes each way to go between airport and the RER train terminals. Depending on arrivals, the line to purchase a RER train ticket can be another wait unless you know how to use the ticket machines. I've waited as long as 20 minutes on early arrivals from CDG1. You will probably get into Paris around 9am and need to board a return train at 11am. Is it worth it would depend on the individual's ability to deal with jet lag, a new city, unfamiliar situations, etc. The logistics are pretty straight forward but do plan well and get the details down so one doesn't spend too much time looking for things and feeling lost. Most guide books such as Lonely Planet and Time Out have very good instructions and maps on getting from the airport to Paris.
From my experiences, neither terminals of CDG offers much in terms of food or shopping, nothing like Schipol-Amsterdam.

[ChefJune]

<You will probably get into Paris around 9am and need to board a return train at 11am.>

A downside of this is many shops don't open until 10 AM! As sad as I am to have to say this, I think you are better off (and will be less frazzled) if you stay at the airport.

[patz]

Gare du Nord also has a number of surrounding shops and sights - and there are several threads dedicated to finding these on a short layover (personally I would rather spend a short time in the city than so many hours in CDG!)

[spacesasha]

In all honesty this sounds like a hassle to me. Unless you have a friend who can pick you up I would stay at the airport and just go to the best food option they have available in your terminal.

[f2dat06]

Agreed, I would only try this dash into town and back if fully prepared to miss your connecting flight. Remember, you will have to go back through security when you return to CDG. To a first time user the RER can be confusing. On the return trip from Paris you can easily get on the wrong RER B train and end up at Mittry Claye rather than CDG.

[fanoffrance]

The RER to CDG doesn't always run on time, either. The last time I used it (April 9), some punks swiped someone's laptop, causing the police to delay the train about 15 minutes. The French lady sitting across from me said that such delays were frequent, due to the nasty neighborhoods through which this train passes.

[CJT]

Don't even chance it! We missed a connecting flight in CDG a while back because French police exploded a piece of baggage which was not claimed and this caused them to close a terminal we needed to use to get to our gate. We had to detour through another terminal and this delay caused us to miss our flight because the buses had all left the gate area to drive to the plane -- this happened even though we arrived with 15 minutes to spare before scheduled departure time. You never know in Paris what might go wrong to foul up your plans.

[karnitas]

Thanks all for your responses.

I think Paris and a good meal will have to wait.

[ChefJune]

Karnitas, console yourself with the knowledge that restaurants in Paris don't begin serving lunch to anyone before noon, and there's NO way you would be finished in time to make a 1:30 flight.

[souvenir]

If your travel stars line up correctly, sound like you might have ~8:15-11:15 as a gap.

So, here's another thought. If you do have to exit and re-enter security regardless, and you end up with a couple of hours free, you could take one of the free airport shuttles and go to one of the airport hotels for breakfast, or to the little village of Roissy. In the village, you could walk around and see if there is anything open that suits you. We walked around it one evening, so I can't give you a sense of the morning and what's open, but I think you would be able to get a coffee and bread or pastries, and be outside of the airport environment.

Here is another earlier thread where I wrote a bit about a couple of my food experiences near CDG.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/584782

The Office of Tourism for Roissy has a good site listing food options:
http://www.office-tourisme-roissy.com/roissy-restauration-liste.php
and a good map that would give you a sense of the little village and where things are:
http://www.office-tourisme-roissy.com...

Hope this is helpful, -sou

[kinoko24]

As a flight attendant for a major airline, I spend lots of time on layover in CDG. An easy thing to do is to get the Roissy-bus RATP coach which goes direct to Paris Opera in 50 minutes for around 9 euros, there is a stop at each terminal. Once there you are few steps away from Galeries Lafayette department store. Go direct to the deli section Lafayette Gourmet on the first floor, there, it is food paradise for take away or there is a couple of small cafés which will be open already. You will have limited time but you can enjoy a stroll in Rue de la Paix and Place Vendôme before getting back on the bus. Dont get carried away with shopping though or you´ll never make the flight!!!