SCCV 52 CHARLES DE GAULLE

The train to the airport was packed, hot and slow. It decided to terminate at the stop prior to our terminal. So we waited for another train. The walk to the airport is a slow slog, the JetBlue kiosks are antiquated, the lines endless. When you think you’re finally through - you got your bags passed security - the real horror begins: passport control. The line snakes around over 8 times; well over 100 people. And there was only. One. Window. Open. We are seniors so they let us cut most of the line; if not, I may have fainted from the heat and close quarters. Regardless of how old I am. Once through, you really feel like you accomplished something… DEFINITELY arrive 2 1/2 hours prior to take-off. I highly recommend it.

I will say that I find navigation in this airport to be easy. The signage and staff works efficiently together. I always knew where to go and what to do—thank you CDG for that. Moving on, I found this airport to be a mixed bag—nearly each attribute is both good and bad. The style and design of this airport is both modern and attractive, while other parts appear terribly outdated (red carpet, I’m talking to you!). While there are a large number of touristy cafes, many of the exact same items can be found at “grab ‘n go” retail shops at half the cost—use caution. The worst part about this airport, imo, is the gate areas. Seating is not near enough and pathways are narrow. This means that if you need a seat at peak travel times, there will not be one available. This also means that those narrow pathways are completely clogged with waiting passengers—making navigation in the gate areas slow and difficult. A good number of airports have impressed me in many ways. CDG is not one of them. Review based on layovers only at international terminal 2F. I’ve yet to exit or enter CDG. My opinion could change if/when experiencing a different terminal.

This is one of the prettiest airports I’ve ever been to. The architecture is really impressive and feels modern and well designed. The waiting and lounge areas are bright, spacious, and beautiful, which makes the whole travel experience much more pleasant. A great first (or last) impression of Paris.

CDG airport is located in the suburbs of Paris. Despite being one of Europe's busiest transportation hubs, I found it a bit weird. Immigration and customs procedures are manual and there are few counters, resulting in long wait times. The positives are the detailed, multilingual electronic signage system. The seats at the boarding gates are luxurious and comfortable, equipped with numerous charging sockets. Additionally, baggage claim is also very quick. About the negatives, the arrival and departure terminals are quite small with the huge quantity of passengers. There are many beggars and homeless people around. It's quite chaotic and frightening. Terminal 1 only opens at 4 am; before that, the lights are on and passengers are allowed to rest in the departure hall. Most of the staff are unprofessional and unfriendly. Coordination is really terrible, especially at security check, and the staff aren't very helpful there. Many shops and restaurants open from around 6 to 8 AM, and the prices are naturally higher than outside, but it's still OK. The toilets smelled quite bad. And the most shocking thing for me was that the drinking fountain was located right at the entrance to the toilet.

CDG is absolutely massive! I've traveled quite a bit to many airports and this one has to be the largest. It's quite beautiful for the most part with impressive architectural features, various well thought out amenities, and ships and restaurants all over the place. The size of the facility can be problematic. The layout isn't particularly intuitive, and getting from one place to another can be cumbersome. If you have a layover, or you aren't familiar with where you'll be going, do yourself a favor and give yourself plenty of time to figure things out while you're there. A few years ago I had a layover here when returning to the US from Italy and my first flight was delayed. I only had 30 minutes to get to my next gate and my wife and I literally sprinted for the full 30 minutes! It was not a good time!! This trip however, we had a 7hr layover so we had plenty of time to really experience the airport. The bag storage was very convenient, although it's a bit of a walk. If you want to take advantage you'll need to walk to the train station (there are two separate locations but both are next to the train station). Overall, it's a great airport as long as you aren't in a rush.

As the author of The Grant Colson Thriller Series and someone who travels internationally on a regular basis, Charles de Gaulle Airport is one of the major global airport hubs that almost feels like its own city. The scale of the airport is enormous. It serves as one of the primary international gateways into Europe with connections throughout the continent as well as onward access into Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. If you are flying internationally through France, there is a good chance you will eventually pass through Charles de Gaulle. The concourses are broad in many sections, which helps the airport feel less claustrophobic than some other giant hubs. There are also plenty of food options spread throughout the terminals, though the distances between gates can be substantial, so giving yourself a full three-hour arrival window for international travel is definitely smart. The airport is connected to Paris by regional train, making access into the city relatively straightforward even though the airport itself sits well outside central Paris. One thing I genuinely enjoyed was the photography exhibition featuring Henri Cartier-Bresson. Seeing a world-class photography display inside a busy international airport gave the terminal a more cultural feel that fit Paris well. I have also always found the airport visually interesting from a thriller perspective. The scale, international movement, layered terminals, trains, and nonstop activity feel like the kind of place where major geopolitical stories naturally intersect. After years of traveling and writing both thrillers and the Maui Desire Romance Series, I have come to appreciate airports that reflect the identity of the country around them, and Charles de Gaulle definitely feels unmistakably French.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Review Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport is a very large airport with multiple terminals, so it’s important to allow plenty of extra time before your flight. Getting to the airport can sometimes be challenging, as the train service to CDG is occasionally disrupted or delayed. It’s worth checking transportation updates in advance and having some extra time built into your schedule. Inside the airport, some terminals are connected by airport trains, so transferring between areas can take longer than expected. Overall, CDG offers many facilities and services, but because of its size and layout, planning ahead and arriving early can make the experience much smoother. ✈️

Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport is a massive international hub, and you definitely feel the scale as soon as you arrive. There are plenty of shops, lounges, and good transportation options into the city, which makes it convenient overall. That said, navigating the airport can be a bit confusing—especially when trying to get to the rental cars. The signage isn’t always clear, and it can take some time (and a bit of backtracking) to figure out the right direction. Overall, it’s a solid airport with great connectivity, but I’d recommend giving yourself extra time if you need to find services like rental cars.