How bad is CDG airport?

Smiley_Mum

Does anyone know what CDG airport, Paris is like? It's been slated in most of the sites I've looked at, is it really as bad as they say? Please tell me what your experiences are of it, going peak summer with kids in tow, having nightmares!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also, any info on reasonable hotels near to CDG airport would be much appreciated. TIA

Fossil_2

The airport is 'bare concrete everywhere' for starters which IMO is ugly. It can take some time to get to the gates as they are spread out via 'satellites', but there are escalators/travellators to help out abit. Hardly any signs in English.

So many terminals that even my relatives had trouble picking us up from the airport by car


Please note that my views are from 1994 and 2001 when I last flew there, and I forgot which terminals I was in.

malolo

Last time I was in CDG was way before all the new terror laws were introduced and they were crazy about blowing unattended bags up, so I hate to think what they'll be like now.

It's never a good idea to leave your bags left unattended but I'd say CDG is one of the places that you're guaranteed never to see your bags again if you do.

khizman

who leaves their bags unattended anyway?
you really would have to be stupid to.

Smiley_Mum

I'd better buy some wrist harnesses for the kids too. I'm trying not to worry but I've not had anyone say a good word about the place. Isn't that terrible.

MarkyMarkD

It was pretty ugly and horrible when we were there last year. As stated above, it has huge amounts of bare concrete. The shopping facilities were rubbish too, for a major capital city's airport, but they were in the process of thinking about doing some major renovation.

Smiley_Mum

My first visit to France and am visiting the Loire Valley. Planned on stopping in Paris overnight as the kids wanted to go to the Eiffel Tower and then head down the following day. Now I think I will just go direct from the airport to save the hassle, the kids will be deadbeat but it will cut the stress levels a bit. Kids, luggage, language barrier, peak season, busy, noise - I must be flippin nuts! God help anyone who gets in my way when I step off the plane - GODZILLA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

nearlyrich

I haven't been there for about 10 years so I can't really comment, I know that there are a few international hotels on the perimeter. Airports are usually awful, there are a couple of exceptions, Singapore is the best in my opinion.

Smiley_Mum

I'd have to scour the MSE site for about twenty years to cover a cost to Singapore. Singapore is supposed to be really clean, they don't even allow chewing gum, do they? France is our limit for now, pity about CDG being, what appears to be, the worst airport in Europe but if I can get myself, kids, and luggage out alive, I'll be a happy camper. :-) If I have to strap the kids to my back and run like hell to get the train out of the black hole of CDG, I'll do it. :-)

Al_Mac

Our only problem was lack of signs, and euro disney not being where about 10 groups of people worked out they should be. Found them in the end.

Oh, and where we were standing collapsing and killing people a few days late.

Sorry, doom and gloom.;)

Smiley_Mum

People keep asking me if we are going to Euro Disney, boy I think I'll have my work cut out just getting to where I need to go. The kids are a little young anyway. The speed I walk they would have arms like orangutans trying to keep up with me. The little one has yet to find that out as he is gradually being weaned out of his buggy for the major shock to the system holiday to France in the Summer. It'll be a blur. Thanks everyone for your time in replying etc. Appreciate it.