We leave for Mozambique in just a few short days. My question is: "How much time would be required to sneak out of Charles ed gaul airport and see the Eiffel Tower?" I have a little over a 7 hour lay over in Paris and would love to see this.

Depending on the time of day (and therefore the traffic) a taxi from CDG will take from 30 minutes to one hour. In my worst possible case scenario (two hours total commute) you've still got 5 hours to look at the Tower. The lines to take the elevator to the top of the tower vary greatly also with day and time of day. You can always walk up; hardly any line at all for that.

How long is it to clear security and customs both ways.

Will your bags be checked through to the next destination or are you opting to take delivery and then re-register for the next flight?

I would suggest the possibility that you take a train from the airport to Notre Dame Cathedral (to me a helluva lot more interesting than the Tower) then take the metro to the tower.....total travel time about an hour one way for both trips. I know you're very limited on time but the displaced persons memorial (or whatever they call it, memory fails but it's the memorial to the people who were sent to the Nazi killing camps) kind of to the right rear of ND is well worth visiting IMO and takes maybe 5 minutes. One hour to get out of airport, 2 hours travel time, 2 hours viewing, hopefully with a snack or glass of wine outside on the sidewalk, and you have two hours left to re-board. IMO Paris is the finest city in the world, even if you can't stand cities for very long, like me.

quote:

IMO Paris is the finest city in the world, even if you can't stand cities for very long, like me

A cab ride is going to bevery expensive. Air France used to run a bus service for a few bucks to the Invalides. From there, you can take a cab, but it's been ten years since I was in the City of Lights and can't accurately comment on what the best way to go is now.

Whetever the case, I would prefer Notre Dame for a one stop Paris visit, particularly on a bright sunny day so the clearstory windows are fully illuminated. It's majestic.

quote:

Originally posted by jetdrvr:

quote:

IMO Paris is the finest city in the world, even if you can't stand cities for very long, like me

A cab ride is going to bevery expensive. Air France used to run a bus service for a few bucks to the Ivalides. From there, you can take a cab, but it's been ten years since I was in the City of Lights and can't accurately comment on what the best way to go is now.

Whetever the case, I would prefer Notre Dame for a one stop Paris visit, particularly on a bright sunny day so the clearstory windows are fully illuminated. It's majestic.

I'm glad we finally found something we can agree on. You're probably a lot better person than I imagined.......

quote:

Originally posted by Gatogordo:

quote:

Originally posted by jetdrvr:

quote:

IMO Paris is the finest city in the world, even if you can't stand cities for very long, like me

A cab ride is going to bevery expensive. Air France used to run a bus service for a few bucks to the Invalides. From there, you can take a cab, but it's been ten years since I was in the City of Lights and can't accurately comment on what the best way to go is now.

Whetever the case, I would prefer Notre Dame for a one stop Paris visit, particularly on a bright sunny day so the clearstory windows are fully illuminated. It's majestic.

I'm glad we finally found something we can agree on. You're probably a lot better person than I imagined.......

Well, I suppose that depends on the quality of your imagination...

And, of course, the Metro is the best way to get around, but it takes a while to learn how to use it and on a one day stop, I'd stick to cabs and the airport train. Years ago, I took a cab from the CDG Holiday Inn to the Amex office on Rond Point and it cost me a hundred bucks. I can only imagine what it costs now.