Can you spend the night at Charles De Gaulle?

[Dunderman]

I'm planning a trip to Paris and trying to coordinate it with a couple of friends flying from another city. I've spent entire nights at airports before, and right now the best option seems to be to arrive the evening before my friends, spend the night at Charles De Gaulle and meet up with them in the morning.

Since I can't find anything about opening hours etc on the Charles De Gaulle homepage, I turn to you. Can you spend the night there? Is it open and tolerant of people lying around on benches?

[Martiju]

Absolutely. Have you not heard of this guy (http://www.geektimes.com/michael/culture/reality/merhan-nasseri/stranded.html) ...?

[Dunderman]

Absolutely. Have you not heard of this guy (http://www.geektimes.com/michael/culture/reality/merhan-nasseri/stranded.html) ...?Don't I feel silly. Thanks.

[Colophon]

Just pretend you're German and they'll let you stay for years :D

[psiekier]

Absolutely. Have you not heard of this guy (http://www.geektimes.com/michael/culture/reality/merhan-nasseri/stranded.html) ...?I almost feel like we should ask a moderator to move this to the "Comments on Cecil's Columns" forum; the Master has covered Nasseri in detail:

Has a guy been stuck in the Paris airport since 1988 for lack of the right papers? (http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a990820.html)

[teela brown]

I don't have good memories of the Charles De Gaulle Airport. I'm remembering cramped, dirty, crowded, and icky. If you change your mind, the brand-new Marriott over in the village of Roilly (sp?) right next door via shuttle is of moderate cost and quite nice.

[Cat Jones]

There are the usual hotels there but they may be pricey. I spent the night before a flight there, it was back in 2002 I think - anyway I was in Terminal 3 which is smaller than the others but seemed to have more check-in side seats for dozing in. Being the smaller terminal there wasn't much in the way of facilities but I guess one coffee place is all you need eh ? (Not 24h btw.) It was very bright but there wasn't much coming and going. Terminal 1 doesn't have much in the way of seating. Terminal 2 is a bit spread out and but does have some seats I think I recall.

Personally i would suggest getting a cheap hotel for the night - you're only half an hour / 45 minutes from the centre by public transport. You could get a decent night's kip and then meet your friends the next day either back at CdG or at the place you'll all be staying.

There's an airport bus (the Roissybus) which takes you to "Opéra", an Air France bus which takes you to the Arc de Triomphe and the suburban train (RER) which takes you anywhere on the north south axis.

If you have specific problems feel free to ask.

PS the village is Roissy.

[midwestgirl]

I'd check the sleeping in airports stie: http://www.sleepinginairports.net/europe/paris.htm

I'd probably try priceline for a hotel near the airport, or like the others have said, the Roissybus will take you right into Paris, I've found some very decent rates through Priceline for hotels in Paris over the years.....check biddingfortravel.