Navigating the Airports of Paris

Flying in to the French capital can sometimes seem a little confusing, given there are actually several airports all claiming to be ‘Paris Airport’! In the modern world, this isn’t that unusual in itself - but it certainly can be confusing.

Here is a quick summary of the main airports in Paris and their purpose.

Paris – Charles de Gaulle (CDG)

This is the newest of the city's airports and it sits about 23kms (15 miles) northeast of Paris. It’s close to the town of Roissy and for that reason, sometimes to the confusion of travellers, some airlines and official bodies still refer to it as Roissy Airport. An ultra-modern complex with three terminals, it handles the bulk of long haul flights to and from Paris and has excellent rail and road link connections to the city. It takes about 30 minutes by rail to Gare du Nord, in the centre of the city.

Orly Airport (ORY)

Located 13kms (8 miles) south of Paris, Orly Airport (sometimes called Paris-Orly) is smaller than Charles de Gaulle but large and busy nonetheless. Today it handles largely domestic and European traffic from its two terminals. Connections by train, road and tram into the city centre are fast and reasonably priced.

Paris Le Bourget (LBG)

Situated to the northeast at roughly the same distance as Orly, Le Bourget was the original Paris Airport. It has huge significance in the history of aviation, due to associations with Lindberg’s transatlantic flight and other great milestones. However, as the 20th century advanced it rapidly became too small for purpose. The last international flight landed there in 1977, since which time it has been used largely for general aviation such as private aircraft and goods.

Paris Beauvais (BVA)

Officially called Beauvais-Tillé Airport, this one is actually 85kms (53 miles) northeast of Paris – despite this, it still likes to be referred to as a Paris airport! It largely handles charter flights and an increasing number of budget airline flights, notionally to Paris.

In fairness, most official bodies do not use the 'Paris' prefix but it is widely used by low-cost airlines in what some see as a controversial marketing ploy. Connections to Paris are by road and take a little over one hour, subject to traffic conditions.

Despite the distance, due to its small size and more casual nature, Beauvais shouldn’t be dismissed as a choice. Exit from the aircraft, baggage reclaim and customs clearance can all be very fast when compared to the larger airports, and that might offer some compensation for the greater time it takes to get in to the city.

Which Airport is for You?

In many cases you may have little choice. Most trans-continental flights will use Charles de Gaulle, as do most European ones. If you’re travelling from some parts of Europe you may land at Orly but, unless you’re fortunate enough to be able to afford your own aircraft, it’s unlikely you’ll ever land at Le Bourget!

All three Paris passenger airports (including Beauvais) have their advantages, but for most, Charles de Gaulle will be the gateway to the French capital. Transfers from Charles de Gaulle Airport to Paris operate regularly and are a reasonably priced and highly convenient way to get to your accommodation. It does pay to note, however, that it is a very busy airport, so it is advisable to book your Charles de Gaulle Airport to Paris transfer in advance online.

Lukas Johannes is a driver for Shuttle Direct. If you’re looking for a transfer from Charles de Gaulle Airport to Paris, Shuttle Direct provide pre-booked shuttles to major destinations all over Europe. Wherever you travel, Shuttle Direct can make sure that you don’t miss your car on your holiday abroad.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.