A Layover at Paris CDG airport

Paris CDG airport can be a long ordeal for a layover. Since it is quite outside the city and in industrial area you have very few options.




For less than 4 hours
Its best suited to stay put within airport. Between T1, T2 and T3 you would be busy enough to move from one terminal to another. CDG has its fair share of duty free, lounge, cafe to wander. If you want to get pampered the Sheraton hotel offers a Spa as well.

For 4 to 7 hours
Assuming you have landed in T1, between immigration and baggage collection, you would have lost 30-45 min. Going to the city is 35-40 min by RER train one way. It is not recommended to visit the city if you have less than 7 hours. That does not mean you need to be stuck at the airport.
Take the free Airport Shuttle to T3 and from there catch the free buss to Aeroville mall. Its about 15 min from T3 and runs at a frequency of ~30min. There is a free baggage drop at Aeroville on first floor as soon as you enter. The mall itself is pretty large with good choice of outlets and a multiplex. You can easily spend 2 hours in the mall and then get back to the airport. There is no "other option" besides Aeroville near CDG

For more than 7 hours
This time should be good enough for a quick trip to the city. Head to T2, you have the baggage locker on first floor (not sure of the prices). Take the return RER ticket which costs 10 Euro one way to save time. The train would drop you at Paris Chatelet station in 35 min. You can off-course visit the Louvre Museum for the famous paintings but then you wont be able to do anything else. You have the Royal Palace, Notre-Dam Cathedral, Concord Plaza, Saint Chapelle amongst the options nearby. You can try the Eiffel tower but you would need to change trains from Paris Chatelet or catch a cab.

Just ensure you are back on time for your flight at T2 if you have stowed your luggage.

Hope this helps your trip via Paris a lit more adventurous and little less boring at the CDG!