Flying Chicago to Paris is So Easy
We've been loyal United Airlines passengers for more years than I can count and felt like alien, disfranchised people checking in at American Airlines. No stepping on a red carpet. The last ones to board. Just two little peons who happen to be holding free tickets and that made us feel a lot better. A small carry on and backpacks on the evening American Airlines non-stop flight from Chicago to Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) in Paris. How much does a person really need for three days in Paris? Don't forget, you are dealing with two persons who have been known to travel for three to four weeks at a time with just one suitcase each. My feelings have never been hurt when friends compare our look to those of "street people." Perhaps, that's why pickpockets stay away...we look too poor.
In hindsight, we could have traveled with even less! One pair of blue jeans would have sufficed. FASHION NOTE: Please don't listen to people who say only Americans wear blue jeans and running shoes in Paris. Ha! The young fashionistas this November were wearing skinny blue jeans, high black leather boots, pea jacket or bomber jacket and always a scarf. On the majority of "older" people, blue jeans and "bowling shoes" or blue jeans and boots.
Whenever I hear people complain that "United Airlines stinks...Delta sucks...American Airlines is the best..." PU-LEASE. They are all the same. The food is really bad, most of the attendants are surly, and I got bashed in the head by a infant changing table that was right over the toilet. The lock was faulty and as I positioned myself on the toilet - Bam...right in the head! That required an ice pack. Either stay loyal to one airline for the perks or take the cheapest flight if you don't fly enough to make loyalty worthwhile.
A minus for American Airlines is their 767 configuration. No little television screens in the seat backs making it almost impossible to watch whatever movie is being shown on the scant amount of miniscule overhead screens. Glad I brought a book. A plus for American Airlines is they land in Terminal 2 at Charles de Gaulle which is more convenient for taking the RER B line into Paris.
The 7-3/4 hour flight over, through customs and the long walk down into the TGV/RER train station located in Terminal 2. You can use the automatic dispensers to buy your "RER Paris Par Train" tickets or go into the office and buy from an attendant. There were no lines, the attendants speak many languages and you can also use credit cards. A one-way fare on the RER B from Charles de Gaulle Airport into Paris was 8.50 Euros with no discount for a round-trip ticket. Buy your ticket, follow the signs that say "RER Paris Par Train", stairs or escalator down one level and get on the first train standing at the platform. There are both local and express trains that make a few less stops, but it really doesn't make any difference which one you take. They arrive 15 minutes apart...more or less. Allow extra time for your return because they often run late.
The main RER stops are Gare du Nord, Chatelet-Les Halles, St.-Michel-Notre Dame and Luxembourg where you can transfer to a Metro line (correspondence - French word for transferring to another line), exit (sortie, in French), hail a taxi or walk to your hotel. It's important to remember that the trains run only until midnight during the week and 1:00 a.m. on weekends and holidays. I remember one memorable occasion when we barely made the last train out to the airport. Read about a completely disastrous travel day in France.
