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I have a connecting flight on Air France from Paris CDG to Toulouse at 8:30 on Saturday whereas my original flight from my home country lands at 19:00 hours at Paris on Friday. This means that I would be left with a little more than 12 hours at the airport but since it would be evening, joining the hop-on/off tour of Paris doesn't seem like a viable option to kill time.

Owing to night-flying restrictions, I had observed that German airports tend to seem quite desolate at night and I am unsure whether the situation is similar in France as well. Hence, I was wondering if it would be possible at all to spend the night at CDG airport without boring myself to death, and if so, whether it would be a secure option.

Alternatively, is there any budget hostel near the airport, safe for a single traveler, that you would recommend? Once again, my concern stems from my observation in Germany that the cheapest hostels tend to be located near the Hauptbahnhofs, which are not exactly in the best possible localities. Although I am aware that there are hotels available around 0.2 km from CDG, they appear to be overpriced and beyond my budgetary restrictions.

Thanks for your suggestions! I really appreciate your help.

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I've slept in Orly airport (Paris's other international airport) - we connected a few rows of chairs together and were able to stretch out across them, slept remarkably well until the morning passengers started arriving around 4.30-5am. I would presume CDG would be similar.

My go-to resource for this is usually SleepinginAirports. Their page on CDG includes several reviews of other sleepers, who confirm that even security was fine with it, and they just found a secluded area and got a decent sleep.

May I also recommend our other question - What are some security tactics for sleeping in airports? for suggestions on security and safety. It's generally fine though, and I've done it in many airports around the world without issue.

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    Thanks for all the suggestions everybody! From what I experienced first-hand, CDG proved to be quite a safe airport and I was indeed able to get a bit of sleep in a quiet spot. I would soon add my review to the SleepinginAirports page.
    – ACuriousMind
    Dec 15, 2014 at 7:24
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Aéroports de Paris (ADP), the company which handles the Parisian airports, has set up a lounge in both CDG Terminal 1 and ORY Sud. The Salon Icare, is accessible to all passengers, regardless of the ticket "class" for a fixed fee of 30€ + 5€ for the booking (frais de dossier). If you were to arrive in/depart from Terminal 2, the ADP website suggests you ask your respective airlines for information on how to access the Salon.

The salon is apparently equipped with couches, and could therefore provide a viable alternative to sleeping on the somewhat uncomfortable metal seats that are scattered across the terminal. Note that you have to reserve your place online prior to arriving in the airport. The reservation can be done here.

A quick check of the terms and conditions of the Salon Icare revealed that it is not open 24h. Rather, it opens between 07.00 and 21.00 in CDG. Moreover, according to the same document, the maximum allowed stay in the Salon is 3 hours per person, starting from the arrival time selected on the reservation form. Setting aside the fact that this seems incredibly strict for a (well) paid service -- total price of ~12€ per hour -- it also inevitably means that you will not be able to spend the night in the Salon Icare. You can however spend at least three hours of your stay in CDG sitting/stretched on more comfortable seats than the ones found in the terminal building.

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  • I think that any airport hotel is cheaper in the long run...
    – Alexander
    Dec 10, 2014 at 17:17
  • @Alexander After reading the terms carefully, so do I.
    – JoErNanO ♦
    Dec 10, 2014 at 17:18
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I spent the night in Charles de Gaules a few years ago. The airport is almost empty until around 5h30 when people start to arrive and make the checkins for the early flights.

Unless you bring something to do or you sleep you will be bored to death. There is not much happening (like in any other airport).

Other than that it seemed a quiet and safe airport. I found a nice place to rest and sleep a bit. There were a few other travelers in the same situation. No one bothers you.

If you decide to stay I would advise you do the check-in as soon as possible (if you have to). At least you get rid of some luggage and can either walk around more freely and pass through security and be in a less public area. Like I told before, it's a safe airport, but being in a restricted area allways gives a bit more peace of mind and confort. Unfortunatly I was not able to do that since the company I used only accepted checkins starting 2h before the flight.

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In the same situation a few years ago, on the recommendation of a French friend, I stayed in the Hotel Ibis, which basically connects with the airport (easy walk from terminals). Tiny rooms but clean and modern, wifi etc...and cheap!

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    With a starting price of 89€ I would not say it is cheap. I would say it is cheaper compared to hotels in Paris. :)
    – JoErNanO ♦
    Dec 10, 2014 at 14:59
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    Fair enough. But it's about as cheap as it gets for a room in a hotel directly adjoining any major airport in the world. Whether a bed and a shower and quiet is worth the price compared to sleeping on seats in the airport for free is obviously an individual choice.
    – harlingford
    Dec 11, 2014 at 16:33
  • Yes, the Hotel Ibis is absolutely fantastic, and incredibly cheap for what you get. But sure, if you're a young student traveller, have fun and sleep on a chair in the airport. Thanks for the report that you CAN indeed sleep at CDG, I had no idea.
    – Fattie
    Jun 15, 2016 at 12:54

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