According to an article in Le Monde today, a baggage theft ring has been caught at Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport with approximately 450,000 euros worth of stolen goods.  The baggage handlers’ finds included computers, iPods, iPhones, cell phones, jewelry, perfume, luxury shoes and travelers checks.  Many items were later sold on eBay.  In 2007, there were 621 baggage theft complaints filed at Terminal 2 which is up 24% over 2006.  So, next time you travel to Paris, be careful of what you put in your checked baggage! 

Baggage tips aside, here is some more information on traveling by air to Paris.  Roissy-Charles de Gaulle (CDG) is located about 14 miles northeast of Paris and Orly is approximately 8 1/2 miles to the south of Paris.  You can get to the larger of the two, CDG, from Paris and vice versa as well as travel between the two airports by car, taxi, bus or RER (suburban metro) among other ways.  I think the most convenient are the RER and TGV, but I’ve taken the Roissybus and it is also quite reliable.  AirFrance also provides bus services to both airports, but their service is a bit more expensive than the other public transport services.  You can also arrange a VIP Airport Shuttle if you plan ahead.  If you will be traveling by train to another city, there is also a TGV (high-speed train) station at the airport. 

If you are planning on flying into or through Paris, go to the Paris Airports website which may be of use to you.  It is available in French and English.  If you want to see the English version, just click on the British flag in the top right-hand corner.  There, you will find more detailed information including directions and times/prices for transportation services.  You can download airport maps and plan terminal shopping excursions for your layovers with their shop finder.  And you can even plan a car trip as it will give you directions, toll information, distances, travel times and even the amount of money you should plan on for gas!

This summer from July 21st to September 15th, the Charles de Gaulle airport hosted CDG-Plage where you could sit in beach chairs under palm trees situated in various areas and enjoy the colorful beach decoration.  This is part of their attempts to offer a wide range of entertainment for passengers on layovers.  Year-round, they also provide Playstation and Gulli areas, hopscotch carpets, play areas with slides and more, educational games, cartoons, etc. throughout the airport for the young and old.  Other passenger services include massages, manicures and hair and skin care and makeup at the beauty salons as well as prayer areas, post offices, tourist information, medical services and Internet. 

Bon voyage!