Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport (CDG)

Overview

As the gateway to the quintessentially chic and sophisticated city of Paris, Charles de Gaulle Airport processes over 58 million passengers each year. The airport offers passengers a first class airport experience with Playstation areas, high-tech video lounges, stylish restaurants and haute couture boutiques scattered throughout the terminals. Staff are friendly and speak excellent English and there's plenty to do at the airport.

Location

The airport is 14 miles (23km) north east of Paris.

Getting to the city

There is a good train service with the RER B line that serves the airport with connections to the city centre and the Metro station. From the airport RER B can be accessed from terminal 2 railway station stop on the airport shuttle. The RER B line is serviced every fifteen minutes Monday through Friday and takes 50 minutes to the city centre costing €8.40. The Roissy bus line also connects to the city centre and costs €8.40 for the 50 minute drive which buses depart for every 15 to 20 minutes between 7am and 11pm. Air France also runs buses to certain city destinations. The Noctilien night bus runs between 12.30am and 5am with fares depending on destination but below €7.50. Taxis can be found outside the arrivals terminal and should cost €50 to the city centre (Tel: 01 47 39 00 91).

Time

GMT +1 (GMT +2 between last Sunday in March and last Sunday in October).

Contacts

Tel: +33 (0)1 48 62 1212.

see full airport guide

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Paris Orly Airport (ORY)

Overview

Like Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris-Orly Airport offers passengers state-of-the-art facilities and often much shorter queues. The airport is well equipped to serve over 26 million passengers each year. It caters to a number of low-cost carriers, making it easier for passengers across Europe to book cheap flights to Paris.

Location

The airport is nine miles (14km) south of Paris.

Getting to the city

Several choices of public transportaiont methods are the cheapest way to the city centre. RER C trains leave regularly from both terminals and connect to the metro and SNCF train stations. A number of bus services also operate from both terminals such as the Roissy bus line and Air France. Taxis are an expensive albeit fast way to the city centre although they should be avoided in rush hour. Fares usually cost US$35 but are more expensive at night (Tel: 01 47 39 00 91). Airport shuttles also offer door to door service or connections to public transportation stations.

Time

GMT +1 (GMT +2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

Contacts

Tel: +01 49 75 5252.

see full airport guide

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Bordeaux Airport (BOD)

Overview

France is the world's most-visited tourist destination, and one of its most popular areas is its wine region, which is characterised by rolling hills graced by vineyards and cosy villages. While most visitors to the country fly into Paris, traffic to regional airports like Bordeaux Mérignac Airport (BOD) is steadily increasing. Located in the town of Mérignac, six miles (10km) west of Bordeaux, the airport is small and efficient, saving passengers much of the hassle and queues that have become synonymous with Paris' sprawling Charles de Gaulle International Airport. There are almost hourly flights to Bordeaux Airport from Paris, and daily flights to nearly all other French airports. Moreover, it's possible to fly almost anywhere in Europe from Bordeaux, including weekly services to prime destinations such as London, Prague, Geneva, Madrid, Amsterdam, Lisbon and Milan. Another significant attraction of Bordeaux Airport is The Parfumerie Aéroboutique: a great place to do some last-minute gift-shopping for loved ones back home, the Aéroboutique stocks luxurious French cosmetics like L'Occitane skin care products and Terner accessories and jewellery.

Location

The airport is located eight miles (13km) west of Bordeaux.

Getting to the city

There are regular bus services to the city centre from Terminal B taking about 30-45 minutes. Trains from the Arrivals halls transport passengers to the city centre. Taxis are available outside the airport.

Time

GMT +1 (GMT +2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

Contacts

Tel: +33 (0)5 5634 5000.

see full airport guide

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Saint Exupéry International Airport (LYS)

Location

The airport is situated 15 miles (24km) east of Lyon.

Getting to the city

Buses leave regularly for Lyon and the other main towns and cities in the Rhône-Alpes area. Taxis are available outside Terminal 1 Arrivals. There is a TGV train station within walking distance of the airport with regular services to France's main cities, details on the airport website.

Time

GMT +1 (GMT +2 between last Sunday in March and last Sunday in October).

Contacts

Tel: +33 (0)8 26 80 0826.

see full airport guide

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Marseille Provence Airport (MRS)

Overview

Located 16 miles (27km) northwest of Marseille, Marseille Provence Airport is the main air travel hub for the Provence region of southeastern France. The fifth-busiest airport in the country, the facility processes 7.5 million passengers per year.

Marseille Provence Airport serves a holiday region with several popular resort towns, including Aix-en-Provence, Avignon, and Miramas. Several budget airlines offer flights to Marseille Provence Airport, and the facility itself has a 'budget' feel to it with basic facilities and crowded waiting areas.

Flights to Marseille Provence Airport come from cities all over Europe, including major destinations like Paris, London, Rome, Amsterdam, Casablanca, Frankfurt, Geneva, Athens, Barcelona, Istanbul and Lisbon.

Location

The airport is located 15 miles (24km) north of Marseille and 16 miles (26km) south of Aix-en-Provence.

Getting to the city

Shuttle buses leave every 20 minutes for Marseille Saint-Charles Rail Station, where connections can be made to other destinations; buses also connect the airport with Aix-en-Provence bus station and Aix-TGV rail station. Metered taxis are available outside the terminal.

Time

GMT +1 (GMT +2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

Contacts

Tel: +33 (0)4 4214 1414.

see full airport guide

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Nice Cote dAzur Airport (NCE)

Overview

A bustling regional airport located just four miles (6km) west of Nice, Nice Côte d'Azur Airport is the main gateway to the fashionable resorts of the Côte d'Azur, or French Riviera. Tourists bound for Cannes and Monaco fly through Nice Côte d'Azur Airport to avoid the bustle of Paris, and the facility is well-equipped to handle the 10 million passengers who pass through each year.

The airport is efficient and pleasant to fly through, with light and airy terminals filled with duty-free shops and restaurants.

Flights to Nice Côte d'Azur Airport come from destinations all over Europe.

Location

The airport is situated four miles (6km) west of Nice.

Getting to the city

Buses leave regularly for hundreds of destinations between Marseilles and Genoa, and Buses 98 and 99 go into Nice every 20-30 minutes. Bus 98 goes from Terminal 1 into central Nice, while Bus 99 goes to the railway station from both terminals. Both cost €4. TER and SNCF trains go to Cannes and most other main towns and cities from Nice, and the stations are within a mile of the airport.

Time

GMT +1 (GMT +2 between last Sunday in March and last Sunday in October).

Contacts

Tel: +33 (0)8 20 42 3333.

see full airport guide

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Strasbourg Airport (SXB)

Overview

Strasbourg International Airport is a modest, yet efficient, airport southwest of Strasbourg in France. Staff tend to be very helpful and friendly and the airport is run efficiently and smoothly.

The airport is just nine minutes by shuttle-train from Strasbourg. As such, passengers won't find too many amenities within the terminal itself, but its close proximity to town means that it doesn't need a wide selection of restaurants as a quick in-and-out experience is far more favourable.

Location

The airport is nine miles (14km) southwest of Strasbourg.

Getting to the city

There is a regular shuttle bus to Baggersee station where trams can be taken to the city centre. Entzheim train station is a five-minute walk from the airport terminal from where trains connect to the city of Strasbourg. Alternatively taxis are available outside Arrivals.

Time

GMT +1 (GMT +2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

Contacts

Tel: +33 (0)3 88 64 6767.

see full airport guide

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Toulouse Blagnac International Airport (TLS)

Overview

Toulouse Blagnac International Airport is just a short drive from central Toulouse and provides almost seven million passengers a year with easy access to the French Pyrenees.

Situated on the doorstep to the French Alps, Toulouse Blagnac Airport is well connected to airports across Europe and offers the perfect gateway to a fun-filled winter Ski holiday in France.

Location

The airport is located five miles (8km) northwest of Toulouse.

Getting to the city

Buses leave every 20 minutes for Toulouse from outside Arrivals. Taxis are also available.

Time

GMT +1 (GMT +2 between last Sunday in March and last Sunday in October).

Contacts

Tel: +33 (0)5 61 42 4400.

see full airport guide

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Lille Lesquin International Airport (LIL)

Overview

One of France's smaller airports, Lille Airport (also known as Lille-Lesquin Airport or Lesquin Airport) is located four miles (7km) southeast of central Lille. Serving 1.2 million passengers each year, Lille Airport is a nimble facility, taking advantage of its small size to offer efficient and friendly service.

The facility has been nicknamed the '15-minute airport' due to its location in the centre of a complex web of highways that allow quick access to Paris, Belgium, and Dunkirk. Despite being farther out of these areas than larger airports, Lille Airport is ranked as one of the top airports in France for accessibility and punctuality, making it a valid option when on flights to France.

Location

The airport is situated about six miles (10km) from Lille close to the Belgian border.

Getting to the city

The Navette airport shuttle service operates between the arrivals hall and the Euralille shopping centre in the city centre, hourly each day from 5.30am (later on weekends). A return fare costs €7.60. Several taxi companies serve the airport.

Time

GMT +1 (GMT +2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

Contacts

Tel: +33 (0)3 20 49 6880.

see full airport guide

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EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg (BSL)

Overview

Located on the border of Switzerland, France and Germany, EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg has a rather complicated identity. Identified using three different airport codes (BSL, MLH and EAP), the airport is run jointly by France and Switzerland, and passengers from all three countries can directly access the airport without passing through border control.

Inside, the airport is divided into Swiss and French sides depending on which airline and destination the passenger is using, and customs are arranged in a similar way.

EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg is located 3.7 miles (6km) northwest of Basel, Switzerland, and 14 miles (22km) southeast of Mulhouse France; the nearest town in Germany is Freiburg, 43 miles (70km) to the north.

Location

St Louis, France

Getting to the city

There is regular bus service from the airport to a number of local towns, including Basel, Strasbourg, Saint Louis, Mulhouse, Colmar and Freiburg. There is no direct rail service to the airport, but there are train stations in Basel.

Time

GMT +1 (GMT +2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

Contacts

+33 03 8990 3111

see full airport guide

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Calvi – Sainte Catherine Airport (CLY)

Location

The airport is located 4 miles (about 7km) southeast of Calvi.

Getting to the city

A bus service run by Les Beaux Voyages connects the airport with the city of Calvi.

Time

Local time is GMT +1 (GMT +2 between last Sunday in March and last Sunday in October).

Contacts

Tel: +33 49565 8888

see full airport guide

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Chambéry – Savoie Airport (CMF)

Location

The airport is located 6 miles (about 10km) north of Chambéry.

Getting to the city

Time

Local time is GMT +1 (GMT +2 between last Sunday in March and last Sunday in October).

Contacts

Tel: +33 47954 4954

see full airport guide

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Grenoble-Isere Airport (GNB)

Overview

A tiny airport in the south of France, Grenoble-Isere Airport is a popular travel hub for skiers on their way to the French Alps. Located roughly 28 miles (45km) from the town of Grenoble, the airport has coach links to the town, making ground transportation easy and convenient.

Handling fewer than 500,000 passengers each year, Grenoble-Isere Airport is served mostly by budget airlines like Ryanair and Flybe, providing flights to airports in the UK as well as destinations around Europe, including Copenhagen, Gothenburg, Rotterdam, Dublin, Stockholm, Moscow and Tel Aviv.

The small facility, though fairly new, has an unfortunate reputation for long queues and disorganisation; and the congestion is only getting worse as traffic to the airport increases. There are plans to expand the facility, however no date has been set.

Location

The airport is located 28 miles (45km) from Grenoble.

Time

GMT +1 (GMT +2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

see full airport guide

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Nantes Atlantique Airport (NTE)

Overview

One of France's smaller airports, Nantes Atlantique Airport is nonetheless a major air travel hub for western France, processing roughly two million passengers per year. Located five miles (8km) southwest of Nantes in Bouguenais, France, the facility is a modern L-shaped terminal building made up of four halls. Lots of glass walls give the facility an open, airy atmosphere, and it is easy to find your way around.

With no long queues to contend with and friendly staff members on hand, Nantes Atlantique Airport is a pleasure to fly through. Passengers should be aware however, that facilities are very basic and only 3-4 shops and stores are there for entertainment. One fun amenity is the photobooth in Hall 1, where you can take before and after pictures to remember your holiday in France.

Flights to Nantes Atlantique Airport come from around Europe and North Africa, with many domestic connections to other airports in France.

Location

The airport is located five miles (8km) southwest of Nantes in Bouguenais, France.

Time

GMT +1 (GMT +2 between last Sunday in March and last Sunday in October).

see full airport guide

Paris Roissy Airport Taxis: the taxi fares above are intended as a guideline only.