Sleeping in Airports

Sleeping in Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport

Paris CDG airport
(Photo courtesy of Przemek / 12Jun2008)

sleeping in paris charles de gaulle airport

If you’re dealing with a long layover or an early morning flight departure at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport, you might be wondering if it is possible to sleep in the airport. Our guide to sleeping in Paris airport provides essential information for seasoned airport sleepers and newbies to help travellers arrive prepared for the experience.

We keep this guide up-to-date with the help of airport sleepers who have generously shared their experiences and airport reviews. If you have any tips or photos to contribute, please take a moment to write a review. Your feedback will help us stay informed about the latest advice for future sleepy travellers.

Sleeping in Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport Overnight

Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport is open 24 hours, but if you don’t go through security before the checkpoints close for the night, around 11:00 PM or later, you must stay in the check-in or arrivals area on the landside.

Locations & Seating

The seating availability here varies widely across the many terminals and concourses, though the seats are equipped with armrests. Some travellers have luck pushing seats with armrests together to form makeshift beds. Terminals 2A and 2E are reportedly the most comfortable for overnight stays, with T2E offering the most seating options.

Here are good sleep spots that travellers have reported:

  • In Terminal 2D, look for the coffee machine with a small nook that, aside from the noise of the cleaning staff and the lights left on, reportedly provides a quiet and comfortable spot for sleeping.
  • In Terminal 2E, head to Gate L, upstairs from the train, for orange couches.
  • In Terminal 2E, a free rest area near Yotel has carpeting, making it much quieter.
  • Landside, many check-in counters have soft seating areas in front of them.

Travellers recommend avoiding the Metro stop for sleeping. Security guards may not patrol the station itself, so homeless and vagrants tend to gather here.

Do you know a good location, airport tip or photos to add? Click here for our review form.

Rest Zones

Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport offers one or more designated rest zones with semi-reclined lounge chairs, perfect for relaxing and napping before your flight. At least one such rest zone is at the far end of Terminal 2E, near Gate K30.

Hotels

paris airport hotelsWould you prefer privacy and comfort? A transit hotel is available if you want a good, solid sleep between flights without the stress of going through security. YOTELAIR  has 80 rooms, rentable by the hour or overnight. The rooms are equipped with a private shower. YOTELAIR is located in Terminal 2E, Satellite L, so it is only accessible to those travellers departing for or in transit to or from a destination outside of the European Union (excluding the UK) from Terminal 2E, K, L, or M.  If you don’t qualify for a transit hotel, on-site hotel options include Ibis, Citizen M, Hilton, Sheraton and Novotel. Several more hotels are located within a short drive of the airport. See the hotel section in our Airport Guide for locations, or visit Tripadvisor to find hotel deals at Charles de Gaulle Airport.

Lounges

paris airport loungesWhile Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport has several lounges, none have designated sleep rooms or rest areas. If you only want to relax in a comfortable seat for a few hours before your flight, check out this list of lounges in our Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport Guide that you can pay to access.

Airport Conditions

If you plan to spend the night at the airport, here are a few things to keep in mind:

  • Temperature – Expect chilly temperatures all night, no matter the time of year. Arrive prepared with a blanket or even a sleeping bag. A hoodie provides extra warmth if the terminal gets even colder.
  • Lighting – Lights seem to stay brightly lit throughout the night. Come prepared with eyeshades or something else to cover your eyes, such as a shirt or towel.
  • Noise – The noise here is what you’d expect of a major international airport. During the day, you’ll hear the noise from frequent announcements, TVs and speakers, and other travellers and airport workers. It quietens significantly at night, but still expect noise from cleaning crews, security guards, and other campers. Come prepared with earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones.

Airport Staff

Airport staff are generally tolerant of sleepers and overnight campers. Some travellers have mentioned specific reports of security guards helping them with their overnight stay, especially women and those travelling alone. Ask airport staff where they recommend you spend the night, as they may direct you away from dark corners or towards a more popular spot with better visibility and safety.

Weather Delays

Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport sees more than its fair share of flight cancellations due to bad weather or transportation strikes, but this means they are more prepared than other airports. When mass cancellations happen at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, cots are available for stranded passengers who opt against getting a hotel room. To find them, ask an airline or airport employee or use a courtesy phone to reach someone with access to this information.

Please note that cots cannot be reserved in advance, and they are not available simply because you decided to spend the night at the airport before an early-morning departure.

Showers

Freshen up (and loosen those stiff muscles) with a shower before your flight. Showers can be found in a few pay-to-use lounges and the YOTELAIR transit hotel. Please review our Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport Guide for locations and details.

Food & Drink

No food concessions stay open 24 hours, so stock up on food and water before the eateries and convenience stores close for the night.

Security & Safety

At the time of this update, many travellers have felt safe at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, especially with airport security on patrol throughout the night. A few travellers have reported homeless and vagrants congregating in the Metro station. One incident in particular involved a person pretending to need help and asking for 15 euros to “borrow” for a few minutes, only to disappear altogether.

Sleeping in any airport can include a certain risk level, especially when travelling alone. It’s essential to take certain precautions to ensure your safety and the security of your valuables. Here are a few tips:

  • Safety First. It’s a good idea to know where the security office is and look for video cameras where you plan to sleep. You can also ask the security personnel for advice on the safest places to spend the night.
  • Don’t Seclude Yourself. If you’re travelling alone, we recommend you stay near other travellers or close to security. This will help you feel more secure and deter potential thieves.
  • Hide Your Valuables. It’s also important to hide your valuables. Please don’t leave them out in plain view, as this could make you a target for theft. Additionally, if you are a deep sleeper, you may want to padlock your bag to something or sleep with your bag up against a wall to make it harder for someone to access zippers and pockets. We have received reports of sleepers who awoke without their phones and laptop bags. The travellers were left with just their headphones and laptop bag strap.
  • Stay Alert. It’s best to stay alert and awake if you feel unsafe or uncomfortable. Drink coffee or other caffeinated beverages to help you stay sharp, and remember that you can always catch up on sleep during your flight. These simple precautions can help you enjoy a safe night at the airport.

Pro-tip: If you sleep in the public zone, don’t be surprised if you receive an early morning wake-up call. Security is known to make the rounds, waking people up as travellers arrive for morning flights.

Write a Review

To help us keep this page up-to-date for future airport sleepers, write a review about your experience sleeping in Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.

Airport Photo Gallery

Thank you to the airport sleepers who have written reviews and shared their airport photos to help future travellers. Click here to add your airport photos.