Early arrival flight but later check in

When do you arrive? When is check in? Where is the apartment? How do you plan to get into Paris? I ask these questions so I have the kind of details, assuming you respond, that can lead to more helpful suggestions. For example, if you have 4 hours between the arrival time and check-in time, I’ll tell you that you do not have a ton of time kill and, depending on where you are staying, to go order a snack and hang out in a cafe. Or maybe depending on the facts, the right suggestion is luggage storage at Gare du Nord or elsewhere.

In addition to JHK's excellent questions, have you checked with your Airbnb? Some of them have provisions to store luggage before check in time, and some do not. If yours does, problem solved. If not, then we do need to know all the details, so we can give specific advice.

And you did post in the France forum, but is this arrival to Paris or somewhere else?

And if you’re arriving early, early morning, will you be jet-lagged or sleep deprived. Will getting some breakfast be the first priority, once you have your baggage and have cleared passport control and customs? Generally, some activity that keeps you on your feet, which may be an active sightseeing experience or simply getting from one place to another, can help keep you awake until you've reached a time and place where you can put your feet up and/or get a nap. Having luggage in tow may make things a bit more of a hassle.

Add a day to the front end of your rental period. That way you would actually be arriving late!

JHK and HAROLD thanks for your good questions. We are arriving at 7:45am on a Saturday morning and check in time at the Airbnb is “flexible.” I’ve checked the availability calendar and it does look like it’s booked the night before so we won’t be able to check in early or leave our bags. It’s in Paris in the 3rd Add about 2 miles from the Louvre. I was thinking of getting a private transfer from CDG. I know we will be tired, hungry and not really wanting to fuss around with public transportation and trying to find our way around. (This is our first time in Paris) So breakfast would be good to start with......I would love to hear all suggestions and I’m open to ideas..:Thanks so much!

You don't need a private transfer. Taxis to/from the airports in Paris are fixed-rate. From CDG to the 3rd arrondissement will be 50€ for up to four people and their luggage.

Or a taxi from CDG to Gare du Nord, where there is luggage storage, would also be 50€. Of course in that instance, most people would recommend you just take the RER, but if you don't want to mess with that, I can understand.

This to me is one of the real drawbacks of airBnBs. At a hotel, you can't check in that early
(Well sometimes you can get lucky), but at least you can leave your luggage on site!

Jennifer, I'd say it's still worth asking the host if you can drop your luggage off early, even if you can't check in. (Who knows? The other guests may be headed out early, and the host will already be on site.) If you can't leave luggage there, every train station in Paris except Gare St. Lazare has luggage lockers, and many hotels and other sites will hold luggage for a fee. If you search "luggage storage paris" you'll find many sites/apps.

What I try to do on arrival days is stow my stuff and then walk my butt off. If you can manage to keep moving and stay awake, you're so tuckered out that night that it's easier to sleep on the new schedule. If you're in the 3rd Arrondissement, plenty of stuff like Ile de la Cite (Notre Dame), Ile St. Louis, and the Louvre should be within a healthy walk--and there are plenty of places around to pause at a cafe for people watching.

I would just get a flat rate taxi as Kim suggests for transportation into Paris. As to what to do with the luggage if the apartment is a no go, there are many luggage storage places in Paris. You can use citylocker.fr/en which has dedicated locations for luggage storage. Alternatives are nannybag.com/en or holibag.io/en, both of which have regular businesses that do luggage storage so your stuff might be stored at a corner tabac. Or you could try eelway.com which will pick up your luggage and later deliver it to the location of your choice. I am not a fan, in your situation, of using a train station because none are on the way to your apartment given how you plan to get into Paris and where you are staying. As to what to do to pass the time, I vote for having breakfast and then walking around outside.

I had a delicious breakfast last May with my sister at Chez Julien on Rue du Pont Philippe Louis. It was 16€ and an additional 3€ for eggs. The pastries, juice, and coffee were exceptional as were the eggs and well they should have been given the price. It was absolutely lovely but it could have been the company. A great breakfast place that may be near your apartment is Fragments located on Rue des Tournelles https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187147-d5801101-Reviews-Fragments_Paris-Paris_Ile_de_France.html

JHK Thank you this was the type of thing we were looking for. Perfect!

There are many private luggage storage facilities if you don’t feel like going to the train station (which is a really big train station, you may have to walk quite a bit to find the luggage storage). See https://bagbnb.com/luggage-storage/paris?s=Paris,%20France&lat=48.85661400000001&lng=2.3522219000000177

Take your time leaving the airport--eat, get your Museum Pass, shop a bit. Then taxi to your apt. and go to the nearest cafe with outdoor seating so you can more easily keep your luggage near you and soak in the scenery. Although luggage storage is convenient, it could add a layer of logistics and time that is not needed. Hopefully you will only have an hour or two to kill until check in time. The apt. manager may have a good place to suggest for you to hang out and they might be able to meet you there so you can walk to the apt. together.

I like this idea too. Keeps it simple. Thanks for the input!

That's one reason I don't use Airbnb accommodations. Flying from SFO I arrive in Paris ca 10 am. It's always a non-stop flight.

By noon at the latest, if I don't linger, dilly-dally, etc, I am out of the airport luggage in tow taking the RER to Gare du Nord where my small hotel is.

The hotel room is always reserved for the arrival date.

If my room was not used the night before, I am allowed to access it after check in, obviously prior to the official check-in time.

If the room isn't ready, then I am still allowed to check in regardless when I show up at the hotel. At that point they hold my luggage while I go out and about in Paris.