Getting to CDG Airport - which is the better plan?

For option B you do not exit the station. You merely change there from RER C to RER B. The two RER lines are at right-angles at St-Michel-Notre-Dame, so a cross-platform exchange is not possible. There will be escalators but they may not be working but this route is probably faster. I don't remember which platform is lower so I can't tell you if you will be carrying your luggage up or downstairs. At Denfert-Rochereau, if I recall correctly, you walk up some stairs to switch from the Metro to the RER. Despite that, I like this routing better because I find Denfert-Rochereau a bit easier to manage (less crowded) than St-MIchel-Notre-Dame.

Edit: Just looked it up online and RER B is below RER C so I would take the RER routing. What time of day are you traveling? I find the RER ridiculously crowded during rush hour.

Thank you for the response. After some more research we're considering Le Bus Direct, just slightly more expensive and probably a whole lot easier to navigate with luggage. We'd just have to walk to their Eiffel Tower pickup point. I'm just trying to figure out exactly where that is. Any opinions on Le Bus Direct?

Back in 2013 when the bus service was called Le Cars Air France, we took it from Gare de Lyon to CDG. We almost missed the flight because of surface traffic so be sure to leave tons of extra time for that. The bus is a coach bus and pretty comfortable and your luggage goes in the luggage hold and you do not have to deal with again until CDG -- very nice. It is air conditioned -- we took it during a heatwave so that was also nice but may not be a big deal in September. Make sure that you know which terminal to exit at and don't be like my brother who missed his terminal when he took it and so almost missed his flight. I have not taken the bus since it became Le Bus Direct but their website says that the stop is at 18-20 rue Jean Rey. The Hotel Pullman Paris Tour Eiffel is on rue Jean Rey if that helps.

Thanks, I found the same address as well (18-20). That's about a 6 minute walk for us, which sounds like the best idea. Our flight leaves at 2:00pm. At what time do you think we should catch the Les Bus Direct from the Eiffel Tower stop?

Depending on where you are flying to, you should arrive at CDG either 2 or 3 hours before scheduled departure time. I am an early arriver at the airport so I usually allot 90 minutes for the 45 minute drive. I'd rather spend 45 minutes at the airport than worry about traffic during the ride.

We'll be flying to Iceland and then on to Canada. Like you, I'm far more comfortable being at the airport early. Especially as I've read that CDG can be a difficult airport to navigate. Allowing 90 minutes for the bus and 3 hours for the airport, looks like we should catch Le Bus Direct at 9:45am.

Thanks for your help. :)

You don't need to be there 3 hours before a flight to Iceland. Two hours is enough. Have a great trip!

You don't need to be there 3 hours before a flight to Iceland. Two hours is enough.

True. We took the same flight in April, and got to CDG 3 hours before the flight. Then we had to sit around for over an hour. There was no dedicated Icelandair desk, or any indication where we'd line up. Eventually another airline's desk became Icelandair.

Good to know, thank you both. We'll plan to take the 10:45 bus instead.