Paris overnight or CDG overnight advice please

I would pick option two and stay in the city near a station the RER-B commuter trains stop at. The most convenient stops for tourists are St-Michel-Notre-Dame and Chatelet-Les Halles. RER-B trains from those two stations take about 40 minutes to reach CDG Airport.

If you are planning to rent a car from CDG to get to Normandy, I would do option 2. If you planning to get to Normandy by train, I would still do option 2 but I would meet up at Gare St. Lazare not CDG.

Stay in the city.

How are you getting to Normandy? Kenko has given you good advice.

WOW !!

responses were quick on this and I do appreciate it !
We need to meet our friends at the airport to assist them.. having them meet us at the train station is not an option. They are not seasoned travelers... We are going to Bayeux by train... they have a day trip to Normandy with a tour group the following day.
I know this is going out of our way but it will be a trip of a lifetime for one of them and I don't want any stress with the unknown for them.
I appreciate the advice on staying in Paris - and the transport to CDG the next morning...
thank you all very much
Monica

Are your friends able to follow the signs to the to the official taxi stand at CDG? They could take a taxi to the hotel you are staying at in Paris. Then the 4 of you could take a taxi to Gare St. Lazare.

I made reservations at a hotel near the RER B St. Michel/Notre Dame for that night - thanks for your expert advice !
I know I could follow the signs but - I said I would be at the airport and we would taxi together to the train station..
if I felt they could do this without any stress, I would ask... but, its easier to just meet them there.... they will be on an overnight flight and I will have slept blissfully in Paris so a little inconvenience on my part is not a big deal.
thanks everyone again !
Monica

Jean has the right idea -- have them take a cab to your hotel in Paris -- It is nuts to waste time and money going back and forth to the airport. If they are truly unable to get a cab then arrange a car with their name on a board to get them to the hotel -- In the morning you will all need to get to Gare St. Lazare and coming from CDG into Paris to get the train is an unnecessary step. Have everyone meet up in Paris for that train.

There are several trains from Paris CDG Airport to Bayeux that do not go into Paris at all. So, it’s not the case that you will have to leave from central Paris’ St. Lazare train station to travel to Bayeux. Some trains travel from CDG to Massy TGV station south of Paris and some transit through the city of Le Mans after leaving CDG.

The trains from CDG to Bayeux via Massy are an odd choice because the routing will have you take a train from Massy to the Massy station on the RER B to connect to the RER to get to Gare St Lazare to catch a train to Bayeux or you will have a routing that will take almost 7 hours via Rennes.

I understand the need/desire to meet your friends at the airport. We needed to do this for my in-laws when they met us in Paris to celebrate our daughter’s 15th birthday. Although they were both in their early 70s at the time and physically fit, they were very inexperienced travelers and did not feel confident on their own. You want your friends to feel comfortable and get the trip off to a good start.

I would not recommend meeting at the train station, unless you know it well. Gare St Lazare is large station , at least 2 floors. Mu suggestion is to stay in a airport hotel, I stay at the Campanile, (3 stars) nice place, always quite satisfactory for staying night before flying out. Good restaurant.