Seating areas at CDG between arrival gates and passport control?

Just because you’re arriving the same terminal does not mean you will arrive anywhere close to each other or you will walk past him.

And you can’t just wander around back there looking for each other

Sorry, but I don’t think this is a great idea. I would suggest that he’s 19 years old. He can probably get through immigration on his own

Hi Sue. My kids did something similar (one was 21 and coming from one US state, the other was 19 and coming from a different US state. Flights landing about an hour apart.) They were to meet each other at CDG to take the next leg of flight together. If memory serves, they had to go through passport control then meet up. I was a bit worried one of them would get lost but it was totally fine. Make sure you each have your phones to text and/or track each other. That really helped my kids to make sure they were in the right spot to connect.

I have been through CDG a bunch of times and I do not recall seeing anywhere to sit between exiting the airplane and passport control but then again I was not looking but it feels like you are channeled out to passport control or baggage pickup. All of my arrivals have been to Terminal 1, Terminal 2E or Terminal 2F -- maybe it's different in Terminal C. If you are both arriving in Terminal 2C, just look at the map at https://www.parisaeroport.fr/planpoi/plan.html?terminal=2C&level=1 and pick a spot in the public area like a Brioche Dorée and agree to meet there. I feel confident that no one will say anything to him while he waits there for a couple of hours if he has some food from there at his table. Plus, I am sure that there are public waiting areas in the terminal that you can probably find by doing a quick Google search. Good luck!

You'll have to meet post-security, no way they'd let him hang out between the plane and passport control for two hours as there will likely be other arrivals after his plane. Just prep him with the process to go through passport control (including the possibility of needing to do the new EES process with photo/fingerprint) and set up a meeting point that you can both easily find. Here's a prior thread on that topic: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/meeting-place-in-cdg-terminal-2

This, you can't wander around the terminal after deplanning -- you must go immediately through immigration which funnels you into the baggage claim. I'd look at the maps of the terminal and pick a cafe landside to wait for the second one. Every terminal is a little different but when we came through last fall, there was a seating area where you could wait and there was also a cafe which feels a little more secure.

Thank you very much to all who responded and confirmed my suspicions that my son would need to head directly to Passport Control. I am actually not worried about him managing Immigration on his own.......I just would like to give him a bit of direction so he knows what to expect and is prepared to make his way through PC and find someplace landside to wait for me, given that I likely won't be reachable at that point. I appreciated the link to the previous thread as it makes good sense to have a pre-planned meet-up location just in case we can't text each other once I land, for some reason. I think I will suggest the Sheraton, given its central location in Terminal 2, as at least I am certain we will both be landing there. Again, many thanks for the guidance!

Another spot for such a rendezvous in Terminal 2 is just before the exit gate for the RER B.

I would just follow the signs pointing to the RER "B" and stand there and wait. You do have to the down escalator before reaching the RER gate, where 2-3 controllers are present, if you get stuck, make a mistake requiring their assistance, etc. I did and they were very nice and helpful.

There is a Paul and a Starbucks in the train station at CDG, you can meet in the middle (they're across from eachother).

He should exit and head towards the train station. Just above the train station he can find seating and some food in a Paul's or Brioche Dorée. There is a lobby inside the Sheraton Hotel, now a Mariott, where I have waited. Downstairs in the train station he'll find a waiting room. It should be easy enough for him to text you to say where he is waiting.

Sue, I don't mean to add to your anxiety. But, I suggest you have a back up plan in case either of your flights is severely delayed or canceled.

It's better to think about it now, than in the midst of a disruption when one you may not be able to contact each other.

Plan B is good advice. I usually suggest people meet up in Paris if their arrival times are very different rather than waiting at the airport. We had a plane come in 2 hours late last year and in the past had one that came in 5 hours late. If the first arriver discovers that the second plane won't be there for 4 hours, it would make sense for them to head to the lodging in Paris and if an apartment, stock up the refrigerator or explore the neighborhood or just have a chance to shower and relax.

So plan A is meet (lobby of Sheraton, coffee shop at RER station, whatever). Plan B if there is a serious delay is 'see you at the hotel'

Oh gosh, I was coming to post on figuring a Plan B as well!

In addition to other suggestions:

-Both of you should download the Flighty or Flight Aware app or similar so you can get more info if there is some kind of delay.

-Are you overnighting in Paris before you head to Brittany? If so he should have the hotel information and the ability to purchase either a ticket on the RER or know how to get to the official taxi rank and have the ability to pay for a cab in to town.

-I expect he has ApplePay or Google Pay set on his phone?

-Have a plan for if one of you is delayed for more than a certain amount of time that the other will head to your hotel, which hopefully is not in Brittany that first night!

If you have all sorts of Plan B solutions available I’m sure all your flights will be perfect!

You folks are awesome! Thanks for all the additional suggestions and thoughtful advice on having a Plan B. I really really appreciate it! As several of you mentioned places near/at the train station, I was reminded that I know that area somewhat, so I will direct my son toward the restaurants, the lobby/bar of the Sheraton/Marriott or the waiting room downstairs......he can choose where he feels most comfortable and text me his location.

I am definitely a Plan B type of gal! I usually overthink every possible scenario and try to come up with a solution ahead of time as I do much better when I have a bit of a framework to start from in a pinch. It will be interesting to try to get my son to be as invested in a back up plan (oh, to be young and so sure that of course everything will go as planned!) as I will be.

Upon arrival, we ARE heading directly to Rennes on a late afternoon train, via Gare Montparnasse (in hindsight, perhaps not the best plan, but it is what it is). I have the Flight Aware app and I'll make sure he does too - he has a cc and Apple Pay. My plan is that if he gets there and I don't (in my scenario, it's always me who doesn't make it, but of course, it could be him), he will connect with my travel savvy sister who will help him get a hotel for the night where he can wait for me (he would probably enjoy wandering Paris on his own!). We would proceed with our holiday one day later and I would just suck up the cost of new train tickets, etc. One of the best tips I ever read, years ago and perhaps on this forum, was if you run into something unexpected and unplanned while travelling, remember that you can always throw money at it. This wouldn't have helped me as a financially strapped young person but I'm grateful to be in the position in my life now where I may not want to spend extra money, but I can, if necessary. Knowing this has reduced much "what if?" travel anxiety over the years. So, with this in mind, as well as all of your kind advice, I will make sure my son and I have a solid plan(s) and go from there. Wish us luck and thanks so very much again! :)

"I am definitely a Plan B type of gal! I usually overthink every possible scenario and try to come up with a solution ahead of time as I do much better when I have a bit of a framework to start from in a pinch. It will be interesting to try to get my son to be as invested in a back up plan (oh, to be young and so sure that of course everything will go as planned!) as I will be."

Oh gosh, yes. I do much better if I have thought out some ideas ahead of time. And it's good to teach him strategies for pulling one's self out of a problem when there are travel delays.

And if he does have to spend the night there are tons of hotels near Gare Montparnasse and that neighborhood would be fun for him to wander around until you get there IF you are delayed.

And yes "throwing money" at a problem was one of the first pieces of advice I took onboard when I joined the forum (besides having a packing list and packing to it).

editing to add: Do you use something like GoogleDocs for your itinerary where both of you has the app and can access it online if someone (hahaha) needs extra information about where they are staying? As a young person coming thru Passport control he may be questioned more thoroughly than you so you'll want him to have a complete itinerary available to show any officials who ask.

Pam - thanks for the comment about all the hotels near Gare Montparnasse......he has confirmed he would definitely (of course) want to be right in Paris if he has to wait for me and putting him in that area makes the most sense. I don't know Montparnasse well so I appreciate your sense that it would be a fun place for him to wander around. I very much agree that it is a great thing when young people learn to think on their feet and doing so while travelling is an important skill. He recently had to navigate multiple challenges (with a little help from Mom) while flying back to his university after Christmas and he did so well! I was very proud of him.

I have had the same thoughts about Passport Control possibly questioning him more thoroughly on his own so I will absolutely make sure he has access to our itinerary and is prepared to answer any and all of their questions, as well as show his return ticket if necessary.

Thanks very kindly for your help, Pam. As an aside, I've read your posts for years and always appreciated how well-travelled you are! I think I've taken special note because you live in Coeur d'Alene, where I've spent some wonderful times with my family....such a beautiful community! Oh, those giant maple trees........

Oh gosh, thank you for your kind words! The # of visitors from Canada is of course way down this year but yesterday I did see a large tour bus from Canada on one of the downtown streets (looked like it was headed otherwise Trader Joe's grocery store, hahaha).

I'm sorry he had some challenges getting back to school BUT sort of glad he had to negotiate some issues on his home patch, so to speak. It will make him more comfortable if he has to do it in Paris. And of course will be a help if he has some bi-lingual ability.

"I don't know Montparnasse well so I appreciate your sense that it would be a fun place for him to wander around."

I submit that if this is his first trip to Paris (or maybe even to Europe), that anyplace he lands will be a fabulous place for him to wander around! There will be so much that's new and different.