travel from DE Gualle airport to downtown paris

OK, Here's an idea. Take the RER B to Gare du Nord. Walk around to the back of the station where there is a bus terminus. Look for the stand for Bus No. 42. It is the beginning if the route so you will easily get a seat. The bus passses lots of the sites you want to see. Disembark at the Champs de Mars and lo! there is the Tour Eiffel. Walk closer to it and take some photos. Now return to where you got off the bus but cross over to where the buses are going in the opposite direction. Look for the No. 42 stop and go back to the Gare du Nord and CDG. Bonne route.

These tours look great but our 7 hour layover begins at 5:30 am. Any suggestions for a quick tour of the city beginning at 7:00 am or soon thereafter. The 9:00 am time would cut us too close since our plane leaves for Barcelona at 12:30pm.

Pity that the 7 hours you have start so early because even for a cruise tour of Paris, I think the earliest tour starts at 9:45 am, so that would be too tight anyway. Maybe you shouldn't opt for a guided tour but just choose to go and have breakfast by the Eiffel Tower and walk around Champ de Mars and thus better control the time you set off again for the airport.

oh, and here is a link where you can have all the info re- commuting from Ch de Gaulle airport to Paris: http://www.aeroportsdeparis.fr/ADP/en-GB/Passagers/Access-maps-car-parks/Paris-CDG/Access/public-transport/

I'll piggyback on Norma and Steve's suggestions. Go here for the bus #42 route map. Go here for the bus #69 route map.

At CDG buy one-day, zone 1-6 Paris Visite passes (€18.50). They will cover your ride to Paris on the RER B, all your metro and bus rides in Paris, and your ride back to CDG. Be aware that the RER B line divides northeast of Paris. Be sure to get on a train that is going to CDG.

With your Paris Visite passes you can get off the bus on either route 42 or 69 whenever you pass by a Paris landmark, look around, and jump back on a later bus.

Lovely, Tim. That is so helpful.

Thanks for the information on how to get into the city of Paris. Next question. Is it difficult to go out of and then re-enter the secure area of the airport if you are an international traveler? About how much time would be needed. Also are there lockers available to store your carry on luggage?
Thanks for your reply
Betty

It probably won't take that long, but you need to allow up to an hour to get through immigration/passport control and be on your way out of the airport.

Bagages du Monde has left-luggage offices at Terminals 1, 2A, and 2F. The office at 2F opens at 07:00 and the others open at 08:00. Since your time is limited, it would be better for you to take your luggage with you, get off the RER B at Gare du Nord, and store your luggage there, in either a coin-operated locker or the staffed left-luggage office. You need to allow time for the luggage to be x-rayed.

I assume you'll want to be back at CDG 90 minutes before your flight leaves. That means leaving Gare du Nord between 10:15 and 10:30.

For detailed instructions on taking the RER B from CDG to Paris, including photos, go to the Paris by Train site.