Night Layover in Paris with Kids

Forget about lines and time to get up. You can't even get close by eleven. If you arrive at 9:30 and miraculously clear immigration and get your stuff by 10:00 (fat chance) you probably have a ten-minute walk to the rer station at the airport (if you don't make a wrong turn, stop to use the faciliites, etc; plus you already have your tickets - - and you knew exactly which ones to buy). We'll assume that the train already has a full head of steam and is straining in the starting blocks with the doors open waiting for your crowd to hop on. The ride in is one hour with a train change (you already have the exact route to do this pegged out right - - no missteps?). The walk from the metro station to the tower is ten minutes. It's now twenty after eleven. You've still got all your junk in your paws (unless you took time to to stash it someplace). If I'm all wet (fat chance again) and you miraculously arrive in time to make the last ascent, you've got to get up, down, to the metro, and somehow link to everwhat train passes through Nord headed back to the airport - - which passes through Nord a couple minutes before midnight. Now you're back at the RER/TGV station at the airport at one o'clock and you still have to find the shuttle to a hotel (if they're still running). A taxi just might make it, but I know the roads and don't think I could drive it in fourty-five minutes even at three a. m. I'm betting on at least seventy-five bucks each way for the taxi. The city is always busy......and always safe.

I guess as we don't have to get our stuff (its checked all the way to the states) I though perhaps we might be able to clear the airport quickly. Thanks for your help. I think I'm the eternal optimist when it comes to travel, always hoping for one more quick side trip. :)

There are no prepurchased tickets even left for July,, with one elevator down the lines and wait times are insane( did you look on the ET website, do) .. so forget it. Get a hotel at the airport and forget Paris,, this time. next time visit longer !

I have no advice on the getting to the tower, but can tell you that my husband and I arrived in Paris off of the Eurostar around 9:30 one July night a few years ago, dropped our bags at the hotel (admittedly very close to the Eiffel Tower), and went straight to the Eiffel. We had no tickets and got there at about 10:45 p.m. Absolutely no line...we we got right on the elevator after purchasing our tickets and went to the second level (did not want to go to the top). Beautiful night, enjoyed being on the Eiffel for the 11pm sparkle show, and enjoyed looking out at Paris. No need for advanced tickets that time of night (at least that was our experience).

Tara, you arrived on the Eurostar, not by plane. Immigration already done in UK in your case. Totally different situation.

Thank you everyone! I truly appreciate your advise. I think we will just go in to see the light show and walk the city a bit. Kids want to see the tower sparkle at night. That I know we have time for! Thank you again!

Liesl, Do you plan to stay at an airport hotel? If so, you will need to take either a Noctilien (night) bus or a taxi back to CDG. On weekdays the last RER B train from Gare du Nord to CDG departs at 22:44. On Saturdays and Sundays the last train departs at 00:14, but that still won't give you time to see the tower from the ground and walk the streets a bit. You could spend the night in Paris, but you'll need to be at CDG a full three hours before your flight's scheduled departure time if you will be flying home rather than to somewhere in Europe. Again using Gare du Nord as a point of reference, the latest you should leave there is 06:29 which will get you to CDG 1 at 06:57 and to CDG 2 TGV at 06:59. Be aware that the RER B line divides northeast of Paris. Be sure to get on a train that is going to CDG.