Paris Gare Lyon to Charles De Gaulle Airport?

I think you are cutting it too close. I would suggest that you look into flights from Florence or Pisa to Paris (to CDG, if possible) on the 6th. Stay overnight in Paris or near CDG. I don't know of any way that is quick enough to get you from Gare de Lyon to CDG in time for your flight. Sometimes it takes over an hour just to get thru the airport to your plane.

You can't make it if you pull into Gare de Lyon at 9:30. The rer will be the cheapest (twelve bucks) and probably the fastest at that time of day. It's going to take you an hour to get from Lyon to CDG and that's if you make the rer line-change without stumbling. Once you're in the airport, unless you're very familiar with it, it's going to take you at least fifteen minutes to get from the rer station to the departure area. The flight will be closed out by then. Switch to Plan B.

Wow! I think it's really necessary to miss a day in Italy! I'm crazy like that. Is this correct - your flight departure time is 11:00am? Also, your arrival at Gare de Lyon would be at 9:30am? You need to be at CDG 3 hours before your departure time, sooooo.........NO! I assume, since you need to do these kinds of travel gymnastics, that you're flying into and out of Paris? If so, I strongly suggest that you allot some of your Paris time (I assume there IS Paris time) to the end of your trip. Then, for the last nights in Paris, find a hotel on the 'B' RER line. Take the 'B' RER (Dir: Aeroport Charles de Gaulle 2 TGV - NOT Dir: Mitry - Claye!) to CDG. Go to ParisBytrain for information from there...

First of all, don't think you are ill prepared. Think positive. You could have planned everything to a "T" and things will go wrong, so just look at this as life changing adventure!! That said, there is no way you can get to Paris for your flight. Plan to arrive night before. You do need about three hours at airport before flight. We have been lucky and made it in less but don't add this stress to your vacation. Always remember our thinking, you will go back again.

You're the third person I've seen on this board this week who wants to be far from their departure airport the night before, so at least you're not alone in this problem. The other two, however, were at least in the same country (one wanted to be in Sorrento the night before a morning flight out of Rome, and the other wanted to be in Bologna the night before a morning flight out of Milan). As others are saying, it's not "necessary" to miss a day in Italy, as long as you don't feel it's "necessary" to catch your plane. If you do want to be sure of making a morning flight out of CDG to the US, you do have to be there 3 hours early. Sorry for the "bad" news, but it's good you checked now, so you can make appropriate arrangements, and not stress about it when it's too late to make changes. The idea of flying the day before, then staying at a hotel along the RER B line, is a good one. Or, you could just stay at an airport hotel (if you plane will be getting in too late for you to want to go into Paris). If you want to take the train (day or night), you will have to do it a day earlier than you planned.

Vueling has a flight leaving Florence at 16:50 and arriving at Orly at 18:25. If you book your tickets ASAP, you still can get a fare of €69.99. Spend the night in Paris and take the RER B to the airport in the morning. Be aware that the RER B line divides northeast of Paris. Be sure to get on a train that is going to CDG. You'll need to leave from the center of Paris before 07:00 in order to be at CDG by 08:00. If you stay in a hotel near Gare du Nord which is on the RER B line, you can get to CDG in under an hour. Or go right from Orly to CDG and stay in a hotel near the airport that has free shuttle bus service. If you want some hotel suggestions near CDG, just ask.

If Ed ran in a Speedo with wailing women and children falling to the wayside, could he make this schedule? No. That connection is as tight as the Speedo on Ed's rear.

Thank you to everyone who commented (well most of the positive ones :)). My rational for staying in Italy is to spend an additional day with two others on the trip - heading back to Paris will give me a night to myself which is ok - I was just trying to spend as much time with my fellow backpackers as possible. Thanks for all of the helpful information - I'll be spending Saturday night in Paris :)