Short answer
RER B from the airport, change at Saint‑Michel‑Notre‑Dame, then RER C to Invalides. You arrive in the heart of the 7th arrondissement without changing platforms more than once, and Invalides offers connections to Metro lines 8 and 13 if your address is elsewhere in the district.
The ticket you need is called the Paris Region Airports Ticket: €14 per trip, all zones, valid for access to Charles de Gaulle via RER B and to Orly via Metro 14 or Orlyval. The reduced fare is €7, especially for children 4 to under 10. It is loaded onto a Navigo Easy pass.
In terms of time, the RER B links CDG to central Paris in about 40 minutes to Châtelet. Add the transfer and the second RER, and plan on roughly one hour door‑to‑door, a bit more during rush hour.
We are at 5 avenue Duquesne
Our house is in the same 7th arrondissement, the Invalides area. We give you this route because it’s the one we detail over the phone several times a week, and because most articles stop at Châtelet, which is the wrong spot when you’re staying on the left bank.
RER or taxi: how we decide
| RER B then RER C | Taxi | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | €14 per person, €7 reduced | Fixed fare displayed at the airport taxi stand |
| Duration | About 40 min to the centre, one hour door‑to‑door | Varies with traffic |
| Luggage | Carried on stairs and transfer corridors | Handled |
| Night and early morning | According to first and last trains | Available |
Our simple rule: for two people with one cabin bag each, the RER is faster and much cheaper. For three or four with suitcases, or if you land very early or very late, take a taxi at the official stand. Parisian taxis charge a flat rate from CDG to the left bank; the amount is posted at the stand, ask for it before getting in and refuse any offer made in the arrivals hall.
If you land at Orly
Orly is served by Metro 14 and Orlyval, both covered by the same Paris Region Airports Ticket at €14. Line 14 drops you in central Paris, but not in the 7th: you’ll need a transfer to reach the district. Write to us with your arrival time and we’ll tell you the shortest combination on the day of your arrival, based on your terminal.
Invalides station, your landmark
Remember this station rather than the Eiffel Tower as your travel reference point. It brings together RER C and Metro lines 8 and 13, making it the useful hub of the 7th: it’s from here you’ll head out to the rest of the city during your stay. On the same RER C branch, two nearby stations often serve better than the big stations: Musée d’Orsay, which connects to line 12 and drops you under the museum, and Saint‑Michel‑Notre‑Dame, your change point on the outbound leg.
Metro line 8 serves the 1st through 11th arrondissements as well as the 15th, stopping notably at École Militaire, La Tour Maubourg and Invalides. It’s the neighbourhood line.
Arriving early, arriving late
Check‑in starts at 15:00 and check‑out at 11:00. If your flight lands in the morning, let us know at booking: we’ll do what we can depending on occupancy, but we prefer to be honest rather than let you hope for a 9 a.m. room.
In the meantime, two things work well for a jet‑lagged morning. Our breakfast is an all‑you‑can‑eat buffet, served daily from 7:00 to 10:30, useful when you’ve slept poorly on the plane. And our discreet, speakeasy‑style bar, with classic cocktails and chef‑crafted cuisine, is a reasonable spot to wait in the late afternoon if you arrive before your room is ready.
Three first‑time mistakes
Buying a regular metro ticket for the airport. It doesn’t cover the journey: the airport ticket is a separate ticket, €14.
Getting off at Châtelet because that’s what the first search result says. Châtelet is a huge interchange; if you’re staying in the 7th you’ll walk ten minutes of corridors for nothing. Changing at Saint‑Michel‑Notre‑Dame is shorter.
Throwing away your ticket after passing the turnstiles. Keep it until you exit: RER station exits also require the ticket.