France - AC-TK Connection at CDG

I've got a 5 hour connection from AC to TK in J at CDG next week and have a couple of quick questions that I'm hoping somebody could help me with.

1. Am I better off go landside and take the CDGVAL or stay airside and use the transfer bus?

2. I've heard of baggage transfer nightmares at CDG particularly when a change of terminals is involved. Would it make sense to get AC to short check my bag to CDG and then recheck with TK or is the baggage handling not as bad as it's made out to be?

3. Is the *A lounge in T1 worth hanging out in for 5 hours? Other threads seem to indicate that it's nothing too special. Other ideas on how to kill time?

1. airside transfer is faster and involves less walking. Those may be negative points with 5 hours to kill.
2. CDG baggage loss rate is better than AMS or YYZ, as point of comparison. Taking baggage through customs needlessly and then possibly being unable to check-in at TK for an hour or 2 seems a poor choice.
3. Most of the CDG lounges are spartan, only the AF F lounge is OK but you have no access to that. The Sheraton hotel is in the terminal at CDG (by railway station) and worth spending some time in (nice bar, restaurant and day rooms). Expensive though.

Appears that I should have short-checked my bag after all. Arrived in IST last night to find that despite having 5 hours to make the connection somehow my bag is stuck in CDG. Hopefully will make it to IST shortly.