Perhaps I shouldn't be worried, but I will admit to having avoided CDG (and AF) for the last few years and have tried to keep all of my European connections through AMS on NW/KL. This time though, I found a great deal on DL for my holiday travels, outbound is direct to TXL via JFK, return is unfortunately an AF codeshare TXL-CDG-LAX. I've convinced myself that I'm ready to go back to CDG (last time I was there was the day 2E collapsed), but I'm wondering about the sanity of my connection.

I'm going to be flying through on New Year's (1/1, which usually implies a bunch of drunken, hung-over people getting to the airport late, etc.) For my connection in CDG, I have less than 90 minutes, and I'm guessing that TXL-CDG will land in 2D, and CDG-LAX I think is 2E. My question is what people think is the minimum time to connect in CDG going from 2D->2E, and whether I even have a chance in hell. (I've not had great success with flights from TXL taking off on time on New Year's, and that could make it even more interesting, but for now I will think happy thoughts.)

I know I will have to go through passport control to "leave france" and enter the non-Schengen area, but do you stay within the "secure" area when doing so, or do you have to re-enter security screening at that point? How early does AF start boarding, and how far ahead of departure does AF close the door? (I have this nightmare about being stuck in 44B on an 11 hour flight... god I hope I can convince someone in TXL to give me an exit row ahead of the flight, and/or misconnect)

Thanks,
a NW traveler returning to AF for the first time in a *long* while...