Earlier this year, had a 01:30 layover in CDG on the way to AMS. Made it in time....and not only that, got a chance to shower in one of the lounges. It was great because I had to go straight to a meeting.

So you should be ok on that front.

However, about the airport itself....

Next trip had a longer layover in CDG. Absolutely horrible. I like to walk at airports, but this was a really long walk between the terminal and no air conditioning in the airport.

The airport has certainly improved after the renovations (as long as the A/C is back). Much better signage and in English. Access No 1 lines are much shorter. Multiple lounges.

However, the fact is that layout of the airport is terrible. What I dislike even more is the need for buses to and from even the long haul international flights. And what I hate is the lack of escalators at these bus gates.

So even with the renovations, I am avoiding CDG until buses are no longer required for majority of the flights.

Oh God, I forgot about that. Yes. I'm not sure if there was just no A/C at all, or if it was simply inadequate, because I was there during that massive heat wave in 2010...but yes. What a way to start your day after an overnight TATL flight...running through CDG covered in sweat.

They said there was no a/c. Yeah, it is quite bad. Certainly, after a TATL trip, but even before boarding a TATL flight, you hardly wan't to be covered in sweat.

This was in the summer of this year, 2011. The only places with air conditioning were the lounges. That was fine for the international lounges, but in the intra-Europe terminals, they don't have doors (you have to walk upstairs) which meant whatever cool air we had kept flowing out.

This was true both ways of my trip, so it wasn't a one day thing.

AC is not used very much in Paris. Summers don't usually get that hot, and even though there are usually 1 or 2 weeks of hot weather (when it's difficult to sleep at night), for 1-2 weeks/year it hardly makes sense to get an air conditioner. Most homes and office buildings use that logic, and CDG probably does too.

Bien sur there will be plenty of HEAT this winter
 

As is typical in Europe, the terminal will be suffocatingly hot, and WE use too much energy...? Sorry, I digress, it is just a pet peave of mine while traveling in Europe, otherwise love Europe. Anyway, for the X-CDG-MAD traveler, do follow the signs between 2E and 2F as though you are exiting for baggage claim, walk straight thru baggage claim and through an open air breezeway type corridor to the other terminal. Something like 5 minute walk or less. The breezeway has a few shops and car rental offices just so you will know. When you get to 2F, there will be two piers, make sure you are careful to get in the security line for the appropriate pier, i.e., make sure your line covers gate ranges that includes yours. It is regrettable that you must exit the secure zone and be re-screened, but I have not had any horrible situations myself. As I understood, the bus route goes way out of the way to get between the terminals, but I never used it, so I can't comment from experience. Trust me, you will not be impressed with CDG and I too avoid it unless it is the connection of last resort.

I am transferring STR-CDG-HAV, which currently means 2D to 2C, but STR (and many other Schengen flights) are supposed to move to 2F.

Whats the fastest way from 2D to 2C and vice versa?

Hope you made it... the last several days CDG has had security workers striking making it chaos indeed.

I was there on the 18th and it took 3 hours to get through security after passport control at 2E.

My wife was there just a few hours ago and it was a bit better but still slow and chaotic.