Access control for transiting CDG?
 

I've transited CDG a few times recently, but never with a connection long enough to worry about lounges.

For an upcoming flight, I'll be arriving in 2E, hall M and departing 2F. The layover is a few hours, but not enough to leave the airport.

Since the 2E-M AF lounge is significantly better than the 2F one, I was hoping I could go back upstairs in the same hall and spend the majority of my time there.

Has anyone done this before?

I'm assuming the 2E-M arrivals -> 2E-M departures will have me just going through security again.

I'm wondering if going from 2E-M departures to 2F will cause problems, since traffic is really designed to go from 2E-M arrivals to 2F.

There's a handful of airports where if you're in an INTL departures area, you can't get out of the secured area without an escort and paperwork. Is CDG one of these?

You will not be able to gain access to the M lounge upon arrival. You need a boarding pass for a departing flight from M gates to be allowed past security. Your options are limited to 2F lounges. One at each end of the piers.

Recently this has not been true. I've heard rumors this was done because of complaints from shops.

What did you hear about this? I just went through a few weeks ago and you still could only access the hall/pass through security in which you had a boarding pass. Would be nice to have more flexibility

I went through in November and had no problem taking the bus from one of the 2E terminals to another. No one checked my boarding pass getting off the bus. Since the same bus serves terminal 2F, it should work for OP as well assuming the setup remains the same.

I haven't taken the bus in years, but, when you got to security, they didn't stop you from going through and into a hall in which you didn't have a boarding pass? In my experience this is the point at which you get stopped from going into a 2E hall from which you are not departing. That said, I can't recall if you can pass between 2F and 2E via bus and not have to go through security again.

You might have to start out by going through transit security at the "correct" hall, but once you're in the departures area for one hall, you should be able to take the Blue bus to the others without going through security again.

Interesting, never thought of that. You'd definitely need more time to go back and forth on the bus, but an interesting option. Haven't taken a bus at CDG in many years, except to go to 2G (G as in Greyhound).