CDG is such a dump
 

Terminal 1, I guess 2 is better.

But, my God, what a hole. Third World at best. Furniture is ratty, floors are horrid, and it smells.

Is this thing going to be torn down any time soon?

Some of the most modern airports in the world (though not necessarily the bests) are in the Third World eg KUL

And I dont understand the concept of having so many "independent" terminals at CDG. I find the AMS concept of having a central plaza with different "sub-terminals" more user-friendly.

I feel a kind of affection for CDG. It's screwy, but I kind of get it.

Well, Terminal 1 is the oldest... It was a revolution in design when it was built... Tastes change.

I don't mind CDG: By now I almost know every nook and cranny and I like it for connecting flights.
AMS I have never liked as every time I had a connection, the gate I was supposed to go seemed always to be the farthest of them all. Miles of walking... Each his own taste.

Bad it may be, but it beats LHR anytime.

mike

^ ^

I love terminal 1 if you can see past the layer of dust and grime it is a revolutionary architectual design. It's so 1960s Kubrick, Barbarella, The Jetsons and I think reflects the spirt and hope of jet travel from that time. It is easy to get about the terminal and everything is logically placed. I have never suffered the delays at terminal 1 that I have at terminal 2. That said, in what I perceive as a great tradition for French "grand travaux", it suffers from the "build it and forget it" syndrome. It has fallen into great disrepair and should have been renovated ages ago. Fortunately renovations have begun and it should be returned to its former glory in the next few years.

Terminal 2 is nice if you are in the newer Air France terminals that are very open and airy with the high uninterrupted ceiling and large glassed walls. The older terminal 2 buildings are similar in design but the checkin area is much smaller causing pedistrain flow problems and the inside of the terminal is more cluttered with small structures. They also are starting to show signs of "build it and forget it" as they are falling into disrepair and need a thorough cleaning which I would assume will not happen any time soon.

Cdg
 

Second that ^ ^ .And my partner LOVES the smoking room at the CDG RCC.

Ahhh Terminal 1, aka The Human Habitrail

Terminal 1 is a dump. Plain and simple. Add in the marvelous French "efficiencies" at Passport Control and you get all the downsides of a 3rd world country with none of the fun adventures.

Fly into SFO and get a nostalgic whiff of what it was like in a totalitarian state such as China and the Soviet Union and of a police state à la Berlin 1938...

Paris anytime ;)

speaking of passport efficiencies, we are thinking of arriving at 9:20am on a UA flight from the states, is it likely that we would be able to make a 10:35am on Air France flying from CDG-NCE or should I just book the later flight at 12:25?

I've never spent more than 10-15 minutes in Passport Control at CDG, but I assume you will have to change terminals and if so, that seems to be cutting it close--your UA flight could easily be 20 minutes late, and UA won't check you in for an AF flight. On the other hand, EVERY AF flight I've taken in the last 2 years has been late, so maybe it's an acceptable risk.

I don't think you'll have any problem making the connection. When coming or going to/from ATL and going to ZRH, we seldom have more time and always made it, and this since 7 years at the rate of once to twice a month. If UA at the point of departure does not want to issue you with a bc for the CDG-NCE leg, just call AF. They always have been helpful.

Well, UA arrives at Terminal 1 and AF uses Terminal 2 - I'd go fo the later 12:25 flight.

Connecting from UA to AF at CDG
 

As soon as you exit your UA flight, look for ANY agent around (they're scarce!) and ask to be directed to the nearest connector bus to Air France terminal. These buses pick you up at the gate, within the secured area, and bus to the secured area of terminal 2.

This is not to be confused, though, with the public shuttles going outside of the secured area. They also go between terminals, but here you'd have to go through Customs & Immigration first, and then again through Security and Passport Control. Save yourself precious time, and take the shuttle from the arrivals gate.

Good luck!