CDG Info
Milan Malpensa – Spotting Guide
October 24, 2014
Rome Fiumicino Airport – Spotting Guide
October 27, 2014Milan Malpensa – Spotting Guide
October 24, 2014Rome Fiumicino Airport – Spotting Guide
October 27, 2014Paris Charles de Gaulle – Spotting Guide
- last modified on January 21, 2025
Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG/LFPG) is the main gateway to France with 76 Mio. passengers in 2019 and has mainly international flights, but also domestic and regional flights. Air France, Easy JET and Fedex have a Hub in cdg. There are flights operated to all continents except for Australia. There are also many 787 (Ethiopian, Kenya Airways, JAL, Air India, Aero Mexico ) and the Air France engineering center may also bring some exotic aircraft from time to time. There are also a lot of cargo destinations but unfortunatly, most of them (except Fedex) run operations during night time.
To be honest, Paris is not the most spotter friendly place in Europe. A photo permit is required (see red box), there is no real allocated parking spaces and it takes between 10 to 20 minutes to move from a spotting location to the other one.
The four runways are always opened but some spotting locations are far away from the inner runways and because of that, a minimum of 300 mm lens is required.
The best thing to do if you really want to get a picture of a particular aircraft is to use a radio scanner. Moving around with a ladder will help you a lot, unless you know how to take pictures through the fences. Try to be organized and bring food and water with you or you will waist approximatly 40 / 50 minutes. Most of times, you can park at the spotting location, however, if you leave you car unattended, do not leave any visible items Inside. In some cases, parking is not allowed but the authorities will close their eyes but keep it mind that you park at your own risk.
On the other hand, traffic is great, especially in the morning when American and Asian flights are coming in all together. It also offers a great diversity of spotting location that wil allow you to do pure aircraft spotting and airplane photography. As most of the biggest aiports in the world, it brings many special liveries. The airport is surrounded by lots of hotel that can be found here.
Keep in mind that you will never be able to get 100% of the traffic. At the best, you will see half of the traffic at the same time.
The only real time schedule can be found on the Paris Airport App (ADP). However, some information are released from time to time on this forum. (Go to last page for latest update if any.)
In case you need it, there is a medical center located at terminal 2F (arrival level) and a drug store at terminal 2E (departure level).
Written by Matthieu Douhaire, Andy Wu, Julian Mittnacht, Alexandre Lopeo, Severin Hackenberger, Peter Bakema. Last change: January 2024 (spots 26-28 updated)
| Rating | |
| Movements |  |
| Airline Variety | |
| Photo Locations |  |
| Weather |  |
| Airport Information | |
| Runways | |
| 09L/27R | 2 700 m (8 858 ft) asphalt |
| 09R/27L | 4 200 m (13 780 ft) asphalt |
| 08L/26R | 2 700 m (8 858 ft) asphalt |
| 08R/26L | 4 215 m (12.467 ft) asphalt |
| Terminals | |
| Terminal 1 | Hosts mainly Star Alliance, Oneworld, Middle East carriers and a few more |
| Terminal 2 | Biggest Terminal, hosting Skyteam and Oneworld. Air France code share. |
| Terminal 3 | Charters and Low Cost Carriers like Vueling, Play |
| Spotting Information | |
| Ladder | On some important spots necessary (where it is mentioned). As a reminder, ladders are not accepted at CDG Airports, however, you will not get a fine for that. South of the airport is a castorama where you can buy a ladder for 20 EUR (marked on the map). |
| Car/Public Transport | Recommended as the distances are enourmous. It can mean up to 10km from one end of the airport to the other. Also a GPS is helpful as driving around the airport is everything else than easy! |
| Restrooms | Terminal1,2,3 and Aeroville Shopping center, Gas Stations and Fast Food Restaurants |
| Drinks/Food | Lots of restaurants and take away in Terminal1. Also between Terminal 2B and 2D and between 2A and 2C. A Total Gas Station, provides great Hot sandwiches and restrooms, is located on the motorway but there is also a back entrance next to spot#5. Aeroville Shopping center opens untill midnight. Paking is free for 5 hours. Car entrance is located here:48°59’21.31″N / 2°31’16.14″. Supermarkets: Auchan and Marks&Spencer opened untill 9pm. Mc Donalds, Costa, PAM, Starbucks, Namaste, Factory&Co, and Paul all open until midnight. |
| Hotels | Lots of hotels nearby the airport. Village of Roissy is a good choice as there are plenty of hotels and restaurants in all price ranges.
|
| Season | We suggest April-September as this is the spring/summertime as some of the most intersting spotting locations are facing the sun during winter time. It can get quite cold during the winter |
| Security | ++++ UPDATE FEBRUARY 2022 ++++
A PHOTO PERMIT IS MANDATORY AT CHARLES DE GAULLE, ORLY AND LE BOURGET BUT ACTUALLY – ALL THREE AIRPORTS NOW. SINCE AUG 2021 THE AUTHORITY WORKS AGAIN AND SENDS OUT PERMITS. As the known email address of the police is still valid, we recommend you to send them a message with your intention, ID/Passport copy and the dates when you will be at the airport(s). It can take months to receive a permit but be aware that you don’t even get an answer! In this case keep this email with you in the case of a check (which is very very unlikely) Send email in french (recommended, use google translate) to the following address: Every airport employee (even security staff) who has got an airport badge is allowed to check your spotting permit. The only exception if you are not willing to comply is the person fails to show you his/her airport badge, which proves he/she works at CDG They especially check the locations along the perimeter fence. There are a few points where you should be able to spot without a permit like #12 or #14 as they just too far from the airports boundaries. |
| Runway Usage | |
| General Info | There is not really a landing system at CDG and each flight can use every possible runway. ATC controllers are dealing with a large number of aircraft so it is difficult to say if a particular aircraft will land on the north or the south side. It is essential to bear in mind that you may will not be able to see the whole traffic as we never know where aircraft are landing or taking off. Some airlines prefer the runway closest to their terminal. For example AF, Flybe, HOP and U2 south (especially if 08 is active). Star Alliance like LH, SAS, Brussels but also Icleandair, Norwegian or FedEx prefers north. |
| 08L/26R | Always in use for landing from both directions. |
| 08R/26L | Always in use for take off from both directions and especially for those with a northern route and located at terminal 1. May be used for landing when traffic is quiet |
| 09R/27L | Always in use for take off from both directions and especially for those with a southern route. May be used for landing when traffic is quiet |
| 09L/27R | Always in use for landing from both directions. |
Concorde - Taxiway
| WHERE | The spot is just next to the Concorde and over the tunnel of the CDGVAL that connects the terminal. Get behind the newly constructed “House of the environment” next to the Hilton Hotel. You can stay at the brick wall (no ladder needed, see photo of Etihad 77W below), next to the Concorde or move a little bit down to the tunnel directly to the fence where you need a ladder. Parking at or around this location is not possible and the safest option is to use one of the offical parking lots at Terminal 3 and walk to this location. |
| WHAT | All traffic taxiing in and out on taxiway N and F. |
| TIME | From sunrise to 11/12am. Best when easterly runways are in use. |
| MISC. | Restrooms in the nearby hotels and snacks/drinks available at the Roissypole – Gare Station. High grass is disturbing view on the back taxiway, gears are sometimes not visible. The Aéroports de Paris ADP headquarter is directly at this location and staff might be not amused and will call police. Maybe it is better to visit this place on weekends only when the office is not occupied. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | From 50 to 300 mm |
Tunnel:
Brick wall (Concorde)
Parallele II - Taxiway
| WHERE | On the opposite side of the Concorde, next to some hotel there is a road where you can park and stay. Either you go north and stay on the small sidewalk on the bridge that turns west. Otherwise you can go south and stay on the grass. By foot you can walk from the hotels to this location. |
| WHAT | All traffic on taxiing in and out. |
| TIME | from 3PM till Sunset. Best when easterly runways are in use. |
| MISC. | Ladder is useful, but not necessary – for north at least. South is very tough without ladder. Easy to park on the side of the road but Police may ask you to leave as it is forbidden. There are several hotels nearby. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 18mm to 300 mm |
Park here in between:
North:
South (we stood on the bridge for departures on the south, but normally one goes up to the fence for taxiway movements):
Control Tower - Taxiway
| WHERE | This spot is alongside the road. You can park your car easily on the roadside once you have reached the control tower. See GPS coordinates for Parking. You can also park your car at the Pullman Hotel (but it has a cost) and then climb the hill and cross the road. Access by foot not really possible due to many roads, fences, barriers, etc. |
| WHAT | You can photograph different situations from here. Parked aircraft south of Terminal 1 and aircraft taxiing by on Alpha, November and Foxtrott. |
| TIME | Light conditions are good all day long depends on what you wanna photograph. From afternoon for the north/south taxiway November and Foxtrott. However traffic is intersting between 12 to 2 pm |
| MISC. | Ladder is not required, however, it may help in some cases. Spot is also useable without if your lens is narrow enough – for example the 18-55mm Kit lense fits. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | From 70 to 300 mm |
Terminal 1 - Parking stands
| WHERE | Take the circle road to T1 and park your car at terminal 1. Go to arrival level and get out wherever you want. At terminal 1 the arrival level is above the departures which is pretty uncommon. Walk around the terminal in order to get different aircraft. |
| WHAT | Here you can take some great photos at the bigger bulge directly opposite the taxiway over the bridge. You can also see the parking area of the French Air Force fleet. On the way all around it is rather difficult to take nice photos at all other places. To photograph the taxiway bridge get out at the rental car desk and walk left for 80-100 meters. |
| TIME | All day as it depends on the postion where you are. Night shots are possible too from here. |
| MISC. | For safety reasons, it is forbidden to stay on the outer side of the road, as there are lots of cars on that road. However, you can stay on the inner sidewalk. Police may ask you to leave if they see you on the other side of the road. Parking costs €15 for 2 hours and €12 for an hour an a half. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | From 100 to 400 mm |
VIP Corner - Parking stands
| WHERE | Not really far away from spot#6. But it will be faster to go there by car. You can park you car there at the below GPS coordinates. Walk toward the trees until you reach the fence.
UPDATE APRIL 2022: Not accessible due ongoing construction works. Future situation unkown. |
| WHAT | VIPs aircraft (mostly Russians) if any |
| TIME | When possible. |
| MISC. | Do not stay there too long. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | From 18 to 300 mm |
Météo - 09R Departures & Taxiway
| WHERE | On the western side of terminal 1, next to the Météo france (weather station) there is a car parking where you can stay at. By public transport take the bus line 350 from Roissypole. Get off at Zone Technique. Then, proceed on foot. |
| WHAT | The spot is best for aircraft using the outer taxiway A to their sattelite gate of terminal 1. Furthermore you can photograph aircraft using taxiway Bravo, Mike or Delta for a 09R depature but #7 is better for that. |
| TIME | Light conditions in the summer are good from noon till sunset for the taxiway A . Lots of heat distortion during summer time |
| MISC. | Heat distortion during summer time. The fence is too high for a ladder but there is a crash gate to shot over. With a small diameter lens you can shot through the mesh of the fence. There are also some fire stairs at the Meteo building which you can use to photograph over the fence but spotters were requested to leave that place. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | From 10mm for the outer taxiway A. |
Virage Météo - taxiway for 09R Departure, 09/27 movements
| WHERE | One of the most popular spotting locations at CDG which is in a corner next ot the Meteo. Park your car at “La Météo” spotting location #6 and walk 2 minutes from there along the road direction to the runway.
By public transport take the bus line 350 from Roissypole. Get off at Zone Technique. Then, proceed on foot. |
| WHAT | Best for aircraft taxiing on Bravo, Delta or Mike when 09R is in use and aircraft moving to the hangars or cargo passing by. Furthermore all 27 arrivals will exit next to you or 27L heavy departures rotate infront of you. Heat haze is an issue for all runway photos! |
| TIME | Light conditions in the summer are perfect from 10:00 till 16:00 and all day long during winter time. |
| MISC. | Heat distortion during summer. A ladder is highly recommended, but spot is also useable without if your lens is narrow enough – for example the 18-55mm Kit lense fits. Best when westerly runways are in use. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | From 18mm for aircraft taxiing. 300mm for heavies / 400mm for narrow bodies/td> |
Shots also possible through the fence if your lens is narrow enough – example lens here was the 18-55mm Kit lense:
Fire Brigade - 27L Departures & Taxiway
| WHERE | Next to the Fire Brigade building. Continue from the previous point and park your car at the bus stop (it’s allowed on that particular one) and walk on the other side of the road until you reach the fence. |
| WHAT | This place is good for all planes vacating the runway and taking off when 27L is in use. |
| TIME | Light conditions in the summer are perfect from 10:00 till 16:00 and all day long during winter time. Best when westerly runways are in use. |
| MISC. | There is nothing particular at this spot. Ladder needed and stay at least 3 meters away from the fence. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 200 to 500 mm |
Gendarmerie - 27L Departures
| WHERE | Park your car on the visitor parking lot for the Gendarmerie and walk 100m until you reach the little hill in the field. |
| WHAT | Aircraft taking off when 27 L is in use |
| TIME | Light conditions in the summer are perfect from 10:00 till 16:00 and all day long during winter time. Best when westerly runways are in use. |
| MISC. | There is nothing else here, except aproximatly 50 security dogs barking wich can be annoying.No ladder needed |
| FOCAL LENGTH | from 300 mm / 400mm for narrow bodies |
Cargo Area - 26R Departures - End of afternoon (Spring/Summer only)
| WHERE | This spot is located in the CARGO 2 Area but is difficult to find. It is right on the “Visitor parking” in the cargo area and can be accessed without ticket normally. |
| WHAT | This spot is good for all aircraft taking off on RWY 26R |
| TIME | From beginning of may to the end of August only from 6pm to 9pm. Only for aircraft taking off RWY 26R |
| MISC. | No ladder but you will be surrounded by trucks sometimes, so be careful! Do not park in the UPS parking. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 300mm for heavies 400mm for narrow bodies |
Aéroville Shopping Center - 08R Arrivals - Morning and afternoon only (Spring/Summer only)
| WHERE | Follow the Aeroville Shopping Center direction or use the following GPS coordinates to find the exact location. Park between the trees. 48°59’43.11″N 2°31’38.72″E |
| WHAT | Aircraft landing on 08R only |
| TIME | From 6am to 9am and from 6pm to sunset. From beginning of may to the end of August only |
| MISC. | No ladder needed, nothing around |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 70mm to 400mm |
Dog Park - 09L Arrivals
| WHERE | To catch the northernmost runway is pretty tricky in CDG if 09 is active as the cargo and hangars of restrict any closer access. So you have to drive a little bit more westwards. From the Meteo spots just continue along the AF hangars and FedEx Cargo area. After a few minutes you see a tower and a dog park on your right. After that just turn right into a bumpy dirt road (be careful) and continue straight until the end of the road to a white barrier. Park your car infront of the barrier or before it along the road. Now pass the barrier and walk for a few meters on the dirt road till you find a nice view over a huge field to see the arrivals pretty clear. GPS 49°00’44.9″N 2°29’10.4″E
An alternative is along the D317 on the shoulder: 49°01’13.1″N 2°29’46.6″E. Can be access shortly before the spot mentioned above. But it is a long a busy road and you will get attention sooner or later. |
| WHAT | This spot is good for 09L arrivals only. |
| TIME | Light conditions in the summer are perfect from 10:00 till 16:00 and all day long during winter time. Even if the distance is pretty huge not much heat occurs as the planes are above a field. During noon there is more coming up but still okay. Heavies are no problem even on 30 degree plus but single aisle are more blurry. |
| MISC. | Nothing nearby. The road has many potholes so be careful. You might feel uncomfortable at this location as there are a lot of rubbish and some abandoned buildings. If you park at the barrier and walk for 50 meters you can still see your car and feel better. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | The planes are very very far! 500mm for a full frame A320 or 737 or 300mm for a 748. |
Field Road - 08R Arrivals
| WHERE | Located after La Poste building. Keep driving toward west direction. Park your car on the little path on the right and try to leave some space for the others. You can position yourself all along this area. Use the following GPS coordinates to find the exact location. |
| WHAT | Aircraft landing on 08R (when in use) especially in the morning as traffic is more interesting. The angle is not the best here so if you don´t like it move to #14. |
| TIME | Light conditions in the summer are perfect from 10:00 till 16:00 and all day long during winter time. |
| MISC. | Mainly Air France and easy jet during day time. No ladder needed |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 100-400 mm |
Cemetery - 08R arrivals
| WHERE | In the village of Tremblay-en-France is a cemetery at the northern corner. It can be accessed from the road which bring you to spots #15-19. You can either stay outside of the cemetery (if the gate is closed) or enter it and park on the official parking lot. There is a small mound infront of the parking where you can climb up to get a better angel. GPS 48°59’16.9″N 2°33’17.4″E |
| WHAT | Landing on 08R only. There are some powerlines that you may find disturbing but there are enough opportunities to shot between them. |
| TIME | Light conditions in the summer are perfect from 10:00 till 16:00 and all day long during winter time. |
| MISC. | Nothing nearby. Be respectful as you are next to a cemetery! |
| FOCAL LENGTH | A320 = 220mm; 77W = 120mm |
Sheraton Paris Airport Hotel & Conference Centre - Ramp, Taxiway, Runway 08L/26R
| WHERE | Book a room on the fourth floor of the Sheraton Paris Airport Hotel at Terminal 2. It is a nice place to watch a huge part of the airports southern movements without getting outside. It is possible to take pictures from the rooms through the windows. There are two rows of it and at least the first one inside can be opened (see photo). You must ask for the room that’s facing towards the runway at the western part of the hotel at the time of check in. Rooms 400, 462 – 465 offering the best sight (see room plan photo) |
| WHAT | The view offers views of the nearby taxiway and ramp of Terminal 2C. Movements of runway 08L/26R and 08R/26L can bee seen in the distance but it is not the best option for taking photos because of heat distortion. Close to sunrise as you will see many exotic birds arrive (Air Mauritius, Air Austral, Air Senegal) etc. You will also see QR and EK’s A380 parked right in front of this hotel room view. |
| TIME | You are facing the sun for almost the whole year except in the late summer evenings. |
| MISC. | Everything you need is within walking distance. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | Unknown |
TGV Bridge - Arrivals 08R
| WHERE | Continue from spot 13 eastwards along the perimeter fence. After you have passed the TGV bridge turn left or right to park your car on the side of the road. There is a small grassy strip where you can stay. A ladder is mandatory becazse there are two fences now. For the one next to you you need the ladder to get over it. The second one is lowered and isn`t a problem. You can see that pretty good at the end of the video.
By public transport take the bus line 23 or 24 from Roissypole. Get off at Hub Postal. Walk on foot from there. However, you’ll spend at 35 minutes from Hub Postal. |
| WHAT | Best for arrivals on RWY 08R and some on 26L. |
| TIME | Light conditions in the summer are perfect from 10:00 till 16:00 and all day long during winter time. Heat distortions during summer time! |
| MISC. | Ladder needed! Don´t block the bike path. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 70mm – 400 mm |
Concorde Memorial - Arrival 08R / Arrival 26L / Departure 08L
| WHERE | Continue on the Route Périphérique and drive till you reach the Concorde Memorial to park the car. Don´t park in front on the opposite side as it is an emergency entrance for the fire services! Just position yourself around the memorial. No ladder needed to clear the fence. There are mounds and the runway is elevated too.
By public transport take the bus line 23 or 24 from Roissypole. Get off at Hub Postal. Walk on foot from there. However, you’ll spend at 45 minutes from Hub Postal. |
| WHAT | Aircrafts landing on 08R and 26L and a few take off if aircraft are light enough to rotate in front of you from 08L. |
| TIME | Light conditions in the summer are perfect from 10:00 till 16:00 and all day long during winter time. |
| MISC. | There is a pond next to the position which can smell pretty bad during hot sommer days. Maybe parts of aircraft cut off if the grass was not mowed. Heat haze is a huge issue here in summer! |
| FOCAL LENGTH | From 70mm to 400 mm |
From the mound next to the parking, but you can also go up to the gate (see map):
Poplars - Departures 08L
| WHERE | Just continue from the previous locations eastwards, pass the next junction until you see a la-by to your right.
Update Feb 2022: this spot is still available but you can`t park here any more as some security rails have been set up. However it is tolerated to park your car alongside the road (a bit dangerous) or on the opposite side (1 or 2 cars on spot 18, a few more on spot 19, let some space in front of the entrance of the treatment plant). |
| WHAT | Aircraft taking off RWY 08L (facing East) |
| TIME | Light conditions in the summer are perfect from 10:00 till 16:00 and all day long during winter time. Great for mid day departures on RWY 08L |
| MISC. | No ladder needed |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 200mm for a B773 and 400mm for an A320. |
Where to park:
Where to spot:
Retention Pond - Departures 08L / Arrival 26L
| WHERE | From previous point continue eastwards for approximate 200-300 meters until the next lay-by.
Update Feb 2022: this spot is still available but you can`t park here any more as some security rails have been set up. However it is tolerated to park your car alongside the road (a bit dangerous) or on the opposite side (1 or 2 cars on spot 18, a few more on spot 19, let some space in front of the entrance of the treatment plant). |
| WHAT | Best for landings on RWY 26L. 08L departures only for the slow climbing ones like A340 or A380. Better to use #18 for departures. |
| TIME | Light conditions in the summer are perfect from 10:00 till 16:00 and all day long during winter time. |
| MISC. | No ladder needed |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 200 mm to 400 mm |
Where to park:
Where to spot:
Terminal 2G - Departures 08L
| WHERE | This spot is located far away from everything. Park your car at the parking (€15 for two hours) or at the TOTAL gas station which was just built here and then walk into the field. The exact GPS coordinates of the spot are showed below. 49° 0’25.68″N 2°36’41.20″E |
| WHAT | Aircraft taking off 08L (facing East) and landing on RWY 26L. |
| TIME | From 6pm from may to end of august only (traffic is quiet) |
| MISC. | No ladder needed. Heat haze may be problem on hot days. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | At least 300mm, 400mm is more than welcome A339 = 350mm |
Air France Head Office - Taxiway E
| WHERE | This location is next to the Air France head office on a pavement. Best access is by public transport with the RER B from Paris to RoissyPole station, then exit on the taxi side and walk for 5min along the Air France building and cross the road to reach a pavement. There is no official parking nearby, maybe you find a spot next to the station but it is very limited here. The location itself is elevated and a ladder is not needed. |
| WHAT | You can see aircraft on taxiway E arriving at terminals 2B and 2D and departing from terminals 2F and 2E when the eastbound configuration are use. |
| TIME | Best time between April and September from 6pm when the sun is behind you. |
| MISC. | Everything is available at RoissyPole station, including a Relay, Monoprix and fast food (McDonald’s at Terminals 1 and 2E). Authorisation is required, you can get it checked. Grass may not cut proper. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 17mm for a B777; 50mm for an A320/B737 and 70 to 300mm for parked aicraft and aircraft on pushback. |
Terminal 2F Hill - Taxiway (Easterly)
| WHERE | This one is a bit complicated to find as it is hidden. Follow the Parking PX signs until you reach the Rue de New York. In order to avoid to pay for it, park your car on the grass in the street as marked on the map and walk eastwards till the fence (north). |
| WHAT | Taxiing aircraft on the bridge B/Q and taxiway E/G at the terminals. First two sample photos (AF 77W) were taken from the northern postion. The other from the southern point. |
| TIME | From April to september, Shots on the taxiway are good from 14:30/15:00 as the taxiway is located north-south. Shots into the stands are indeed not good before 6PM. Both north and south views available without problems. You can also do night shots from there. |
| MISC. | No ladder needed as you on an elevated position. Do not leave any visible items in it and bring all your important belongings with you. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 70mm to 400 mm (depends on what you are photographing) |
Hill - Departures 09R
| WHERE | Another spot located in the middle of nowhere on a hill which is east of terminal 3. There area “no entry” sign as they are constantly adding soil to the hill but you can go there anyway. As July 2024, parking is no longer possible directly at this point so you have to find somehting near Terminal 3 and walk from there to this point. |
| WHAT | Aircaft taking off (facing east) and taking off on RWY 09R. It offers an interesting point of view as you are above the taxiway and high enough to avoid heat distortions |
| TIME | Light conditions are perfect from sunrise till 08:00 and 19:00 till sunset. |
| MISC. | No ladder needed |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 250 mm for heavies 400 mmm for narrow bodies |
Dégagement EST - Taxiway
| WHERE | Once again, another spot in the middle of nothing that will offer you great pictures opportunities. See below for exact GPS coordinates. Park on the roadside and try to leave space for the others. 49° 1’5.51″N 2°34’56.53″E |
| WHAT | Aircraft facing you while taxiing. Good in the morning as many heavies going to use it. |
| TIME | Light conditions are perfect from sunrise till 11am |
| MISC. | Ladder needed and only a few parking spaces available. Only when easterly runways are in use. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | From 70mm to 400mm |
Mesnil Amelot - Arrival 27L/R
| WHERE | This spot is located north east at the small village called Le Mesnil Amelot which is reachable from the D401. The spot itself is alongtheu former D2212 which is now closed for public but still accessible. Park your car close the beginning of the old road. Walk from there to the preferred position. |
| WHAT | Arrivals on 27L/R only. |
| TIME | Light conditions in the summer are perfect from 10:00 till 16:00 and all day long during winter time. |
| MISC. | There are plenty of restaurants and airport hotels in the village. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | From 100mm to 300 mm |
Round About - Arrival 27R, Departures 09R
| WHERE | This spot is located directly at the perimeter fence on the north side of the airport. As of 2024, parking directly at this place is no longer possible so you have to get rid off your car in the nearby village of Epiais Les Louvres and walk to this spot along the “Route Péripherique Nord” (not the freeway!) to the roundabout/fence as marked on the map. |
| WHAT | Aircraft landings when 27R is in use and taking off when 09R is in use. |
| TIME | Spring Summer only. From sunrise during spring / summer to 8am.From 6pm during sring/summer to sunset |
| MISC. | Might be muddy here. At some points the fence is still low and you can clear it with a few steps. There might be a small mound where you can climb up. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | From 70mm to 400 mm |
Gate Z2 - Arrivals 27R, Departures 09R
| WHERE | This spot is located directly at the perimeter fence on the north side of the airport, next to the Gate Z2. As of 2024, parking directly at this place is no longer possible so you have to get rid off your car in the nearby village of Epiais Les Louvres and walk westwards to this spot along the “Route Péripherique Nord” (not the freeway!) to the fence as marked on the map. |
| WHAT | Great for landings during summer when 27R is in use (Facing West) |
| TIME | Light conditions are perfect from 6PM to sunset during summer time (From may to end of August) |
| MISC. | Ladder needed and may be muddy sometime.Mind the trucks in your back.Great for landings on RWY 27R. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | From 70mm to 400 mm |
A1 Motorway bridge - Arrivals 09L and 27R, Departures 27L
| WHERE | This spot is located alongside of the new freeway and the airport fence, next to the A1 motorway . As of 2024, parking directly at this place is no longer possible so you have to get rid off your car in the nearby village of Epiais Les Louvres and walk to this spot westwards along the “Route Péripherique Nord” (not the freeway!). You can either stay by the roadside on a small lawn or on the bridge above the A1. |
| WHAT | Aircraft landings when 09L or 27R is in use and taking off when 27L is in use. Bigger aircraft may use the full lenght of the runway so don’t hesitate to walk a little bit to go on the bridge. |
| TIME | From 6AM during spring/summer to 9am. From 6pm during spring / summer to Sunset during winter time, if wheather is not on your side, you can give it a try as there will be no back light. |
| MISC. | It is a long walk so be prepared! No ladder needed here as the runway is higher than the fence. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | From 100mm to 400 mm |
Bridge:
Raquette Nord - Arrivals 09L / Departures 27L
| WHERE | This spot is located on the north side of the road and is far away from everything. As they are doing road maintenance at the moment, I do not know if it will be possible to reach this spot in 2015. Once you are in a village called Epiais-lès-Louvre, turn left at the round about and then, follow the path until you reach a cul de sac. Walk through the fence and climb the little hill.Think twice before going there as it takes ages to reach this point as the road is not easy to ride. |
| WHAT | Aircraft taking off Rwy 27L or landing 09L |
| TIME | Light conditions are perfect from 6pm to Sunset from may to end of august. You can also go there in the moring if you wish so but the spot #25 is more interesting for morning arrivals |
| MISC. | It is a long walk so be prepared! No ladder needed here as the runway is higher than the fence. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | From 200mm to 400 mm |
Hilton Hotel - Apron in front
| WHERE | This spot is just a few minutes away from the Concorde spot and easy access with CDGVal. From floors 4 and above on the north side corridors of the hotel you have an excellent view over the ramp at Terminal 3 and good shots through the windows are possible. |
| WHAT | The apron in front mostly. |
| TIME | Morning till late noon. |
| MISC. | Windows may be a birty dirty, but otherwise everything around. Staff did not bother spotters whilst doing spotting. Haze and some aircraft may disturb the view though. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | Should be 70-200mm |
Servair Hill - Taxiway
| WHERE | It’s located on a hill on the opposite of the Servair building, north of terminal 2. Park your car on the shoulder of the Rue de la Fossette and climb up the hill where you have a nice view over the fence on the bridge and taxiway. As of summer 20023 the vegetation has grown rapidly and climbing up the hill is not possible. Winter month should be easer to access this point. |
| WHAT | All movements on taxiway B and Q and movements in and out of apron Hotel. |
| TIME | Sunrise till noon. |
| MISC. | Keep an eye on your car as the tend to tow them away. Nothing nearby but at least some shadow. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | A380 = 60mm; 763 = 200mm |
Gare TGV - Taxiway E, part of apron D; Taxi park - Taxiways T, R, Landings 08R, Takeoffs 26R
| WHERE | This spot is located outside of Terminal 2 TGV-SCNF bus station “Gare TGV” on the Level 5. The spot is located between terminals 2C-2D and 2E-2F. From terminals 2A, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F it is accessible via the moving walkways. Just follow the signs ″Hotels″ then “Hotels by Shuttle”. From terminals 1 and 3 take the free CDGVAL shuttle train to terminal 2. On the opposite side of Level 5 there is another spot – a taxi park (follow the sign “Taxi”).
JAN 2022: southern (runway site) is unavailable given that works for CDG Express are being done. Nevertheless, you can still spot at the northern side or from the inside. At the corridor which connects T2E and T2C. You may see an aircraft parked in front of you. AUG 2022: shots only possible through the windows now. The outside spot at the busstop is restricted to the bus platform only (which is covered with windows), the open spaces left and right from the busstop are fenced off. |
| WHAT | Taxiways E, TF1 and G3, and part of apron D are visible. From the opposite side you can see taxiways T, R, RT4, TA3, landings on 08R and takeoffs from 26R are visible. |
| TIME | From 11 am until late afternoon or sunset in winter. The opposite side is good in summer evening. In winter you can use it on cloudy weather when there is no backlight. |
| MISC. | All you need is inside the terminal. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | From 80 mm to 250 mm. 100mm for Embraer, A350, A320, 155mm for A339, 75mm for B787, 180mm for A320, 210mm for A319 |
Geographotel Paris-Roissy CDG Airport - Arrivals 27
| WHERE | This spot is located in or near Geographotel Paris-Roissy CDG Airport, Le Mesnil-Amelot town. It is possible to take pictures from a hotel window (it can be opened) if your room faces the approach path to runways 27. Ask a room on the highest possible floor with odd numbers from 01 to 37. If there are no such rooms, you can take pictures from the sidewalk near the hotel. The hotel has free shuttle from a bus station “Gare TGV” Level 5. Good from 11:00. |
| WHAT | Approach to runways 27. |
| TIME | From 11 am until late afternoon or sunset in winter. |
| MISC. | All you need is inside the hotel. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | From 100mm to 400mm. 210mm for B757, 165mm for MD11, 270mm for B738. |
End of T2A - Taxiways F, N and landings 08R
| WHERE | This spot is located at the end of Terminal 2A. Go till the end of Terminal 2A, pass a small VIP terminal and move till the end of safe zone. It is highly recommended to stay on a road safety island next to the VIP terminal and move to the position only for a short time to take a photo. The road side is narrow and it may be dangerous due to traffic. Moreover the police may ask you to move away for your own safety. |
| WHAT | Taxiways G3, F, N as well as landings on 08R. |
| TIME | From early morning until 13.00. |
| MISC. | All you need is inside the terminal. Beware of police checks, especially for road safety! |
| FOCAL LENGTH | From 100mm to 400mm. 165mm for MD11, 210mm for B757, 270mm for B738. |
I find sport #23 the only one accessible without a car. Has anyone been there recently? I checked Google Maps a dozen times and am still confused about whether I can climb that hill or not. There were no ‘No Entry’ signs the last time Google Maps was updated.
Maybe you have suggestions for better spots that can be reached without a car?
The spot #24 is similar as the #23 one and it is easier to access there with a bus stop named “ZI périchet” near the spot. You need to take the bus 9501 at roissypole for one stop. However you have the planes a little more below. Hope I have helped you
Hello, spot 23 is indeed one of the only ones accessible by public transport. When planes land in the west, spot 7 of the weather is also accessible by public transport (see on maps). The rest of the spots are indeed difficult without a car (not impossible) but much longer than with a car, cycling can also be an option. For spot 23 there was a time when I was able to climb to the top, but since then, large plants with thorns have grown, therefore I do not recommend climbing there. (I have not found a safe path) There is a small red and white barrier behind the hill that is not difficult to cross, and from there, with good dexterity and a long focal length it is possible to photograph the takeoffs from the northern runways. There are a few obstacles that may spoil the photo, that’s why I talk about dexterity.
You’re right, Paris Airports are not spotters friendly. Really sad by the way.
For information, Road works are over but on all north side, parking is NO LONGER ACCEPTED. Been fired by French Police 4 months ago.
French authorities are fighting against fake taxis and savage parking, spotters are not preserved about this.
The best way for spotting on points 26 to 29 is to park your car in town of Epiais Les Louvres and walk from this town to your spotting point.
Have a nice spotting and welcome in France…
Thanks for the hint. I have not been there but the Apple Maps images are pretty up to date and with the help of it I completely updated these spots on the north side.
Cheers, Julian
Hi i am public relation manager of Iran Airtour. looking for a proffessional free lance airplane spotter in paris Charles de Gaulle . Thx . +98 9119992511 whatsapp
Would be good to change in the first paragraph that they do operate to Australia via Perth
Je suis parti au point de spot numéro 28 ce weekend et il y a un cadenas sur le portail maintenant . Impossible de rentrer comme sur la vidéo . Première fois que je vais sur ce spot ou peut être que j’ai mal comprit ?
I read that to apply for a photography permit at CDG, I need to include the dates I will visit the airport. Is this correct? Do the permits have a specific validity period?
Also wir sind aktuell in CDG. Genehmigung dauerte 1 Woche zu beantragen per Email und gilt 1 Monat. Lieblingsposition ist 18, keine Kontrolle und man konnte jederzeit gut parken. Landungen 26L
Recently visited spot 23 (The Hill) on a Sunday; there still were no-entry signs. But worse, there now was a closed barrier preventing entering the sand field, so no parking at the spot. I guess the closest (legal) spot is now the parking at P3, which is rather expensive and needs to be booked in advance
Sad to hear, I have updated the guide.
Thanks, Julian
The construction of the new freeway on the north side of the airport is done and the freeway was inaugurated in October 2023. The area around spot 26 needs an update. I can’t speak for 27, 28 and 29 as I haven’t been there.
Spot 26 no longer exists, you may be able to go here as a replacement, it is where the new tall fence with very small openings switches to the old one but there is only a small ~1m patch of grass between the fence and the road barrier that is not flat so placing a ladder is difficult. From here you can catch airplanes vacating 09L.
A spot should also be placed here, is it a hill between the small road and the new freeway; From it you can catch aircraft landing on 27R and taking off from 27L. Be aware the climb to the hill is only around 5m but is quite steep and the hillside can be covered in high grass during the summertime. Since the spot is high up you do not need a ladder
Car parking is very difficult in the area is quite difficult and the only spot I can think of is inside the village of Epiais-lès-Louvres. The spots are also accessible by public transit from the village bus stop (the simplest way to find timetables is to create a Google Maps itinerary). The walk from the village to the spots is on the side of the road so not the safest but doable. Beware especially when crossing the roundabout as very large trucks use it often.
All information is taken from my visit in late June 2024
attention, installation of electric fence on part of the perimeter fence, particularly at spot 3
Good morning:
Tomorow i will be in Charles de Gaulle for half a day,and i would like to know if you con take photos inside terminals and surrending areas,…Thanks!!!