Air France Lounge Review (Paris CDG Terminal 2E Gates L)

In this post, I review the Air France Lounge at Terminal 2E Gates L at Paris CDG Airport (known as Salon Air France in French). This is part 2 of my 3 part post of my trip from Montreal to Mauritius via Paris CDG. You can read Part 1 of my review of the Air France Lounge at Montreal Airport and Part 3 which covers the Air France Business Class Flight from Paris to Mauritius.

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**Mesmerizing Lights as you walk to the nap room**

Due to strong tailwinds and an early departure, we landed in Paris over an our earlier than scheduled and had to wait 15 minutes for a parking spot to open up. At Paris CDG Airport, you have several lounges to choose from if you are flying Air France Business Class. You can also lounge hop between them as you have unlimited access. My flight was leaving from Terminal 2E Gates K but having researched the lounge ahead of time online, that Air France Lounge seemed abysmal. I decided instead to go to the one in Terminal 2E Gates L as it seemed much newer, more spacious and had a nap area, something which was much needed as I had a 12 hour layover.

Hot tip: Check head of time which terminal your flight departs from and make sure you choose a nice lounge, specially on a long layover.

Location

Since my flight was departing from the other terminal, I was reminded that I was heading the wrong direction when lining up for security and then again when I reached security. If this happens, just mention you are going to the lounge or the “salon” as they call it in French. The lounge is located right after security on the right. You will see a sign as you enter the Duty Free shops and the lounge will be upstairs. This CDG Air France lounge is also accessible to economy class passengers but at an additional cost.

Cost

The entrance price for a day pass was around 60€ in 2022 (approximately $85 Canadian dollars or $70 USD). The lounge is complimentary for Air France Business Class passengers.

The Lounge

The lounge entrance has automated booths that you can use to scan your boarding pass. It lights up green if you have free access and you can enter right away. As you walk in, the main area opens to a buffet (more on that below), bar and plenty of seats. There isn’t much of a view as the windows overlook a highway. This lounge actually had a spa but my excitement quickly fizzled when the cleaning attendant told me it was out of service.

Showers

This lounge has plenty of showers and each toilet is enclosed in its own room with a shower. While other lounges at CDG Airport may have showers, it’s not always easy to access them. For example, the Yotel Air Lounge which I visited during my last trip that had up to a 3 hour wait while there was no waiting time at the AF lounge for a shower.

The attendant was quick to replace the bath towels and accessories. There are complimentary travel-size toothbrushes and toothpaste provided. There are no vents or fans here so it became very hot and humid after my shower. This makes it unpleasant to put on your clothes as you already start to sweat again. I couldn’t wait to leave after my shower and rushed to get ready.

Nap Room (Quiet Rest Area)

In the back of the lounge is a quiet rest area! However, someone was playing music on his phone and I was really fed up after staying up all night so I got up and reminded him that this is a quiet zone. I don’t know why there is this new trend that everyone needs to be either on a loud phone call at the airport or blasting whatever video they are watching loudly in the terminal. After that, I settled in for some sleep. I always use my Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones while napping which do an excellent job of cancelling out background noise. If you are from North America, you will need a travel adaptor to charge your electronics as the European outlets are different than the ones in the US and Canada.

**The common relaxation area featured mood lighting.**

There were also these private mini nap rooms with loungers, usb plugs and curtains for some privacy. Choose your lounge wisely as the Lounge at Gates K does not have a nap area. I was getting really tired carrying my **Samsonite Leather Backpack** **around so I have since upgraded to a** **rolling carry-on**.

Dining

There was a small buffet and large bar by the main dining area. There weren’t many food options and the food did leave a lot to be desired. There were no substantial meals, it was more of a make-your-own salads and appetizers type offering. There was rice, leafy greens, some cheese, crackers and quiche. Thankfully the meal on my Air France flight afterwards was significantly better. The drinks selection was decent and included wines, spirits and champagnes. The bar was self serve so you’re out of luck if you like to order cocktails.

There was a second snack and bar area at the far end of the lounge in the back however this was closed when I visited. Some soft drinks were available from the fridge.

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Hot Tip: Leave enough time to reach your gate as you have to go through security again when switching gate sections within Terminal 2E. The security line can be over an hour long sometimes. Screens around the terminal show the estimated transfer time. Avoid buying any bottles at Duty Free until you are past security as it could pose a problem.

I then headed to Gates K as that was where my flight was departing from. I had extra time to visit the Air France lounge there and it was very disappointing. It was old and crowded. The couches were outdated and the toilets were smaller than the public restrooms in the terminal. I did not see any nap or quiet rest areas. The food was similar.

After that quick stop, I headed to the gate to board my flight. I always leave an Airtag in my suitcase now so that before boarding, I can track my luggage location using the Find My App to make sure it’s loaded onto the plane (Airtags only work with iPhones but you can also use a Samsung SmartTag or a Tile). They are also useful to locate your luggage in case the airline loses them).

CONCLUSION

❌ Basic food, no proper meals.

Spa was closed.

No views

✅ Spacious and Comfortable.

Showers. Rest Areas. Open Bar

Free access for Business Class Passengers

While I very much enjoyed the shower and rest facilities, the food left a lot to be desired at this lounge. The drink selection was decent though and this lounge is definitely much better than the Air France Lounge in Hall/Gates K so if you have enough time, I recommend coming to this one. Just remember that if you are not departing from Hall/Gates L, you need to go through security again so plan to leave enough time (use the Skypriority lanes if you have a Business Class ticket).

CONTINUE READING - Air France Business Class Review from Paris to Mauritius