London to Paris flights

London to Paris flights are a short hop across the Channel, with a scheduled flight time of about 1 hour 35 minutes. Non-stop flights run all year, about 149 a week in total.

Four airlines fly the route non-stop: Air France, British Airways, easyJet and Vueling. Between them they give a choice of departures from early morning to late evening on most days.

On the London side, six airports serve the city, from Heathrow and Gatwick to London City. In Paris, the route is served by Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Orly (ORY).

London is served by six airports: Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, London City and Southend. Heathrow is the largest and busiest of them, while Stansted and Southend lie well outside the city.

Rail and coach links from central London to the airports:

• London Heathrow (LHR): about 25km from the centre; the Heathrow Express from Paddington Station is the fastest rail link, with the Elizabeth line and the Piccadilly line as slower options
• London Gatwick (LGW): about 47km from the centre, served by the Gatwick Express from Victoria Station
• London Stansted (STN): the Stansted Express from Liverpool Street, or Terravision coaches from central London
• London Southend (SEN): trains from Liverpool Street run to the airport station
• London City Airport: the closest to the centre, reached by the DLR or a short taxi ride, and favoured by travellers who want a quick airport

Paris has two main airports, Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Orly (ORY), and both have direct rail links into the city.

Charles de Gaulle lies about 23km from the centre. The RER B regional train runs straight to central stations such as Châtelet-Les Halles, and buses 350 and 351 also link the airport with the city. Inside the airport, the CDGVAL shuttle connects the terminals, and the TGV station serves high-speed trains to other French cities.

Orly is closer, about 14km from the centre. Metro Line 14 runs directly from the airport into Paris. The Orlyval shuttle connects to the RER B, and tram T7 runs to Villejuif-Louis Aragon metro station.

Paris Beauvais (BVA), the city's third airport, lies much further out. The Navette Beauvais shuttle bus links it with Porte Maillot in about 75 minutes.

Paris rewards even a short break after a flight from London. A few places to start with:

• Eiffel Tower: the city's best-known landmark, with views over the Seine and the rooftops from its upper platforms
• Le Marais: historic streets known for their traditional cafés, old mansions and independent boutiques
• Champs-Élysées: the grand avenue of upscale boutiques leading up to the Arc de Triomphe, next to Charles de Gaulle-Étoile station
• Canal Saint-Martin: the waterside heart of the 10th arrondissement, with a more local atmosphere of cafés and footbridges
• Louvre: the former royal palace that now holds the Mona Lisa and art from antiquity onwards
• Montmartre: the hilltop district crowned by the Sacré-Cœur basilica, with wide views across the whole city

Paris events that are worth timing a trip around:

• Fête de la Musique: free concerts in streets, squares and bars across the city on the longest day of June
• Bastille Day: the national holiday in mid-July, with a military parade on the Champs-Élysées and fireworks at the Eiffel Tower
• Nuit Blanche: one night in early October when art installations stay open across the city until dawn