Why fly from Paris?
Paris has three airports serving weekend travellers, and knowing which one to use is half the battle. Charles de Gaulle (CDG) is the big international hub — Air France's home, plus easyJet and Ryanair. Orly (ORY) is closer to the city and strong on southern European routes via Transavia and Vueling. Beauvais (BVA) is Ryanair territory — cheap flights, but it's 85km from Paris.CDG to central Paris takes 35 minutes on RER B (€11.45). Orly is reachable via the Orlyval + RER B combo (€14.10) or the cheaper tramway T7 to Villejuif then Métro (€2.15 total, but slow). Beauvais is a 75-minute bus ride (€17) — factor that into any "cheap" Ryanair fare.
The Paris advantage: Air France and Transavia compete with the budget carriers, and French domestic competition law keeps prices honest. Routes to southern France (Nice, Marseille, Toulouse) are absurdly cheap — sometimes €20 return. Mediterranean and North African routes (Marrakech, Tunis) are also well-served.
Best weekend routes from Paris
Lisbon, Porto, Barcelona, Rome — Transavia from Orly regularly beats everyone on price
London (1h15), Amsterdam (1h10), Barcelona (1h50), Geneva (1h05) — genuine Friday evening escapes
Marrakech (3h15), Tunis (2h30) — Transavia and Ryanair from Orly, surprisingly affordable
Naples, Porto, Kraków, Tallinn — less-obvious routes where competition keeps prices low
When to fly from Paris
Summer (Jun–Aug): French school holidays (early July to early September) inflate Mediterranean routes. Nice and Corsica double in price. Try Portugal or Croatia instead — slightly less crowded routes.
Autumn (Sep–Nov): Best value window. Post-rentrée, airlines slash prices to fill planes. Lisbon, Rome, Barcelona weekends regularly under €50 return from Orly.
Winter (Dec–Feb): Christmas markets (Strasbourg by TGV is better but flights to Prague and Vienna work too). January is dead cheap — London weekends from €25. Morocco is perfect this time of year.
Spring (Mar–May): Gradually climbing prices. Book early for Easter. Late April and May are brilliant — southern Europe is warm, tourists haven't arrived, prices are reasonable.
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Airport insider tip
For Orly departures, the tramway T7 from Villejuif-Louis Aragon (Métro 7) costs just €2.15 and takes 40 minutes. Most people overpay for the Orlyval. Also: CDG Terminal 2 has a free inter-terminal train (CDGVAL) — don't waste money on taxis between terminals.
Frequently asked questions
Which Paris airport should I use?
Orly for budget Mediterranean routes (Transavia, Vueling). CDG for everything else (easyJet, Air France, Ryanair). Beauvais only if the flight is drastically cheaper — the 85km bus ride adds 3 hours and €34 to your day.
How cheap are flights from Paris?
Very. Transavia regularly offers €29 one-way to Lisbon, Porto, Barcelona. Ryanair from Beauvais goes as low as €10 one-way to southern Europe. Even Air France runs sales — sign up for their newsletter.
Is the Eurostar better than flying for London?
Often yes. City centre to city centre in 2h15, no airport security theatre. But easyJet CDG-Gatwick can be €30 return vs €90+ Eurostar. If you're price-sensitive and don't mind airports, fly. If you value your time, take the train.
Can I fly from Paris to North Africa for a weekend?
Absolutely. Marrakech is 3h15 from Orly with Transavia or Ryanair, often under €80 return. Tunis is 2h30. Both are legitimate weekend destinations — leave Friday, return Sunday, and you'll have a full day Saturday.