Cathay Pacific Paris CDG Lounge
The new Cathay Pacific First and Business Class Lounge in Paris Charles de Gaulle airport's Terminal 2 is a very good lounge indeed, and a welcome plus to the oneworld lounges at Paris CDG. It is vastly better than the American Airlines Admirals Club next door, and indeed BA have now switched to using it as the main British Airways Paris Lounge.Paris CDG Cathay Pacific lounge review
Officially called the Salon Cathay Pacific Paris CDG, the Cathay Pacific lounge is in T2A, in the long connecting shopping aisle between T2A and T2C at Charles d 'Gaulle, so it is accessible if you're flying from either the A (American Airlines) or C (British Airways) terminals.
After the horror of check in in T2 (which is like a zoo - and a bad tempered one at that) use your pink express card to zip through security, and then head to Ladure (a famous French macarons bakery) and turn right.
There is a lift here, or stairs to the lounge which is on the top floor of the terminal, around an oval void, next to the Paris American Airlines lounge, and around the circle with Emirates and Etihad next door.
As a joint Business and First Class lounge, it is definitely Business Plus, rather than First Minus - it isn't the Hong Kong Cabin, but it is no slouch either.
There is a great marble reception desk, on which there is a sign warning that the lounge is only for the use of British Airways other than real Cathay Pacific customers. Don't worry - an American Airlines Business Class ticket (or indeed any oneworld ticket) will get you in. But the lounge is deliberately kept exclusive.
As you enter you can see the large square block of the lounge: it is the same size as the AA lounge next door, but somehow manages to remain more exclusive. On the right is the dining area, and around the corner again is the noodle bar, while to the left is a business centre with iMacs.
The dining area has long marble bench tops, and high wooden stools, or more classic dining room tables on a black marble floor.
However the main body of the lounge is rather dull. It has classic grey armchairs, with Cathay Pacific's standard Solus chairs, at the far end, with a privacy screen, a small table and power point underneath. At the far end are vast floor to ceiling windows, with sunbed type lounging seats, overlooking the flat French farmland around Paris CDG.
The general atmosphere in the lounge is light, bright, and as the lounge is so new, everything is wonderfully clean. Also, the staff are very friendly: They announce every flight, and passengers are given enough time to board and make the sometimes long way to the gate.
Food
The food selection is very good in the Cathay Pacific Paris CDG Lounge. Just about everyone heads to the noodle bar: here there is a range of fresh prepared Asian noodle dishes, such as Dan dan mian or Wonton noodle soup. The a la carte menu is on the tables. Order at the hatch, and then take the red buzzer to where you sit: it takes about 5 minutes for the noodles to be ready. To get the classic Cathay experience, sit on the long wooden benches, at high wooden tables. There is the choice of more western food, like sandwiches, from the usual buffet cover. The cheese selection is, as you might expect, very good indeed. There are also a good selection of rolled up cold cuts of ham and salami. At breakfast time you can get a good full cooked English breakfast, with bacon, sausages, mushrooms, scrambled egg and beans - the BA influence is obviously good. About two hours before the flights to Hong Kong leave there are pasta and rice dishes, with chicken and beef, under the heat lamps on the worktop. Macarons are on offer - a nice French touch in the lounge.
Bar
The bar is good in the Paris CDG Cathay Pacific Lounge, with as you might expect a good range of French wines: two red and three white. There is also normally a good bottle of new world White. There is also proper French champagne, with Piper Heidsieck in buckets on the worktop. There is a small selection of spirits, with only 6 bottles, arranged on the worktop. Beer is Heineken, in cans.
Business Facilities
There is a small business centre, with two iMacs, and two PCs, which are new and fast. There is also free wifi, and the good news is that all the chairs have power sockets between them. However, all the power sockets in the lounge are of the French round two pin design. There is an average selection of both French and International magazines and newspapers. Incidentally, the Solus chairs by the windows are a great place to get some work done, with the little flip down table great for working.
Bathrooms
In lounge, and very good. With good showers.Access
Anyone on a oneworld flight can access this lounge, however the other oneworld lounge at Paris CDG, the American Airlines Admirals Club, is where most people are directed to if they ask at check in. The Cathay Pacific T2C lounge is accessible if you're flying from either the A or C terminals, but not T2D.Video: Cathay Pacific Lounge
