About This Route
Which side of the plane should I sit on flying from Charles De Gaulle (CDG) to Vancouver International (YVR)?
Sit on the Left side of the plane for the best views on flights from Paris to Vancouver. Left side wins at both ends of the flight. Over the Atlantic and Canadian Shield the views are largely ocean and boreal forest regardless of side, but the left side delivers Paris on departure and the spectacular Mount Baker plus Vancouver approach on arrival, making it the clear choice for the highlights of this route.
What can I see during takeoff from Charles De Gaulle in Paris?
During takeoff from Charles De Gaulle (CDG), sit on the Left side for the best views. CDG typically departs westbound on runways 26L/26R, meaning the left side faces south toward Paris. You get a clear view of the city center, the Seine river bends, and the Eiffel Tower area as the aircraft climbs and banks northwest. The right side faces north toward flat Picardy farmland. Notable sights include: Paris city center and Seine river bends, Eiffel Tower district (visible as a small spire in the urban grid), La Défense business district towers, Versailles palace grounds and formal gardens to the southwest.
What can I see when landing at Vancouver International in Vancouver?
When landing at Vancouver International (YVR), sit on the Left side for the best views. YVR's primary arrival from the east is runway 26L/26R, approaching from the east over the Fraser Valley. The left side faces south and gets the clearest view of Mount Baker's snow-covered volcanic cone across the US border, the Fraser River delta, and the city of Vancouver backed by the North Shore mountains. The right side faces north toward the flat Fraser Valley farmland. Notable sights include: Mount Baker volcanic cone (Washington State, visible to the south), Fraser River delta and its braided channels, Vancouver city skyline backed by the North Shore mountains, Georgia Strait opening to the west.
How long is the flight from Paris to Vancouver?
The flight from Charles De Gaulle (CDG) to Vancouver International (YVR) takes Approximately 9 to 10 hours.
What does the Paris to Vancouver flight path pass over?
The route tracks roughly along the 49th parallel, crossing southern England and the Irish Sea, then the North Atlantic at high latitudes passing south of Greenland and Iceland, then the largely uninhabited boreal forest and lakes of the Canadian Shield over Quebec and Ontario, the Great Lakes region, the prairies of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, the Rocky Mountains of Alberta and British Columbia, and finally the Coast Mountains descending into the Fraser Valley and Vancouver