FCO to CDG: which side of the plane should you sit on?
Rome (FCO) to Paris (Roissy-en-France, Val-d'Oise) (CDG) is a 1,101 km (684 mi), roughly 1h 48m northbound flight. Here is where the sun sits along that path, computed with the same astronomy as our live calculator.
On most daytime FCO to CDG departures the sun favors the left side — sit on the right (a window on the right) for shade.
Sun side by season and departure time
| Season | Morning (8 am) | Midday (1 pm) | Evening (6 pm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | Right | Left | Left |
| June solstice | Right | Left | Left |
| September equinox | Right | Left | Left |
| December solstice | Right | Left | Night |
What you’ll see on this flight
Right side wins on both views and shade.
Sit on the right. The views and the shade both lean that way, so this route gives you the better window and the cooler one at the same time.
Takeoff
After takeoff from FCO, depending on the runway in use, you stay close to Rome on the right side. The city comes first, then the Alban Hills and the lakes south and northwest of Rome. Lake Bracciano shows up a few minutes in as a dark round shape below.
En route
- 18m in← LeftElba
About 18 minutes in, Elba sits off the left side as an island shape in the sea.
- 54m inRight →Lake Maggiore
Around 54 minutes in, Lake Maggiore appears on the right as a long bright lake surface.
- 58m inRight →Matterhorn
Around 58 minutes in, the Matterhorn is on the right, a sharp peak in the Pennine Alps.
- 1h 01m inRight →Jungfrau
About 61 minutes in, Jungfrau is on the right, with the Bernese Alps beyond it.
- 1h 01m in← LeftMont Blanc
Also about 61 minutes in, Mont Blanc is on the left, with the Western Alps and Aiguille du Midi close by on that side.
Landing
On descent into CDG, depending on the runway in use, Paris comes in on the left. Pont Neuf follows on the left as you lose height.
Sides and timings are computed from this route’s geometry. What you actually see depends on weather, air-traffic routing, and the runway in use on the day.
Frequently asked
Which side of the plane avoids the sun from FCO to CDG?
Across typical daytime departures, the sun predominantly hits the left side of the aircraft, so the right side stays shadier. Seat letters start at the left window, so choose the highest window letter (F on narrowbodies, K on many widebodies).
Which side has the sunset views on FCO to CDG flights?
For sunset views, flip the advice: on evening departures the sun sits on the left side of this route, so that is the side with the show.
How long is the flight from FCO to CDG?
The great-circle distance is 1,101 km (684 mi), which works out to roughly 1h 48m in the air on this northbound routing. Winds and routing move the real block time around that estimate.
Does the date or departure time change the answer?
Yes — that is why the table shows both. The sun's path shifts with the season, and a morning departure can put the glare on the opposite side compared to an evening one. For a specific flight, the calculator samples the sun along the whole route for your exact date and time.
Which side should I sit on for FCO to CDG?
Sit on the right. That side gets the stronger view line, and it is also the shade side.
What will I see on this flight?
You get Rome and its nearby lakes after departure, then Elba, Lake Maggiore, and a run past the Alps before Paris on approach.