The Chabé chauffeur and airport meet-and-greet

Why it is on the list

Chabé has driven for the Paris palace hotels since Maurice Chabé started the first chauffeur service for them in 1921; he helped found the Clefs d'Or, the hotel concierges' association, in 1929, and his family still runs the company.¹ The fleet runs to almost 350 cars, armoured ones among them, replaced every two years on average; every chauffeur speaks French and English and is trained in protective driving.² It has been the official car supplier of the Paris Air Show since 2015.³

What sets it apart on a commercial flight is the agent. At Charles de Gaulle and Orly the agent meets the passenger as they step off the aircraft, holding a sign with their name, takes them through border checks by the priority lane where there is one, collects the luggage and walks them to the car.⁴ Chabé also drives to and from Le Bourget and the mainline stations; at a station the driver usually waits at the end of the platform.³ Booked as a plain transfer, it is the wrong choice for a passenger who wants to be met off the plane: the chauffeur waits after luggage collection, not at the aircraft.⁵

How to get it

Call the Paris office on +33 1 41 20 95 10; it answers around the clock, seven days a week.³ Ask for an airport transfer with the meet-and-greet at the aircraft on arrival; on departure the agent meets the car, helps with check-in and duty-free forms and walks the passenger through priority security to the gate or lounge.⁴ Chabé sends the driver's name and telephone number beforehand, and the driver arrives at least 15 minutes early.⁵ For a longer stay, a dedicated chauffeur is booked from five hours a day; Chabé presents several chauffeurs to choose from, and the car is chosen by make and model.⁶

Discretion

The driver holds a tablet showing the passenger's name and a code agreed beforehand, so nobody is met by a stranger.⁵ Armoured cars are in the fleet, every chauffeur is trained in protective and defensive driving, and close protection comes from partner companies approved by the CNPAS.⁴