Charles de Gaulle Airport several smaller airfields in the suburbs of Paris, and other airports directly or indirectly worldwide. The planning and construction phase of what was known then as "Aéroport de Paris Nord" (Paris North Airport) began in 1966. On 8 March 1974 the airport, renamed Charles de Gaulle Airport, opened. Terminal 1 was built in an avant-garde design of a ten-floors-high circular building surrounded by seven satellite buildings, each with six gates allowing sunlight to enter through apertures. The main architect was Paul Andreu, who was also in charge of the extensions during the following decades. Following the introduction of the brand
Transport in Paris Thalys line connects Brussels through 1h22 of rail with up to 26 departures/day, Amsterdam in 3h18 with up to 10 departures/day, Cologne in 3h14, with up to 6 departures/day . Paris had its first airport in the fields of Issy-les-Moulineaux (just to the southern limits of Paris by its Seine river's Left Bank) from the first aviation trials of 1908. Aviation became a serious mode of transport during the course of World War I, which in 1915 led to the installation of a larger and more permanent runway installation near the town of Le Bourget to the north of Paris.