Travel

Travel Note

Tips Prior to Traveling

• Ensure all members of your party have a valid passport to enter France. • Confirm that your passport is valid for the travel date and that you have a minimum of one empty page for the stamps by customs to enter and exit the country. It is required to have three months validity before your passport expiration date. • Depending on your service and terms, you may need to notify your credit card(s), cell phone, and car insurance companies about international trips. • Please make sure your vaccine card, health pass, and statement of honor matches your passport name accurately (see below). • Travelers will need to have their passport and their original paper version of their vaccination record. The vaccination record will need to show the traveler’s name, DOB, vaccination date(s), the number of doses, and the country where the vaccination occurred.

Flight

Tips for Flights

• Set up a "Google Flights" alert: https://www.google.com/travel/flights • Create a "Price Alert" through Kayak: https://www.kayak.com/flights • Hopper analyzes billions of prices daily to predict how prices will change, and tells you whether to buy or wait: https://www.hopper.com/ • Create a "Price Alert" via Skyscanner: https://www.skyscanner.com/ • Set up a "Watchlist" via Expedia: https://www.expedia.com/ • If you book far enough in advance, flights to Paris are usually quite reasonable. However, if you're finding that that's not the case from your location, we recommend looking into doing a quick stop into New York City (I've seen as low as $200), and from there, flying to Paris. This has been helpful for us in the past, and a little time in NYC is always fun! • Airfare to France was the most affordable in November and December as well as in February when booking for May (we took notes last year). We advise price watching for the best deal using travel apps above.

Travel Note

French Embassy Travel Information

If you are vaccinated, you must simply present proof of your vaccination status and a sworn statement certifying the absence of COVID-19 symptoms and of any contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19. Currently only the Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are accepted for entry into France. The vaccination schedule is considered complete 28 days after receiving one dose of Janssen vaccine, seven days after a second dose of other vaccines.

Travel Note

Statement of Honor

Download this form and fill it out accordingly prior to entering France.

Travel Note

Health Pass (Pass Sanitaire)

Many tourist attractions, entertainment, and sporting facilities, and all dining establishments, among other businesses, require presentation of a health pass for entry. A health pass is also required for long-distance travel. A health pass can be obtained from designated pharmacies for a fee of up to 36 Euros. The map of designated pharmacies is available on this website.

Flight

CDG

Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport 1.5 hours by train or 3 hours by car to the Chateau

Flight

NTE

Nantes Atlantique Airport 45 minutes from the Chateau

Travel Note

Transportation to The Chateau

We are making shuttle arrangements for connections from Paris, Angers, or Nantes. Check back soon. CAR 🚘 it is a 3-hour drive by car from Paris to the Chateau. You can rent a car and pick it up directly at the airport from Avis, Europcar, or Sixt. We advise booking online prior to your arrival (see below for Europcar information). Additionally, most European vehicles are standard shift stick, so indicate if you prefer automatic when booking. TRAIN 🚄 It's a 2-hour and 45-minute commute by ordinary train or a 1-hour and 30-minute ride by high-speed train: TGV InOUI (see below). You can leave from either Paris Montparnasse and rent a car or catch a ride to reach the Chateau.

Rental Car

Europcar

For people who wish to fly to Paris and want the freedom of a car in France, we would recommend that you use a rental service at the Charles de Gaul Airport. Renting a car is a seamless process, and you are able to pick-up and drop off the car within the airport parking structure. I've attached the link for Europcar. If you have international phone service you can use your phone as a GPS, and it works seamlessly from our research. The rural French roads and highways are very well maintained and traffic is low, making France a safe and enjoyable country to drive in. Château de Challain has parking available free of charge.

Train

TGV Train

• We recommend you book a seat on TGV train departing from Paris (Montparnasse Station) to the Angers Saint-Laud station, which usually costs between 30-50 Europos per traveler. • Please purchase your tickets beforehand as the TGV is reserved seating only. However, at the risk of the train being full, you can also purchase a ticket at the train station itself or at any SNCF agency. These are at every major train station, and there are several around Paris as well.

Hotel

Château de Challain-la-Potherie

• Château de Challain is located in the Anjou region of the Loire Valley and may be easily accessed by plane, car, or train. • To make a reservation please contact: Cynthia Nicholson M: +1 908 489 5005 E: chateauchallain@gmail.com (Please mention Kim and Charles' Wedding in the subject line) www.chateauchallain.com/chateau-accommodation/main-chateau Accomodations Brochure: https://sender6.zohoinsights1.eu/ck/13ef.4aba358de/1b4dc490-70ac-11ec-a61e-52540063e0e7/a4c4aac7729149d4b921c88af0a7ae8a30e86d05/2?e=B9uPoxek%2BX7Hwl7F37fzWboyDm8bS5vEJEiYTj%2B9rD0npD7jmrNL0lmd2QVDGpMcFgjZObsC3%2BQ8rvRepj%2BlMBgFe6LP6PjOds%2FVF757CKrxVCr%2B4oR5FClGvhQe75HXNDKFJXPsTHnO991jNbDPa6rn22z2y9ZCF8AXHrYq8D1NzLD%2FF%2FDkcrdiRV174%2BAv7BtoFZ9Gqh0J1XwLtNmWfVTTxFAty8GY4Bjmxm%2FGj8KGIkoXZeg0%2BTqXGovRKwUJHYqaooXPt59PEeN3zJvmvcwiFs77NF%2FYiiwK5HNbVyE5fPHOmSh%2BPyG4RWnTcDoMauuMNT9soRMMfBZOrSjZTvhG%2Fo8sZYQ8%2FE8cUGfzDrE%3D

Hotel

Le Manoir de la Vieille Douve

Hotel

La Marmoire

Hotel

Château l'Escale

Hotel

Château de Tresse

House Or Rental

AirBnB

If you're looking for a place to stay through Airbnb, we recommend these neighborhoods which are centrally located and a short drive from the wedding venue: Challain-la-Potherie. We will also be posting a Word document with Airbnbs in the area. Check back soon.