One solution is to check if your US phone plan already has international roaming, or to add that option to your plan. Another option, if your phone supports it is, is to buy an esim (a virtual sim card) for your phone. Be sure that 1) your phone is unlocked (accepts sim cards from other carriers) and 2) it is recent enough to support esim. A good place to buy an esim is https://www.simoptions.com/esim-europe/ - Bouygues Telecom and Orange are two good providers to buy from on that website. More info about esims for Europe at https://www.traveltomtom.net/destinations/europe/france/best-esim-cards-for-france
Yes! Consider the following tips: French / Universal Adapters Make sure the adapter's packaging says it works in France, or look for a "universal" adapter that's labeled for the countries you plan to visit. Voltage Voltage is different between France and the US. While this won't affect charging your small devices (phone, laptop etc) it could damage things like hair dryers, curling irons and straighteners. We recommend that you don't bring those on your trip.
If you RSVP'd for a stay at the venue the night before and/or the night of the wedding you do not need to make a reservation. Your room is reserved and payment will be settled at checkout.
Paris has Uber, but not Lyft. You should be able to order cars with your regular Uber account, however remember that drivers may have trouble reaching you on the phone if they need to. Some areas have a lot of restrictions for cars (in the very center of Paris) and it's often easier to just walk or take public transportation.
If you're American, you don't need a tourist visa to fly to France. Once you enter France, you can travel to other countries in the Schengen zone as if you were travelling domestically (google Schengen zone for the exact list of countries).
There are three airports in the Paris area: - Roissy - Charles De Gaulle (CDG): main international airport. It is a short drive from the wedding venue (Ermenonville) so we recommend that option. If you are sleeping at the Ermenonville castle the night of the wedding, you should consider flying out of CDG on Sunday afternoon (Sep 1). - Orly (ORY): second airport, a short drive from the Kafrounis home and a little closer to the city of Paris, but far from the wedding venue. French Bee has a cheap direct flight between Newark and Orly - Beauvais (BVA): It is unlikely but if this airport appears in your search, try to avoid it, as it is much further from both the city and the wedding venue
The main airline in France is Air France which shares flights with Delta Airlines. They have many direct flights to Charles De Gaulle airport from cities on the East Coast, including one from Raleigh. From New York, you can consider French Bee and Norse which are cheaper options (French Bee flies to Orly Airport, see the note on airports above). United, American and JetBlue also have direct flights from New York and other East Coast cities (Charlotte, Atlanta, Washington DC...). If you don't see these options when you book your flight, the flights might not be scheduled yet.
We recommend that you book your flights before March 2024 to get the best prices. For hotels, you should have good options until May or June.