Travel Information

Flight

CDG Airport

How to get to Paris's city center from CDG (Paris-Charles de Gaulle) by public transportation: Take the RER B train. RER trains are regional express services and run every 10 minutes between the airport and the city center. It takes about 30 minutes. From there you can take their local subway to your place of stay. You can also schedule an Uber or use a taxi. Note that public transportation is not available at night.

Flight

ORY Airport

How to get to Paris's city center from ORY (Paris Orly Airport) by public transportation: You can take the Orly bus, which runs every 15 minutes, to Place Denfert-Rochereau where you can take the subway to your final destination. The bus ride is about 30 minutes. You can also schedule an Uber or use a taxi. Note that public transportation is not available at night.

House Or Rental

Lodging

We recommend hotels or AirBnBs in these arrondissements (districts)! 1.) North of 9th/South of 18th - Beautiful historic neighborhood in the north of Paris. Plenty to do but also lots of more quiet, residential blocks. 2.) 2nd/3rd - Centrally located, great access to the whole city. A vibrant neighborhood with plenty of great restaurants, shopping and nightlife. Not the best if you are looking for a quiet spot. 3.) 5th/6th - Well-positioned in the historical heart of the city. Busy day and night but not quite as lively as the 3rd. If you are looking for something less pricey you can also at towns in the outskirts of Paris such as Malakoff/Montrouge, Boulogne-Billancourt and Vincennes.

Train

Transportation

Metro: Is the easiest and cheapest way to get around Paris. There are different types of tickets depending on your destination; t+ tickets will allow access to all means of transportation throughout all 5 zones in Paris and the surrounding region. It is 1.90 euros per trip or you can get a weekly pass for 22.80 euros. The weekly pass starts on Monday, NOT the day you purchase it! Note that the metro closes at night. You can take a bus, Uber or taxi to get around between 1 am - 5am. RER trains: Is the regional train that connects Paris to other cities and towns. It is fairly cheap and clean! We would recommend taking this train if you plan on taking a day trip outside of Paris. *Pickpocketing is common in the touristy neighborhood of Paris, especially on the train/metro. If you have a purse make sure it has a zipper and closes all the way. Don't leave your phone in your back pocket and don't give anyone money on the metro or street*

Rental Car

Rental Car

Here is where you can rent a car. You can schedule pick up and drop off from the airport! *Please be sure to check that you are renting an automatic and not a manual car*

Travel Note

Phone Service

You can either check in with your phone service to see what international phone plans they offer or you can buy a sim card in France (usually the cheaper option for Americans). We usually get it from a store called FREE, which has stores all over Paris. We also highly recommend downloading WhatsApp or FB Messenger so you have a way to send messages through Wi-Fi.

Travel Note

Basic French

Here is a website if you would like to learn basic French! You can also download Duo Lingo if you want to learn some vocabulary. If this is not something you are interested in don't worry! Parisians have a great understanding of English and it will be very easy to communicate your needs.

Travel Note

Travel Checklist

Climate: June is usually between 58 - 73 degrees F and sunny Don't forget to bring a transformer to charge your electronics! Travel Insurance: Please check in with your employer about what your travel insurance plan is or you can purchase it for fairly cheap Make sure passport does not expire at least 6 months before departure date Visa: You do NOT need a visa if you are a United States citizen. If you are flying in from another country please check on your governments website! Travel Vaccines: There are NO additional vaccines needed to fly to France, but we HIGHLY recommend be up to date with all of your Covid boosters! Locating pharmacies in Paris: Pharmacies in France are easy to locate; they have a green cross outside their entrance that lights up Hospitals in Paris: American Hospital of Paris, 55 Bd du Château, 92200 Neuilly-sur-Seine, France. Hotel Dieu Hospital, 1 Parvis Notre-Dame - Pl. Jean-Paul II, 75004 Paris, France. If you need help looking for anything specific that is medical-related in Paris please let us know.