TRAVEL TO & IN PARIS

 

    > New information may be added as needed. 

Luggage

Review your airline's specific requirements for luggage dimensions and weight. The weight limit for checked luggage is 50 pounds and strictly enforced. Remember to leave space and spare weight for any new purchases as overweight charges are hefty. One of the newer lightweight bags is helpful. Size restrictions for carryon bags are more strictly reinforced these days.

 

Although you may not encounter all these obstacles in domestic travel, you will want luggage that is easy to maneuver on escalators, through turnstiles, on stairs, and over cobblestones. 

 

If you take public transportation from the airport, you may need to lift your bags to the train from the platform. The train trip on the RER from Charles de Gaulle (CDG) is non-stop; more changes are required from Orly airport. 

 

Do a practice run with your entire packed luggage to see how well you manage it for an hour. If it’s difficult to handle, consider what changes need to be made.

 

Packing

Refer to the government website www.tsa.gov for tips on what is allowed on airplanes and how to pack. Put any sharp items in your checked baggage, NOT your carry on. 

 

Bring as little as you dare.

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Medications: Bring all medicine including vitamins and any OTC allergy/cold or other medicine. Be sure to bring any prescription medicine in its original packaging from the pharmacy and pack in your carry-on bag. Bring an oral antibiotic just in case. And bandaids.

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Eye prescriptions: Bring a spare pair of glasses, extra contact lenses, and your prescription.

 

Local Transportation from Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport: 

 

  > RER Train to general area of Paris American Academy

         (Arrondissement 5/Zone 5): 

1  Follow signs in the airport for RER train B.

2  Purchase a ticket to Paris (approximately 10 EUROS) You will need EUROs in coins or a credit card with a chip to use a kiosk. Or, you can stand in a queue (line) to purchase a ticket from a window. There is usually a kiosk for change nearby.

3  Follow signs and take escalator down to the RER departure platform. Keep your train ticket to use in exiting the turnstile at your final stop.

4  Take the RER-B train (direction Robinson) to either the stop for Luxembourg or Port Royale. ~40-45 minutes.

5a  When departing the train at the Luxembourg stop, Luxembourg Gardens (park) will be across the street --your landmark in getting your bearings. 

5b  When departing the train at the Port Royale stop, you may want to know that the station is located on the same of as PAA. Port Royale station has 2 elevators

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      > Taxis to your Hotel or Airbnb: 

Taxis are available at Airport Paris Charles de Gaulle to take you directly to your hotel or Airbnb.

Distance: 32 km, Duration: 40 min Price: approximately 50-60€ 

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      > Airport Shuttle to your Hotel or Airbnb: 

Airport shuttles are available at Airport Paris Charles de Gaulle to take you directly to your hotel or Airbnb.

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Paris American Academy (PAA)

We will meet at Paris American Academy for our first session on Saturday, 14 July. Plan to arrive a little early for our first meeting. 

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275–277, rue St. Jacques

75005 Paris

France

Tel. : +33 (0) 1 44 41 99 20      Fax : +33 (0) 1 44 41 99 29

https://www.parisamericanacademy.fr

www.parisamericanacademy@wanadoo.fr">www.parisamericanacademy@wanadoo.fr

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 Local transportation within Paris: 

You can gather lots of information on Visiting Paris via the RATP's regional transportation web site. Scroll down to see the options (e.g., Public Transport Users Guide, Next Stop Paris app, etc.) 

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Maps for using Paris' public transportaion-RER, Metro, and Bus are also available.  You can download train and bus maps in PDF format. Download:

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Buses near the PAA area:

> N° 21; N°27; N°38; N°83

 

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Apps for getting around in Paris. 

There are many smartphone apps that can help you find your way around Paris. Useful ones include street maps, bus and metro maps, etc. 

 

Apps that work in offline or in Airplane mode are recommended for the many times you may not have access to WIFI--and do not want to use up precious data. Consider doing your own search as some apps are free, while others are not.

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Apps we have used or that come highly rated include: 

> Paris Metro RATP travel guides and offline city street map, underground ... (Interactive zoomable offline maps, etc.)

> Visit Paris by Métro-RATP - Subway, train & tram maps (offline; interactive info on metro stops, stations, both airport directions, buying tkts, currency converter, ...)

> Next Stop Paris --planning to check out the app this year

> Trip Advisor

> City Maps to Go (get maps for Paris and Antwerp)

> Google Maps (has not been helpful for public transportation)

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Apps that are helpful for communicating, calculating currency exchange rates or for conversions, such as centimeters to inches and celcius to fahrenheit, and other needs: 

> a translation app is useful if you need help with French or Belgian

> XE Currency Exchange

> Mila's Conversions

> share your apps with us

 

Once in Paris, don't spend too much time staring at your phone screen. We are here to absorb Paris. One of the best ways to to do this is to meander, to get lost. Who knows what you will discover. Paris is all about finding the hidden parts of your soul.

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