Plan your trip to Paris
Study French in France, in Paris – Learn French and enjoy Paris
Very interesting French Culture and Civilisation lessons in Paris
French programs for groups in Paris: ACCORD is the perfect choice
At ACCORD Paris learn French while enjoying the French lifestyle
Plan your trip to Paris
You want to follow a French course at our school, ACCORD Paris, and you want to make sure you have planned everything for your stay before you arrive so you know you can just concentrate on learning French once you are in Paris. To help you plan your trip to Paris, we recommend you check out the below information and our recommendations.
Of course, don’t hesitate to contact us any time to make sure you have an unforgettable stay with us at ACCORD Paris.
Plan your trip to Paris
Paris is one of the most popular destinations in the world, which makes it easily accessible. Since it is so popular, it means there are often many great bargains on airfare, accommodation, excursions, etc.
Parisian airports
Paris has 3 airports: Paris-Roissy Charles de Gaulle (North of Paris), Paris-Orly (South of Paris) and (Paris) Beauvais… which is quite a long way away from Paris!
Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports are more or less at the same distance from Paris.
Beauvais airport is far from Paris, as shown HERE
Your Accommodation in Paris
Plan your trip to Paris: choosing where you stay and finding the right place for you is very important as it will make your French course in France an unforgettable experience.
ACCORD offers different types of accommodation for you to choose from whilst you are studying French at ACCORD in Paris. We want you to feel completely comfortable and relaxed during your stay in Paris, before and after your French lessons at ACCORD are finished.
Enjoy staying with friendly Parisians in a selected host family, or choose a hotel within walking distance of the school or stay in one of the residences recommended by ACCORD.
To stay with one of our selected host families, click HERE
To select your accommodation in Paris, have a look at the offers proposed HERE
“Taxe de séjour” (Occupancy Tax)
Since July 1st 2015 all clients staying in a hotel, residence or apart’hotel in Paris have to pay an occupancy tax.
This tax is per night and per person, it can’t be paid in advance and has to be paid at the reception on arrival or departure (in hotels).
There is no Occupancy Tax if you choose to stay with one of ACCORD’s host families.
Our recommendation for your accommodation in Paris
If you book your accommodation via ACCORD, we recommend that you send us your accommodation request at least one month prior to your arrival, particularly if you plan to come in summer. Some of the accommodation options, particularly residences, are booked up very early. Don’t forget you are coming to Paris, the most visited city in the world.
To avoid disappointment, book early!
Your transfer from the airport to Paris
You can travel from both airports (Roissy and Orley) to central Paris by:
– Personalised ACCORD transfer: for more information about the personalised welcome at the airport + transfer to your accommodation, click HERE. ACCORD does not provide a personalised transfer from Beauvais airport.
You can travel from Paris-Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle airport (CDG) by:
– RER B-train: You can take the RER Line B train from Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport to central Paris in as little as 35 minutes.
Please remember that you will need your RER ticket to exit the RER system in Paris. If you lose or throw away your ticket, you will not be able to exit! There are barriers between the RER system and the metro system, so please don’t lose or throw away your RER ticket!
More information about the RER: HERE
– RoissyBus: Roissybus is a direct bus between the centre of Paris (the Opera) and Roissy Charles de Gaulle Airport. Frequencies every 15 to 20 minutes. Journey time: approx 60 minutes.
From Paris-Opera to Roissy Charles de Gaulle Airport (Terminal 1, 2 and 3) from 5.15am to 00.30am.
From Roissy Charles de Gaulle Airport to Paris Opera (departure from 11 rue Scribe, 9th arrondissement) from 6am to 00.30am.
Points of sale: ticket machines at the departure points and on board the Roissybus.
Important info: credit or debit cards are not accepted on board.
More information HERE
– Le Bus Direct: The “Bus Direct” service has regular schedules to and from Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport and Orly airport with 4 lines.
Buses leave every 15 to 30 minutes (depending on the route and the traffic), from 5 am till 11:40 pm.
Journey time: approx 60 minutes.
Please note that this service is not operated to and from Beauvais airport!
More information HERE
– Taxi: Only taxis located at the gates are allowed to take customers. These taxis can be identified by the “green light” on the roof of the vehicle. If you are approached at your arrival gate by people posing as taxi, we invite you to decline any proposal of transportation!
More information about how and where to find a taxi and at which gates: HERE
Our recommendation: with the official G7 Taxi company, book your taxi and pay on-line HERE
How to pay for your transfer
Except for personalised transfer with ACCORD which you booked with your French course, you may need cash euros to pay for your ride to the city centre via RER-B train, RoissyBus, Le Bus Direct or taxi (except if you booked and payed on line a G7 taxi).
Plan your trip to Paris: Transportation inside Paris
Métro
Paris has one of the world’s most elaborate and efficient metropolitan public transportation systems. It makes getting around Paris quick, easy and inexpensive.
Our recommendation: please visit the RATP website HERE
RATP Buses
You can take Paris city buses using the same Métro tickets or weekly or monthly pass to get a substantial discount. You can buy a ticket on the bus for cash, but it will cost more (and not be valid for a transfer), so it’s better for you to buy your tickets in advance.
Foxcity Buses
At your arrival at ACCORD, buy your Foxcity Bus tickets and enjoy a one Day Pass City Tour to discover Paris. Complete tour of the city, hop on and hop off as much as you like!
- 10 Stops in Paris: Opera, Notre-Dame, Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, etc. in order to be as close as possible of Paris main monuments and of your touring places.
- Visit available in 9 languages (French, English, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, German) broadcast over individual audio-guides.
More information HERE
Plan your trip to Paris: Practical information
Passport & Visa
All non-EU nationals may need a visa to come and study in Paris.
Student visas are not always needed and tourist visas are often acceptable to come to ACCORD school.
If you need a visa, please contact the French Embassy or Consulate in your country as well as the Campus France office as they will give you accurate information to prepare your visa application.
For example, for some foreign nationals, it will be required that they enrol in a course of minimum 20 hours per week to be eligible for a visa, whilst for others, following a course of 12 hours or 15 hours per week is acceptable. We recommend you check before submitting your application for a visa.
When you submit your application for a visa, it is important to mention that you are enrolling in a course at ACCORD Paris as our school is a member of Campus France.
Once you have enrolled with ACCORD and paid the deposit, the ACCORD Admissions Department will send you the letter of invitation you need for the visa application. Please note that if the original letter of invitation is required, there will be an extra fee for the courier service.
For any question about your visa application and/or enrolment at ACCORD Paris, please contact us
Insurance
Plan your trip to Paris and make sure that your trip is insured. ACCORD is a partner of AVI International, specialist in travel insurance for over 30 years.
Plan your trip to Paris and book your insurance on line on AVI website, HERE
We also recommend Guard.me.
Guard.me is among the world’s largest insurance providers in international education, protecting thousands of individuals studying and working abroad.
Plan your trip to Paris and book your insurance on line on Guard.me website HERE
Currency
Currency in France as in most EU countries is the Euro. You can easily exchange your money on arrival in Paris. For example you can take money out of several cash machines at the Parisian airports with most credit cards but we recommend you have some Euros with you before landing in France especially if you have not booked a transfer.
Emergency Telephone Numbers
Plan your trip to Paris: before setting off, take the time to note down or register in your mobile a few emergency numbers to use all over France: medical emergencies, firemen, police, etc. These numbers that save lives.
The below numbers are important for the emergency services in France. You can call these numbers free of charge from a home, public phone or a French mobile phone:
- 112 – Universal emergency number. Please note that if you are calling from a mobile phone you should dial the single European emergency call number of 112
- 18 – Firemen
- 15 – SAMU (Emergency Ambulance Service)
- 17 – Police
Staying Connected
Plan your trip to Paris: your cell phone just might work while you’re visiting France. It has to fit various standards first, and the roaming fees might be very high, but it may be possible to get onto a French network for far less money. Find out how and if you can use your cell phone in France. To determine whether your phone meets these standards, contact your wireless provider.
Top Paris Travel Guidebooks
Plan your trip to Paris: there are dozens of Paris travel guidebooks out there with varying usefulness, but here are a handful we consider essential reading. Paris is a big city and before you go, be armed with the best guidebooks.
A short selection of guidebooks, but there are many more:
- Lonely Planet Paris (Book, eBook or Book + eBook)
- Lonely Planet Best of Paris 2018
- DK – Eyewitness Travel Guide Paris
- DK – Eyewitness Pocket Map & Guide – Paris
- Time Out Paris
