FAQ

FAQ # 1

Paris American High School 2021

Reunion in Provence and Paris


Deposits and final payments

Your place is reserved upon receipt of your deposit of $250. You may call or email to reserve your place, but we must receive your deposit within one week of your call.  If we do not, your place will be released.

Schedule of deposits and payments:

Initial deposit due by October 31, 2020 - $250. per person

Second deposit due by March 15, 2021 - $1000. per person

Final payment due June 21, 2021 - Balance

Methods of Payment:

Payments are accepted by check, Master Card or Visa.  All credit card payments must be made with a signed credit card authorization form.

Your first deposit of $250 is non-refundable.

Cancelations:

Cancellations must be made in writing.

Cancellations made more than 60 days prior to travel are refundable, less the first deposit.

Cancellations made 60 days or less prior to departure are not refundable.

Trip Insurance:

We strongly suggest and encourage you to purchase travel insurance which includes trip cancellation.  There are several companies available online.  Coverage varies greatly with the plan, and cost depends on coverage, as well as the cost of the trip and your age.   In addition, if you or your traveling companion or close family member has a pre-existing medical condition which might cause you to cancel your trip, you must purchase the insurance within 10-14 days of making your first deposit.  The policy on this varies from one company to another, so be sure to check.

The following site offers a good and relatively clear comparison of the various travel insurance companies: https://www.travelinsurancereview.net/companies/

Arrival and departure information

If you are booking both parts of the Reunion Trip (Paris and Provence): Your flights should be into Paris (arriving on September 26, 2021) and out of Marseilles (departing on October 4, 2021).

If you are booking only the Paris segment of the Reunion Trip: Your flights should be into Paris on September 26, and departure from Paris on September 29, 2021.

TRANSFERS

Arriving in Paris: Arrival transfers from CDG airport to the Hotel Littré are on your own.  There are several ways of getting into the city:

Taxi

Taxi fares to and from the airports are now set by law - the fare between Charles DeGaulle airport and the left bank of Paris is 55 Euros each way.  Most taxis will only take 3 people with luggage, but if there are four or more of you, you may be able to get a minivan taxi and share the cost.  At the airport, follow the signs to find the taxi rank.

RER train

The RER B line runs from CDG to Paris.  On the left bank, it stops at St. Michel, Luxembourg, and Denfert-Rochereau.  From any of these you would then need to take a taxi the rest of the way to the hotel.  This could be an issue if you have heavy luggage.  In that case, try getting off at Denfert-Rochereau, which has an elevator to street level.  At the airport follow signs of "Train pour Paris". Cost is approximately 12 Euros per person.

Le Bus Direct (formerly Cars Air France)

The buses leave from both terminals at CDG and go to various locations in central Paris.  Take the bus to Montparnasse - the Hotel Littré is only a short (downhill) walk from the station.  At the airport, follow signs for Le Bus Direct.

Luggage is stowed in the big compartments underneath the bus, so that part is easy.

Cost is 18 Euros per person.

Shuttle/transfer

Various shuttle and transfer services are available for booking online.  The least expensive are shared shuttles, which means you may have to stop at six other hotels before arriving at yours. 

Private shuttle is convenient, economical if there are four or more of you.  Costs vary - may be more than a taxi if you are only two people.

NOTE: If you are attending both segments of the PAHS France Reunion Trip (Paris and Provence), we will provide: (1) transportation from the hotel to Gare de Lyon; (2) motorcoach transportation from Paris to Avignon and; transfer from the TGV station in Avignon to the Hotel d ‘Europe.

Departure Transfers

If you are NOT continuing to Provence with the group, your departure arrangements from Paris to the airport or other venue are on your own.

If you ARE continuing on to the second segment of the trip to Provence:

We will provide transportation from Paris to Avignon, including group transfers and tickets.

If you are going straight home after Provence, you should book your departure flight from Marseilles on October 4. We will run a bus from Avignon to the airport in Marseilles and try to meet as many schedules as possible.  The bus will probably be early in the morning, but we will know better when we have everyone's flight information.

For those taking the train back to Paris or elsewhere, you will be on your own for transportation from the hotel to the TGV station.  It's easy - there's a shuttle train that runs frequently, takes about 5 minutes and costs around 2 Euros. 

Train tickets throughout France and the rest of Europe can be purchased online at Rail Europe (www.raileurope.com).  You can print your own e-ticket before leaving home.

If anyone is traveling independently in France, before the 26th of September 2021 and wants to meet up with the group for the journey by rail to Avignon, you will be able to purchase a train ticket on your own and then be transferred with the group on arrival in Avignon but you must make your own arrangements to get to the train station.   We will be able to let you know, in plenty of time, which train the group will be on.  Please note that the TGV from Paris to Avignon is an all-reserved train - you must have a reserved seat.

If you are Booking Only the Provence Segment:

Your flights should be into and out of Marseilles, arriving on September 29, and departing on October 4 (unless you are extending your trip).

Arrival transfer from Marseilles to Avignon is on your own. 

Choices include:

  1. Taxi - taxi is approximately 150 Euros
  2. Private transfer - if several of you are traveling together, it's possible to get a private transfer for up to 8 people in a vehicle and share the cost.
  3. Train - you can take a shuttle bus to the airport train station and the train to the center of Avignon.  Cost is around 20 Euros.

As mentioned above, there will be a bus from the hotel to the airport in Marseilles at the end of the program.

If you are driving around in France before coming to Avignon, it might be good to arrange to drop your car at the car rentals at the TGV station and take the shuttle into town.  You will avoid a lot of driving and parking hassle.

IMPORTANT:  You are strongly encouraged to keep your luggage to a moderate size, especially if you are traveling by train.  Most of the TGV Med trains are double decker, and hauling suitcases up the stairs and then hassling for luggage space can be tiring.  There is no luggage assistance on the trains and no checking of luggage either.  So do your best to travel light.

Questions and more information:

Jo Beichler

Latitudes Travel & Tours

Phone:  207 948 2812       Email: jbeichler@earthlink.net



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