Travel Tips

How to get there:

• Book a flight that arrives in Paris on May 7, ideally later in the day. Orientation is that day, and classes begin May 8. Contact Robyn Williams at World Travel to book your flight or for advice.
• Don’t book your flight until you have final approval.
• Make your own way from the airport to the MIJE hostel (11 Rue du Fauconnier, 75004). Rideshares (Uber, G7, Bolt) are highly recommended.The group travels together by TGV between Paris and Cannes, and those trains are covered by the program fees.

How to get home:

• The program ends in Paris on Wednesday, May 26, with hostel check-out by 12 noon. After that, you’re free to fly home or keep traveling. Don’t leave before the end of the program without instructor permission.
• Plan to fly home from Paris (Charles de Gaulle or Orly).

What to pack:

Travel lightly! We will be moving from place to place, and you can wash clothes at the hostel in Cannes. Ideally, you will come with one small, wheeled suitcase and one backpack.

France in May is generally beautiful, but the evenings can be somewhat cool. The temperature will likely vary between 52 (low) and 67 (high) Fahrenheit. Make sure to pack a sweater or light coat. During May, Paris and Cannes  have similar temperatures. It is also known to rain during this period, so bring an umbrella or raincoat or plan on getting one there if needed. We might get lucky!

Packing list A: two dresses, two pairs of pants, one pair of jeans, 4 shirts/tops, one swimsuit, one pair of nice shoes, one pair of sneakers, one lightweight jacket or sweater, 5-7 pairs of underwear and socks, tablet/laptop, toothbrush and toothpaste, flipflops/shower shoes.

Packing list B: one blue or black suit jacket and pants that match (the pants should match in color but don’t have to be suit pants so you can wear them with other shirts), one white dress shirt, one black bow tie, 4 shirts, one swimsuit, one pair of nice shoes, one pair of sneakers, one jacket or sweater, 5-7 pairs of underwear and socks, tablet/laptop, toothbrush and toothpaste, flipflops/shower shoes.

You can buy anything you forget in France. Recommended to buy shampoo, conditioner, and body soap when you arrive.

For the festival, you must have some nicer clothing. This is what the festival guidelines have to say:

Don’t forget: your swimsuit, your cellphone with an international plan, and a tablet or laptop to complete your assignments. You will likely have wifi during the entire trip, but no guarantees!

Paying for things:

You need to book and pay for your own flight and get to the hostel in Paris. At that point, everything is paid for that is essential to the program except for most meals. At the hostel in Paris, breakfast is included. In Cannes you will be in a dorm environment, similar to a hostel. We will eat as a group at least five times. Travel and museums that are part of our common itinerary are covered.

The easiest method of payment is credit card with no international fees. Second would be bringing an ATM card and withdrawing cash as you go. In both situations, however, the card must have an embedded chip. The cards with a magnetic stripe are still accepted in some locations, but not many. If you only have an ATM/debit card with a magnetic stripe, please also come with some euros, just in case the only ATM you can find when you need cash won’t accept your card. Cards with a chip are accepted just about everywhere, including machines that dispense metro cards, taxis, etc. Apple pay or Google pay on your cell phone are ideal!

Phone Service

You are required to have phone service while in France. Please go to your carrier and make sure your phone is unlocked for international SIM card use and will work in Europe. You can choose from these methods:

• Suggested: order a French SIM card. The Orange Holiday card works seamlessly. Order it here: https://travel.orange.com/en/buy-a-sim/offers/france or on Amazon. Get 30 days and as much data as you can.
• Tell your phone company that you will be traveling, and they can set you up to use their service in Europe. T-Mobile plans have free texting while traveling, but the data is VERY slow. You will likely be unhappy since you need data for Cannes film tickets.
• Buy an inexpensive phone in France with a one-month prepaid plan. This is a good option for those whose phones do not work with European cell towers but is not generally necessary.

Eating and Sightseeing Tips

This is a personal perspective of a first-timer to the film festival: http://almostginger.com/cannes-film-festival-guide/

For moving around in Paris and Cannes when you can’t use the metro, use Uber, Bolt, or G7. The same Uber app works in France with all the conveniences. The metro is safe and easy to use.