Some Very Practical Information about 
Preparing for and Getting to Angers

The following information (including prices) was current as of June 1996 and was collected by Prof. Rosenthal during his visit to Angers and in his discussions with students enrolled at the CIDEF at that time.  It is not exhaustive.  Pay attention to all the details discussed in study abroad meetings and don’t hesitate to ask questions!

Before you go:

Money:  The students who were in Angers in the spring of 1993 reported that they spent anywhere from $1200 to $2000 for the semester (travel, food,…) Before you go, you will want to purchase travelers checks to keep you going for about a month (at least) for enough to last you for your entire stay.  (See the paragraph on banking, below).  It is also a good idea to get about $100 in French Francs from your bank; but, if this is not convenient, you will almost certainly find a “bureau de change: open at the airport when you land.  A Visa card is extremely useful in France.  Visa (“la carte bleue”) is by far the most accepted card in France.  Well before you leave, investigate the possibility of a Visa “debit card”—not a credit card but a card associated with your bank account.  Be sure to ask for a PIN (“le code”) for the card.  This will allow you to withdraw money from most ATM’s (“distributeurs automatiques”) in France; the PIN is also required for purchases at some stores.  The advantage of a debit card is that the money you take out in France will be taken immediately from your US bank account, thereby avoiding interest on a “cash advance.”  There is a very modest fee for such withdrawals, but you get the inter-bank exchange rate which more than makes up for the fee.

Banking:  Many students open a bank account at the Credit Lyonnais (boulevard Foch) where they are used to CIDEF students.  Other banks may well be less interested in short-term accounts.  The advantages of an account are numerous: in particular, you can arrange direct transfers from the US, or, if you use travelers checks exclusively, you can deposit them all at once and save on commissions.  You will also get a “cash card” for ATM’s.  You should, in any case, take enough travelers checks to get you through your first month, since in France you will not be able to withdraw from your account for up to two weeks even if you open it with travelers checks or cash!

Documents:  International Studies will give you information on passports, visas, international student ID card…  Do not wait until the last minute to apply and always tell the passport office that you plan to leave a week before you actually do plan to leave.  It is not a bad idea to make a xerox copy of your passport and drivers license.  Leave one copy at home in the US and take one with you just in case.  It is also a good idea to record the number of your travelers checks in a couple of places (keeping them separate from the checks themselves, of course) and note the number of your airline ticket (in case of loss, this number will be of great help).  You will want to read The Passport, A Student Traveler’s Best Resource Overseas which contains a lot of valuable info.

Safety and Security: Use common sense!  Never leave your passport, cash, credit card or travelers checks at a hotel or a youth hostel.  Be aware of your environment and the people around you.  It is a good idea to put your important documents in a pouch and hang it inside your shirt.  Pickpockets like to operate around tourist areas and are often to be found in train stations, but they can be anywhere!  Note that this advice is not just for France (where there is less crime than in the US) but for anywhere you travel!    

Just before you go:

Make a checklist of all the things you will need.  You can divide this into “stuff” for the trip and “stuff” for France.  Be sure to keep anything essential in your hand luggage.  Don’t check it!  Do you take prescription medicine?  Take it with you on the plane.  Remember to plan for a whole semester (in the fall, don’t forget about winter…).  Remember, however, that you can have things sent to you in the mail, so DO NOT PACK MORE STUFF THAN YOU CAN CARRY COMFORTABLY especially if you are planning on traveling before you go to Angers. 

Telephoning in France:

Virtually all French telephone booths now require a “telecarte.”  You can buy one in any “tabac” or from automatic machines with a credit card or at the post office.  Just ask for a “telecarte” and the clerk will ask you the ritual question “grande ou petite?”  (the big ones are 94F, the small ones are 40F).  If you plan to do a lot of phoning or to call the US, get the “grande,” otherwise the “petite” will do.  To use your card, find a phone booth, pick up the receiver (decrocher) and tehn insert your card with the “puce” (the gold dot) into the slot.  The “puce” keeps a record of how many “unites” you have left.  Wait until the display says “composez votre numero.”  If you are in Paris and want to call Angers, you will have to dial “16” (province) before the eight digits.  If you are in Angers, just dial the number.  If you want to call home, dial 19 and then a 1 then the US number with area code as usual.  When you’re done, hang up, wait a few seconds and don’t forget to take your card!  Instructions in the phone booths are very clear.  Read them until you get the hang of it.  Be aware that French ringing and busy signals are not the ones you are used to.  You may also want to experiment with the Minitel at the post office.    

Getting around Angers:

Buses are frequent and will get you most everywhere you want to go.  Know, however, that they stop running early in the evening.  Most students, even if they live far from campus, reported walking most often.  You can also invest in a bicycle.  Buy a good map!