We recommend printing this page and taking it
with you as you travel.
Arrivals in Aix-en-Provence, France
You are expected to arrive between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. local time on:
Summer 2013 Arrivals - France
Saturday, June 1 - Session A (6 week/6 or 9 credit term)
Saturday, June 1 - Session B (3 week/3credit term)
Saturday, June 22 - Session C (3 week/3credit term)
Fall 2013
Saturday, August 31 (Optional Early Start Program)
Saturday, September 7
We encourage you to fly into the Marseille-Provence airport (MRS) which is in the town of Marignane, 25 minutes from Aix. You may fly through the Paris – Charles de Gaulle airport (CDG) but you may be able to find cheaper fares by flying through other European cities. If you will already be in Europe, you can travel to Aix-en-Provence by high speed train (TGV) from Paris, and most other major European cities. On arrival day, IAU staff will meet you at the Marseille-Provence airport or the Aix-en-Provence TGV Train station, at times and places specified in the air and train travel sections below.
Once you have booked your travel, please email your flight or train confirmation email to IAU's Arrival Day Coordinator by May 15th (summer term) or July 1 (fall semester). This information will help us prepare for your arrival and increase the likelihood of it going smoothly.
If you arrive between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. at the Marseille Provence airport (MRS), IAU staff, clearly identified by the blue and white IAU logo will be waiting for you after you leave the baggage claim area.
If you cannot find the IAU staff at the airport, please pick up your luggage and go to the information booth on the ground floor of Hall 1 and ask the personnel to help locate IAU staff.
Previous students have used www.statravel.com and www.studentuniverse.com to book their flights. As you are booking flights, we recommend that you have at least an hour and a half between connections. Any less and you risk missing your connecting flight.
You can take a train to Aix-en-Provence from Paris, and from most other major European
cities. If you plan to take the high speed train (TGV) after arriving at
Charles de Gaulle Airport, make sure you book your ticket departing from the
TGV Station at Charles de Gaulle Airport (Terminal 2) arriving at the Aix-en-Provence TGV station.
However, if you will already be in central Paris before coming to Aix, you should book your ticket departing from the train station in Paris called: Paris Gare de Lyon. Therefore, you will book your ticket departing from the Gare de Lyon in Paris arriving at the Aix-en-Provence TGV station.
Plan to arrive at the Aix-en-Provence TGV station between noon and 7 PM on arrival
day. Be sure to stay awake on the train and detrain at Aix-en-Provence TGV (about a 3 hour ride from Paris);
otherwise, you may wind up in Marseille, Toulon or Nice (which are the usual
final destinations of trains from Paris)! Passengers have approximately
three minutes to board and detrain which is extremely difficult with heavy
luggage on a crowded train.
Trains in Europe have
very limited space for luggage so please pack light. You may be required to
carry your luggage up/down staircases as not all French buildings are
equipped with elevators.
When you arrive at the TGV Aix-en-Provence station, as you exit the train, look for the sign at the bottom of the escalator “Point de Rencontre.” There you will find an IAU staff member carrying the blue and white IAU logo.
Make sure to carry with you The School of Humanities and Social Sciences phone number in case you need to call us anytime during your trip to advise us of unexpected delays! (See list of important phone numbers below)
Contact Rail Europe at
(800) 438-7245 or www.raileurope.com and book both a 2nd class ticket and
reserve a seat. Ask for the 12-25 youth fare.
If your scheduled arrival time changes due to a flight or train delay or cancellation, make sure to call IAU College using the number listed below. If arriving between 7:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. on arrival day, call the alternate number listed below.
Students arriving after 10:00 p.m. will need to find a hotel in Aix (please see the lodging section below) and call the alternate number on Sunday morning after 8:00 a.m. so we may arrange the meeting between you and your host.
If your luggage does not make it with you, report this immediately to the airline; give your host's address and phone number, which we urge to have with you. If you do not have it, you can give IAU College's address: 2 bis, rue du Bon Pasteur 13100 Aix-en-Provence. (Please note that there will be no one at IAU College on Sunday to receive your delayed luggage.)
If your luggage is lost or delayed, ask for an emergency toiletry kit and for authorization to buy necessary items upon arrival at your final destination, should your suitcase not reach you within 24 hours.
For those students who fly into Marseille/Provence airport (MRS) or take the train to the Aix-en-Provence TGV station on dates other than “arrival day” or when IAU staff is not present at the airport or train station, you are responsible for finding your own lodging and transportation to Aix-en-Provence.
Public shuttle buses, called “Navettes,” provide regular service between the Marseille-Provence Airport, the Aix TGV station and the gare routière (bus station) of Aix-en-Provence. They run frequently and are an easy way to travel. The cost is about 8 euros from the airport to Aix, and about 4 euros from the train station. You do not need a reservation and you pay for the ticket upon boarding the bus.
It may be necessary for you to take a taxi from the Aix-en-Provence bus station to the Institute at 2 bis rue du Bon Pasteur, or to your host family, which will cost about 12-15 euros.
Taxis from the Marseille-Provence airport or the Gare TGV Aix to Aix-en-Provence are another option and cost approximately 60 euros (airport) or 40 euros (train station).
The Aix-en-Provence Guide has lodging information in Aix-en-Provence if you arrive before arrival day. You may also do a search on the Internet for hotels in Aix or contact one of the hotels listed in the lodging section below.
For your return to the U.S. once the semester is completed, you should plan to leave your host's residence by noon on departure day. Please plan to depart on the following dates.
Summer 2013
Session A - Saturday, July 13
Session B - Saturday, June 22
Session C - Saturday, July 13
Fall 2013 - Thursday, December 19
Please do not plan on leaving the night before departure day as there are activities until the last minute and you don’t want to miss them.
You may stay longer, provided you make your own housing arrangements.
| Hôtel Paul 10, avenue Pasteur 13100 Aix en Provence Tel : +33/4 42 23 23 89 www.aix-en-provence.com/hotelpaul |
Hôtel Cardinal 24, rue Cardinale 13100 Aix en Provence Tél : +33/4 42 38 32 30 www.hotel-cardinal-aix.com |
| Hôtel les Augustins 3, rue Masse 13100 Aix en Provence Tel : +33/4 42 27 28 59 www.hotel-augustins.com |
Hôtel le Manoir 8, rue Entrecasteaux 13100 Aix-en-Provence Tel : +33/4 42 26 27 20 www.hotelmanoir.com |
|
Hôtel Artea 4, boulevard de la République 13100 Aix en Provence Tél. : +33/4 42 27 36 00 www.hotel-artea-aix-en-provence.com |
Hôtel Aquabella 2, rue des Etuves 13100 Aix-en-Provence Tél : +33/4 42 99 15 00 www.aquabella.fr |
| Hôtel des Quatre Dauphins 54 rue Roux Alphéran 13100 Aix-en-Provence Tél. : +33/4 42 38 16 39 www.lesquatredauphins.fr |
Hôtel Saint Christophe 2 Avenue Victor Hugo 13100 Aix-En-Provence Tél. : +33/4 42 26 01 24 www.hotel-saintchristophe.com |
We are here to help you, so do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns.
Kate Freyhof,
Enrollment Advisor
Karen Tahmazian, Housing Specialist
Please take these phone numbers with you in your carry-on luggage. In case of any flight delays/cancellations, be sure to contact IAU as soon as possible.
The School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Number from
France: 04.42.23.02.82
Number from within Europe but outside of
France: 00.33.4.42.23.02.82
Contact: Ms. Karen Tahmazian, Housing Specialist
Alternate number for arrival day from France:06.15.18.65.34
Alternate number for arrival day from within Europe but outside of France:
00.33.6.15.18.65.34
Contact: Dr. Leigh Smith, Dean of
Students
Emergency Phone Number from France:
06.82.59.64.48
Emergency Phone Number from within Europe but
outside of France: 00.33.6.82.59.64.48
2 Bis, Rue du Bon Pasteur
13100 Aix-en-Provence
France