9 days in France.
 

Hello I'm a 16 year old female, going on a 9 day trip to France with my school in the beginning to middle March this year. Everything besides lunch drinks and souvenirs is paid for. We are going to Paris for 3 days Loire valley for 2 days and Normandy for 2 days. Then 2 days for travel. We are going with EF tours and while I have heard bad things about EF I have also heard very good things. Few questions
1. I need a packing list or my brain may explode with confusion
2. How much money should I briing just for lunch drinks snacks and souvenirs for the 7 days ill actually be there.?
3. Opinions on EF?
Thanks

you should ask your parents if they would be willing to let you use an ATM card to withdraw cash as necessary from an ATM. If you have your own bank account, your ATM card will work in France, and if you happen to have a BofA account there ae no charges to withdraw money from a BNP Paribas ATM.

i have a debit card with bmo, would i need to take any euros already exchanged? thanks

You can pull euros from an ATM at the airport with a debit card. This is the least expensive way to get money.

Have no idea what BMO is - are they linked to the major ATM networks?

As for how much you will need -

Lunch - $20 should do it at a casual cafe
Drinks - soft drinks are VERY small and expensive - like $3 each for an 8 oz
Snacks - perhaps $10 per day

Souvenirs is whatever you want to spend

Assume that costs in France will be probably 50 % higher than in the US

BMO is The Bank Of Montreal, one of Canada's largest banks. We have travelled Europe, Asia, Australia, etc. and successfully and easily used our BoM ATM. Check out the fees before you go.

EF Tours has suggested packing lists on their website, though they're not very detailed. Pack for cool and rainy weather, just in case. 2-3 pairs of pants, same number of tops, with an additional layer. If it sounds like you'll be doing something dressier, then bring a skirt. Otherwise, don't bother.

I've looked into EF Tours every couple of years or so. We are lucky enough to be able to take our kids (now teens) to Europe, and so they've been able to visit Europe with us. But EF Tours provides another way for you to see the world.

You'll have little free time and they'll have you moving around a lot. To get the best "real" experience, try to pick up lunch at a more typical place. Crepe stands are all over, and offer a quick and easy walk-around lunch alternative. If you have time for a cafe, order something you don't see at home, such as the very-typical croque monsieur.

thanks a ton(:

Soft drinks are expensive and I doubt if teachers will want you to drink wine and beer as adults can, therefore you may want to keep refreshed with a bottle of water. You will find that domestic water in France is drinkable and it is becoming quiet the thing to bring a plastic water bottle and fill up each night, though not normal to bring the same bottle to a restaurant etc.

Do remember that you will want a bunch of things to survive on the aircraft and the coaches, I recommend a small pillow (neck support, cuddle thing) and a filled MP3 player but note that you will need to be able to charge the thing, so you will need a French electric plug on the end of the thing.

have fun

<i>though not normal to bring the same bottle to a restaurant etc.</i>

"Une carafe d'eau, S.V.P." will get you tap water in any restaurant.

Hopefully your school will provide a packing list.