• We will have a group boat cruise to welcome everyone on Friday afternoon.  The cruise will start on the St. Martin canal at 2:00pm next to the Parc de la Villette, and will end at 5:30pm on the Seine next to Musee d'Orsay.  Maps & directions will follow soon, also see the cruise company description.
• We will meet at our favorite bar, the Coolin Irish Pub in the St. Germain area (Latin Quarter) later on Friday evening for drinks.
• A group bus will leave at 12:00pm on Saturday from the Ibis Montparnasse Hotel, and will arrive an hour later at the Ibis Fontainebleau Hotel (the Napoleon Hotel is just next door to the Ibis).
• The group bus will leave the Ibis Fontainbleau Hotel at 4:30pm, for the short 10 minute ride to the Chateau de Bourron.
• The wedding ceremony will start at 5:30pm in the garden of the chateau.  The reception and party will take place immediately following the wedding ceremony, in and around the chateau.
• Taxis will be available to go from the chateau back to the Fontainebleau hotels all night long.
• A BBQ or brunch will be arranged for Sunday late-morning, near the Fontainebleau hotels in Fontainebleau (likely in the garden of the giant Fontainbleau Chateau).

For anyone who has special travel arrangements, or who is arriving late or leaving early, below are plenty of details including maps and relevant links to help find your way around.

In terms of money - you do not need to purchase travelers checks before leaving.  Your ATM card will work just fine in France and throughout most of Europe.  Don't forget to exchange a bit of cash when you arrive at the airport, but not too much because the airport rate is horrible.  Even better, find an ATM in the terminal, and withdraw cash from your U.S. account.

Travel within Paris is simple.  You are never more than 500 meters from a metro station, and taxis are cheap and readily available at all times of the day.  Some key documents and facts:

• Download the Paris Metro System Map in .pdf format.  Our apartment is located just next to the Montparnasse-Bienvenue station, which provides easy access to all major Paris sites.
• Metro tickets are about $1.20 per ride.  You can transfer lines on the same ticket, as long as you do not exit a station.  The metro closes at 1am, and opens at 5am.
• Weekly and monthly metro tickets are available, but not for tourists - I don't suggest taking the risk.  You must carry a special metro ID card (including picture) with the weekly or monthly ticket.
• Taxis often only stop at corner taxi stands - there is always one nearby, but you may need to look around.

If you would like to stay in any of the recommended hotels, please send me an email - you do not need to contact the hotels directly.  Please specify the number of nights, number of people and the number of required beds in the room.

We will be in Paris for all nights except Saturday night September 20th, which will be spent in the town of Fontainbleau next to the wedding chateau.  We recommend and have reserved in advance the following Paris hotels:

• Hotel Ibis Tour Montparnasse - 89 euros for a double room (two small beds or one large bed).  This is a new hotel, and is not yet even listed on their website - it is basic and clean and has an excellent location - only 100 meters from our apartment and 100 meters from the Montparnasse metro which connects to all key Paris locations.  A continental breakfast is available every morning for 6 euros additional cost.

• B&B Hotel Malakoff - 47 euros for a double room (two small beds or one large bed), 52 euros for a triple room (one large bed and one small bed), and 57 euros for a quadruple room (one large bed and two small beds in a loft).  This is also a new hotel - again basic and clean, but with no amenities.  It is located about 2 miles south of our apartment, just outside the peripherique (the freeway that encircles Paris).  It is 200 meters from the Malakoff metro, which is only five stops (8 minutes) from Montparnasse station (our house).    It also has a continental breakfast for 5.30 euros additional.  The reduced price is due to the proximity, but is still a good choice.

We will spend Saturday night September 20th in hotel near the wedding chateau, in the town of Fontainebleau. We recommend and have reserved in advance the following Fontainebleau hotels:

• Hotel Ibis Fontainebleau - 66 euros for a double rtoom (two small beds or one large bed), 73 euros for a triple room (one large bed and one small bed), and 80 euros for a quadruple (one large bed and two or three small beds).  This is a new hotel - it is basic and clean and has an excellent location - only 200 meters from the center of Fontainebleau and 200 meters from the huge Fontainbleau chateau (as big as Versailles).  A continental breakfast is available every morning for 5 euros additional cost.

• Hotel Napoleon - 92 euros for a double room (two small beds or one large bed).  This is an older and more elegant French hotel.  It is also 200 meters from both the center of Fontainbleau, the Ibis Hotel and the Fontainebleau Chateau.   A continental breakfast is available every morning for 13 euros additional. cost.