While this may be an optional event at many schools, it has special importance in Paris as it is during this time that housing is arranged, transportation systems are explained, and getting acquainted with your fellow students is facilitated. Art supplies and personal belongings, especially appropriate clothing and, if possible, a personal computer would all be very useful during an extended stay in Paris. The weather in Paris is variable, but rarely extreme.
Heat waves are rare and brief.
The system shuts down, except for a few suburban buses, between one and five a.m. For those traveling more frequently, weekly and monthly passes may be purchased in any metro or RER station. While Paris is fast becoming a 24-hour capital much like New York or Tokyo, some European traditions persist in the commercial sector. This is also true of some restaurants. 1 p.m. Students are advised to familiarize themselves with shop schedules before making a special trip.