Venue
Main venue
SWERC 2017 was hosted by Télécom ParisTech, at the following address: Télécom ParisTech, 46 rue Barrault 75013 Paris, France (see map above)
The closest subway stop to Télécom is Corvisart on Metro line 6. Nearby stops (15 min walking distance) include Cité universitaire (RER B), Denfert-Rochereau (RER B, Metro lines 4 and 6), Place d'Italie (metro lines 5, 6, 7), and tramway stop Stade Charléty (tram line 3b).
The closest bus stop is Vergniaud (bus 62). Buses 21, 57, and 67 also stop close to Télécom.
To plan a public transportation journey in Paris, you can use Vianavigo or the RATP website, which are available in English.
Banquet venue
The banquet took place at the Maison des polytechniciens, at the following address: Maison des polytechniciens, 12 rue de Poitiers, 75007 Paris, France (see the markers at the northwest on the map above).
You can reach the banquet venue from Télécom ParisTech by subway in about 40 minutes, using one ticket t+: walk to Corvisart (see map above), take Metro line 6 towards Charles de Gaulle-Étoile, change after 7 stops at Pasteur (without exiting the subway system, so keeping the same ticket) to take Metro line 12 towards Front populaire, get off after 7 stops at Solférino (see map above) and walk to the banquet venue.
It is also possible to reach the banquet venue by bus, in about 40 minutes, e.g., using line 83, or the "Ligne Bièvres" and bus 68; see Vianavigo or the RATP website for details.
The most pleasant option to reach the banquet venue from Télécom ParisTech (if the weather permits) is to do the trip on foot. A detailed route is described on p4 of the contestant booklet.
Trains
Paris is served by multiple train stations.
Trains from Switzerland (Lausanne, Geneva, Zürich), trains from Italy (Milan, Turin), and most trains from Spain (e.g., Barcelona) arrive at Gare de Lyon. To reach Télécom from Gare de Lyon, you can use bus 57 and get off at Verlaine and walk, or you can go to Bercy (by foot or using Metro line 14) and take Metro line 6 to Corvisart.
Train trips from SWERC member countries which arrive in other stations than Gare du Lyon include trips from Irún (via Hendaye) which arrive at gare Montparnasse, and trips from Innsbruck (via Germany and Strasbourg) which arrive in gare de l'Est.
Flights
Paris is served by two airports: Charles-de-Gaulle (CDG) and Orly (ORY). Some low-cost carriers operate flights to Paris-Beauvais (BVA), but this is significantly further away.
To go from CDG to the Paris city center, we recommend using the RER suburban trains. Look for signs indicating "Paris by train" with an RER logo. You should buy a ticket to Paris from the vending machines, which should cost 10.30 EUR. Keep this ticket as you will need it at the end of your trip to exit the RER network. The trip takes around 45 minutes. There are trains every 5-15 minutes, roughly from 5:00 to 23:30, see timetables on this page (only available in French; beware, the night trains on a blue background in the PDF schedule are exceptional services, see notes 1 and 2).
All RER trains leaving from CDG go to Paris and stop in several places in Paris city center. To reach Télécom, you should get off at Denfert-Rochereau, and change for Metro line 6 towards Nation (using the same ticket), getting off at Corvisart three stops later.
Other options to reach Paris from CDG include airport shuttles, night buses (N143), and taxi; details are on this page.
To go from ORY to the Paris city center, we recommend using the Orlybus bus service. Look for signs to the Orlybus: vending machines are available outside to buy a ticket, which should cost 8.30 EUR. The trip should take around 25-40 minutes depending on traffic. Get off at the stop Parc Montsouris, and you can reach Télécom by a 10-15 minute walk. There are buses every 10-20 minutes, roughly from 6:00 to 0:30, see the timetable (in French).
Other options to reach Paris include the Orlyval and RER B, airport shuttles, and taxi; details are on this page.
To go from BVA to the Paris city center, you need to use the shuttle. The trip lasts 1h15, and the ticket costs 15.90 EUR when ordered in advance. The shuttle goes to Porte Maillot, from which you need to reach your final destination using public transportation (with a separate ticket). For instance, you can take Metro line 1 towards Château de Vincennes and change at Charles de Gaulle-Étoile for Metro line 6 towards Nation, getting off at Corvisart (around 40 minutes).
Accommodation
Paris has a large choice of hotels, including some that are very close to Télécom ParisTech, and other kinds of accommodation (hostels, homestays, apartment rentals, etc.). We do not wish to endorse a particular hotel or service, so we encourage you to look for accommodation using your favorite online services.
One option within walking distance to Télécom ParisTech is FIAP Jean Monnet (see on a map), which is essentially a hostel. Prices start at 32 EUR per person and per night. Another option is CISP - Kellermann, which starts at 29.40 EUR per person and per night (see prices in French). SWERC does not specifically endorse these services.
