General information

Venue

France


France, officially the French Republic is a country located primarily in Western Europe. It also includes overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans, giving it one of the largest discontiguous exclusive economic zones in the world. Its eighteen integral regions span a combined area of 643,801 square kilometers situated in Western Europe. It is bordered by the North Sea in the north, the English Channel in the northwest, the Atlantic Ocean in the west and the Mediterranean sea in the southeast. Its land borders consist of Belgium and Luxembourg in the northeast, Germany and Switzerland in the east, Italy and Monaco in the southeast, and Andorra and Spain in the south and southwest.  With about 68 million inhabitants, France is one of the biggest state of the European Union. France is a unitary semi-presidential republic, and its capital is Paris. The official language is French, which is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world.

 

France is undoubtedly one of the world’s most favorite tourist destinations. French culture, music, art, architecture, gastronomy and natural spectacles attract millions of visitors every year.

 

Metropolitan France has a wide variety of topographical sets and natural landscapes. From the highest mountain peak in Western Europe to the famous French Riviera there are numerous gems waiting to be discovered. The country has an extensive river system with four major rivers: the Seine, the Loire, the Garonne and the Rhone. France has historically been one of the world's major agricultural centers and remains the same nowadays. It is the world’s second-largest wine producer, with many varieties enjoying global renown such as Champagne and Bordeaux.

 

The country is honored to have 49 sites recognised by UNESCO as being worthy of protection and conservation as part of the World Heritage. 42 of them are cultural properties, 6 are natural properties and one is mixed.

 

You can find more information about France here: https://www.france.fr/en

 

Paris


Paris is the capital and most populous city of France. Since the 17th century it has been one of the world’s major centers of finance, diplomacy, science, commerce, fashion and gastronomy. For its leading role in arts and sciences, it’s often called “The City of Light”. The area is inhabited from around the middle of the 3rd century BC, so Paris is one of the oldest cities in Europe. Paris is the most popular tourist destination in the world because of its outstanding architecture, many museums and famous gastronomy.

The surrounding landscape is definitely worth visiting. Rolling vineyards, charming small towns and historic castle ruins await the visitors.


Colmar


There were many beautiful places we could select as the venue of the 9th IYCE and we are certain we made the best choice and all the participants will be fond of the astonishing landscapes of Colmar. Colmar is located in the Haut-Rhin department and Grand Est region of north-eastern France.

 

Colmar is located 64 kilometers southwest of Strasbourg and it is situated on the Alsatian Wine Route and considers itself “the capital of Alsatian vine”. The city is known as a hidden gem for its well-preserved old town and numerous architectural landmarks. The area is crossed by canals of the river Lauch and it's often called “little Venice ''.

 

For more information and pictures from Colmar go to this website.



Venue


University of Haute Alsace IUT - IUT de Colmar - Université de Haute-Alsace
34 Rue du Grillenbreit, 68000 Colmar, France

Accommodation

The organizers did not make any pre-bookings for IYCE2024 participants. Conference attendees should contact the selected hotel directly in order to make a reservation. 

 

Suggested Hotels






Attendees can make a reservation via the Tourism Office of Colmar as well. 


Practical issues

The weather of Colmar

Colmar features an oceanic climate, but the latter is significantly modified by the city’s far inland position with cold, dry winters and warm to hot, wetter summers. The city has a sunny microclimate and is one of the driest cities in France. The dryness results from the town’s location next to mountains. The city is therefore closer to a continental climate and winter and summer temperatures can sometimes be the coldest or the hottest in France.

 

Insurance

The Organizers of the Conference do not provide insurance and do not take responsibility for any loss, accident or illness that might occur during the Conference or in the course of travel to or from the meeting site. It is, therefore, the responsibility of the participants to check their coverage with their insurance provider.

 

Bank, currency, credit cards

The unit of currency is Euro (EUR). International credit cards (EC/MC, Visa) are accepted at most hotels, restaurants and shops. Revolut cards might also prove to be useful. AMEX’s acceptance in France is low for historical and financial reasons. ATMs are available all over Colmar.

Banking hours are usually from 8:30 until 18:00 from Monday to Friday, with a one or two hour long lunch break in the middle of the day.

 

Voltage

The electricity supply in France is 220 V AC (50 Hz). Type E plug is used in France.

 

Security

Colmar is one of the safest cities for tourists. However, in some areas (especially close to railway stations and busier public transport routes) you should pay attention to your values.

 

Tap water quality

The drinking water quality in France is closely-monitored and safe to drink.

 

First aid, emergency and insurance

As with other EU member states, all emergency services can be reached by dialling 112. France also maintains its internal numbers:

− Police (Police secours/Gendarmerie) - 17

− Ambulance (SAMU) - 15

− Fire service - 18

Travel

By air

If you are traveling from Europe then Strasbourg airport is probably the best option to reach Colmar by plane. It’s the nearest airport to the city and it has 37 direct flights from across Europe, Marokko, Tunisia and Turkey.

 

The nearest international airport is Zürich Airport in Switzerland, so for those coming from overseas and outside of Europe this is the best landing point.

 

Transport to/from the airport

Colmar can be easily reached by car, taxi and of course public transportation.

From Strasbourg


Train

A cost effective and simple option is to take the train, since Colmar can be reached by train from Strasbourg roughly in an hour. It takes a train from the airport to get to the city center, and then another train takes 30 minutes to reach Colmar. The trains are available every half hour.

 

Taxi

There are numerous taxi companies taking travelers from Strasbourg Airport to Colmar. It’s the fastest way to reach the city, however it’s quite expensive. The charges will vary, so it is always recommended to check the prices beforehand.

From Zürich

Train

There is an available train almost every half hour from the Zürich Airport to Basel, where a transfer change needs to be made and with another train from there Colmar can be reached. The journey takes two hours.

 

Bus

It takes around four hours, but Colmar can be reached from Zürich with a bus as well. It is not the fastest solution, but it is cheaper than any other option, so if cost-effectiveness is the primary concern, it is definitely worth considering.

Visa

For visa information please visit the following site: https://www.france-visas.gouv.fr/en/web/france-visas/visa-application-guidelines


In case you need an invitation letter for visa purposes, please contact the Conference Office at the following e-mail address: trivent@trivent.hu