Really? I’ve heard the exact opposite. I’ve heard that no matter what time you arrive, force yourself to acclimatize to their time immediately (if you arrive during their day, stay awake, if you arrive during the night, make yourself sleep).
The New York Times, for some reason, recommends eating lots of dried cherries on the plane over as a jet-lag remedy. I recommended this to Chrissi when she came here for the BBQ, and Elle helpfully bought her some dried cherries, and she didn't like them so she REFUSED TO TAKE HER MEDICINE.
(Admittedly, she seemed to do fine without them.
) So we still don't know if they actually work. But it's worth a try. I have heard that jet lag is worse going from here to Europe than the other way around. My experience has been, I'm pretty zoned out the first day and after that I'm fine.
I am teaching myself how to count to twenty in French, the cardinal directions which is useful in the Metro and on maps and other important words like "right/left", "up/down", "higher/lower", "near/far", “where is -” “how much -“ and “get lost/beat it/scram”. But at least I know Spanish, so I have another language option. I just have to figure out how to say ‘Spanish’ in French so I’ll know how to ask people if they know how to speak it.
Between now and September, you could learn quite a lot of French if you bought a set of French-teaching CDs and listened to them in the car or whenever you have a chance -- taking a bath, washing dishes ... I did that before going to Italy a couple of years ago and although I was pretty remiss about the lessons (I listened to them in the car -- that is, whenever I didn't feel like listening to music or silence!) I actually found that even what little I picked up was quite valuable once I got there for basic things. And my friend Leigh, who was more responsible with the CDs, was popular everywhere we went for her mastery of the language.
Besides, if you already know Spanish, you're halfway there.
Some programs are better than others for travelers. For instance, some will focus on fundamental grammar and lines like, "Bonjour Mademoiselle, how are you today?" and "I search for a good wine in the cellar" (my most memorable line from the junior-high French filmstrip, "Je recherche un bon vin dans la cave"). While others will say, "Does this room come with a shower?" and "Do you have anything cheaper?" -- lines that might come in more handy.