France Travel Guide

Essentials

Safety: while generally a safe destination, visitors to France should still take precautions against petty theft. The metro and airports are particularly popular spots for thieves and pickpockets. Car theft is widespread, particularly in the south around Marseilles and Corsica.

The Corsican nationalist faction FLNC has claimed responsibility for several bomb attacks on public buildings and holiday homes and visitors should be on guard, especially in the capital Ajaccio and other town centres.

When to go: the best time to visit Paris is in spring (April to June) or autumn (September to November), when things are calmer, Metro seats are easier to find and waiters friendly. July and August are the busiest with huge crowds when Parisians desert their city, leaving it to the tourists.

The weather is mild year-round The Mediterranean coast has the driest climate and the most rain here falls in spring and autumn. Provence is visited by le mistral (an unrelenting, hot wind), mostly blowing in winter for a few days but sometimes lasting for up to two weeks.

Money: the Euro is the standard currency of France, with one Euro being equivalent to 100 cents. Note denominations can be found in €500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins come in denominations of €2 and 1 and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cent. A number of first-class hotels can exchange foreign currency. Shops and hotels may not accept foreign currency by law.

Travellers should check with their banks for details and up to date rates. American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard, Visa and Eurocard are widely accepted, while traveller’s cheques are accepted almost everywhere. ATMs are widespread in Paris and also in smaller French towns and are connected to a national network that most likely includes your bank at home. France can be quite heavy on travellers’ budget however, so come prepared.

Emergency: if encountering an emergency while staying at a hotel, contact the front desk. Most employees are trained in handling a crisis and will do whatever is required. If the emergency involves theft, go to the police station in person.

Ambulance: 15 (or call hospitals mentioned below)

Police: 17

Recommended hospitals:
Paris - Hertford British Hospital (33 1) 46 392 222
Bordeaux – University Hospital (33 5) 56 795 679
Marseille - Hopital Edouard Toulouse (33 4) 91 503 613
Lyon - Hopital de Fourviere (33 4) 72 573 030

Punctuality, though, is not regularly observed and the ‘fashionably late’ tactic is often applied. The accepted form of greeting for men and women on first introductions is a handshake. Titles are necessary and individuals should be referred to as Monsieur (Mr.), Madame (Mrs.) or Mademoiselle (Ms.). Meetings are usually held over lunch, as the French are known to enjoy food.

Typical business hours:

• Government departments: 09:00 to 17:00, Monday to Friday.
• Retail: 10:00 to 18:00, some small stores, particularly in the south, take a lunch break lasting up to three hours.
• Banking: 09:00 to 17:00, Monday to Saturday.