France Tourism: Fast Facts

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Fast Facts

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Business Hours-- Business hours are erratic, as befits a nation of individualists. Most banks are open Monday through Friday from 9:30am to 4:30pm. Many, particularly in small towns, take a lunch break. Hours are usually posted on the door. Most museums close 1 day a week (often Tues), and they're generally closed on national holidays. Usual hours are from 9:30am to 5pm.

Generally, offices are open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm, but always call first. In Paris or other big French cities, stores are open from 9, 9:30, or (often) 10am to 6 or 7pm without a break for lunch. Some shops, delis, cafes, and newsstands open at 8am and close at 8 or 9pm. In some small stores, the lunch break can last 3 hours, beginning at 1pm. This is more common in the south than in the north.

Drugstores-- If you need one during off-hours, have the front-desk staff at your hotel get in touch with the nearest Commissariat de Police. An agent there will have the address of a nearby pharmacy open 24 hours a day. French law requires that the pharmacies in any given neighborhood display the name and location of the one that remains open all night.

Electricity-- Electricity in France runs on 220-volt, 50-cycle AC current. U.S. electricity is 110-volt, 60-cycle current. If you are bringing anything electric, you will need a voltage transformer and a plug adapter. Some appliances have dual voltage, which means that you will only need a plug adapter to run your hair dryer or razor, for example. A switch on the appliance will allow you to change voltages. Adapters and converters are for sale at Radio Shack and luggage and travel stores.

Embassies & Consulates-- If you have a passport, immigration, legal, or other problem, contact your consulate. Call before you go -- they often keep odd hours and observe both French and home-country holidays. The Embassy of the United States, 2 av. Gabriel, 8e (tel. 01-43-12-22-22; Métro: Concorde), is open Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm. The Embassy of Canada is at 35 av. Montaigne, 8e (tel. 01-44-43-29-00; Métro: F-D-Roosevelt or Alma-Marceau), open Monday to Friday 9am to noon and 2 to 5pm. The Embassy of the United Kingdom is at 35 rue du Faubourg St-Honoré, 8e (tel. 01-44-51-31-00; Métro: Concorde or Madeleine), open Monday to Friday 9:30am to 1pm and 2:30 to 5pm. The Embassy of Ireland is at 4 rue Rude, 75116 Paris (tel. 01-44-17-67-00; Métro: Etoile), open Monday to Friday 9:30am to noon and 2:30 to 5:30pm. The Embassy of Australia is at 4 rue Jean-Rey, 15e (tel. 01-40-59-33-00; Métro: Bir Hakeim), open Monday to Friday 9:15am to noon and 2:30 to 4:30pm. The embassy of New Zealand is at 7 ter rue Léonard-de-Vinci, 75116 Paris (tel. 01-45-01-43-43; Métro: Victor Hugo), open Monday to Friday 9am to 1pm and 2:30 to 6pm. The embassy of South Africa, 59 quai d'Orsay, 7e (tel. 01-53-59-23-23; Métro: Invalides), is open Monday to Friday 9am to noon.

Emergencies-- In an emergency while at a hotel, contact the front desk. Most staffs are trained in dealing with a crisis and will do whatever is necessary. If the emergency involves something like a stolen wallet, go to the police station in person. Otherwise, you can get help anywhere by calling tel. 17 for the police, tel. 18 for the fire department (pompiers), or tel. 15 for medical emergencies.

Internet Access-- There are hundreds of cybercafes all over France. For a list of Internet cafes, go to www.cybercaptive.com or www.cybercafe.com. The most popular in Paris seems to be Luxembourg Micro, 81 blvd. Saint-Michel, 5e (tel. 01-46-33-27-98; www.luxembourg-micro.com). Open daily 9am to 11pm. Métro: Luxembourg.

Language-- English is increasingly understood in France, especially among young people who have studied it in school. People are more likely to understand English in such centers as Paris and the Riviera than in the more remote provinces. Service personnel in hotels tend to speak English, at least at the front desk. A staff member at most restaurants will speak a bit of English. But many people you encounter in France do not speak English, and you may want to carry a Berlitz handbook.

Liquor Laws-- Supermarkets, grocery stores, and cafes all sell alcoholic beverages. The legal drinking age is 16. Persons under 16 can be served an alcoholic drink if accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Wine and liquor are sold every day of the year. Be warned: France is very strict about drunk-driving laws. If convicted, you face a stiff fine and a possible prison term of up to 2 years.

Lost & Found-- To speed the process of replacing your personal documents if they're lost or stolen, make a photocopy of the first few pages of your passport and write down your credit card numbers (and the serial numbers of your traveler's checks, if you're using them). Leave this information with someone at home -- to be faxed to you in an emergency -- and swap it with your traveling companion. Be sure to tell all of your credit card companies the minute you discover your wallet has been lost or stolen, and file a report at the nearest police precinct. Your credit card company or insurer may require a police report number or record of the loss.

Use the following numbers in France to report your lost or stolen credit card: American Express (call collect) tel. 336/393-1111; MasterCard tel. 08-00-90-13-87, www.mastercard.com; Visa tel. 08-00-90-11-79, www.visaeurope.com. Your credit card company may be able to wire you a cash advance immediately or deliver an emergency card in a day or two.

If you need emergency cash over the weekend when all banks and American Express offices are closed, you can have money wired to you through Western Union (tel. 800/325-6000; www.westernunion.com).

Identity theft and fraud are potential complications of losing your wallet, especially if you lose your driver's license with your cash and credit cards. Notify the major credit-reporting bureaus immediately; placing a fraud alert on your records may protect you against liability for criminal activity. The three major U.S. credit-reporting agencies are Equifax (tel. 800/766-0008; www.equifax.com), Experian (tel. 888/397-3742; www.experian.com), and TransUnion (tel. 800/680-7289; www.transunion.com).

If you've lost all forms of photo ID, call your airline and explain the situation; your carrier may let you board the plane if you have a copy of your passport or birth certificate and a copy of the police report you've filed.

Mail-- Most post offices in Paris are open Monday through Friday from 8am to 7pm and Saturday from 8am to noon. Allow 5 to 8 days to send or receive mail from your home. Airmail letters within Europe cost .50€ (65¢); to the United States and Canada, .90€ ($1.15). Airmail letters to Australia and New Zealand cost .90€ ($1.15).

You can exchange money at post offices. Many hotels sell stamps, as do local post offices and cafes displaying a red TABAC sign outside.

Passports-- For residents of the United States: Whether you're applying in person or by mail, you can download passport applications from the U.S. State Department website at http://travel.state.gov. For general information, call the National Passport Agency (tel. 877/487-6868). You can find your regional passport office through either of the above resources.

For residents of Canada: Passport applications are available at travel agencies throughout Canada and from the central Passport Office, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ottawa, ON K1A 0G3 (tel. 800/567-6868; www.ppt.gc.ca).

For residents of the United Kingdom: For an application for a standard 10-year passport (5-year passport for children under 16), visit your nearest passport office, major post office, or travel agency, or contact the United Kingdom Passport Service (tel. 0870/521-0410; www.ukpa.gov.uk).

For residents of Ireland: You can apply for a 10-year passport at the Passport Office, Setanta Centre, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2 (tel. 01/671-1633; www.irlgov.ie/iveagh). Those under age 18 and over 65 must apply for a 3-year passport, costing €12. You can also apply at 1A South Mall, Cork (tel. 021/272-525), and at most main post offices.

For residents of Australia: You can pick up an application from your local post office or any branch of Passports Australia, but you must schedule an interview at the passport office to present your application materials. Contact the Australian Passport Information Service (tel. 131-232; www.passports.gov.au).

For residents of New Zealand: You can pick up a passport application at any New Zealand Passports Office or download it from the website. Contact the Passports Office (tel. 0800/225-050 in New Zealand, or 04/474-8100; www.passports.govt.nz).

Police-- Call tel. 17 anywhere in France.

Restrooms-- If you're in dire need, duck into a cafe or brasserie to use the lavatory. It's customary to make a small purchase if you do so. Paris Métro stations and underground garages usually contain public restrooms, but the degree of cleanliness varies. France still has some "hole-in-the-ground" toilets, so be warned.

Safety-- Much of the country, particularly central France, the northeast, Normandy, and Brittany, remains relatively safe, though no place in the world is crime-free. Those intending to visit the south of France, especially the Riviera, should exercise caution -- robberies and muggings are commonplace. It's best to check your baggage into a hotel and then go sightseeing instead of leaving it unguarded in the trunk of a car, which can easily be broken into. Marseille is among the most dangerous French cities.

Taxes-- As a member of the European Union, France routinely imposes a value-added tax (VAT in English; TVA in French) on many goods and services. The standard VAT is 19.6% on merchandise, including clothing, appliances, liquor, leather goods, shoes, furs, jewelry, perfumes, cameras, and even caviar. Refunds are made for the tax on certain goods and merchandise, but not on services. The minimum purchase is 175€ ($228) at one time for nationals or residents of countries outside the E.U.

Telephone-- The French use a télécarte, or phone debit card, which you can purchase at rail stations, post offices, and other places. Sold in two versions, it allows you to use either 50 or 120 charge units (depending on the card) by inserting the card into the slot of most public phones. Depending on the type of card you buy, the cost starts at 10€ ($13) and goes up from there.

If possible, avoid making calls from your hotel; some establishments will double or triple the charges.

To call France from North America, dial 011, then 33 (the country code for France), the area code, and the eight-digit number. Although French area codes are two digits (the first digit is always a 0), you do not dial the zero when calling from abroad. For example, the Hôtel Negresco (tel. 04-93-16-64-00) contains the area code for southeastern France (04). To call long-distance within France, you simply dial the 10-digit number. But if you call from North America, you would dial tel. 011-33-4-93-16-64-00.

To call home from France, a relatively inexpensive way is to use USA Direct/AT&T WorldConnect. From within France, dial any of the following numbers: tel. 0800/99-0011, -1011, -1111, or -1211. Follow the prompt that asks you for the number of your AT&T credit card or a MasterCard or Visa. Countries that participate in the system -- referred to as WorldConnect -- include the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. By dialing the number you want in any of these countries, you avoid hotel surcharges. At any time, an AT&T operator is available to help you. The country code for the U.S. and Canada is 1; Great Britain, 44; Ireland, 353; Australia, 61; New Zealand, 64; South Africa, 27.

For information, dial tel. 12.

Time-- The French equivalent of daylight saving time lasts from April to September, which puts it 1 hour ahead of French winter time. France is usually 6 hours ahead of U.S. eastern time, except in October, when U.S. clocks are still on daylight time; then France is only 5 hours ahead. The rest of the year, when it's 9am in New York, it's 3pm in France.

Tipping-- The law requires all bills to say service compris, which means the total includes the tip. But French diners often leave some small change as an additional tip, especially if service has been exceptional.

Some general guidelines: For hotel staff, tip 1.05€ to 1.50€ ($1.35-$1.95) for every item of baggage the porter carries on arrival and departure, and 1.50€ ($1.95) per day for the maid. In cafes, service is usually included. Tip taxi drivers 10% to 15% of the amount on the meter. In theaters and restaurants, give cloakroom attendants at least .75€ to 1.20€ ($1-$1.55) per item. Give restroom attendants in nightclubs and other establishments about .50€ (65¢). Give cinema and theater ushers about .50€ (65¢). For guides for group visits to museums and monuments, 1.50€ ($1.95) is a reasonable tip.

Useful Phone Numbers-- U.S. Dept. of State Travel Advisory: tel. 202/647-5225 (staffed 24 hr.); U.S. Passport Agency: tel. 202/647-0518; U.S. Centers for Disease Control International Traveler's Hotline: tel. 404/332-4559.

Water-- Drinking water is generally safe, though it's occasionally been known to cause diarrhea. If you ask for water in a restaurant, it'll be served bottled (for which you'll pay) unless you specifically request l'eau du robinet (tap water). Your waiter may ask if you'd like your water avec gas (carbonated) or sans gas (without bubbles).

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