France Travel Guide

Full Name

French Republic

Former Name

Capital City

Paris

Government Type

Republic

Area Size

545,630 sq km 339,054 sq miles (not including overseas territories)

Time Zone

UTC/GMT +1 hour (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

Climate

The south of France has a warm Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild winters. Strong winds, known as la Mistral, can occur in the Cote d'Azur, Provence and in the Rhone valley particularly over the winter and spring. Northern France, including Paris, has a temperate climate similar to southern England with warm summers, cold winters and rainfall throughout the year. The western coast, from the Loire valley to the Pyrenees, is milder and summer days are generally very hot. During the second half of July and August most French take their five-week vacation to the coasts and mountains, and empty cities tend to shut down accordingly.

Geography

Metropolitan France possesses a wide variety of landscapes, from coastal plains in the north and west to mountain ranges of the Alps in the south-east, the Massif Central in the south-central and Pyrenees in the south-west. At 4,807 metres above sea-level, the highest point in Western Europe, Mont Blanc, is situated in the Alps on the border between France and Italy. Metropolitan France also has extensive river systems such as the Loire, the Garonne, the Seine and the Rhône, which divides the Massif Central from the Alps and flows into the Mediterranean sea at the Camargue, the lowest point in France (2 m below sea level). Corsica lies off the Mediterranean coast.

Languages

French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish)

Culture

Contrasting landscapes, traditions galore, a variety of dialects. 40,000 monuments including 10,000 châteaux, abbeys and manor houses, 6,000 museums and 1,000 festivals. In France it is diversity that holds sway and the great wealth of its heritage provides remarkable evidence of this.

History

Although ultimately a victor in World Wars I and II, France suffered extensive losses in its empire, wealth, manpower, and rank as a dominant nation-state. Nevertheless, France today is one of the most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European nations. Since 1958, it has constructed a presidential democracy resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier parliamentary democracies. In recent years, its reconciliation and cooperation with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of Europe, including the introduction of a common exchange currency, the euro, in January 1999. At present, France is at the forefront of efforts to develop the EU's military capabilities to supplement progress toward an EU foreign policy.

Travel Information

The national airline is Air France (AF). Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG) is 23km northeast of the city. Coaches to the city run at least every 20 minutes. Taxis are readily available. Roissybus services operate from the airport to Place de l'Opéra. The airport is also easily accessible by train on the RER B line or SNCF with connecting ADP shuttle bus. Facilities: Banks/bureaux de change, duty-free shops, restaurants, bars and car hire. Paris-Orly (ORY) is 14km south of the city. Coaches and buses run to the city every 12 minutes from outside Orly Ouest. Taxis are available. RER B and C line trains run every 15 minutes via Saint-Michel. Facilities: Banks/bureaux de change, duty-free shops, restaurants, bars and car hire. Lyon (LYS) (Lyon-Saint-Exupéry) is 25km east of the city. Coaches or taxis are available to the city. Facilities: Banks/bureaux de change, duty-free shops, restaurants, bars and car hire. Marseille (MRS) (Marseille-Marignane) is 30km northwest of the city. A coach service departs to the city and taxis are available. Facilities: Banks/bureaux de change, duty-free shops, restaurants, bars and car hire. Main ports: Atlantic: La Rochelle: leisure boating. North Sea: Boulogne: leisure boating and cross channel services; Calais: cross-channel services; Le Havre: scheduled services and cruise lines to national and international destinations. Mediterranean: Marseille: cruises and scheduled services to Corsica, Sardinia, Algeria and Tunisia; Nice: leisure boating and ferries to Corsica. Services connect the English port of Dover with Calais. Major operators include P&O Ferries and SeaFrance. In the Mediterranean Corsica Ferries/Sardinia Ferries service Sardinia from the French mainland. There are numerous and excellent road links with all neighbouring countries. Eurolines runs regular coach services from the UK to France. Eurotunnel runs shuttle trains for cars, bicycles, motorcycles, coaches, minibuses, caravans and campervans between Folkestone in Kent, UK, with direct road access from the M20, and Calais, with links to the A16/A26 motorway (Exit 13).

Accommodation

Room and all meals, ie full-board or pension terms, are usually offered for a stay of three days or longer. Half-board or demi-pension (room, breakfast and one meal) terms are usually available outside the peak holiday period. Hotels charge around 30% extra for a third bed in a double room. For children under 12, many chains will provide another bed free in the parents' room. Logis de France are small- or medium-sized, inexpensive and often family-run hotels which provide good, clean, basic and comfortable accommodation with a restaurant attached.

Visa Requirements

Visas are not required by all nationals of the EU, Australia, Canada and USA for the following durations: nationals of EU countries for an unlimited period; nationals of Australia, Canada and the USA for stays of up to 90 days. Passport valid for at least three months beyond length of stay required by all nationals referred to above except: EU nationals holding a valid national ID card. EU nationals are only required to produce evidence of their EU nationality and identity in order to be admitted to any EU Member State. This evidence can take the form of a valid national passport or national identity card. Either is acceptable. Possession of a return ticket, any length of validity on their document, sufficient funds for the length of their proposed visit should not be imposed. France is a signatory to the 1995 Schengen Agreement.

Getting Around

The main airline connecting towns and cities within France is Air France. State-run car ferries known as ‘BACs' connect the larger islands on the Atlantic coast with the mainland; they also sail regularly across the mouth of the Gironde. The island of Corsica is served by ferries operated by the Société Nationale Maritime Corse-Mediterranée (SNCM). Services run from Marseille, Toulon and Nice to Ajaccio, Propriano, Porto Vecchio and Bastia on the island. French Railways (SNCF) operates a nationwide network with 34,200km of line. The TGV runs from Paris to Brittany and southwest France at 300kph, to Lyon and the southeast at 270kph and to Strasbourg and the east at 320kph. Traffic drives on the right. Domestic long distances coaches are very limited given the excellent SNCF rail network. In some areas SNCF buses cover unprofitable routes. Car rental is available from international and domestic companies. Urban public transport is excellent. There are comprehensive public transport systems in all the larger towns and cities.

Health & Safety

French hospitals and health facilities are first class. British, and visitors from other EU countries, are entitled to heavily discounted medical treatment and medicines on presentation of a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Otherwise doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health services. Medical insurance is advised. Pharmacies will provide some first aid, but charge for it. Rabies also occurs occasionally. Following the London and Madrid bombings, security has been heightened particularly in the transport sector. A group called the AZF claim to have a number of explosives on railway tracks timed to detonate at future dates, and although the authorities have asked the public to be vigilant, they have issued no further warnings against using public transport. Unattended luggage left in public places will be removed or destroyed by security staff. While generally safe, visitors to France are advised to take precautions against petty theft and to ensure their personal safety. Thieves and pickpockets operate on the metro and around airports. Theft from cars is prevalent, particularly in the south, around Marseilles, and in Corsica. A Corsican nationalist group FLNC have been responsible for a series of bomb attacks on public buildings and holiday homes in Corsica and visitors should take care. Bag snatching is also common, particularly on public transport and in shopping centres, and visitors should also be vigilant of luggage while loading bags into and out of hire cars at airports.

National Holidays

1 Jan - New Year’s Day. 9 Apr - Easter Monday. 1 May - Labour Day. 8 May - 1945 Victory Day. 17 May - Ascension. 28 May - Whit Monday. 14 Jul - Bastile Day. 15 Aug - Assumption. 1 Nov - All Saints' Day. 11 Nov - Remembrance Day. 25 Dec - Christmas Day.

Currency

Euro (EUR)

Electricity

220v AC, 50Hz.

Working Hours

Office hours: Generally Mon-Fri 9.00am - 12.00noon, 2.00pm - 6.00pm.

Emergency Numbers

Ambulance: 15, Fire: 18, Police: 17