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France Information

Overview

It is nigh impossible not to like France. As the late French president Charles de Gaulle once remarked, ‘How could one describe a country which has 365 kinds of cheese?’ There are myriad attractions in this deeply compelling and multifaceted land that draw millions of visitors back year after year.

France’s charms are manifest, whether it is the chic boulevards of Paris, the sparkling ski slopes of the Alps, sunlit vineyards and sun-baked beaches, a dusty game of boules, or coffee and croissants in an undiscovered village. Or perhaps a tour of the majestic chateaux of the Loire, the glamorous jet-set lifestyle of the Mediterranean, or a relaxing picnic in Provence, where the air is fragrant with wild herbs and lavender?

Consider also the delights of other lesser-known regions such as Franche-Comté, Gascony or Berry, deep in the green heart of France - regions firmly rooted to the land, whose sleepy villages offer visitors a chance to sample life in provincial France, and the unspoilt and rugged atmosphere of the island of Corsica, described as ‘a mountain in the sea’.

Eager to avoid a repeat of the destruction caused by two world wars, France was a founding member of the European Union. It continues to be a driving force behind the EU’s progress towards economic and political harmonisation and is still active in almost every other part of the world. This arises from a combination of historical reasons (its colonies and self-image as a nuclear and world power), coupled with a desire to confront America-centric global dominance. France also proudly covets its title of the world’s number one tourist destination, and this uniquely appealing country has little trouble in tempting first timers back for numerous repeat visits.

Author

Teresa Fisher

Top Things To See

 Fall for Paris and its famous Eiffel Tower (website: www.tour-eiffel.fr), the Notre Dame Cathedral on Ile de la Cité (website: www.cathedraledeparis.com), the Arc de Triomphe (website: www.monum.fr) leading to Champs Elysées, the Sacré Coeur in the heart of Montmartre and the Louvre’s Pyramid.

 Step back in time at the Château de Versailles (website: www.chateauversailles.fr) and enjoy magnificent fireworks in the summer months.

 Visit one of the numerous Loire valley chateaux (castles) including Blois, Chambord, Chenonceaux, Azay le Rideau and Chinon.

 Mind the tide when visiting Mont St Michel in Brittany (website: www.monum.fr).

 Enjoy the rugged and unspoilt atmosphere of Corsica (website: www.visit-corsica.com), a French island made up of two French departments, with the picturesque towns of Bastia and Ajaccio, famous for its Napoleonic memorabilia.

 Discover the recently built Millau bridge, over the Tarn Gorges, designed by British Architect Norman Foster (website: www.viaducdemillau.com).

 Visit the 2,000-year-old Pont du Gard (website: www.pontdugard.fr); the Roman aqueduct is one of humanity’s greatest architectural accomplishments, which merits a special trip.

 Head south and discover magnificent Roman (and some Gallic) ruins in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. The Maison Carré, Diana’s Temple and the Roman Arena in Nîmes, ’the Rome of the Gauls’, are among the finest examples of Greco-Roman architecture to be found.

Discover traces of the Greek and Roman domination in Provence where many monuments from that period are still scattered across the countryside. They include walled hill towns, triumphal arches, theatres, colosseums, arenas, bridges and aqueducts. 

 See what Christianity brought to Provence in the form of the Palace of the Popes in Avignon. Near Avignon is Orange with its stunning Roman ampitheatre and Roman ruins.

 Check out Marseille, France’s most important commercial port on the Mediterranean. There are many sites of interest - the old port, the hilltop church of Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde, several museums, Le Corbusier’s Unité d’Habitation, the Hospice de la Vieille Charité and the Château d’If.

Visit France’s numerous cathedrals, including Reims, where Clovis (the first French king) was baptised, Chartres and Tours. 

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.

Top Things To Do

 Delve into Paris’ 80 museums and 200 art galleries: visit the Musée d’Orsay (www.musee-orsay.fr), located in a beautifully restored railway station, the Palais du Louvre (website: www.louvre.fr), the Georges Pompidou Centre of Modern Art (website: www.centrepompidou.fr) or Musée Rodin (website: www.musee-rodin.fr).

 Relax in the Jardins du Luxembourg (website: www.les-jardins-du-luxembourg.com) in Paris, close to the Latin Quarter (Boulevards St Michel and St Germain), which is the focus of most student activity (the Sorbonne University is here).

 Discover the future at the City of Science and Technology (website: www.cite-sciences.fr) in la Villette or at Futuroscope (website: www.futuroscope.com) in Poitiers.

 Visit Mickey Mouse at the Disneyland Resort Paris theme park in Marne la Vallée (website: www.disneylandparis.com).

 Enjoy a wide range of watersports at France’s 3,000km (1,860 miles) of coastline. Famous resorts include St Enogat and St Jacut on the Emerald coast in Brittany, and Cannes, Nice, St Tropez, Antibes and Menton on the south coast.

 Enjoy the jetsetting lifestyle of the Côte d’Azur: stroll on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, famous for its Flower Carnival in January, or mingle with celebrities at the Cannes Film Festival held in May.

 Sail from/to La Rochelle, a popular sailing port in the Charente Maritime region. Close by, the islands of Oléron and Ré are connected to the mainland by bridges.

 Enjoy a wide range of winter sports in the French Alps or the Pyrenees.

 Be pampered at a spa in Biarritz, Contréxeville or Vittel.

 Go on a pilgrimage to Lourdes, in the southwest, famous since the visions of Bernadette Soubirous in the mid 19th century.

 See a bull fight at the Arènes d’Arles in the southwest.

 Hit the jackpot at the casino of Monaco or the casino of Deauville, also famous for its golf course and race track.

 Have a go at a traditional game of boules (also called pétanque), played in public squares, especially in the south of France. The game requires as much social skill as manual dexterity.

Enjoy a wine tour or take part in harvesting the grapes: there are 10 principal wine regions including Alsace, Burgundy, Champagne, Rhône Valley, each with its own identity based on grape varieties and terroir (soil). Many vineyards offer free tours.

 Follow the Tour de France cycling race (website: www.letour.fr); attend the French Open at Roland Garros (website: www.fft.fr/rolandgarros) near Paris, go to the 24-hour motor race at Le Mans (website: www.lemans.org); or place your bets on a horse at the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (website: www.france-galop.com).  

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.

Going Out

Food and Drink

With the exception of China, France has a more varied and developed cuisine than any other country.

Things to know: Almost all restaurants offer two types of meal: à la carte (extensive choice for each course and more expensive) and le menu (a set meal at a fixed price with dishes selected from the full à la carte menu). 

National specialities:
• Ratatouille niçoise (stew of courgettes, tomatoes and aubergines).
• In the north of France fish and shellfish are the star features in menus.
• Alsace and Lorraine are the lands of choucroute (sauerkraut) and kugelhof (a special cake), quiche lorraine and tarte flambée (onion tart).
• Lyon is the heartland of French cuisine, though the food is often more rich than elaborate. A speciality of this area is quenelles de brochet (pounded pike formed into sausage shapes and usually served with a rich crayfish sauce).
• Desserts include: soufflé grand-marnier; oeufs à la neige (meringues floating on custard); mille feuilles (layers of flaky pastry and custard cream); ganache (chocolate cream biscuit); and fruit tarts and flans.

National drinks:
• Wine is the most popular alcoholic drink in France, and the choice varies according to region.
• Typically French apéritifs are Pastis, Ricard or Pernod.
• The region of Nord Pas de Calais and Picardy brews beer and cider. Alsace is said to brew the best beer in France.
• Coffee is always served after the meal, and will always be black, in small cups, unless a café au lait (or café crème) is requested.
• Brandies such as Armagnac and Cognac and liqueurs such as Chartreuse and Genepi are available.

Legal drinking age: 18. Minors are allowed to go into bars if accompanied by an adult but they will not be served alcohol.

Tipping: A 12 to 15% service charge is normally added to the bill in hotels, restaurants and bars, but it is customary to leave small change with the payment.

Nightlife

In major cities such as Paris, Lyon or Marseille, there are lively nightclubs that are sometimes free of charge, although drinks are likely to be more expensive. Alternatively, the entrance price sometimes includes a consommation of one drink. Nightclubs are everywhere and in even the remotest corners of France. Their style and music vary widely from one place to another. Nightclubs have a fixed closing time of 0500. 

As an alternative to a nightclub, there are many late-night bars and cafes. In Paris and the regions, theatres offer a wide variety of shows from great classics to light comedy, from one-man shows to cabaret. 

Tourist offices publish an annual and monthly diary of events available free of charge. Several guides are also available which give information about entertainment and sightseeing in the capital. Guides for events in Paris are sold at newspaper kiosks (Pariscope, L’official des Spectacles and Zurban). They list all cinema programmes, museums, exhibitions and all other types of shows.

Kiosks on the forecourt of the Montparnasse railway station and at Place de la Madeleine offer same day theatre tickets at reduced rates. Travellers can also buy tickets for concerts from FNAC and Virgin sales outlets or from the venue themselves. 

In the provinces, the French generally spend the night eating and drinking, although in the more popular tourist areas, there will be discos and dances. All weekend festivals in summer in the rural areas are a good form of evening entertainment. There are over 100 public casinos in the country.

Shopping

Special purchases include lace, crystal glass, cheeses, coffee and, of course, wines, spirits and liqueurs. Arques, the home of Crystal D’Arques, is situated between St Omer and Calais. Lille, the main town of French Flanders, is known for its textiles, particularly fine lace. 

Most towns have fruit and vegetable markets on Saturday. Hypermarkets, enormous supermarkets that sell everything from foodstuffs and clothes to electrical equipment and furniture, are widespread in France. They tend to be situated just outside of town and all have parking facilities. 

For bargain hunters, bric-a-brac or brocante is found in a number of flea markets (marché aux puces) on the outskirts of town, most notably at the Porte de Clignancourt, in Paris. There are several antique centres (Louvre des Antiquaires, Village Suisse, etc) where genuine antique furniture and other objects are on sale. 

Amongst the larger department stores in Paris are the Printemps and the Galeries Lafayette near the Opéra; the Bazar Hôtel de Ville (BHV) and the Samaritaine on the Right Bank; and the Bon Marché on the Left Bank. 

Paris has many varied markets including the flower market on the Ile de la Cité and bird, organic and food markets in every quarter. Another Parisian speciality is book markets. Travellers will find booksellers’ stalls along the banks of the Seine around the Saint Michel quarter, crammed with all kinds of books plus comics and postcards. 

In the regions, the town centre often has a number of clothes shops which are just as good as those in Paris. Some have good second-hand shops. 

Shopping hours: Department stores are open Mon-Sat 0900-1830. Some shops close 1200-1430. Food shops open 0700-1830/1930. Some food shops (particularly bakers) open Sunday mornings, in which case they will probably close Monday. Many shops close all day Monday or Monday afternoon. Hypermarkets are normally open until 2100 or 2200.

Climate

A temperate climate in the north; northeastern areas have a more continental climate with warm summers and colder winters. Rainfall is distributed throughout the year with some snow likely in winter. The Jura Mountains have an alpine climate. Lorraine, sheltered by bordering hills, has a relatively mild climate. Mediterranean climate in the south; mountains are cooler with heavy snow in winter.

The Atlantic influences the climate of the western coastal areas from the Loire to the Basque region where the weather is temperate and relatively mild with rainfall throughout the year. Summers can be very hot and sunny. Inland areas are mild and the French slopes of the Pyrenees are renowned for their sunshine record. A Mediterranean climate exists on the Riviera, and in Provence and Roussillon. Weather in the French Alps is variable. Continental weather is present in Auvergne, Burgundy and the Rhône Valley. Very strong winds (such as the Mistral) can occur throughout the entire region.

Required Clothing

European, according to season. Light breathable clothing for summer in all areas and waterproof winter gear for the mountains all year round. In winter even the Mediterranean resorts often require a sweater or jacket for the evenings.

Public Holidays

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2008-December 2009 period.

2008
1 Jan New Year’s Day. 
24 Mar Easter Monday.
1 May Labour Day.
1 May Ascension. 
8 May 1945 Victory Day. 
12 May Whit Monday.
14 Jul Bastille Day.
15 Aug Assumption.
1 Nov All Saints’ Day.
11 Nov Remembrance Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.

2009
1 Jan New Year’s Day. 
13 Apr Easter Monday.
1 May Labour Day.
8 May 1945 Victory Day. 
1 Jun Whit Monday.
21 May Ascension. 
14 Jul Bastille Day.
15 Aug Assumption.
1 Nov All Saints’ Day.
11 Nov Remembrance Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.

Note

In France, the months of July and August are traditionally when the French take their holidays. For this reason, the less touristic parts of France are quiet during these months, while coastal resorts, especially in the south, are very crowded.

Health

Diphtheria

Special Precaution: No

Hepatitis A

Special Precaution: No

Malaria

Special Precaution: No

Rabies

Special Precaution: No

Tetanus

Special Precaution: Yes

Typhoid

Special Precaution: No

Yellow Fever

Special Precaution: No*

Health Care

If European visitors or any of their dependants are suddenly taken ill or have an accident during a visit to France, free or reduced-cost necessary treatment is available - in most cases on production of a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Full travel insurance is advised for all travellers.

Note

* A yellow fever certificate is required for travellers coming from South American and African countries.

Further Health Information

We advise you to check health requirements for the country you are traveling to with your GP, practice nurse or travel health clinic as health requirements and vaccinations can change at short notice.

Money

Currency

Euro (EUR; symbol €) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of €500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of €2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents.

Currency Exchange

Some first-class hotels are authorised to exchange foreign currency. Shops and hotels are prohibited from accepting foreign currency by law. Travellers should check with their banks for details and current rates.

Credit/Debit Cards and ATMs

American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted.

Traveller's Cheques

Traveller’s cheques are accepted nearly everywhere.

Banking Hours

Mon-Sat 0900-1200 and 1400-1700. Some banks close Monday and some are open Saturday. Banks close early (1200) on the day before a bank holiday; in rare cases, they may also close for all or part of the day after.

Passport/Visa

British

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: No
Return Ticket Required: No

Australian

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: No
Return Ticket Required: Yes

Canadian

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: No
Return Ticket Required: Yes

USA

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: No
Return Ticket Required: Yes

Other EU

Passport Required: 1
Visa Required: No
Return Ticket Required: No

Passport Note

France is a signatory to the 1995 Schengen Agreement.

Passports

Passport valid for at least three months beyond length of stay required by all nationals referred to in the chart above except:
(a) 1. EU nationals holding a valid national ID card.

Visas

Not required by all nationals referred to in the chart above for the following durations:
(a) nationals of EU countries for an unlimited period;
(b) nationals of Australia, Canada and the USA for stays of up to 90 days.

Contact Addresses

Note

For information on French Overseas Departments, Overseas Territories and Overseas Collectivités Territoriales, consult the French Overseas Possessions section. See also the individual sections on French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, New Caledonia, Réunion and Tahiti and her Islands.

Embassy of the French Republic in the UK

58 Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7JT, UK
Tel: (020) 7073 1000.
Website: www.ambafrance-uk.org

French Consulate General in the UK

21 Cromwell Road, London SW7 2EN, UK
Visa section: 6A Cromwell Place, London SW7 2EW, UK
Tel: (020) 7073 1200 (consular section) or 1250 (visa section) or 1295 (visa applications in progress; 1500-1700 only) or 09065 508 940 (visa information service; calls cost £1 per minute) or 266 654 (24-hour visa application form request service; calls cost £1.50 per minute) or 540 700 (24-hour automated visa appointment booking service).
Website: www.consulfrance-londres.org
Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 0845-1200 and Fri 0845-1130.

Maison de la France (French Government Tourist Office) in the UK

178 Piccadilly, London W1J 9AL, UK
Tel: 09068 244 123 (calls cost 60p per minute).
Website: www.franceguide.com

Embassy of the French Republic in the USA

4101 Reservoir Road, NW, Washington, DC 20007, USA
Tel: (202) 944 6195.
Website: www.ambafrance-us.org

French Government Tourist Office in the USA

444 Madison Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10022, USA
Tel: (514) 288 1904.
Website: www.franceguide.com

Travel Advice

Warning

There is a threat from terrorism. Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers. A letter bomb exploded in a building in central Paris on 6 December. One person was killed and another seriously injured. During 2006 and in the earlier part of this year, a number of explosions and failed explosions occurred in Corsica. Visitors are advised to take care, particularly in town centres and near public buildings, and be wary of unattended packages. 

This advice is based on information provided by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in the UK. It is correct at time of publishing. As the situation can change rapidly, visitors are advised to contact the following organisations for the latest travel advice:

British Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Tel: 0845 850 2829.
Website: www.fco.gov.uk

US Department of State
Website: http://travel.state.gov/travel

• France Overview
• France Things to See
• France Things to Do
• France Events
• France Climate
• France Public Holidays
• France Health
• France Currency
• France Passport & Visas
• France Contact Addresses
• France Travel Advice