France

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

Western Europe.

Area

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

Population

60.9 million (2006 estimate).

Population Density

111 per sq km.

Capital

Paris. Population: 12.7 million (2.2 million in the city; 10.5 million in the suburbs) (2006).

Government

Republic since 1792.

France, the largest country in Europe, is bordered to the north by the English Channel (La Manche), the northeast by Belgium and Luxembourg, the east by Germany, Switzerland and Italy, the south by the Mediterranean (with Monaco as a coastal enclave between Nice and the Italian frontier), the southwest by Spain and Andorra, and the west by the Atlantic Ocean. The island of Corsica, southeast of Nice, is made up of two départements. The country offers a spectacular variety of scenery, from the mountain ranges of the Alps and Pyrenees to the attractive river valleys of the Loire, Rhône and Dordogne and the flatter countryside in Normandy and on the Atlantic coast. The country has some 2,900km (1,800 miles) of coastline.

Language

French is the official language, but there are many regional dialects. Basque is spoken as a first language by some people in the southwest, and Breton by some in Brittany. Many people, particularly those connected with tourism in the major areas, speak at least some English.

Religion

Approximately 83% Roman Catholic; Protestant 2%; Muslim 5%; Jewish 1%; unaffiliated 9%.

Time

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

Social Conventions

Shaking hands and, more familiarly, kissing both cheeks, are the usual forms of greeting. The form of personal address is simply Monsieur or Madame without a surname and it may take time to get on first-name terms. At more formal dinners, it is the most important guest or host who gives the signal to start eating. Mealtimes are often a long, leisurely experience. Casual wear is common. Social functions, some clubs, casinos and exclusive restaurants warrant more formal attire. Evening wear is normally specified where required. Topless sunbathing is tolerated on most beaches but naturism is restricted to certain beaches - local tourist offices will advise where these are. A ban on smoking in workplaces (including airports, railway stations, shops and offices etc) came into force in February 2007. Bars and restaurants have been given until December 2007 to comply with the new law.

Electricity

220 volts AC, 50Hz. Two-pin plugs are widely used.

Head of Government

Prime Minister Francois Fillon since May 2007.

Head of State

Nicolas Sarkozy since May 2007.

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.
Note: 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.

Visas

Not required by all nationals of countries 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.

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.

Exchange Rate Indicators

Getting Around By Air

The main airline connecting towns and cities within France is Air France (website: www.airfrance.com).

Getting Around by Water

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) (tel: (0) 825 888 088; website: www.sncm.fr). Services run from Marseille, Toulon and Nice to Ajaccio, Propriano, Porto Vecchio and Bastia on the island.

There are almost 9,000km (5,600 miles) of navigable waterways in France, and all of these present excellent opportunities for holidays. The main canal areas are the north (north and northeast of Paris) where most of the navigable rivers are connected with canals; the Seine (from Auxerre to Le Havre, but sharing space with commercial traffic); the east, where the Rhine and Moselle and their tributaries are connected by canals; in Burgundy, where the Saône and many old and picturesque canals crisscross the region; the Rhône (a pilot is recommended below Avignon); the Midi (including the Canal du Midi, connecting the Atlantic with the Mediterranean); and Brittany and the Loire on the rivers Vilaine, Loire, Mayenne and Sarthe, and the connecting canals. Each of these waterways offers a magnificent variety of scenery, a means of visiting many historic towns, villages and sites and an opportunity to learn much about rural France, at a very leisurely pace.

Cruising boats may be chartered with or without crews, ranging in size from the smallest cabin cruiser up to converted commercial barges (péniches), which can accommodate up to 24 people and require a crew of eight. Hotel boats, large converted barges with accommodation and restaurant, are also available in some areas, with a wide choice of price and comfort. For further information, contact the national or regional tourist board.

Getting Around by Rail

French Railways (SNCF) (tel: (0) 825 888 088; website: www.sncf.com) operates a nationwide network with 34,200km (21,250 miles) of line, over 12,000km (7,500 miles) of which has been electrified. The TGV (train à grande vitesse) runs from Paris to Brittany and southwest France at 300kph (186mph), to Lyon and the southeast at 270kph (168mph) and to Strasbourg and the east at 320kph (199mph).

The SNCF is divided into five systems (East, North, West, Southeast and Southwest). The transport in and around Paris is the responsibility of a separate body, the Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens (RATP) (tel: (0) 892 687 714; website: www.ratp.fr). This organisation provides a fully integrated bus, rail and underground métro network for the capital. Motorail car sleeper services are operated from Boulogne, Calais, Dieppe and Paris to all main holiday areas in both summer and winter. Motorail information and booking is available from Rail Europe (tel: 0870 241 5415, in the UK; website: www.raileurope.co.uk).

Rail Passes

InterRail One-Country Pass: offers travel for three, four, six or eight days in one month within France. Travel is not allowed in the passenger’s country of residence. Travellers under 26 years receive a reduction. Children’s tickets are reduced by about 50%. Supplements are required for some high-speed services, seat reservations and couchettes. Discounts are offered on Eurostar and some ferry routes. Available from Rail Europe (website: www.raileurope.co.uk/inter-rail). Note: This has replaced the France Railpass.

Cheap Fares: It is possible to buy various kinds of tickets in France (including Family and Young Person’s Tickets) offering reductions. In general, the fares charged will depend on what day of the week and what time of the day one is travelling; timetables giving further details are available from SNCF offices. 

There is a range of special tickets on offer to foreign visitors; they usually have to be bought before entering France and some are only available in North America; others are unique to Australia and New Zealand. There are also special European RailandDrive packages. 

Note: It is essential to validate (composter) tickets bought in France by using the orange automatic date-stamping machine at the platform entrance.

Getting Around by Road

Traffic drives on the right. Motorways (autoroutes) bear the prefix ‘A’; some are free whilst others are toll roads (autoroutes à péage). National roads (routes nationales) are marked ‘N’. Minor roads are maintained by the départements (departments) rather than by the government and are classed as ‘D’ roads.

Coach: Domestic long distances are very limited given the excellent SNCF rail network. In some areas SNCF buses cover unprofitable routes.

Car hire: Available from international  and domestic companies.

Regulations: The minimum age to drive a car in France is 18 and 15 for a motorcycle under 125cc. The minimum age for hiring a car in France ranges from 21 to 25. Speed limits are 50kph (31mph) in built-up areas, 90kph (56mph) outside built-up areas, 110kph (68mph) on dual carriageways separated by a central reservation, and 130kph (81mph) on motorways. Visitors who have held a driving licence for less than two years may not travel faster than 80kph (56mph) on normal roads, 100kph (62mph) on dual carriageways and 110kph (68mph) on motorways. Random breath tests for drinking and driving are common. All passengers must wear seat belts. Under-10s may not travel in the front seat. Drivers must carry a red warning triangle for use in the event of a breakdown. UK drivers must adjust all headlamp beams for rightside driving by use of beam deflectors or (on some cars) by tilting the headlamp bulbholder.

Emergency breakdown service: Tel: 17 (from roadside boxes).

Documentation: A national driving licence is acceptable. An international sign, distinguishing your country of origin (eg GB sticker or plate), should be positioned clearly on the vehicle. EU nationals taking their own cars to France are strongly advised to obtain a Green Card. The car’s registration document must also be carried. UK registered vehicles displaying Euro plates (circle of 12 stars above the national identifier on a blue background) no longer need a GB sticker when driving in EU countries.

Getting Around Towns and Cities

Urban public transport is excellent. There are comprehensive public transport systems in all the larger towns and cities. 

Paris:RATP (Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens) controls the underground (métro), rail (RER) and bus services in and around Paris. The public transport network is split into several different fare zones and a single ticket will allow travel on any of the systems within that zone (although interchange is only permitted on the métro and RER, and not on buses). Other useful transport links provided by the RATP include Orlybus and Roissybus (special airport buses), Orlyval (rail service linking RER stations of Antony and Orly airport) and Montmartre funicular (special railway connecting the foot of Montmartre to the top, near the Sacré-Coeur church). For the Orlybus and Roissybus travellers need a special ticket which is on sale on buses and airport terminals. The Metro was built during the Paris Exhibition in 1900. Its dense network of 14 lines in the central area makes the métro the ideal way to get about in Paris. The RER (fast suburban services) operate five main lines connecting most areas of the capital. There is also an extensive network of conventional suburban services run by French Railways (SNCF), with fare structure and ticketing integrated with the other modes of public transport. A comprehensive bus network operates within the city and taxis are reliable if expensive.

Other cities: There are tramways, trolleybuses and an underground in Marseille; trolleybuses, an underground and a funicular in Lyon; and a tramway and automated driverless trains in Lille. There are tramway services in St Etienne, Nantes and Grenoble and trolleybuses in Limoges and Nancy. The systems are easy to use, with pre-purchase tickets and passes. Good publicity material and maps are usually available.

Journey Times

The following chart gives approximate journey times (in hours and minutes) from Paris to other major cities and towns in France.

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.

• 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.

• 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 SorbonneUniversity 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.

Statistics

•GDP: US$1.79 trillion (2005).
•Main exports: Machinery, equipment, aircraft, chemicals and beverages.
•Main imports: Vehicles, crude oil, aircraft, plastics and chemicals.
•Main trade partners: Germany, Italy, UK, USA and The Netherlands.

Economy

France has the fourth-largest economy in the world, after the USA, Japan and Germany, and has an annual per capita income of over US$29,000. It has a wide industrial and commercial base, covering everything from agriculture to light and heavy industrial concerns, advanced technology and a burgeoning service sector. 

France is also Western Europe’s leading agricultural nation with over half of its land area devoted to farming. France is famously one of the world’s leading wine producers. 

French companies are prominent in many industries, particularly steel, motor vehicles, aircraft, mechanical and electrical engineering, textiles, chemicals and food processing. In advanced industrial sectors, France has one of the world’s largest nuclear power industries, which meets nearly three-quarters of the country’s energy requirements, and is a world leader in computing and telecommunications. 

The service sector is dominated by tourism, which has long been a major foreign currency earner. 

Economic growth was 1.2% in 2005. France suffers from a relatively high unemployment rate of 9.9%, which is climbing again after several years of decline.

Business Etiquette

Businesspeople should wear conservative clothes. Prior appointments are expected and the use of business cards is usual. While a knowledge of French is a distinct advantage in business dealings, it is considered impolite to start a conversation in French and then have to revert to English. Business meetings tend to be formal and business decisions are taken only after lengthy discussion. Business entertaining is usually in restaurants.

Office hours: Generally Mon-Fri 0900-1200, 1400-1800.

Commercial Information

Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie de Paris
27 Avenue de Friedland, 75382 Paris, Cedex 08, France
Tel: (01) 5565 5565.
Website: www.ccip.fr

Assemblée des Chambres Françaises de Commerce et d’Industrie
45 Avenue d’Iéna, 75116 Paris, Cedex 16, France
Tel: (01) 4069 3700.
Website: www.acfci.cci.fr

Conferences & Conventions

Paris is the world’s leading conference city. Also in demand are the Riviera towns of Nice and Cannes; other centres are Lyon, Strasbourg and Marseille. The Business Travel Club (CFTAR) is a government-sponsored association of cities, departments, hotels, convention centres and other organisations interested in providing meeting facilities and incentives. Enquiries should be made through the French Government Tourist Office, which has a special department for business travel in several cities.

Telephone

Country code: 33. Card-only telephones are common, with pre-paid cards bought from post offices and tabacs; coin boxes are being phased out throughout the country. International calls are cheaper between Mon-Fri 1900-0800 and all day Sat-Sun. Calls can be received at all phone boxes showing the sign of a blue bell.

Mobile Telephone

Roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone companies. Coverage is excellent.

Internet

Public access is available at Internet cafes in most cities.

Media

France enjoys a free press and has more than 100 daily newspapers. Most newspapers are in private hands and are not linked to political parties. State-run Radio France runs services for the domestic audience, French overseas territories and foreign audiences. France’s international broadcasters have a significant audience abroad. Radio France Internationale is one of the world’s leading international stations and its Arabic-language Radio Monte Carlo Moyen Orient service, available on mediumwave (AM) and FM in many Middle East countries, has a large audience.

Post

Stamps can be purchased at post offices and tabacs. Post normally takes a couple of days to reach its destination within Europe. The main post office is the PTT, 52 rue du Louvre, Paris.

Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1900, Sat 0900-1200. In smaller towns and villages, post offices may close earlier and for lunch, while in Paris the main office is open 24 hours, but only to send mail in the evenings.

Press

• Daily newspapers include Le Monde, Libération, France-Soir and Le Figaro.
• The main English-language daily is the International Herald Tribune.
• Outside the Ile-de-France, however, these newspapers are not as popular as the provincial press.
• International newspapers and magazines are widely available, particularly in the larger cities.

Radio

• Radio France Internationale (RFI) is an international broadcaster, available via shortwave and numerous FM relays worldwide.
• Europe 1 is a major commercial, news and entertainment station.
• RTL is a major commercial station, with a mix of speech and music programmes.

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.

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2007-December 2008 period.

2007
1 Jan New Year’s Day.
9Apr Easter Monday.
1May Labour Day.
8May 1945 Victory Day.
17May 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.

2008
1 Jan New Year’s Day. 
24 Mar Easter Monday.
1May Labour Day.
1May Ascension. 
8 May 1945 Victory Day. 
12 May Whit Monday.
14 Jul Bastile 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.