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Our Journeys

What’s included

Travel Information

France & French

Practical Info

Packing, etc.

The Language

Answers to questions

Pricing & Booking

Practical Information

France

General Country Information

Time

France uses the 24hr system, i.e., 7 pm is 19:00. The time is one hour ahead of GMT time, six hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time and nine hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time. Europe uses daylight savings time(DST) as well but this is always a matter of consternation because the EU jumps forward one hour on the the last weekend in March and falls back one hour on the last weekend in October. North America generally makes their move three weeks earlier. Always verify this when you are travelling in and around March and the end of October.

France and Anglo-Saxon cultures have differing perspectives on time and the pace of French life depends on the region. Life in Paris is fast and urban while life in the country or “la France profonde” (the deep heartland) is much slower. People are generally on time yet the further south you go in the country, the more flexible time becomes.

Taking your time is important to the French, and anything worth doing should be done well so when in stores, bakeries or restaurants, etiquette dictates that you let others take their time and they will grant you the same courtesy.

Dress etiquette

This topic can be a minefield for most as the French are fashion-conscious people and their idea of casual is not as relaxed as in Anglo-Saxons countries. In general the French dress more formally than Americans.

When in France, dressing with a little care will be appreciated. When they are clean, crisp and pressed, jeans can be fine as long as they are dressed up, i.e., a bit more formally accessorized. Shoes should be discreet and unfortunately in France sneakers (les baskets) are generally looked upon as low class. All this being said, you will find varying levels of 'chicness' throughout France, so don't be surprised to see French people in torn jeans, baskets and logo tee shirts too!

Opening hours

France is the last bastion of the theory that Sunday is a day of rest. Hence unless in a rare tourist zone, all stores will be closed on Sunday, food markets being the exception, which can be open until 13h00. Shops are open Monday through Saturday from 9h00 or 10h00 to 19h00 or 20h00. In rural France and some smaller cities, closing times are closely adhered to and some shops even close at 13h on Saturday.

Electricity

220-240V, 50-cylcle AC power is standard. US visitors wishing to use 110V appliances need an adapter (adapateur) and a transformer (transformateur). UK visitors wishing to use 240V British appliances need an adaptor for their plug.

France's plugs look nothing like the prongs you see on your power cord's plugs, so you will need to buy a plug adapter. Don't waste your money on those international adapters meant for use around the globe (unless you really need them), as they are large and more expensive. One that converts to French plugs alone is fine, and France's plugs are the same as most of Europe.

Tipping

In food establishments, a service charge (le service) is added into your bill. It is customary; however, to leave small change additionally if your wait staff provided good service.

Shopping

Customer service is not the same as it is in the United States and generally a salesclerk will ignore you until you signal that you want their service. Also as a general rule, just like the US and the UK, someone dressed nicely will get more respect and better treatment than those dressed in sweats and a t-shirt.

In food markets when shopping for fruit and vegetables, or other open produce, a general rule is that if you touch it-you buy it.

Communication

Telephones

The Country code for France is 33. All French phones have ten digits with the first two indicating the region. Paris is 01 and the rest of France divided into four zones 02, 03 04 & 05. Numbers beginning with 08 can only be reached inside France and are generally toll free. When dialling inside France, use the entire ten digits. When dial to France from abroad, from the US use 011 33 and from the EU use 00 33, leaving off the 0 from the ten digit number.

Public phone uses télécartes (phone cards) which can be purchased in post offices and tabacs (tobacconists) and are in denomination of 50 units around €7.50 and 120 units around € 15.

Mobile telephones

Like all European and many other countries, France operates on a GSM network. This means that if your current phone is GSM-compatible, it will probably work in France. If you are coming from North America or some parts of Asia you will probably have a CDMA phone, which will not work in France so you may have to purchase a cheap GSM phone with a local pay as you go SIM card. If you have a GSM-compatible phone and want to use it in France, you have two options:

Keep your current service provider from your home country: Check with your provider that you can use the phone in France (roaming) - it is unlikely you will not be able to, but you may have to specifically ask your provider to enable your account to do this. This is not a cheap solution as you pay for all of the calls you receive at international rates (for the leg of the call between your home country and France), in addition to being on expensive tariffs for calls from France. You do receive the benefit that calls you make to French numbers when in France are not international calls, but billed as national.

Pay-as-you-go (PAYG) French SIM cards : A simple solution that can be bought in the UK or from networks stores in France such as Orange and SFR. These cost around £35 and come with a small amount of starter credit.

A SIM from a French network like Orange Fr will fit in the majority of mobile handsets but you may need to unlock the handset to enable a new SIM to be used. Like all national mobile networks, coverage is good for about 95% + of the country but is never guaranteed.

With a PAYG, you have a new French mobile number to circulate before you leave and they can be topped up locally in France by purchasing top up vouchers at post offices as well as thousands of local retailers like tabacs, supermarkets, convenience stores and petrol stations. They offer savings over roaming charges and all incoming calls are free to receive, but you need to be aware that the French top-ups have strict credit expiry periods so you need to make sure you familiarise yourself with these.

More information for North Americans:

More information on buying a GSM phone and SIM cards:

For the technologically advanced:

WiFi phones with GSM & Sype

French Mobile Phone Service providers:

Orange - A subsidiary of France Telecom, the French website is mostly in French, but there is a small section with some basic information in English (go to 'Welcome to France' in the navigation bar).
SFR - This is a joint subsidiary of Cegetel and Vodafone and they have a good website for foreigners coming to France. The website is available in 6 languages (French, English, German, Spanish, Dutch and Italian) and gives a brief introduction on using mobile phones in France and the main SFR services.
Bouygues Telecom - The 'third' operator - today only affects some limited areas.

Internet

E-mail is the cheapest and most hassle-free way of staying in touch with home while in France. In the regions we will be travelling, internet connectivity is not always to be relied upon. Some of hotels will have internet services, some will not and getting connected can be a frustrating experience.

If you bring your laptop, make sure that it can convert to 220- 240 volts of current in France. If not, you have to find an adapter. To find out if your laptop can convert to the new current, look at the box on your power cord. If it has small print stating, "110-240v" or something similar showing a range, you are OK. Your laptop should also have a dial-up number in France but most new computers can detect Wi-Fi hot spots automatically. Websites like WiFi Hot Spot List and Jiwire can help you find them before you go. Links : For purchasing mobile internet connectivity before you leave, try Mobility Pass

Post

Bureaux de poste (post office) are open Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 19:00 and on Saturday from 8:00 to 12:00. All have machines that will weigh your letter, print out the stamp and give change to save you queuing. Stamps can also be purchased from a tabac (tobacconist).

Personal health & safety

Accidents & Emergencies

Useful numbers - the equivelent of 911 in the US and 999 in the UK:

17 Police
15 Ambulance (SAMU)
18 Fire (Sapeurs-Pompiers)
112 Emergency (from a mobile phone)

Lost Credit Cards

24 hours services that have English speaking staff
American Express 01.47.77.70.00
MasterCard/Visa 08.36.69.08.80

Prescriptions

It is always best to make sure you have enough of what you normally take before leaving your home country because the drugs and prescription medicine available in France will not be the same. In case of emergencies, a visit to a pharmacist can assist you but the recommended medicine will be generic at best.

Smoking

Smoking has been banned in most public places and restaurants normally will provide an espace fumerus or smoking area (in most brasseries & bars it will be outside).

Food Etiquette

Meals

Breakfast is typically from 7 to 9 AM. A traditional French Breakfast is a cup of coffee along with a croissant.

Lunch is typically from 12 to 2 PM. Traditionally lunch was the largest meal of the day and was quite elaborate yet today a typical lunch is often sandwiches or salads. In the country, meals will not be served in restaurants after these times.

Dinner is typically does not begin before 20:30 (8:30 PM) wit 20h being the earliest. In general, dinner outside the home usually will consist of a first course, a main course, a cheese course, a salad and possibly dessert. Coffee is always after the dessert course and chocolates. Wine is carefully selected and always served.

Dining Etiquette

Except for a business meeting, arriving fifteen to thirty minutes after the expected time is acceptable and for private dinner invitations, expected. However if you will be more than 30 minutes late, it is expected that you will telephone to explain you have been detained.

Dinner usually takes from two to four hours because one meal consists of several courses served separately.

Guests should eat small portions of every course. The only two kinds of food that a guest is allowed to refuse are oysters and curry.

Table manners

Table manners are Continental meaning they do not switch their knife and fork as people do in the United States. The fork remains in the left hand and the knife in the right hand and almost everything in France is eaten with a knife and fork.
Keep both hands above the table and elbows general off.
A general rule of them is not to begin eating until the hostess says 'bon appetit'.
Do not rest your elbows on the table, although your hands should be visible and not in your lap.
Napkins (serviette) should be placed in you lap as soon as you are seated, used often and left crumpled (never folded) to the side of you plate when you leave the table.
Pass dishes to the left and finish everything on your plate.
Bread is broken not cut, normally is eaten without butter, placed on the table (where a bread plate would be in North America and the UK) and unless at a formal occasion, can be used to mop up sauce or soup.
Do not cut salad with a knife and fork. Fold the lettuce on to your fork. Peel and slice fruit before eating it.
You can serve yourself water but wait for wine to be poured for you. Leave your wineglass nearly full if you do not want more.
If you have not finished eating, place your fork across your knife on your plate. When finished, place your utensils face down across the top of your plate.
Avoid blowing your nose at the table and NEVER in the napkin.

Travel Requirements

Visas

European Union nationals, do not need a visa to enter France, nor do citizens of the US, Canada Australia or New Zealand for stays of up to three months.

Nationals of the countries will need to consult with their local French Consulate before leaving home. If you are travelling to France from one of the countries within the Schengen agreement (most of EU countries except the UK and Ireland), your visa from the original country normally suffices.

Disabled travellers

General information relative to disabled access is available, albeit in French, on the website from the Secrétaire d’Etat aux Personnes Handicapées . If you need assistance, please contact us directly.

Customs

Non-EU residents can claim tax refunds or détax (+/- 12%) on VAT (value added tax) or TVA, if the spend over €175 in any one purchase and if they live outside of the EU for more than six months in a year. You need the shop to fill out a form called a Bordereau de vente à l’éxportation and then go to the Detax counter at the airport

Money Matters

France is part of the European Economic Community and uses the Euro as its currency. Euros come in 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 500 banknotes. Coinage is issued in amounts of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50. Fractions of a euro are called cents.

My maxim is ‘Never enter a country without at least a little local currency!’ You don’t need a lot. Go to your local bank and ask to exchange a small amount of cash, say the equivalent of €200. This will cover you until you can get to an ATM machine and it beats being destitute in the middle of the night in the middle of nowhere!

Chip & Pin Numbers : France was the inventor of the chip (puce) and they have been in use with a personal PIN number for over twenty years. Foreign cards with the magnetic strip can still be used, but be prepared for several tries as they are now an outmoded technology. Make sure you have a pin number for your cards and they are not more than four digits. Also, most of the ATM machines in France do NOT have letters corresponding to the numbers on the keypad so if you remember you numbers by words…figure out a systems that will cover you in case of this eventuality. The good news is that most ATM’s do have the capacity to give you instructions in multiple languages.

ATM machines (distributeur automatique de billets): They are everywhere in France. Normally, they don't charge a fee and the exchange rate you will get is usually pretty good and current. Ask your bank before you leave if they have extra fees for foreign withdrawals and if they so how much they are. Check out what your daily ATM withdrawal limit is before going too.

Credit cards (cartes de crédit): These too normally have pretty favourable and current exchange rates. Again, check with your bank about their policies. Visa is the number one card in France, with MasterCard second. American Express is also used, but not everywhere so it is always wise to have either a Visa or a MasterCard as well.

Bureau de change : Exchanging money at the bureau de change at the airport or in tourist areas is one way of doing things but be prepared for the usual charge at an exorbitant fee.

Eurocheques & traveller’s cheques: Traveller’s checks are not always as useful as we would like to believe, as many French shops will not and are not obligated to accept them. Even if they are accepted, the hotelier or shop owner will quote you a rate and most certainly it won’t be the best exchange rate, so your currency won’t go as far as it could if you consider using other methods of exchange.

Banks

Banking in France is a complicated affair similar to the British system but far more conservative. And even though all of the multinationals are present next to the local banks, they are far from the service oriented institution North Americans are accustomed to, so be prepared. Cashiers in banks do not always handle cash and if they do, it will be in small quantities.

Banking hours are generally Tuesday to Saturday from 9 or 9h30 to 5h30 with closures between 12h or 12h30 to 13h30 or 14h for lunch. In the country, small village banks may be open only a few hours per week, so it is wise to make sure your ATM and credit cards are in working order before you leave. It is your

Travellers Insurance

Getting sick or injured in France, like anywhere other than home can be expensive and scary. Reciprocal healthcare arrangements between France and other countries are limited to those within the European Union and the majority of these are based on emergency procedures. However, travel insurance is not just about medical expenses. It can also cover loss of luggage or other personal belongings such as passport, money, repatriation costs, cancelled or delayed flights and damage that you may cause to third parties is also covered in many cases.

Say for instance, someone in your immediate family is so ill that you must cancel your trip to be with that person. The right policy would cover the cost of payments you can't get back from the tour operator. What if your airline cancels your flight because of a weather warning? The right policy will pay for your extra night's lodging at that expensive hotel.

It is easy to see why a comprehensive travel insurance policy is not only highly recommended, we require all our clients have travel insurance with a minimum of medical emergency assistance, personal accident and liability cover. We require at the time of final booking that you supply us in writing of the policy name, number and emergency phone number numbers so we can better manage any emergencies that might arise during your Journey.

Several websites compare trip insurance policies among various companies. You put in the trip dates, your age and the cost of the trip and the website will pull up a list of companies offering possible policies. For the US & Canada Insure My Trip and Trip Insurance Store let you compare policies from several companies. Look at Travel Guard because it has proven to be worth the money on some of our trips. For the UK, the Money Supermarket does the same.

Types of Insurance Plans: While not meant to be all inclusive or extensive, here are general descriptions for various types of travel insurance plans you can consider. They vary by provider, so make sure you read the fine print carefully.

Package Plans : These plans are designed for travellers going on a single trip. They can be used for Cruises, Tours, Flights, House Rentals and a world of other trip types. Most offer Trip Cancellation, Baggage, Medical, Dental, Emergency Evacuation, 24 Hour Traveller Assistance, Baggage Delay, Travel Delay, and Accidental Death Coverages. Some Plans also have options for Collision/Damage coverage for rented cars, Flight Insurance (a form of Accidental Death Coverage while flying only) and added Emergency Evacuation insurance. Some package Plans include coverage for children at no extra charge.

Travel Medical Plans : These plans provide Medical Coverage for travel up to a year in length. Some include coverage for evacuation, flight, accidental death, limited baggage, and trip interruption.

Flight Accident Plans : These plans are designed for travellers going on a single trip and provide coverage for Flight Accident Insurance (a form of Accidental Death Coverage while flying).

Multi-Trip Medical Plans : These plans provide annual Medical Coverage for multiple trips throughout the year. All plans have trip length restrictions of either15, 30 or 70 days. Some include coverage for evacuation, flight, accidental death, limited baggage, and trip interruption.

Medical Evacuation Plans : These plans provide protection for travellers in the event they become seriously ill or injured while travelling. They provide emergency medical evacuation to the nearest appropriate care facility or on some plans, to your hospital of choice. They also include coverage for repatriation of mortal remains.

Travel Major Medical Plans : These plans are designed for travellers who are going abroad for at least 6 months and require more permanent insurance. These plans provide comprehensive medical protection including emergency medical treatment, wellness care and optional prescription drug coverage. Like most major medical Plans, these plans contain both in and out of network coverage, deductibles and co-payments and have the added travel benefits of accidental death and emergency medical evacuation protection.

Accidental Death Plans : Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) policies are designed for travellers going on a single trip or can be written on an annual basis for individuals, businesses, or groups. These policies provide protection in the event of a loss of life or dismemberment injury sustained while travelling.