FRANCE TRAVEL GUIDE
You could spend a
lifetime’s worth of holidays in France and still not feel you’d done the
country justice. It remains the planet’s most visited tourist destination,
meriting its standing with an almost overwhelming mass of historical treasures,
storybook landscapes and cultural idiosyncrasies.
The teeming glam of
Paris makes for one hell of a centerpiece, matching any city on the planet for
ambiance, individuality and set-piece sights. But the real beauty of France, in
many ways, lies elsewhere. The country’s natural gifts are striking, with white
sands, hulking mountains and swathes of rolling countryside. It’s a land that
has inspired dreamers and drinkers, revolutionaries and artists. Little wonder
that Francophiles (and it’s telling that even the country’s devotees have a
given word to describe them) are found the world over.
You can soak up the
A-list beaches of the Cote d’Azur, drowse in the timeless greenery of the Loire
Valley or gaze up at the monumental peaks of the Alps. Wander the lavender
fields of Provence, eat your way round the legendary bistros of Lyon or sample
the rugged charm of Corsica. France’s cities, coastline and countryside all
have their own ooh-la-la rewards, and when taken as a whole, they present a
near-perfect visitor package.
That’s not to say that
it’s somewhere easily bracketed. When you’re walking the moody portside
backstreets of Marseille or delving among the sprawling flea markets of Paris,
it can be a job to remember that they’re a part of the same country as the
vineyards of Alsace or the sand dunes of the Atlantic coast.
This diversity, in many
ways, is the magic of France. It’s why it has endless magazines, books and
texts dedicated to the joys of its lifestyle. It’s why the national spirit
remains such a bold, many-hued thing. And it’s one reason why, in a continent
full of historical wonder and natural beauty, France still draws more tourist
attention than anywhere else.
“How can one describe a
country which has 365 kinds of cheese?” once asked former French president
Charles De Gaulle. Even today, it's a very good question.
Travel Advice
For assistance in any emergency situation, dial 112.
Take sensible precautions against street and car crime. Don’t
keep your passport, credit cards and other valuables in the same place; use the
inside compartments in bags where possible. Carry your bag across your body
rather than on your shoulder.
Don’t be distracted around tourist attractions and cash points.
Pickpockets can work in gangs: one to distract you while the other one goes
into your bag. Keep your belongings close to you in restaurants and bars.
Be aware of common scams used to obtain money from tourists,
there are petition, 3 card trick and gold ring tricks which are all to be
avoided, more information can be found here
Thieves and pickpockets operate on the Paris underground, RER
lines and at mainline stations, for example Gere du Nord. There have been
several victims of serious assault on the RER line B, which serves Paris
Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports and Paris Gare du Nord Eurostar terminus.
There have also been serious assaults on RER line D, which serves the Stade de
France.
Alcohol and drugs can lead to you being less alert, less in
control and less aware of your environment. If you are going to drink, know your
limit and take sensible precautions such as not becoming separated from
friends.
Motorway journeys are usually trouble-free, but if you are asked
by another motorist to stop and you decide to do so, park your car in a public
area with lights - like a service station - and be wary of people offering
help. If you are involved in a car accident or witness an accident, use the orange emergency phones http://www.autoroutes.fr/en/accidents.htm to ask for help.
Local Travel
Travel to and within France can be disrupted by strike action.
Check with your travel provider before you travel.
Hiking, winter sports and outdoor activities
Check weather forecasts and conditions and make sure you’re
properly equipped. Don’t undertake any activity alone, and consider hiring a
guide for expert advice. Always leave copies of your itinerary with someone.
For travel to mountainous areas, make sure your insurance covers you for extra
medical costs, repatriation to your country of residence and in the departments
of Savoie and Haute-Savoie possible transfer to Switzerland for treatment.
Observe all warnings regarding avalanches and where appropriate
consider carrying avalanche search equipment. You can check the latest
avalanche risk areas on the Mateo Alarm website http://www.meteoalarm.eu/en_UK/0/0/FR-France.html Conditions
on roads in mountainous areas can quickly become difficult in winter. You
should carry water, food, warm clothing and medicines in your vehicle.
For sports activities like skiing, potholing and mountaineering,
and for sports classed as particularly dangerous (e.g. off-piste skiing,
snow-boarding, mountain biking, climbing, ice-climbing, paragliding), make sure
you’re covered by your insurance. This should include mountain rescue services
and helicopter costs.
Local sea conditions can endanger even strong swimmers on the
Atlantic Coast. Many beaches provide lifeguards and warning systems (colored
flags) and you should always follow the advice closely. Get information on the
specific Baïne danger on the coast of the Gironde and Lands departments.
Follow local advice if jellyfish are present in the sea.
Road Travel
Driving regulations in France are different from those in the
UK. Always remember that the normal rule is to give way to the right each time
you reach an intersection.
Speeding can result in heavy, on the spot fines, and your
vehicle and license could be confiscated. The maximum speed on auto routes is
130kph (80mph) in good weather and 110kph (68mph) in poor weather.
Many drivers undertake long journeys in France. Plan your
journey carefully, taking into account unknown roads, weather conditions and
fatigue. Make sure you take regular breaks.
Information on road safety and potential traffic black spots (in
French only) is available on the Bison Futé website http://www.bison-fute.gouv.fr/index,langen.html . Alternatively,
real-time information on road traffic conditions is available on 107.7 FM in
French and in English (Motorways radio – AutoRoute Info).
To drive in France you must be 18 years old and have a valid UK
driving license, insurance and vehicle documents. If you don’t own the vehicle
you’re driving, you should get written permission from the registered owner.
It’s compulsory to carry a warning triangle and reflective
jacket. The reflective jacket must be stored inside the vehicle itself and
accessible without getting out of the car. It is illegal to cross, even
partially, on to the hard shoulder of a motorway without good reason.
In-car radar detectors and satellite navigation systems warning
of the presence of speed cameras or radars are illegal whether in use or not.
In 2012 there were 3,653 road deaths in France (source Dft).
This equates to 5.6 road deaths per 100,000 of population and compares to the
UK average of 2.8 road deaths per 100,000 of population in 2012.
See the European Commission
http://www.rac.co.uk/driving-abroad guides on driving in France.
Road haulers
There have been reports of burglaries taking place while lorry
drivers have been asleep in their vehicles. Avoid parking in isolated or dark
areas of unsupervised camping grounds or car parks. Consider installing an
alarm in your vehicle.
There have been many attempts by illegal migrants to enter Lorries
while stationary or in slow moving traffic. Take sensible precautions against
break in to your vehicle, particularly in northern France.
Heavy goods vehicles over 7.5 tones are banned from driving on
roads in France on certain days during the year, including all Sundays and
public holidays. Dates are set by the French Ministry of Transport. Full
details of restrictions can be found on the Bison Futé website (http://www.bison-fute.gouv.fr/index.html).
British haulage companies and their employees should contact
the Road Haulers Association (http://www.rha.uk.net/)for further
information about driving in France.
Camping Cars
There have been reports of burglaries taking place while
travelers have been asleep in their caravans, mobile homes and other vehicles.
Avoid parking in isolated or dark areas of unsupervised camping grounds or car
parks and consider installing an alarm in your caravan or mobile home.
There have been many attempts by illegal migrants to enter
vehicles while stationary or in slow moving traffic. Take sensible precautions
against break in to your vehicle, particularly in Northern France.
Passports:
A passport valid for three months beyond the length of stay and
issued within the past 10 years is required by all nationals listed in the
chart above except (1) EU nationals holding a passport or national ID
card which is valid for the duration of stay.
If travelling from one border-free Schengen country to another
however, EU nationals are not required to show a passport or national ID card.
It is still recommended that you travel with your passport or ID card to prove
your identity if necessary though. Note that Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania
and the UK are
not part of the Schengen area, so a passport or ID card is required if
travelling to/from these countries.
EU nationals are not required to possess a return ticket or show
sufficient funds.
Passport note:
The passport and visa requirements for travelers visiting Monaco as
tourists are the same as for France. Monaco is not a member of the EU however,
so residency and long-stay requirements differ and are liable to change. For
further details, contact any French Consulate (or consular section at embassy).
Neither visas, return tickets nor are sufficient funds for the
length of their proposed visit required by nationals referred to in the chart
above.
Nationals not referred to in the chart are advised to contact
the embassy for visa requirements.
Transit/short-stay Schengen visa: €60. This typically covers
tourism, business or family visits for nationals requiring a visa.
Long-stay visa: €99.
Short-stay/Schengen visa: up to 90 days within a six-month
period. It can be issued for one entry or multiple entries into the Schengen
area and can be valid for up to five years.
Long-stay visa: this is a national visa that entitles you,
whatever the reason for your stay, to live in France for more than three
months. It is not a Schengen visa. Some categories of long-stay visa are valid
as residence permits for the first year of your stay in France.
If you’re transiting through an airport in France to travel to
another airport in France or in the Schengen area, then unless exempt, you’re
required to have a short-stay Schengen visa.
If France is your main destination in the Schengen area, apply
to your local French consulate (or consular section at embassy). In the UK, the
French authorities have outsourced the visa application process to a company
called TLS Contact (www.tlscontact.com/gb2fr).
TLS Contact charges an additional £22.22 processing fee.
Schengen visas:
France is a signatory to the 1995 Schengen Agreement.
Some categories of long-stay visa are valid as residence
permits for the first year of your stay in France: study visas, some work
visas, visas for spouses of French nationals and visitors’ visas. If you are in
one of these cases, when you arrive in France, you must send the OFII form to
the relevant regional delegation of the Office Francis de l ‘Immigration et de
l'Intégration, which will give you an appointment for a medical examination and
payment of residence fees. After the first year (in the two months before your
long-stay visa expires), you must apply to renew your residence permit at the
relevant prefecture for your place of residence.
In all other cases, if you are a foreign national holding a
long-stay visa marked 'carte de séjour
à solicitor' (residence permit to be applied for), you must apply
to the prefecture for a residence permit.
Processing times vary according to nationality and visa type.
Short-stay/Schengen visas: one to 21 days; long-stay visas: 10 days. You're
advised to allow at least 15 days.
If applying for a visa, you’ll be asked to detail how you intend
to support yourself for the duration of your stay.
If you need to extend your stay in France for reasons of force majeure, you must, before
the date of expiry of your visa, submit an application for 'prolongation de visa' (visa
extension) with documentary evidence.
If visas are needed, a form must be filled out for each
individual applicant, including children under 18.
Visitors are able to bring pets into the country from within the
EU without them being quarantined, so long as the pets are fitted with an ISO
pet microchip and have been vaccinated for rabies and other diseases at least
21 days (but no more than a year) prior to travel.
Money & duty free for France
Currency information:
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.
American
Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted across the
country. If you’re eating at a restaurant, check prior to the meal that your
card will be an acceptable form of payment. Even in cities, it’s advisable to
carry a supply of cash with you at all times.
Cashpoints
compatible with international banking networks are located in all towns and
cities, as well as airports, major train stations and other spots. They usually
offer an attractive exchange rate. Those banks that still exchange foreign
currencies into local money will always charge a transaction fee, so
withdrawing money from an ATM usually represents the most logical means of
obtaining euros.
Traveler’s
cheques are accepted nearly everywhere in France. In Monaco,
to avoid additional exchange rate charges, travelers are advised to take traveler’s
cheques in Euros, US Dollars or Pounds Sterling.
Banking
hours in Paris are
usually from 10:00-17:00, Monday through Friday. Throughout the rest of France,
banks are usually open from 10:00-13:00 and 15:00-17:00, Tuesday to Saturday. Banks
often close earlier the day before a public holiday. In Monaco, banks are
normally open between Mon-Fri 09:00-12:00 and 14:00-16:30.
Getting around France
The main airline connecting towns and cities within France is Air France (www.airfrance.com). Easy jet (www.easyjet.com), Ryan air (www.ryanair.com) and Air Corsica (www.aircorsica.com) are among the other options.
Air France’s Metropolitan France Discount Pass offers up to a 35% reduction on more than 100 domestic routes.
None.
Right
Motorways and main roads are generally in excellent condition. The bulk of smaller roads are well maintained, but some more remote routes can be in poor condition.
Motorways (auto routes) bear the prefix 'A'; some are free whilst others are toll roads (auto routes à page). National roads (routes nationals) are marked 'N'. Local roads are usually classed as 'D' roads, while minor rural roads are classified as ‘C’ or ‘V’.
Car hire is widely available from international and domestic companies. Most of these require you to be over 21 years old and in possession of a license for at least a year. You may have to pay a surcharge if you’re under 25.
Taxis are widely available in all towns and cities. Train stations are the most logical place to find a rank.
France is passionate about cycling and much of the country lends itself well to exploration by bike. There’s a good number of urban and rural bike paths, as well as an extensive network of minor roads with little traffic. Most cities and towns have at least one outlet hiring bikes – some, such as Marseille and Paris, have a large-scale public bicycle sharing system.
Almost all regions are served by a bus network, although these tend to operate over relatively short distances and services can sometimes be infrequent.
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 (68 mph) on dual carriageways separated by a central reservation, and 130kph (81 mph) on motorways. Visitors who have held a driving license for less than two years may not travel faster than 80kph (56 mph) on normal roads, 100kph (62mph) on dual carriageways and 110kph (68 mph) on motorways. Drivers are required to carry a Breathalyzer kit in the vehicle, however foreign tourists will not be penalized for not carrying one. These will be available from channel ports for a cost of around £2.
Dial 17 (from roadside boxes) for emergency breakdown services, or call 112 from a mobile.
A national driving license is acceptable. An international sign, distinguishing your country of origin (e.g. 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 (Reggie Autonome des Transports Parisians www.ratp.fr) controls the underground (metro), 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 metro and RER, and not on buses). The Metro's network of 14 lines makes it a good way to get about central 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).
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.
French Railways (SNCF) (Tel: 3635 from within France or contact through Rail Europe Tel: 0844 848 4064; www.sncf.com) operates a nationwide network. Transport in and around Paris is operated by the Régie Autonome des Transports Parisians (RATP) (Tel: 3246 from within France; www.ratp.fr). This organization provides a fully integrated bus, rail and underground metro network for the capital. Auto Train is a car-carrying rail service running between Paris Bercy and a dozen different destinations in the south of France. Contact Rail Europe for further information.
With an Inter Rail One Country Pass you can choose from unlimited travel on three, four, six or eight days of your choice during the course of a month. Available from Rail Europe (Tel: 0844 848 4064, in the UK; www.raileurope.co.uk/inter-rail).
Eurail (www.eurail.com) offers unlimited second-class travel for non-EU nationals in 23 European countries with four pass options. The Eurail Global Pass offers travel for 15 or 21 days, one, two or three months, as well as 10 days travel within two months or 15 days travel within two months; the Eurail Global Pass Youth ticket provides discounts for those under 26. The Eurail Regional Pass allows four to 10 travel days in a two-month period in two or three neighboring countries. Please note since January 2013 SNCF has withdrawn from the Eurail Select Pass and it is no longer possible to buy this type of pass to travel through France.
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 the day of the week and time of day you’re travelling; timetables giving further details are available from SNCF offices.
It’s essential to validate (composter) tickets bought in France by using the orange automatic date-stamping machine at the platform entrance.
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 Society National Maritime Corse-Mediterranean (SNCM) (Tel: 3260 from within France; www.sncm.fr). Services run from Marseille, Nice and Toulon to Ajaccio, Propriano, Porto Vecchio, Calvi, Ile Rousse and Bastia on the island. Corsica Ferries/Sardinia Ferries (Tel: (04) 9532 9595; www.corsicaferries.com) also offer services from Corsica to the mainland.
There are almost 9,000km (5,600 miles) of navigable waterways in France, and all of these present 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 variety of scenery, a means of visiting many historic towns, villages and sites and an opportunity to learn much about rural France at a 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), some of which can accommodate up to 24 people, plus crew. Hotel boats (large converted barges with accommodation and restaurant) are also available in some areas, with a wide range of prices and comfort levels. For further information, contact the national or regional tourist board.
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