France General Practical Information and Travel Resources 

Banks  ·  Credit cards  ·  Currency converter  ·  Driver's License  ·  Electricity  ·  E-mail
Emergencies  ·  Itinerary  ·  Learn French  ·  Learn in France  ·  Mail  ·  Maps  ·  News
Personal answers  ·  Post Office  ·  Telephone, Fax  ·  Translate  ·  Visa  ·  Weather  ·  Webcams


Banks


       

  • Banks are usually open between about 9.00 am and about 5.00 pm 
    Some close for a lunch-time break

    Some banks are open on Saturdays
    Some banks are closed on Monday
  • Bank Holidays :
    • Jan. 1
    • Easter Sun. + Mon.
    • May 1
    • May 8
    • Pentecost Sun. + Mon.
    • July  14
    • Aug. 15
    • Nov. 1
    • Nov. 11
    • Dec. 25

    During these bank holidays administrations, banks and most shops are closed.


Credit cards


      

  • Make sure you have enough credit available on your card.
  • Note down your card number and keep it separate from the card...in case of loss (do NOT write down the code).
  • You might need to show your cheque book and identity papers when withdrawing money in Europe.
  • Some establishments still use carbon copies to take imprints of your card.  Keep your eye on your card and recuperate any used carbons!
  • Fill in all the blanks on the stub including the one for taxes and/or the tip...and include the total at the bottom.
    Keep all the copies to compare with your bank statement.
  • In France to cancel your card call the Interbank service at 08 36 69 08 80.
  • Here are some other numbers if you lose or have your card stolen, call:
    American Express:
    Tel: 01 47 77 72 00

    Diners Club:
    Tel: 01 47 62 75 75

    Eurocard/ Mastercard
    Tel: 01 45 67 84 84

    Visa International
    Tel: 01 42 77 11 90

    JCB International:
    Tel: 01 42 86 06 01

Currency converter


      


Driver's Licence


      

  • For a short stay your European and North American Driver Licences are fine.

Electricity and Lighting


      

  • Put some of your lights...even TV, on automatic pilot.
  • Do you have adapter plugs for France?
  • Remember France and most of Europe is on 220 volts.

E-mail


      

  • Get the local telephone numbers in France from your Internet service provider so you can connect your portable.
  • Some of the major Metro stations now have free Internet access: Chatelet, Luxembourg...

Emergencies


      

  • All the emergency phone numbers beginning with "01" are in Paris:
Police:               
Fire Department: 
SAMU/EMS (Emergency medical services):
17
18
15
SOS Médecin (Doctors):
SOS Dentaire (Dentists):
Allo Infirmier (nurses) 24 hours:

Poison center:
Paris Ambulances (AP):
American Hospital of Paris:
SOS Crisis Line in English:
Daily 3pm to 11pm - confidential
01 47 07 77 77
01 43 37 51 00
01 43 43 25 45


01 40 37 04 04
01 40 44 43 45
01 46 41 25 25 
01 47 23 80 80

Itinerary calculate yours


      

  • Map your itinerary find the distance, time, cost, gas stations... (choose "english" in the menu)

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3 more jumps...and I'll be there!


Learn French


      

  • Click here for lot's of French schools in France, software and other French learning resources

Learn in France


      

  • Click here for resources on study in France : Business, Cooking, Film-making, Hotels, Web sites

Maps


      

 

News from France


      


Get the latest News direct from France
the latest from France

  • The monthly newspaper for English-speakers living in and 
    visiting France

    The Connexion keeps readers informed of what is happening 
    in and around France with its many pages of French news and information on expatriate life in France. In addition to the national news pages.

    The Connexion carries legal, financial and health articles, all written by experts in their field, aimed at informing and updating expats in France on the important issues of life in France.'

Personal answers to your questions about France


      


Post Office, Mail


      

  • The Post Office :

    Post Office opening hours in Paris and in the provinces are the following :

    - During the week : from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm. Some close for lunch from around noon to up to 14:00

    - Saturday : from 8:.00 pm to 12:00

24 hour Post Office in Paris:
52, rue du Louvre, 75001 Paris Metro:Louvre-Rivoli
Tel: 01 42 80 67 89

It is possible to buy stamps and make travel cheque and foreign currency exchange transactions.

Post stamps can also be purchased in tobacco shops.


Telephone, Fax


      

  • To phone in France : Dial the 10 digit number of your correspondent.

    To phone abroad from France : 
    Dial 00 + dialing code of the country + area code + number of your correspondent.

    You can buy phone cards at the post office,  tobacco shops or at an RATP or SNCF counter.
  • To phone from abroad to France : 
    Dial +33 and the 9 digit number of your correspondent (do not dial the 0 at the beginning of the correspondent's number).
  • White and yellow page directory for France click on the images and you can see the building facades where the shops are located.
  • Use your money to travel...not long distance talk. Telephone cheaper worldwide Calling Cards, feature top notch services that will save you and your loved ones money when making calls away from home



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find it in the yellow pages

  • When traveling, forward your calls -- Hire a temporary service.
  • Recorder can handle the incoming calls.
  • 24 hour Post Office in Paris:
    52, rue du Louvre, 75001 Paris Metro:Louvre-Rivoli
    Tel: 01 42 80 67 89
Special Prices for 0 8xx telephone number

0 800
, 00 800, 0 804, 0 805, 0 809, 10 90, 10 99, 30 00, 31 44, 36 55 : free*
0 810
, 0 811, 0 819, 0 860 : local call cost*
0 820
, 0 821, 0 870, 0 871, 0 873, 0 874, 36 99 : call costs 0,12€ TTC/mn max*
0 825
, 0 826, 0 884, 0 890 : call costs 0,15€ TTC/mn max*
0 891
: call costs 0,30€ TTC/mn max*
0 892
, 32 00, 32 01, 32 44, 32 50, 32 88 : call costs 0,45€ TTC/mn max*
0 893
: call costs 0,75€ TTC/mn max*
0 897
: call costs 0,60€ TTC max*
0 898
: call costs 1,20€ TTC max*
0 899
, 32 64 : call costs more than 1,21€ TTC*

* Prices from a regular telephone (not cellular). The prices indicated do not take into account the times of day.

Translate to/from French


      


Visa


      

  • Visa information and all the formalities, entry requirements and costs for travel from the USA

Weather


      

  • Today's weather and temperatures at a glance. (in French...but easy to comprehend)

  • Temperature, humidity, pressure, conditions and three day prediction for over 70 French localities

  • Convert the temperature from Celsius to Fahrenheit or vice versa.
Enter a number in either field, then click outside the text box
F: 
C:

Average Fahrenheit Temperatures in PARIS

  Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Hi 43 45 51 57 64 70 75 75 69 59 49 45
Lo 34 34 38 42 49 54 58 57 52 46 39 36

Webcams


      

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