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About France Category: Useful Information

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When you’re preparing a trip to a ‘foreign’ country, especially the first time, many little details cross your mind: Are there ATMs? Is my driver’s license valid? Do I need adapter plugs? What about temperatures to know what clothes to pack?

You need useful information about France and this page is where you’ll find answers to all those needling questions.

Please note: if you have a question we’ve not dealt with, please let us know and we’ll add your contribution to this page … with the answer.

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 (and closed on Mondays)
Some banks are closed on Mondays (and closed on Sundays)

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 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.
- Here are some other numbers if you lose or have your card stolen, call:
  Lost or stolen credit cards: 0 892 705 705 – 7 days a week (€0.34/min)
  American Express: Tel: 01 47 77 70 00
  Diners Club Tel: 01 47 62 75 75
  Mastercard/Eurocard Tel: 01 45 67 84 84
  Visa International Tel: 0800 90 1179
  Lost or stolen chequebook: 0 892 68 32 08 – 7 days a week (€0.337/min)
Currency Converter:
Convert your currency into Euros at the current rate of exchange. See what it will cost you “en France”

Driving Licences:

For a short stay (under 90 days) your European and North American Driver Licences are fine. An International Licence is also acceptable.

Emergencies:

All the emergency phone numbers beginning with “01” are in Paris:
Police: 17
Fire Department: 18
SAMU/EMS (Emergency medical services): 15
European Emergency: 112

SOS Médecin (Doctors): 01 47 07 77 77
SOS Dentaire (Dentists): 01 43 37 51 00
Allo Infirmier (nurses) 24 hours: 01 43 43 25 45

Poison center:
Paris Ambulances (AP): 01 40 37 04 04
American Hospital of Paris: 01 40 44 43 45
SOS Crisis Line in English: 01 46 41 25 25
Daily 3pm to 11pm – confidential 01 47 23 80 80

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.
Lost Property Service:

36, Rue des morillons – 75015 Paris
0 821 00 25 25 (€0.12/min)
Monday to Thursday from 8.30am to 5pm
Fridays from 8.30am to 4.30pm

Post Office:
- Remember to have your home mail stopped and saved by the Post Office, or have a neighbour pick it up for you.
- 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:

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.

Lost or stolen Mobile Telephone:
Orange: 0 825 00 57 00
SFR: 06 10 00 19 00
Bouygues Télécom: 0 800 29 10 00

Tourist Assisstance:
- South Paris office, by appointment only
  Tel. +33 (0)1 45 88 18 00
  Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm
  12-14 rue Charles Fourier – 75013 Paris
  Metro line 7: Tolbiac or Place d’Italie
- North Paris office, by appointment only
  Tel: +33 (0)1 53 06 83 50
  Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 5.30pm
  22 rue Jacques Kellner
  75017 Paris
  Metro line 13: Porte de Saint-Ouen
Visas:

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

Weather:

To view the weather forecast in Paris and other French cities, please click here

Temperature, humidity, pressure, conditions and three day prediction for over 200+ French localities

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
Photos

	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

	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

When you’re preparing a trip to a ‘foreign’ country, especially the first time, many little details cross your mind: Are there ATMs? Is my driver’s license valid? Do I need adapter plugs? What about temperatures to know what clothes to pack?

Banks:

Credit Cards:

Currency Converter: Convert your currency into Euros at the current rate of exchange. See what it will cost you “en France”

Driving Licences:

Emergencies:

Electricity and Lighting:

Lost Property Service:

Post Office:

Telephone:

Tourist Assisstance:

Visas:

Weather:

Travel Categories

Currency Converter:
Convert your currency into Euros at the current rate of exchange. See what it will cost you “en France”

	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