France Travel Guide

American Express -- The Paris office is at 11 rue Scribe (tel. 01-47-77-79-28). It operates as a travel agency, a tour operator, and a mail pickup service every Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 6:30pm, Saturday 9am to 5:30pm. Its banking section, for issues involving American Express credit cards, transfers of funds, and credit-related issues, is open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 6:30pm. In Marseille there's an office at 39 bd. de la Canebiére (tel. 04-91-13-71-26); it's open Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm and Saturday 9am to noon and 2 to 5:30pm.

Area Code -- All French telephone numbers consist of 10 digits, the first two of which are like an area code. If you're calling anywhere in France from within France, just dial all 10 digits -- no additional codes are needed. If you're calling from the United States, drop the initial 0 (zero).

Business Hours -- Business hours are erratic, as befits a nation of individualists. Most banks are open Monday through Friday from 9:30am to 4:30pm. Many, particularly in small towns, take a lunch break. Hours are usually posted on the door. Most museums close 1 day a week (often Tues), and they're generally closed on national holidays. Usual hours are from 9:30am to 5pm. Refer to the individual listings.

Generally, offices are open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm, but always call first. In Paris or other big French cities, stores are open from 9, 9:30, or (often) 10am to 6 or 7pm without a break for lunch. Some shops, delis, cafes, and newsstands open at 8am and close at 8 or 9pm. In some small stores, the lunch break can last 3 hours, beginning at 1pm. This is more common in the south than in the north.

Drugstores -- If you need a pharmacie during off-hours, have the front-desk staff at your hotel get in touch with the nearest Commissariat de Police. An agent there will have the address of a nearby pharmacy open 24 hours a day. French law requires that the pharmacies in any given neighborhood display the name and location of the one that remains open all night. In Paris, one of the most central all-nighters is Pharmacy Les Champs "Derhy," 84 av. des Champs-Elysées, 8e (tel. 01-45-62-02-41; Métro: George V).

Electricity -- Electricity in France runs on 220-volt, 50-cycle AC current. U.S. electricity is 110-volt, 60-cycle current. If you are bringing anything electric, you will need a voltage transformer and a plug adapter. Some appliances have dual voltage, which means that you will only need a plug adapter to run your hair dryer or razor, for example. A switch on the appliance will allow you to change voltages. Adapters and converters are for sale at Radio Shack and luggage and travel stores.

Embassies & Consulates -- If you have a passport, immigration, legal, or other problem, contact your consulate. Call before you go -- they often keep odd hours and observe both French and home-country holidays. The Embassy of the United States, 2 av. Gabriel, 8e (tel. 01-43-12-22-22; Métro: Concorde), is open Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm. The Embassy of Canada is at 35 av. Montaigne, 8e (tel. 01-44-43-29-00; Métro: F-D-Roosevelt or Alma-Marceau), open Monday to Friday 9am to noon and 2 to 5pm. The Embassy of the United Kingdom is at 35 rue du Faubourg St-Honoré, 8e (tel. 01-44-51-31-00; Métro: Concorde or Madeleine), open Monday to Friday 9:30am to 1pm and 2:30 to 5pm. The Embassy of Ireland is at 4 rue Rude, Paris 75116 (tel. 01-44-17-67-00; Métro: Etoile), open Monday to Friday 9:30am to 1pm and 2:30 to 5:30pm. The Embassy of Australia is at 4 rue Jean-Rey, 15e (tel. 01-40-59-33-00; Métro: Bir Hakeim), open Monday to Friday 9:15am to noon and 2:30 to 4:30pm. The embassy of New Zealand is at 7 ter rue Léonard-de-Vinci, Paris 75116 (tel. 01-45-01-43-43; Métro: Victor Hugo), open Monday to Friday 9am to 1pm and 2:30 to 6pm. The embassy of South Africa, 59 quai d'Orsay, 7e (tel. 01-53-59-23-89; Métro: Invalides), is open Monday to Friday 9am to noon.

Emergencies -- In an emergency while at a hotel, contact the front desk. Most staffs are trained in dealing with a crisis and will do whatever is necessary. If the emergency involves something like a stolen wallet, go to the police station in person. Otherwise, you can get help anywhere by calling tel. 17 for the police, tel. 18 for the fire department (pompiers), or tel. 15 for medical emergencies.

Etiquette & Customs

Gestures: If invited to someone's home, bring flowers, but never in the number of 13, which is said to bring bad luck. Don't bring any white flowers (for weddings), red carnations (bad will), or white lilies or chrysanthemums (for funerals). You can also bring wine, but make sure it's an expensive bottle; anything else is considered insulting.

Avoiding Offense: Always try to arrive exactly on time if invited to a French house for dinner. Also, dress well.

Eating & Drinking: Don't begin eating until the host or hostess has said bon appétit.

Business Etiquette: Say bonjour or bonsoir (good morning or good evening), with either a Monsieur or Madame, when meeting someone, even a shopkeeper. Upon leaving, say au revoir (goodbye), even if leaving a shop where you didn't buy anything. Business cards are exchanged after the initial intro.

Hospitals -- Dial tel. 15 for medical emergencies. In Paris, the American Hospital, 63 bd. Victor-Hugo, in the suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine (tel. 01-46-41-25-25; Métro: Pont-de-Levallois or Pont-de-Neuilly; bus no. 82), operates a 24-hour emergency service. The bilingual staff accepts Blue Cross and other American insurance plans. Hospitals in other major cities include Hôpital Rouen, 1 rue de Germont (tel. 02-32-88-89-90), in Rouen; Hôpital Bretonneau, 2 bd. Tonnellé (tel. 02-47-47-47), in Tours; Hôpital Civil de Strasbourg, 1 place de l'Hôpital (tel. 03-88-11-67-68), in Strasbourg; Hôpital Edouard Herriot, 5 place Arsonval (tel. 08-20-08-20-69), in Lyon; Hôpital de Avignon, 305 rue Raoul Follereau (tel. 04-32-75-33-33), in Avignon; Hôpital St- Roch, 5 rue Pierre Dévoluy (tel. 04-92-03-33-75), in Nice; and CHU de Rangueil, av. du Prof. Jean-Poulhes (tel. 05-61-32-25-33), in Toulouse.

Internet Access -- There are hundreds of cybercafes all over France. For a list of Internet cafes, go to www.cybercaptive.com or www.cybercafe.com. The most popular in Paris seems to be Luxembourg Micro, 81 bd. Saint-Michel, 5e (tel. 01-46-33-27-98; www.luxembourg-micro.com). Open daily 9am to 11pm. Métro: Luxembourg.

Language -- English is increasingly understood in France, especially among young people who have studied it in school. People are more likely to understand English in such centers as Paris and the Riviera than in the more remote provinces. Service personnel in hotels tend to speak English, at least at the front desk. A staff member at most restaurants will speak a bit of English. However, many people you encounter in France do not speak English, and you may want to carry a Berlitz handbook.

Liquor Laws -- Supermarkets, grocery stores, and cafes all sell alcoholic beverages. The legal drinking age is 16. Persons under 16 can be served an alcoholic drink if accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Wine and liquor are sold every day of the year. Be warned: France is very strict about drunk-driving laws. If convicted, you face a stiff fine and a possible prison term of up to 2 years.

Lost & Found -- To speed the process of replacing your personal documents if they're lost or stolen, make a photocopy of the first few pages of your passport and write down your credit card numbers (and the serial numbers of your traveler's checks, if you're using them). Leave this information with someone at home -- to be faxed to you in an emergency -- and swap it with your traveling companion. Be sure to tell all of your credit card companies the minute you discover your wallet has been lost or stolen, and file a report at the nearest police precinct. Your credit card company or insurer may require a police report number or record of the loss.

Use the following numbers in France to report your lost or stolen credit card: American Express (call collect tel. 336/393-1111); MasterCard (tel. 08-00-90-13-87; www.mastercard.com); Visa tel. 08-00-90-11-79; www.visaeurope.com). Your credit card company may be able to wire you a cash advance immediately or deliver an emergency card in a day or two.

If you need emergency cash over the weekend when all banks and American Express offices are closed, you can have money wired to you via Western Union (tel. 800/325-6000; www.westernunion.com). Travelers Express/MoneyGram is the largest company in the U.S. for money orders. You can transfer funds either on line or by phone in about 10 minutes (tel. 800/MONEYGRAM; www.moneygram.com).

Identity theft and fraud are potential complications of losing your wallet, especially if you lose your driver's license with your cash and credit cards. Notify the major credit-reporting bureaus immediately; placing a fraud alert on your records may protect you against liability for criminal activity. The three major U.S. credit-reporting agencies are Equifax (tel. 800/766-0008; www.equifax.com), Experian (tel. 888/397-3742; www.experian.com), and TransUnion (tel. 800/680-7289; www.transunion.com).

If you've lost all forms of photo ID, call your airline and explain the situation; your carrier may let you board the plane if you have a copy of your passport or birth certificate and a copy of the police report you've filed.

Mail -- Most post offices in Paris are open Monday through Friday from 8am to 7pm and Saturday from 8am to noon. Allow 5 to 8 days to send or receive mail from your home. Airmail letters within Europe cost .54€ (70¢); to the United States and Canada, .90€ ($1.15). Airmail letters to Australia and New Zealand cost .90€ ($1.15).

You can exchange money at post offices. Many hotels sell stamps, as do local post offices and cafes displaying a red TABAC sign outside.

Newspapers & Magazines -- Copies of the international edition of The Herald Tribune are distributed all over France and are sold at newspaper kiosks and at newsstands in the lobbies of first-class or deluxe hotels. Copies of Time and Newsweek are also widely sold. A far larger selection of U.K. magazines and newspapers is available. London newspapers arrive in Paris an hour or so after publication.

Police -- Call tel. 17 anywhere in France.

Restrooms -- If you're in dire need, duck into a cafe or brasserie to use the lavatory. It's customary to make a small purchase if you do so. Paris Métro stations and underground garages usually contain public restrooms, but the degree of cleanliness varies. France still has some "hole-in-the-ground" toilets, so be warned. For reviews and recommendations of the tidiest toilets in France and other places, visit www.thebathroomdiaries.com.

Safety -- Much of the country, particularly central France, the northeast, Normandy, and Brittany, remains relatively safe, though no place in the world is crime-free. Those intending to visit the south of France, especially the Riviera, should exercise caution -- robberies and muggings are commonplace. It's best to check your baggage into a hotel and then go sightseeing instead of leaving it unguarded in the trunk of a car, which can easily be broken into. Marseille is among the most dangerous French cities.

Smoking -- Although restaurants are required to provide nonsmoking sections, you may find yourself next to the kitchen or the restrooms. The best strategy for avoiding smoke is to sit outside.

Taxes -- As a member of the European Union, France routinely imposes a value-added tax (VAT in English; TVA in French) on many goods and services. The standard VAT is 19.6% on merchandise, including clothing, appliances, liquor, leather goods, shoes, furs, jewelry, perfumes, cameras, and even caviar. Refunds are made for the tax on certain goods and merchandise, but not on services. The minimum purchase is 184€ ($239) at one time for nationals or residents of countries outside the E.U.

Telephones -- The French use a télécarte, or phone debit card, which you can purchase at rail stations, post offices, and other places. Sold in two versions, it allows you to use either 50 or 120 charge units (depending on the card) by inserting the card into the slot of most public phones. Depending on the type of card you buy, the cost starts at 10€ ($13) and goes up from there. You must use this card when making calls within France; coins are no longer accepted. You can use a major credit card in much the same way as a télécarte, but there's a catch: To do so involves a minimum charge of 20€ ($26). The phone system gives you 30 days to use up this 20-euro credit. If possible, avoid making calls from your hotel; some establishments will double or triple the charges.

Time Zone -- The French equivalent of daylight saving time lasts from April to September, which puts it 1 hour ahead of French winter time. France is usually 6 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Time, except in October, when U.S. clocks are still on daylight time; then France is only 5 hours ahead. The rest of the year, when it's 9am in New York, it's 3pm in France.

Tipping -- The law requires all bills to say service compris, which means the total includes the tip. But French diners often leave some small change as an additional tip, especially if service has been exceptional.

Some general guidelines: For hotel staff, tip 1.05€ to 1.50€ ($1.35-$1.95) for every item of baggage the porter carries on arrival and departure, and 1.50€ ($1.95) per day for the maid. In cafes, service is usually included. Tip taxi drivers 10% to 15% of the amount on the meter. In theaters and restaurants, give cloakroom attendants at least .75€ to 1.20€ ($1-$1.55) per item. Give restroom attendants in nightclubs and other establishments about .50€ (65¢). Give cinema and theater ushers about .50€ (65¢). For guides for group visits to museums and monuments, 1.50€ ($1.95) is a reasonable tip.

Useful Phone Numbers -- U.S. Dept. of State Travel Advisory (tel. 202/647-5225, staffed 24 hr.); U.S. Passport Agency (tel. 202/647-0518); U.S. Centers for Disease Control International Traveler's Hotline (tel. 404/332-4559).

Water -- Drinking water is generally safe, though it's occasionally been known to cause diarrhea. If you ask for water in a restaurant, it'll be served bottled (for which you'll pay) unless you specifically request l'eau du robinet (tap water). Your waiter may ask if you'd like your water avec gas (carbonated) or sans gas (without bubbles).