France Country & Tourist Information

Location
Western Europe.

Area
545,630 sq km (339,054 sq miles) (not including overseas territories).

Population
61.8 million (2008 estimate).

Population Density
112 per sq km.

Capital
Paris.
Population: 12.7 million (2.2 million in the city; 10.5 million in the suburbs) (2006).

Government
Republic since 1792.

Language
French is the official language. There are many regional dialects, but these are rapidly declining, with the exception of Basque, which is spoken as a first language by some people in the southwest, and Breton,which is spoken by some in Brittany. Many people speak at least some English.

Religion
Approximately 83% Roman Catholic; Protestant 2%; Muslim 5%; Jewish 1%; unaffiliated 9%.

Time
GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz. Two-pin plugs are widely used.

Head of Government
Prime Minister Francois Fillon since May 2007.

Head of State
Nicolas Sarkozy since May 2007.

Recent History
Jacques Chirac's reign as French president finally came to an end on 16 May 2007 with the ruling party's Nicolas Sarkozy winning a decisive victory in the second round of the presidential election. He won 53% of the vote, finishing six points ahead of his Socialist rival, Segolene Royal. Sarkozy then almost immediately appointed his right-hand man and moderate conservative senator Francois Fillon as prime minister.

Measures taken by his government have tried to boost growth by reducing taxes and passing a 'Modernization of the Economy Law' to facilitate the creation of new businesses. But in September 2008, Sarkozy had to declare an end to 'Laissez faire capitalism' and revert to state interventionism. Meanwhile high unemployment and the problem of pensions still need solving.

Issues related to climate change are also on Sarkozy's agenda, and he has stated his intention to push forward a progressive energy package to reduce CO2 emissions during his tenure as EU president (a post he holds until January 2009).

Telephone
Country code: 33. Card-only telephones are common, with pre-paid cards bought from post offices and tabacs; coin boxes are being phased out throughout the country. International calls are cheaper between Mon-Fri 1900-0800 and all day Sat-Sun. Calls can be received at all phone boxes showing the sign of a blue bell.

Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone companies. Coverage is excellent.

Internet
Public access is available at Internet cafes in most cities.

Media
France enjoys a free press and has more than 100 daily newspapers (‘quotidiens'), including an increasing number of free newspapers. Most newspapers are in private hands and are not linked to political parties. State-run Radio France runs services for the domestic audience, French overseas territories and foreign audiences. France's international broadcasters have a significant audience abroad. Radio France Internationale is one of the world's leading international stations and its Arabic-language Radio Monte Carlo Moyen Orient service, available on mediumwave (AM) and FM in many Middle East countries, has a large audience.

Post
Stamps can be purchased at post offices and tabacs. Post normally takes a couple of days to reach its destination within Europe.

Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1900, Sat 0900-1200. In smaller towns and villages, post offices may close earlier and at lunch, while in Paris the main office is open 24 hours, but only to send mail in the evenings.

Press
• Daily newspapers include Le Monde, Libération, France-Soir, Le Parisien and Le Figaro.
• The main English-language daily is the International Herald Tribune.
• Outside the Ile-de-France, however, these newspapers are not as popular as the provincial press.
• International newspapers and magazines are widely available, particularly in the larger cities.

Radio
• Radio France Internationale (RFI) is an international broadcaster, available via shortwave and numerous FM relays worldwide.
• Europe 1 is a major commercial, news and entertainment station.
• RTL is a major commercial station, with a mix of speech and music programs.

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2009-December 2010 period.

2009
1 Jan New Year's Day. 
13 Apr Easter Monday.
1 May Labor Day.
8 May 1945 Victory Day. 
1 Jun Whit Monday.
21 May Ascension. 
14 Jul Bastille Day.
15 Aug Assumption.
1 Nov All Saints' Day.
11 Nov Remembrance Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.

2010
1 Jan New Year's Day. 
5 Apr Easter Monday.
1 May Labor Day.
13 May Ascension. 
8 May 1945 Victory Day. 
24 May Whit Monday.
14 Jul Bastille Day.
15 Aug Assumption.
1 Nov All Saints' Day.
11 Nov Remembrance Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.

Note
In France, the months of July and August are traditionally when the French take their holidays. For this reason, the less tourist parts of France are quiet during these months, while coastal resorts, especially in the south, are very crowded.

Contact Information:

Note
For information on French Overseas Departments, Overseas Territories and Overseas Collectivités Territoriales, consult the French Overseas Possessions section. See also the individual sections on French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, New Caledonia, Réunion and Tahiti and her Islands.

Embassy of the French Republic in the UK
58 Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7JT, UK
Tel: (020) 7073 1000.
Website: www.ambafrance-uk.org

French Consulate General in the UK
21 Cromwell Road, London SW7 2EN, UK
Visa section: 6A Cromwell Place, London SW7 2EW, UK
Tel: (020) 7073 1200 (consular section) or 1250 (visa section) or 1295 (visa applications in progress; Mon-Thurs 1500-1700, Fri 1400-1515 only, except French and British bank holidays) or 09065 508 940 (visa information line; calls cost £1 per minute) or 540 700 (24-hour automated visa appointment booking service; calls cost £1 per minute).
Website: www.consulfrance-londres.org
Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 0845-1200 and Fri 0845-1130.

Maison de la France (French Government Tourist Office) in the UK
Lincoln House, 300 High Holborn, London WC1V 7JH
Tel: 09068 244 123 (calls cost 60p per minute).
Website: www.franceguide.com

Embassy of the French Republic in the USA
4101 Reservoir Road, NW, Washington, DC 20007, USA
Tel: (202) 944 6195.
Website: www.ambafrance-us.org

French Government Tourist Office in the USA
825 Third Avenue, 29th floor, New York, NY 10022
Tel: (514) 288 1904.
Website: www.franceguide.com


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