France Travel Guide

Country Facts

Location

Western Europe.

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.

Area

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

Time Zone

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.

Population

120 per sq km.

Population Density

112 per sq km.

Capital City

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

Government

Republic since 1792.

Head of Government

Prime Minister Francois Fillon since May 2007.

Head of State

Nicolas Sarkozy since May 2007.

Religion

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

Recent History

Prior to the French Revolution in 1789, France was a monarchy known for its colorful (and often extravagant) royals. The revolution itself brought about a sea change in the way the whole country was structured, shifting power from the church and nobility to the state. The Napoleonic era then oversaw the expansion of the French Empire, before defeat at Waterloo in 1815 resulted in the restoration of the monarchy. The abdication of King Louis-Philippe in 1848 saw the formation of the Second Republic, since when the country has been ruled by different heads of state.

In the twentieth century, France played an important role in both world wars (the country’s surrender to Nazi Germany in 1940 resulted in the temporary Vichy Regime) but the post-war presidency of Charles de Gaulle restored stability. In modern times, 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 Socialist rival, Ségolène Royal. Measures taken by his government have tried to boost growth by reducing taxes. High unemployment and the financial crisis remain pressing problems.

Communications

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 cafés 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. Daily newspapers include Le Monde, Libération, France-Soir, Le Parisien and Le Figaro. The main English-language daily is the International Herald Tribune. Outside of the Ile-de-France region, the provincial press is the most popular. International newspapers and magazines are widely available, particularly in the larger cities.

France 2, France 3, France 5 are national, public TV channels; TF1 and M6 are national, commercial TV channels; Arte is a cultural channel originally launched by French and German public channels; LCI (La Chaîne Info) is a rolling news channel; TV5 is an international French-language channel and Canal Plus is a national, subscription channel; Télévision Numérique Terrestre is the national digital terrestrial service.

Post

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

Public Holidays

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2011-December 2012 period.
2010
25 Dec Christmas Day

2011
1 Jan New Year’s Day
25 Apr Easter Monday
1 May Labor Day
8 May 1945 Victory Day
2 Jun Ascension
13 Jun Whit Monday
14 Jul Bastille Day
15 Aug Assumption
1 Nov All Saints’ Day
11 Nov Remembrance Day
25 Dec Christmas Day

2012
1 Jan New Year’s Day
9 Apr Easter Monday
1 May Labor Day
8 May 1945 Victory Day
17 May Ascension
28 May Whit Monday
14 Jul Bastille Day
15 Aug Assumption
1 Nov All Saints’ Day
11 Nov Remembrance Day
25 Dec Christmas Day
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

British Embassy in France

35, rue du Faubourg, St Honoré, 75363, Paris Cedex, 08 Paris, France
Tel: (33) 1 44 51 31 00
Website: www.ukinfrance.fco.gov.uk/en
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0930-1300, 1430-1800.

French Embassy 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
6A Cromwell Place, PO Box 57, London SW7 2EW, UK (visa section)
Tel: (020) 7073 1200 (consular section) or 1250 (visa section) 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.

Atout France (French Government Tourist Office) in the UK

Lincoln House, 300 High Holborn, London WC1V 7JH, UK
Tel: 09068 244 123 (calls cost 60p per minute).
Website: www.uk.franceguide.com

French Embassy in the USA

4101 Reservoir Road, NW, Washington, DC 20007, USA
Tel: (202) 944 6000.
Website: www.ambafrance-us.org

French Government Tourist Office in the USA

444 Madison Avenue, 16th floor, New York, NY 10022, USA
Tel: (410) 286 8310.
Website: www.us.franceguide.com