Paris, France — City Information
City Facts
- Location
- Ile-de-France region, France.
- Time Zone
- GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).
- Electricity
- 220 volts AC, 50Hz; round two-pin plugs are standard.
- Average January Temperatures
- 4°C (39°F).
- Average July Temperatures
- 19.5°C (67°F).
- Average Annual Rainfall
- 642mm (25 inches).
- Language
- Parisians would probably argue that they speak French with no accent as opposed, for example, to the strong southern accent of the Midi. Provincials, however, argue to the contrary. The Parisian bourgeois accent (affected) and vocabulary (pretentious) was successfully ridiculed by famed comedians Les Inconnus in the early nineties. Their catch phrase, ‘ça va? tu vas bien?’ (pronounced with elongated vowels – çar var: tu var bi-ar?) has become part of the national folklore. British words, slotted into French sentences, are particularly prized among this set (‘c’est top’), as are hyperbolic adjectives (‘c’est absolument magnifique’). At the other end of the social spectrum, the Parisian suburbs have given rise to the back-to-front (envers) coded language Verlan. While most French people are familiar with the basics – woman (femme) becomes meuf, bloke (mec) becomes cem, cops (flicks) turns into cuf – but as soon as whole phrases are turned back-to-front, only clan members stand a chance of comprehension. Those in doubt should attempt to decipher the original French version of Matthieu Kassowitz’s film La Haine, which depicts the socially excluded inhabitants of the Parisian suburbs. Phrases Yes - OuiNo - NonHello - BonjourGoodbye - Au revoirPlease - S’il vous plaîtThank you - MerciMy name is … - Je m’appelle …How are you? - Comment ça va?I’m very well - Ça va bienI feel ill - Je ne me sens pas bienHow much does it cost? - Combien est-ce que ça coûte?Do you speak English? - Est-ce que vous parlez anglais?I don’t understand - Je ne comprends pasWhere is …? - Où est …?Entrance - EntréeExit - SortieDanger - DangerOpen - OuvertClosed - FerméToilets - ToilettesDoctor - MédecinHotel - Hôtel Restaurant - RestaurantBeer - BièreWine - VinMenu - MenuToday - Aujourd’huiTomorrow - DemainMonday - LundiTuesday - MardiWednesday - MercrediThursday - JeudiFriday - VendrediSaturday - SamediSunday - DimancheOne - Un (Une)Two - DeuxThree - TroisFour - QuatreFive - CinqSix - SixSeven - SeptEight - Huit Nine - NeufTen - DixTwenty - VingtThirty - TrenteForty - QuaranteFifty - CinquanteSixty - SoixanteSeventy - Soixante-dixEighty - Quatre-vingtNinety - Quatre-vingt dixOne Hundred - CentOne Thousand - Mille
Cost of Living
| 1.00 GBP = 1.13 EUR |
| 1.00 USD = 0.7 EUR |
| Currency conversion rates as of 19 July 2011 |
Special Events
La Nuit des Publivores (The Night of the Adeaters)
March
500 advertisements (publicités) are fêted by 6,000 people in two night-long events.
Grand Rex, 1 boulevard Poisssonnière, 2nd
Website: www.publivores.com
Festival du Film de Paris (Paris Film Festival)
March/early April
Celebration of world film.
Cinéma Gaumont Marignan, 27 avenue des Champs-Elysées
Website: www.festivaldufilmdeparis.com
Le Marathon de Paris (Paris Marathon)
April
Starts approximately 0900 on avenue des Champs-Elysées, finishes avenue Foch.
Website: www.parismarathon.com
Foire de Paris (Paris Fair)
April/ May
Fair for tourism, multimedia and gastronomy.
Paris Expo, Place de la Porte de Versailles
Website: www.foiredeparis.fr
Fête de la Musique (Musical Fair)
June
Free concerts throughout Paris (and the rest of France), in the streets and various venues, such as Sainte-Chapelle, the Musée d'Orsay and Palais de Justice.
Website: www.fetedelamusique.culture.fr
Bastille Day
July
National vacation on the 14 July with festivities and fireworks to commemorate the storming of the Bastille in 1789.
Various locations.
Paris Plage
July-August
Stretch of riverside expressway turned into leisure oasis.
Banks of the Seine between Tuileries Tunnel and the Henri IV bridge
Le Cinéma en Plein Air (Open Air Cinema)
July-August
Free outdoor film festival.
Parc de la Villette, 19th
Le Tour de France
July
The grand finale of the world-famous bicycle race, finishes on avenue des Champs-Elysées.
Website: www.letour.fr
Festival d'Automne (Autumn Festival)
September-December
International contemporary drama, dance and music festival.
Théâtre de la Ville, Odéon and other venues
Website: www.festival-automne.com
Mondial de l'Automobile (Automobile World)
September/October
Biennial international motor show.
Paris Expo, Porte de Versailles, 15th
Website: www.mondial-automobile.com
Foire Internationale d'Art Moderne et Contemporain (FIAC - Contemporary Art Fair)
October
Paris Expo, Porte de Versailles, 15th
Website: www.fiacparis.com
Remembrance Day
November
National holiday on 11 November with laying of wreaths, military parade and review of troops by the President of the Republic.
Place Charles-de-Gaulle, 8th
Fête du Beaujolais Nouveau (Nouveau Beaujolais Fair)
November
First availability of the season's Beaujolais Nouveau wine.
Wine bars and cafes everywhere
Réveillon (New Year's Eve)
December
Crowds celebrate by the thousand.
Along the Champs-Elysées
