France Travel Guide

Social Conventions

Shaking hands and, more familiarly, kissing both cheeks, are the usual forms of greeting. The form of personal address is simply Monsieur or Madame without a surname and it may take time to get on first-name terms. At more formal dinners, it is the most important guest or host who gives the signal to start eating. Mealtimes are often a long, leisurely experience. Casual wear is common. Social functions, some clubs, casinos and exclusive restaurants warrant more formal attire. Evening wear is normally specified where required. Topless sunbathing is tolerated on most beaches but naturism is restricted to certain beaches - local tourist offices will advise where these are. A ban on smoking in workplaces (including airports, railway stations, shops and offices etc) came into force in February 2007, and bars and restaurants joined the list in January 2008.

International Travel

Getting There By Air

The national airline is Air France (AF) (www.airfrance.com).

Departure Tax

None.

Main Airports

Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG) (www.adp.fr) is 23km (14 miles) northeast of the city. To/from the airport: Taxis and bus/coach services are readily available. The airport is also easily accessible by train on the RER B line or SNCF with connecting Aeroports de Paris (ADP) shuttle bus. Facilities: Banks/bureau de change, duty-free shops, restaurants, bars and car hire.

Paris-Orly (ORY) (www.adp.fr) is 14km (9 miles) south of the city. To/from the airport: Coaches and buses run to the city and Charles de Gaulle Airport regularly. Taxis are also available. RER B and C line trains run every 15 minutes via Saint-Michel (journey time - 30 minutes). Facilities: Banks/bureau de change, duty-free shops, restaurants, bars and car hire.

Lyon (LYS) (Lyon-Saint-Exupéry) (www.lyon.aeroport.fr) is 25km (15 miles) east of the city. To/from the airport: Coaches or taxis are available to the city. Facilities: Banks/bureau de change, duty-free shops, restaurants, bars and car hire.

Marseille (MRS) (Marseille-Provence) (www.marseille-provence.aeroport.fr) is 30km (19 miles) northwest of the city. To/from the airport: A coach service departs to the city and taxis are available. Facilities: Banks/bureau de change, duty-free shops, restaurants, bars and car hire.

Getting There By Water

Atlantic: La Rochelle (www.portlarochelle.com) for leisure boating.
North Sea: Boulogne (www.portboulogne.com) for leisure boating and cross channel services; Calais (www.calais-port.com) for cross-channel services; Le Havre (www.havre-port.net) for scheduled services and cruise lines to national and international destinations.

Mediterranean: Marseille (www.marseille-port.fr) for leisure boating, cruises and scheduled services to Corsica, Sardinia, Algeria and Tunisia; Nice for leisure boating and ferries to Corsica (www.riviera-ports.com).

The popular Channel passenger services connect the English port of Dover with Calais. Major operators include P&O Ferries (tel: 08716 645 645 10p/min in the UK; www.poferries.com) and SeaFrance (tel: 0871 423 7119, in the UK; www.seafrance.com). In the Mediterranean Corsica Ferries/Sardinia Ferries (tel: (04) 9532 9595; www.corsicaferries.com) service Sardinia from the French mainland.

Cruise ships regularly stop at various French ports, including Villefranche (for Nice and Cannes) and Marseille.

Getting There By Rail

International trains run from the channel ports and Paris to destinations throughout Europe. For up-to-date routes and timetables, contact French Railways (SNCF) (tel: 0890 36 1010 or 3635 from within France; www.sncf.com) or Rail Europe (tel: 0844 848 4064, in the UK; www.raileurope.co.uk). Eurostar (tel: 08432 186 186, in the UK; www.eurostar.com) is a service provided by the railways of Belgium, the UK and France, operating direct high-speed trains from London (St Pancras International) to Paris (Gare du Nord) and to Brussels (Midi/Zuid). It takes 2 hours 15 minutes from London to Paris (via Lille) and 1 hour 51 minutes to Brussels.

Rail Passes

InterRail: InterRail Global Passes are valid for travel in up to 30 European countries. There are two InterRail Global Pass types to choose from: ‘flexi passes’ and ‘continuous passes’. A flexi pass entitles you to unlimited travel on a fixed number of days during your trip. A continuous pass entitles you to unlimited travel every day of your trip. With a One Country Pass you can choose from unlimited travel on one, four, six or eight days of your choice during a month. Available from Rail Europe (tel: 0844 848 4064, in the UK; www.raileurope.co.uk/inter-rail).

Eurailpass: Offers broadly the same freedoms as the InterRail Passes, but is for sale solely to non-European residents. Tickets are valid for 15 days, 21 days, one month, two months or three months. Available from The Eurail Group (www.eurail.com).

Getting There By Road

There are numerous and excellent road links with all neighboring countries.

Coach: Eurolines (tel: 0871 781 8177; www.eurolines.com) runs regular coach services from the UK to France.

Passes: Travelers can buy a 15- or 30-day pass, offering unlimited travel between 40 cities.

The Channel Tunnel: Eurotunnel runs shuttle trains for cars, bicycles, motorcycles, coaches, minibuses, caravans and campervans between Folkestone in Kent, UK, and Calais. The journey takes about 35 minutes from platform to platform. Fares are charged according to length of stay and time of year and whether or not you have a reservation. For further information, contact Eurotunnel (tel: 08443 353535, in the UK; www.eurotunnel.com).

Duty Free

Overview

France is within the European Union. If you are traveling from the UK, you are entitled to buy fragance, skincare, cosmetics, Champagne, wine, selected spirits, fashion accessories, gifts and souvenirs - all at tax-free equivalent prices. There are no longer any allowance restrictions on these tax-free items.

If you are arriving from a non-EU country, the following goods may be imported into France by persons over 17 years of age without incurring customs duty:

• 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos or 250g of tobacco.
• 1L of spirits over 22% or 2L of alcoholic beverage up to 22%.
• 2L of wine.
• 50g of perfume and 250mL of eau de toilette.
• 500g of coffee or 200g of coffee extract.
• 100g of tea or 40g of tea extract.
• Medication: quantities corresponding to the needs of the patient.
• Other goods up to the value of €175 (€90 per person under 15 years of age).

Restricted items
Gold jewelry below 500g in weight, which is not for personal use, must be declared.

Prohibited Imports

Plants and plant products, meat and meat products, pharmaceutical products (except those needed for personal use), works of art, collectors' items and antiques, weapons, obscene and immoral literature.

Internal Travel

Getting Around By Air

The main airline connecting towns and cities within France is Air France (www.airfrance.com).

Getting Around By Water

State-run car ferries known as ‘BACs' connect the larger islands on the Atlantic coast with the mainland; they also sail regularly across the mouth of the Gironde. The island of Corsica is served by ferries operated by the Société Nationale Maritime Corse-Mediterranée (SNCM) (tel: (0) 825 888 088; www.sncm.fr). Services run from Marseille and Nice to Ajaccio, Propriano, Porto Vecchio, Calvi, Ile Rousse and Bastia on the island.

There are almost 9,000km (5,600 miles) of navigable waterways in France, and all of these present excellent opportunities for holidays. The main canal areas are the north (north and northeast of Paris) where most of the navigable rivers are connected with canals; the Seine (from Auxerre to Le Havre, but sharing space with commercial traffic); the east, where the Rhine and Moselle and their tributaries are connected by canals; in Burgundy, where the Saône and many old and picturesque canals crisscross the region; the Rhône (a pilot is recommended below Avignon); the Midi (including the Canal du Midi, connecting the Atlantic with the Mediterranean); and Brittany and the Loire on the rivers Vilaine, Loire, Mayenne and Sarthe, and the connecting canals. Each of these waterways offers a magnificent variety of scenery, a means of visiting many historic towns, villages and sites and an opportunity to learn much about rural France, at a very leisurely pace.

Cruising boats may be chartered with or without crews, ranging in size from the smallest cabin cruiser up to converted commercial barges (péniches), which can accommodate up to 24 people and require a crew of eight. Hotel boats, large converted barges with accommodation and restaurant, are also available in some areas, with a wide choice of price and comfort. For further information, contact the national or regional tourist board.

Getting Around By Rail

French Railways (SNCF) (tel: 0890 36 1010 or 3635 from within France; www.sncf.com) operates a nationwide network. Transport in and around Paris is operated by the Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens (RATP) (tel: 3246 from within France; www.ratp.fr). This organization provides a fully integrated bus, rail and underground métro network for the capital. Motorail car sleeper services are operated from Boulogne, Calais, Dieppe and Paris to all main holiday areas in both summer and winter. Motorail information and booking is available from Rail Europe (tel: 0844 848 4064, in the UK; www.raileurope.co.uk).

Rail Passes

InterRail One-Country Pass: With a One Country Pass you can choose from unlimited travel on three, 4four, six or eight days of your choice during a month. Available from Rail Europe (tel: 0844 848 4064, in the UK; www.raileurope.co.uk/inter-rail).

Cheap Fares: It is possible to buy various kinds of tickets in France (including Family and Young Person's Tickets) offering reductions. In general, the fares charged will depend on what day of the week and what time of the day one is traveling; timetables giving further details are available from SNCF offices.

Note: It is essential to validate (composter) tickets bought in France by using the orange automatic date-stamping machine at the platform entrance.

Getting Around By Road

Traffic drives on the right. Motorways (autoroutes) bear the prefix ‘A'; some are free while others are toll roads (autoroutes à péage). National roads (routes nationales) are marked ‘N'. Minor roads are classed as ‘D' roads.

Coach: Domestic long distance services are very limited given the excellent SNCF rail network. In some areas SNCF buses cover unprofitable routes.

Car hire: Available from international and domestic companies.

Regulations: The minimum age to drive a car in France is 18, and 15 for a motorcycle under 125cc. The minimum age for hiring a car in France ranges from 21 to 25. Speed limits are 50kph (31mph) in built-up areas, 90kph (56mph) outside built-up areas, 110kph (68mph) on dual carriageways separated by a central reservation, and 130kph (81mph) on motorways. Visitors who have held a driving license for less than two years may not travel faster than 80kph (56mph) on normal roads, 100kph (62mph) on dual carriageways and 110kph (68mph) on motorways.

Emergency breakdown service: Tel: 17 (from roadside boxes).

Documentation: A national driving license is acceptable. An international sign, distinguishing your country of origin (eg GB sticker or plate), should be positioned clearly on the vehicle. EU nationals taking their own cars to France are strongly advised to obtain a Green Card. The car's registration document must also be carried. UK registered vehicles displaying Euro plates (circle of 12 stars above the national identifier on a blue background) no longer need a GB sticker when driving in EU countries.

Getting Around Towns and Cities

Urban public transport is excellent. There are comprehensive public transport systems in all the larger towns and cities.

Paris: RATP (Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens www.ratp.fr) controls the underground (métro), rail (RER) and bus services in and around Paris. The public transport network is split into several different fare zones and a single ticket will allow travel on any of the systems within that zone (although interchange is only permitted on the métro and RER, and not on buses). The Metro’s network of 14 lines makes it the ideal way to get about central Paris. The RER (fast suburban services) operate five main lines connecting most areas of the capital. There is also an extensive network of conventional suburban services run by French Railways (SNCF).

Other cities: There are tramways, trolleybuses and an underground in Marseille; trolleybuses, an underground and a funicular in Lyon; and a tramway and automated driverless trains in Lille. There are tramway services in St Etienne, Nantes and Grenoble and trolleybuses in Limoges and Nancy.

Journey Times

The following chart gives approximate journey times (in hours and minutes) from Paris to other major cities and towns in France.

	Air	Road	Rail
Lyon	1.10	5.30	2.00
Marseille	1.15	9.30	3.10
Bordeaux	1.10	6.30	3.25