Language: French
Currency: Euro
Calling Code: 33
France (French Republic) is a democratic,
intercontinental unitary state in Western Europe with overseas
territories on several continents.
Metropolitan France, d. H. the
European part of the national territory stretches from the Mediterranean
Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea and from the Rhine to the
Atlantic Ocean. Its mainland is called Hexagone (hexagon) because of the
shape of the country. France is the largest in terms of area and the
second largest in terms of population (after Germany) in the European
Union. It is the third largest national territory in Europe (after
Russia and Ukraine). Paris is the capital and, as an agglomeration with
the Métropole du Grand Paris and the surrounding areas of the
Île-de-France region, it is the largest conurbation in the country ahead
of Lyon, Marseille-Aix-en-Provence, Lille and Toulouse.
Emerging
from the western part of the Frankish Empire, France expanded its
cultural and military influence in Europe during the Middle Ages, mostly
in rivalry with the Kingdom of England and the Holy Roman Empire, until
France eventually assumed European leadership and power in the 17th and
18th centuries held supremacy.
The political and cultural
charisma was significant: the court of Louis XIV became the model for
absolutist states throughout Europe and the French Revolution with the
declaration of human and civil rights, together with occupations by
Napoleon Bonaparte, gave the prelude to the repeated von Setbacks
interrupted development towards democracy.
Overseas, France twice
built a colonial empire. The first included i.a. large parts of North
America and was largely lost in the Seven Years' War in the mid-18th
century; the second, centered in Africa, was the second largest in the
world in the 19th and early 20th centuries. In the 21st century, France,
together with Germany, is seen as the driving force behind European
integration.
The French Republic is declared in its constitution
as indivisible, secular, democratic and social. Its principle is:
"government of the people, by the people and for the people". The United
Nations Development Program ranks France among the countries with a very
high level of human development. Measured by nominal gross domestic
product, it is the seventh largest economy in the world. The standard of
living, level of education and average life expectancy are considered
high. As the most visited country in the world, France welcomes around
83 million foreign tourists a year.
The French armed forces are
among the seven strongest in the world and are the third strongest in
NATO. The country is the European Union's only nuclear power, one of the
five permanent members of the UN Security Council and in 2010 had the
third highest number of nuclear weapons in the world. It is a founding
member of the European Union and the United Nations, a member of the
Francophonie, the G7, the G20, NATO, the Organization for Economic
Co-operation and Development (OECD), the World Trade Organization (WTO)
and the Latin Union.
Metropolitan France is made up of 13 administrative
regions which can be grouped into 6 major “cultural regions”:
Île-de-France — The region surrounding the French capital, Paris.
Hauts-de-France — A region where the world wars have left many scars.
Northeastern France — A region where European culture (and especially
Germanic culture) has merged with French, resulting in some interesting
results.
North-West France — An oceanic agricultural region with a
culture heavily influenced by Celtic peoples.
South West France — A
region of sea and wine with beautiful beaches on the Atlantic Ocean and
the high mountains of the Pyrenees near Spain.
South-East France —
The country's main tourist region outside of Paris with a warm climate
and azure blue seas, contrasting with the mountain ranges of the French
Alps.
The Overseas Departments and Regions (DROM) (Guadeloupe,
Martinique, Guyana, Reunion and Mayotte) and the Overseas Collectivities
(COM) (French Polynesia, Saint-Barthélemy, Saint-Martin, Saint-Pierre
-et-Miquelon, Wallis-et-Futuna and New Caledonia) are treated separately
given their geographical distance from mainland France.
1
Paris (Île-de-France) –
Capital of France and love (last update Feb. 2018)
2 Bordeaux
(Gironde) – A very dynamic Gironde city, it is the world capital of
wine.
3 Lyon (Rhône) – Third largest
city in France, it is often cited as the capital of gastronomy
4
Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône) – Second largest city in France, and
renowned for its port and its soap. There are the famous Calanques and
there is a Provençal and cosmopolitan atmosphere.
5 Montpellier
(Hérault) – Dynamic city near the Mediterranean famous for its opera,
its gardens, its universities and its new districts of modern design.
6
Nantes (Loire-Atlantique) –
Located at the mouth of the Loire, it was formerly the capital of
Brittany.
7 Nice (Alpes-Maritimes) – Heart of
the Côte d'Azur; its beach and its Promenade des Anglais are popular.
8 Strasbourg (Bas-Rhin) –
Capital of Alsace and major center of the European Union, which mixes
French and Germanic cultures.
9 Toulon
(Haute-Garonne) – The “pink city” is home to typical South-West
gastronomy and a really lively nightlife.
Altogether there are 18 administrative regions in France. Of these,
13 regions are in Europe – La France métropolitaine, i.e. the French
“motherland” – and these are divided into 96 departments. 5
administrative regions belong to the French overseas territories. There
are also other French overseas territories that are not divided into
administrative regions. For better clarity and because the
administrative regions often combine very different cultural and scenic
areas, Wikivoyage uses travel regions that are largely based on the
regional classification up to 2015.
The
Île-de-France, with its capital Paris, is the political and economic
center of France. With around 11 million inhabitants, the Paris
metropolitan area is the largest in the country.
The north - the
region in which the two world wars have left many traces
Hauts-de-France (Nord-Pas-de-Calais and
Picardie travel regions)
Normandy
In the east one experiences the gradual transition of the French culture
with the German-speaking area.
Grand-Est
(travel regions Alsace, Lorraine and Champagne-Ardenne)
The West
is a climatically and culturally Atlantic region where the ancient Celts
left their mark.
Brittany
Pays de la Loire
Central France is
a mainly agricultural region with the Massif Central, river valleys,
castles and historic towns.
Centre-Loire Valley
Burgundy-Franche-Comté (Travel Regions
Burgundy and Franche-Comté)
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (travel regions Auvergne, Rhône Valley and
French Alps)
Southern France – next to Paris, the country's most
important tourist region. Here the blue sea abruptly alternates with the
high peaks of the Alps and the Pyrenees.
New
Aquitaine (travel regions Aquitaine with Dordogne and Basque
Country, Poitou-Charentes and Limousin)
Occitania (Midi-Pyrénées and Languedoc-Roussillon travel regions)
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
the island of
Corsica in the Mediterranean Sea.
The
Republic of France also includes five overseas regions that are heirs to
the former French colonial empire. They are each congruent with a
department:
Guadeloupe - archipelago in the Caribbean
Martinique -
island in the Caribbean
French Guiana – mainland area in
north-eastern South America
Réunion - tropical volcanic island east
of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean
Mayotte - small island between
Madagascar and the East African mainland
There are also the
following overseas territories:
French Polynesia - archipelago in the
South Pacific
New Caledonia - archipelago in the South Pacific
Wallis and Futuna - archipelago in the South Pacific
Saint Pierre and
Miquelon - small group of islands off Newfoundland in the Atlantic
Saint-Martin - the north of the divided island of
Saint-Martin/Sint-Maarten in the Caribbean
Saint-Barthélemy - Island
in the Caribbean
Île Clipperton - uninhabited atoll in the Pacific
Saint Paul and Amsterdam
Kerguelen
Crozet Islands
Îles Eparses
Embassies
US
2 Ave Gabriel, 75008
Paris
Tel. 02- 43 12 22 22
UK
35 Rue du Faubourg
St.- Honore, 75008 Paris
Consulate:
18bis Rue d'Anjou 75008
Paris
Tel. 01- 44 51 31 00
Canada
35 Ave Montaigne,
75008 Paris
Tel. 01- 44 43 29 00
Australia
4 Rue Jean
Rey, 75015 Paris
Tel. 01- 40 59 33 00
Emergency numbers:
Ambulance (SAMU): 15
Fire (Sapeurs Pompiers): 18
Police
(Gendarmerie): 17
Formalities
Citizens of a Member State of the European Economic
Area (European Union + Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland and Switzerland)
can move freely on French territory with a national identity card.
France is part of the Schengen area. There are no border controls
between the countries that have signed and implemented the treaty - the
European Union (except Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania and
the United Kingdom), Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
There is therefore no border control between France and Belgium,
Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Spain. Similarly, a visa
granted by any member state of the Schengen area is valid in all other
countries that have signed and implemented the treaty. But beware, not
all EU members have signed the Schengen Treaty, and not all members of
the Schengen area are part of the European Union. This means that there
may be customs checks but no immigration checks between France and
Switzerland (travelling within Schengen, but from/to a non-EU country)
or you may have to go through immigration checks , but not customs
between Great Britain and France (travelling within the EU but from/to a
non-Schengen country).
Obtaining a residence permit in France or
Monaco allows foreigners to travel indifferently in the two States;
visas valid for all Schengen States are also valid for Monaco;
similarly, the visas required for entry into the territory of the
Principality are issued by the authority empowered to issue visas valid
for French territory.
Airports in Europe are thus divided into
'Schengen' and 'non-Schengen', which operate in the same way as the
'domestic' and 'international' sections found elsewhere. If you travel
outside of Europe to one Schengen country and continue to another, you
pass immigration and customs controls in a first country and then
continue to your destination without further control. Travel between a
Schengen member country and a non-Schengen country results in normal
border controls. Note that it doesn't matter if you are traveling within
the Schengen area or not, many airlines ask to see your identity card or
passport.
Citizens of Switzerland and the European Economic Area
which includes the European Union, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein
only need a valid national identity card or passport. They do not need a
visa to enter or move around the Schengen area and are generally allowed
to stay as long as they wish.
Remarks
(1) Nationals of these
countries need a biometric passport to enjoy visa-free travel.
(2) Serbian nationals with a passport issued by the Serbian Coordination
Directorate (residents of Kosovo with Serbian passport) need a visa.
(3) Taiwan nationals need their ID card number (a letter followed by
nine digits) to be stated in their passport to enjoy visa-free travel.
Nationals of the following countries do not need a visa to enter the
Schengen area: Albania(1), Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina,
Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bosnia and Herzegovina(1), Brazil ,
Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, South Korea, Costa Rica, Dominica, El
Salvador, United Arab Emirates, United States, Grenada, Guatemala,
Honduras, Israel, Japan, North Macedonia(1), Malaysia, Mauritius,
Mexico, Moldova(1), Monaco, Montenegro(1), New Zealand, Nicaragua,
Panama, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines, Samoa, Saint Marin, Serbia(1,2), Seychelles, Singapore,
Taiwan(3) (Republic of China), East Timor, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago,
Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vatican City, Venezuela as well as holders of a Hong
Kong SAR, Macau SAR passport and all UK nationals (including non-EU
citizens).
Visa-free travelers mentioned above who are not
members of the EEA or Switzerland cannot stay for more than 90 days in
any 180-day period in the Schengen area as a whole and, in general,
cannot work in the during their stay (although some Schengen countries
allow certain nationalities to work). The counting of days begins once
one enters one of the Schengen countries and does not return to zero
when leaving one Schengen country for another.
Citizens of New
Zealand can stay for more than 90 days, but without working if they do
not have a work permit, in certain countries of the Schengen area,
namely Germany, Austria, Benelux, Denmark, Spain, Finland, France,
Greece, Italy, Iceland, Norway, Portugal, Sweden and Switzerland
If you are not a national of the EEA or Switzerland, even if you are
visa-exempt, unless you are Andorran, Monegasque, San Marino or Vatican,
make sure your passport is stamped at the same time when you enter and
leave the Schengen area. Without an entry stamp, you may be treated as
overstayed when trying to leave the Schengen area. Without an exit
stamp, you may be refused entry the next time you seek to enter the
Schengen area as you may be deemed to have overstayed on your previous
visit. If you cannot obtain a stamp in the passport, keep documents such
as boarding passes, transport tickets, etc. which can help convince
border control personnel that you have been in the Schengen area
legally.
If you need a visa, always apply at the embassy. There
is no chance of getting a visa at the French border, no matter how you
enter or what your nationality is.
The Schengen area entry points
in France are international airports, ports, Eurostar and Channel Tunnel
terminals as well as the land border with Andorra. Customs controls are
maintained between France and Switzerland and between France and
Andorra.
By bus
This solution is not too expensive and often
practical because the bus stops in the city center.
Many regular
bus lines serve Paris and major French cities from all over Europe.
By plane
The main airports are those of Paris Charles-de-Gaulle,
Paris-Orly, Nice, Toulouse, Lyon, and Marseille.
Most
international flights to Paris serve Roissy - Charles de Gaulle (CDG)
airport located near Paris. But many European or transatlantic flights
or to North Africa also serve Orly airport.
Although some Air
France domestic flights are from CDG airport, most of the company's
domestic flights are operated from Orly, the second largest airport in
Paris. Connections on the CDG platform are made using the CDGVAL shuttle
(free) which serves all terminals, stations, car parks and hotels.
Connections at Orly are provided (free of charge for AF passengers) by
an AF bus. The two airports are also connected by the metro (RER), a
little cheaper and faster but difficult to use with bulky luggage. AF
also has connection agreements with certain TGVs (see below). The TGV
station is located in terminal 2 and is on the free shuttle circuit. To
go to Paris, click on Paris.
Other airports have international
flights: Paris - Orly, Bordeaux, Clermont-Ferrand, Lille, Lyon,
Marseille, Nantes, Nice, Toulouse and Toulon have some flights to Europe
or North Africa; these airports allow connections to other smaller
airports. Finally two airports are shared with Switzerland, that of
Basel-Mulhouse and that of Geneva, they allow entry into one or the
other of these countries.
Some low-cost companies including
Wizzair, Ryanair use Beauvais-Tillé airport, located 80 km northwest of
Paris. A bus service to Paris is organized by the airlines. See
timetables and prices on their website.
The RER (regional express
metro) and several bus lines (Orlybus, Roissybus, Air France coaches)
connect Orly and Roissy airports to Paris.
For a table of French
airports with flights to/from Great Britain and North America including
Canada: Air links with France in English.
On a boat
The main
ports where you can disembark are:
Calais
Marseilles
Toulon
Bastia
There are many exchanges with Great Britain, so there are
many ports welcoming ferries all along the Channel coast: Roscoff,
Saint-Malo, Cherbourg, Ouistreham (Caen), Le Havre, Dieppe, Dunkirk ,
Boulogne sur mer and Calais. Departures for cruises to Corsica, Sardinia
or the Mediterranean basin departing from Toulon, Nice or Marseille. In
addition, the ports of Corsica serve Italy.
By train
France
has special lines to different countries:
Eurostar (from England)
(the trip from Paris to London takes 2 hours 15 minutes).
Lyria (from
Switzerland)
Thalys (from Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands)
ICE (from Germany)
Attention ! International TGVs are subject to
special pricing which can be high. For example, a Paris-London one-way
ticket can easily cost €200.
Night trains connect Paris to a few
other European cities, including:
Venice and Milan in Italy;
Vienna and Salzburg in Austria (from December 2021)
By car
Several European routes make it possible to arrive in France:
from
Germany
European Route 50 (E50)
the European route 52 (E52),
arriving in Strasbourg,
the European route 54 (E54), starting from
Munich, arriving in Paris,
from Belgium
the European route 17
(E17), starting from Antwerp,
European route 19 (E19), passing
through Brussels, arriving in Paris,
the European route 40 (E40),
passing through Brussels, arriving at Calais,
European route 42
(E42), passing through Liège, arriving at Dunkirk,
the European route
46 (E46), starting from Liège, arriving at Cherbourg,
the European
route 411 (E411),
the European route 420 (E420),
from Spain
European route 5 (E5), starting from Algeciras, passing through Madrid,
Bordeaux and Paris,
European route 7 (E7), via the Somport road
tunnel,
European route 9 (E9), starting from Barcelona,
the
European route 15 (E15), starting from Algeciras, and following the
Mediterranean coast,
European route 70 (E70), along the Spanish
Atlantic coast,
European route 80 (E80), passing through San
Sebastian,
from Italy
the European route 25 (E25), passing
through Genoa,
the European route 27 (E27), starting from Algeciras,
and following the Mediterranean coast,
the European route 74 (E74),
starting from Alessandria, arriving in Nice,
from Luxembourg
the European route 25 (E25), passing through Luxembourg,
European
route 29 (E29), passing through Luxembourg,
the European route 44
(E44), passing through Luxembourg, arriving in Le Havre,
from
Switzerland
the European route 23 (E23), starting from Lausanne,
European route 25 (E25), passing through Geneva,
the European route
27 (E27), passing through Bern, arriving at Belfort,
European route
60 (E60), passing through Zurich and Basel,
European route 62 (E62),
passing through Lausanne and Geneva,
the European route 712 (E712),
starting from Geneva, towards Marseille,
The main cities of France are linked together by internal lines but this remains expensive. It is often easier and cheaper to take the train, except to go through charter and low-cost companies and to book your ticket well in advance.
France has an extensive rail network that allows you to get to where
you want quite easily. The plane, however, often saves time, especially
to connect regional capitals between them.
Be aware that at
European level, French trains are far from holding the top spot, whether
in terms of efficiency or quality. Many connections previously served by
the coral train with optional reservation have now been replaced by the
coral Téoz with compulsory reservation whose pricing is also different
and more complicated. Be aware that in addition to the comfort level (in
2nd class) it is of a lower quality than the old classic corals. The
extension of the TGV network is gradually removing services by normal
trains, which often forces users to move towards the TGV, which leads to
a higher cost and can also lead to detours (example of Nevers-Lyon via
Paris or still Lille-Rouen via Paris), the rates being established per
kilometer, the detour therefore leads to a price increase which can
quickly be significant.
As for the pricing system, it works on a
“first come” basis. That is to say that the earlier the ticket is taken,
the less expensive it is (example of Paris-Toulouse at 17 €) and the
later it is taken, the more expensive it is. A ticket taken at the last
moment at the station can be extremely expensive for various reasons
that are more or less valid for users.
If you have a reduction
card, be aware that the regular timetable for blue and white periods
(strong reduction in blue period and weak or not valid in white period)
only applies to TER (regional trains which have nothing express). For
Téoz and TGV, the number of places at the reduced rate is limited to a
number unknown to the public. It is therefore impossible to organize
yourself to get on the train which entitles you to the reduction
(reduction most often granted by the prior purchase of a card) unless
you consult the SNCF website beforehand (which can, again be difficult
given the repeated bugs). Little tip, although for the prices there is
only the website or the SNCF counter, if you only want to consult the
timetables, you can go to the Swiss railways website (by typing SBB or
CFF or FFS in the search bar of the browser) which gives you in a much
simpler, clearer and more precise way the timetables of the trains. The
SNCF's Gares en mouvement site allows real-time monitoring of train
departures and arrivals (and therefore any delays). This information is
also available on smartphones using the free SNCF Direct application.
But despite all these little inconveniences, the train remains a
good way to move around the country (knowing that no bus connection is
nationwide) provided you organize well in advance (for adventurers who
like to leave on a whim, prefer hitchhiking. It's longer but much
cheaper than a ticket taken just before departure...)
France has
a high-speed train ( http://www.tgv.com or http://www.idtgv.com ) with
its own network on certain axes (the speed is then around 300 km /h).
They can compete with airplanes.
Some travel times by TGV:
Paris - Lille: 1 hour
Paris - Lyon: 2 hours
Paris - Nantes: 2
hours
Paris - Strasbourg: 2h20
Paris - Saint-Etienne: 3 hours
Paris - Grenoble: 3 hours
Paris - Marseilles: 3 hours
Paris -
Bordeaux: 2 h 10
Nantes - Lyon: 4h20
Paris - Nice: 5:20 a.m.
Paris - Aix-en-Provence: 3 hours
It is often simpler, cheaper and
faster to choose the train rather than the plane for national travel.
The main lines of the country are:
Paris - Toulouse via Limoges
by coral Téoz and Lunéa (night train) or via Bordeaux (geographically
less direct but faster) by TGV
Paris - Marseille via Lyon by TGV (the
connection via Clermont-Ferrand having been canceled in 2007)
Paris -
Clermont-Ferrand by Intercités (the link to Béziers was canceled in
2007)
Paris - Nantes and Paris - Rennes by TGV
Paris - Bordeaux -
Biarritz by TGV
Paris - Lille by TGV
Lille - Lyon - Marseille by
TGV (without change in Paris)
Bordeaux - Toulouse - Marseille by
Intercités
Paris - Strasbourg by TGV
Parisian stations
To
cross France by train from one end to the other, you almost always have
to change trains in Paris (heritage from the time when the network was
divided into a few private companies, most of which each departed from
Paris). It is therefore good to know before leaving which Parisian
station serves this or that part of France:
Austerlitz station
The trains (Corail Téoz, Aqualys or Lunéa) serve the center and the
south of France, the main connections being:
Paris-Etample-Orléans or
Tours by Corail Aqualys with, depending on the train, other stops than
those mentioned
Paris-Orléans-Vierzon-Limoges-Brive_La_Gaillarde-Cahors-Toulouse by
Corail Téoz (reservation required) with, depending on the train, other
stops than those mentioned (not all trains connect Paris to all the
towns mentioned, the various terminals are Limoges, Brive, Cahors,
Toulouse and Cerbère)
Paris-Orléans-Vierzon-Limoges-
Brive-la-Gaillarde -Périgueux via Corail Téoz (reservation required)
with, depending on the train, other stops than those mentioned (not all
trains connect Paris to all the cities mentioned, different terminals
are Limoges, Brive and Périgueux)
As for night trains, the
Paris-Austerlitz station welcomes all trains coming and going from all
cities in the south of France.
Attention, from Austerlitz, 2
trains can leave together and separate further on the route.
The
main night connections are:
Paris-Toulouse/Rodez (separation of
trains at Brive; does not pick up or drop off passengers between Orléans
and Souillac/Figeac)
Paris - Latour-de-Carol/Cerbère (separation of
trains at Toulouse; does not pick up or drop off passengers between
Vierzon and Auterive/Villefranche-de-Lauraguais)
Paris-Briancon
Lyon station
The trains (Corail Téoz, TER or TGV) serve part of
the east and south-east of France, the main connections being:
Paris-Lyon-St-Étienne by TGV (reservation required) with, depending on
the train, other stops than those mentioned here. (not all trains
connect Paris to all the cities mentioned, the different terminuses are
Lyon and St Etienne)
Paris-Lyon-Grenoble by TGV (reservation
required) with, depending on the train, other stops than those mentioned
here. (not all trains connect Paris to all the cities mentioned, the
different terminuses are Lyon and Grenoble)
Paris-Lyon-Marseille-Nice
by TGV (reservation required) with, depending on the train, other stops
than those mentioned here, in particular between Lyon and Nice. (not all
trains connect Paris to all the cities mentioned, the different
terminuses are Lyon, Marseille and Nice)
Paris-Valence-Montpellier by
TGV (reservation required) with, depending on the train, other stops
than those mentioned here, notably Lyon Saint-Exupéry. (not all trains
connect Paris to all the cities mentioned, the different terminals are
Lyon and Montpellier)
Paris-Dijon by TER with a multitude of
intermediate stops or by TGV with a few possible stops depending on the
train.
Paris-Dijon-Dole-Besançon by TGV (reservation required) with,
depending on the train, other stops than those mentioned here. (not all
trains connect Paris to all the cities mentioned, the different
terminuses are Dijon and Besançon)
Paris-Dijon-Lausanne/Zürich by TGV
Lyria (reservation required) with, depending on the train, other stops
than those mentioned here.
Paris - Nevers - Vichy - Clermont-Ferrand
via Corail Téoz (booking required) with, depending on the train, other
stops than those mentioned here. (not all trains connect Paris to all
the cities mentioned) This route is no longer at Gare de Lyon but at
Gare de Bercy (1 km from Gare de Lyon)
East Railway Station
Trains (TGV, Corail IC or TER) serve the eastern regions of France
(Champagne and Alsace-Lorraine), the main connections being:
Paris-Strasbourg-Karlsruhe-Stuttgart by TGV (reservation required) with,
depending on the train, other stops than those mentioned here.
Paris-Saarbrücken-Mannheim-Frankfurt by ICE reservation required) with,
depending on the train, other stops than those mentioned here.
Paris-Troyes-Chaumont-Belfort-Mulhouse-Bâle by Corail IC with, depending
on the train, other stops than those mentioned here. (not all trains
connect Paris to all the cities mentioned)
North Station
Trains (TGV, Corail IC or TER) serve the regions of northern France
(Picardy; Nord-Pas-de-Calais), the main connections being:
Paris-Lille by TGV (reservation required) without intermediate stops
Paris-Arras-Lens-Dunkerque/Valenciennes by TGV (reservation required)
with other intermediate stops than those mentioned here. Be careful to
get in the right car from Paris, Arras and Lens because there is a
division of the train in 2 at Lens. One leaves for Valenciennes, the
other for Dunkirk.
Paris-Longueau-Amiens-Abbeville-Boulogne_sur_Mer-Calais by Corail IC
with other intermediate stops than those mentioned here. (not all trains
connect Paris to all the cities mentioned, the different terminuses are
Amiens, Boulogne sur mer and Calais)
Paris-Beauvais by TER with many
intermediate stops.
Paris-Brussels-Cologne/Amsterdam by TGV Thalys
(reservation required) with the only stops mentioned here (not all
trains connect Paris to all the cities mentioned, the various terminuses
are Brussels and Amsterdam or Cologne depending on the train)
Paris-London by TGV Eurostar (reservation required) with no intermediate
stop in France.
Paris-Liège-Cologne-Berlin by night train
(reservation required)
Gare Saint-Lazare
The trains (Corail IC
or TER) serve the Normandy regions, the main connections being:
Paris-Rouen-Le_Havre by Corail IC with other intermediate stops than
those mentioned here. (not all trains connect Paris to all the cities
mentioned, the different terminuses are Rouen and Le Havre)
Paris-Evreux-Caen-Cherbourg by Corail IC with other intermediate stops
than those mentioned here. (not all trains connect Paris to all the
cities mentioned here)
Montparnasse Station
Trains (TGV) serve
the entire Atlantic coast and part of the southwest, the main
connections being:
Paris - Le Mans - Rennes - Brest by TGV
(reservation required) with other intermediate stops than those
mentioned here. (not all trains connect Paris to all the cities
mentioned, the different terminuses are Le Mans, Rennes and Brest)
Paris - Le Mans - Nantes - Le Croisic by TGV (reservation required) with
other intermediate stops than those mentioned here. (not all trains
connect Paris to all the cities mentioned, the different terminuses are
Le Mans, Nantes and Le Croisic)
Paris-Tours (St Pierre des
Corps)-Poitiers-La_Rochelle by TGV (reservation required) with from St
Pierre des Corps, other intermediate stops than those mentioned here.
(not all trains connect Paris to all the cities mentioned, the different
terminuses are Tours and La Rochelle)
Paris-Tours (St Pierre des
Corps)-Poitiers-Bordeaux-Toulouse by TGV (reservation required) with
from St Pierre des Corps, other intermediate stops than those mentioned
here. (not all trains connect Paris to all the cities mentioned, the
different terminals are Tours, Bordeaux and Toulouse)
Paris-Tours (St
Pierre des Corps)-Poitiers-Bordeaux-Biarritz/Tarbes by TGV (reservation
required) with from St Pierre des Corps, other intermediate stops than
those mentioned here. (not all trains connect Paris to all the cities
mentioned, the different terminuses are Tours, Bordeaux, Biarritz and
Tarbes)
Be careful, from Montparnasse station, 2 trains can leave
together and separate further on the route (typically two TGV trains).
The night train network is reliable and serves a number of cities in
the country and abroad.
There are several links to cross the
country but they tend to disappear in the face of the extension of the
TGV. All night trains in France are subject to reservation.
The
main internal relations are:
Paris-Toulouse/Rodez (separation of
trains at Brive; does not pick up or drop off passengers between Orléans
and Souillac/Figeac)
Paris-Latour_de_Carol/Cerbère (separation of
trains in Toulouse; neither picks up nor disembarks passengers between
Vierzon and Auterive/Villefranche_de_Lauraguais)
In addition to
the choice between a berth in 1st or 2nd class, you also have the choice
of reserving a place in a reclining seat.
A place in a berth in
1st class therefore corresponds to a berth in a compartment with 4
berths and various more or less useful and important services depending
on the train.
A place in a berth in 2nd class therefore
corresponds to a berth in a compartment with 6 berths and various more
or less useful and important services depending on the train.
A
seat in a reclining seat corresponds to a seat in a wagon equipped with
2 rows of double seats for the entire length of the wagon (classic
layout). There is no additional service and despite the possibility of
tilting the seat you cannot lie down and are condemned to remain on your
back the whole trip. However, if the train is only slightly full, by
occupying the 2 seats, you are likely to get some sleep.
It
should be noted that a ticket in a reclining seat costs 15 € less than a
ticket in a berth, but if you want to sleep, prefer a berth.
On
international connections and certain French connections, the trains are
equipped with sleeping cars, the quality is even higher than in first
class, these are individual or double compartments with small private
bathroom and toilet for certain compartments . Very scenic but very
expensive.
Tourist trains
France is rich in tourist trains
managed by the SNCF or the private or associative sector:
Somme
Bay Railways,
Montenvers,
Corsican railway,
Cevennes train,
Rhune train,
Mure train,
Provence Railways,
Ardèche train,
yellow train...
Many tourist towns have their little train on
tires.
The speed limits in France are as follows:
Motorways: 130 km/h
(110 km/h in bad weather and in the Alpes-Maritimes (06) and certain
regions of France such as Lorraine)
Double lanes separated by a
central reservation: 110 km/h (100 km/h in bad weather)
Roads with
two lanes in the same direction sufficiently separated from the lane in
the opposite direction, 90 km/h
Non-separated two-way lanes: 80 km/h
since July 1, 2018 90 km/h before July 1, 2018 80 km/h in bad weather
and for young drivers)
Agglomerations: 50 km/h is a national
reference, but for several years municipalities have had the right to
use other speeds, such as 30 km/h or 70 km/h, which are then subject to
specific signage. In some cities, a speed limit of 30 km/h on all
streets of the city may be present, while in other cities, zones 30
define a maximum authorized speed of 30 km/h per zone. Certain roads,
whether or not equipped with sidewalks, may be limited to 50 or 70 km/h.
Motorways in France are often toll. Speed checks are frequent in
built-up areas, both on the road and on the motorway.
Speed
cameras are installed along the roads. The presence of the radar is no
longer signaled by a panel but by a device indicating your preventive
speed. Other radars are installed at the front or at the back of
unmarked gendarmerie cars (on the motorway or in the countryside and in
the city). If you are "flashed", you will receive a notice of violation
by mail within 2 days to 2 weeks. This is valid for motorists in the
European Union.
Although France produces a lot of wine, drunk
driving is prohibited and severely punished. The authorized limit is
0.5g/l, i.e. about 2 glasses, but beware, these are glasses served in a
bar (25 cl of beer, 4 cl of spirits). From 0.8g/l of alcohol in the
blood, it is a crime.
In town, pedestrians have priority over
cars. A pedestrian on a passage has priority even if the light is green
for you. If a pedestrian has started to cross the road (he has one foot
on the road), you must let him pass even if he is not on a marked
crossing. These rules are often not respected by motorists. It is normal
to stop to let a pedestrian cross, but when you are a pedestrian, do not
cross without making sure that the cars will stop for you. Penally, any
pedestrian has priority over all vehicles to cross a lane, provided that
he is more than 50 meters from the nearest pedestrian crossing
(otherwise he is at fault in the event of an accident). In fact, the
pedestrian is almost systematically considered to be within his rights.
Except for markings on the ground (and signs in some cases),
priority to the right is required. Depending on the region, this rule is
more or less respected. Respect it, but if you have priority, make sure
the other vehicle stops to let you pass.
France is the country
with the most roundabouts in the world: the one arriving at the
roundabout does not have priority. You will sometimes also find more
rare roundabouts where right-hand priority applies. This is the case of
the Place de l'Etoile in Paris.
Driving in France requires a
three-part driving license or an international driving licence, the
vehicle papers and the green insurance card.
In the event of a
car accident, you must complete an accident report. In the event of a
dispute or a hit-and-run, call the police or the gendarmerie so that
they draw up a report.
To find out where rental agencies are
located, consult the sites of the main, regional or local companies. The
renters are very attentive to small collisions or scratches. Be vigilant
before leaving: go around the vehicle and ensure that all damage is
noted.
For long-term parking, in Paris, for example, opt for
underground car parks or on the outskirts, near the terminus of metro
lines or RER stations. In the regions, more and more cities have also
set up car parks next to bus or tram line terminals.
Entry to a
toll motorway section involves stopping at a terminal which issues an
entry ticket, which must be returned to the exit barrier where a fee is
paid depending on the distance traveled and the type of vehicle. Payment
can be made in cash, with a credit card or a check. A receipt is issued
upon request. It is possible to pay at automatic machines which read the
information contained on the entry card, announce the price to be paid,
accept payment in cash or by card, give change and issue a receipt on
request.
Road signs
France has adhered to the Vienna
Convention on road signs and all road signs in the territory comply with
it.
By carpool
Carpooling is a very economical transport
alternative that consists of sharing a car trip with several people.
Gasoline and toll costs are shared between drivers and passengers as
well as all the terms of the trip: meeting, luggage, possible detour,
etc. There are many carpooling websites where you can search or post an
ad, such as BlaBlaCar and Mobicoop. There are more and more carpooling
areas in cities and in rural areas.
By car sharing
The
car-sharing system provides "customers" or members of the service with
one or more vehicles, according to three possibilities: - "loop"
car-sharing, - car-sharing between individuals, - full self-service
car-sharing . Most large and medium-sized cities in the Paris region and
in the region have adopted this service, mainly "in a loop"; but more
and more individuals, companies and associations are getting involved.
There are many car-sharing websites where you can search or post an ad.
By bike
In France, cycling is more of a hobby than a means of
transport. There are few cycle paths but their number is growing
steadily. In summer in tourist areas and large cities, it is possible to
rent bikes by the day, week or month. Note that most French cities offer
bicycle rental services and some large cities have a bike-sharing
system.
On horseback
France is one of the countries where
horse riding is practiced the most and specific routes, marked or not,
to discover the country on horseback. Contact tourist offices or
equestrian centres.
hitchhiking
Hitchhiking is a good way to
get around but you shouldn't be in a hurry. On the other hand, it offers
great opportunities such as meeting the motorist and we are often
surprised by the person who picks us up.
Hitchhiking involves
little risk, but it is true that you have to trust the person who picks
you up. You have to be careful, especially if you're a single girl
hitchhiking.
On a boat
France has a navigable river network of
around 9,000 km and it is very easy to rent a barge or a boat without a
licence. Car ferries run to Corsica from Marseille, Nice and Toulon.
Saint-Malo and the Norman ports of Granville, Barneville-Carteret and
Diélette are connected to the Channel Islands. For guided tours,
commented tours, cruises, you can walk, take a boat trip in Paris,
Strasbourg, …, and, by boat or other craft in the region, where there
are marinas and piers.
French is almost the same everywhere, but each region can have its
expressions and a particular accent (the southern accent, the Lyonnais
dialect, the northern dialect, Creole, etc.). If you want to speak
another language, however, it is advisable to ask beforehand if your
interlocutor knows the language. You will usually find someone who will
help you. Some foreign languages are very well understood in some
regions. For example, Italian is very well understood in the
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, particularly in Marseille and Nice,
due to a large part of the population of Italian origin, as is Spanish
in the south-west or German in Alsace and in the department of Moselle.
English is better and better understood in France, especially by the
younger generations and in tourist areas. In general, the French are
very friendly and sociable people, and you can approach them on the
street to ask them for information. Usually if you are polite, they will
be happy to help you. You could also meet regional metropolitan and
overseas speakers speaking minority languages such as Basque, Breton,
Corsican, Catalan, Occitan, Flemish, Alsatian, Melanesian,
Polynesian,...
France uses the International System of Units
(abbreviated SI) inspired by the metric system. However, there are some
exceptions such as the use of the degree Celsius instead of the Kelvin
or that of the fraction of an inch in gas plumbing. The majority of
French people do not know how to convert either to Anglo-Saxon units of
measurement, or to degrees Fahrenheit or Kelvin. In writing, the times
are generally indicated over 24 hours, but in speaking we can say "6
p.m.".
France uses the euro. It is one of many European countries that use
this common currency. Euro banknotes and coins are legal tender
throughout the country.
One euro is divided into 100 eurocents or
eurocents abbreviated cents or centimes.
The official euro symbol
is €, and its ISO code is EUR. There is no official symbol for
eurocents.
Tickets
Euro banknotes are the same in all
countries.
Ordinary parts
All Eurozone countries have issued coins
with a distinctive national side on one side, and a common standard side
on the other side. Coins can be used in all countries, regardless of the
country of origin of the coin used, for example a one euro coin from
Finland can be used in Portugal.
Two euro commemorative coins
They only differ from normal two-euro coins on their “national” side and
circulate freely as legal tender. Each country can produce a certain
amount of it as part of their normal coin production. There are also
commemorative two-euro coins “on a European scale”. They are produced to
commemorate special events, such as the anniversary of important
treaties.
Withdrawal of money
Cash withdrawals from ATMs are
billed at the same price as a cash withdrawal in the country of origin
for holders of a bank card with an account from a country in the euro
zone. Money transfers between two accounts are also considered by banks
as a transfer between two accounts in the same country.
Prices
are inclusive of all taxes (TTC). So there are no surprises at checkout
unlike Canada. Retail prices are non-negotiable. Servers appreciate
being tipped, but it's never a requirement.
Be careful, depending
on the country you come from, France can be an expensive country. For
example, a dish of the day at the restaurant costs between 9 and 15 € or
sometimes more depending on the dishes and the restaurants. What is
called a 'demi' when ordering a beer but is actually only a quarter
liter (half a pint) sells in bars for between €2 and €3.5. To get a real
half-litre, you have to ask for a pint and the price is around €5 (more
or less depending on the establishments and the times). A kebab costs
between €3 and €7, a cinema between €5 and €10, a metro ticket around
€1.5 (more or less depending on the city).
Leisure and catering
are on average 33% more expensive in Paris than in the rest of France.
For the traveler, accommodation is one of the main expense items.
Paris has the reputation of being quite an expensive city all year
round. Elsewhere prices fluctuate depending on the season. To give you
an idea in 2018, the tightest budgets have a minimum of 60 euros per day
and per person in summer, favoring camping or youth hostels and light
catering. With a daily budget of 100 to 120 euros per person, you can
stay in a small hotel or homestay, dine in a small restaurant or table
d'hôtes and enhance your days with cultural visits. From 150 euros per
day, it's the good life: charming hotel, elegant restaurant, visits…. In
season, do not expect to spend less than 80 euros for a double room in a
hotel or a bed and breakfast with locals, especially in very touristy
areas. It's easier to save on food than accommodation, unless invited by
family or friends. An advantageous solution consists in getting supplies
on the markets, in supermarkets or mini-markets, directly from producers
and catering trades or fast food stands. If you avoid the summer season,
so much the better! Your visiting conditions will only be better and you
will benefit from more attractive rates for the intermediate seasons.
The high tourist season is in full swing from July to early September on
the coast and in Paris. Winter holidays see French and foreign skiers
storm resorts in the Alps and Pyrenees and the French mountains are
increasingly crowded in the summer.
Purchases
Local products
from the "Eating" section.
For the House :
-crockery and pottery
from Brittany, Provence, Alsace, Savoie, Charente... -lace from
Normandy, the north and Haute-Loire, -linen from Provence, the Vosges
and the Basque Country, -knives from Thiers, Nogent, Corsica , Laguiole,
Maurienne, Périgord... - furniture and objects from Queyras
To
wear :
- handkerchiefs from Cholet, - Breton and Norman sailor
clothes, - wooden clogs, - Basque espadrilles, - Tropezian sandals, -
slippers, - berets from Béarn and the Basque Country, - perfumes,
lavender and derivatives, - artisanal cosmetics
For kids :
-
wooden toys from Alsace, Jura, Queyras - Christmas decorations
Christmas markets in Alsace.
You can eat all the products of the world everywhere in France:
directly from the producers, from the food trades (bakery-patisserie,
butcher-charcuterie, caterer, cellar), supermarkets, mini-markets,
grocery stores, markets, auctions in the ports , snacks, stands (to take
away), "food-trucks", cafes, brasseries, fast and traditional
restaurants serving French and foreign cuisine. By having your main meal
in the restaurant at noon rather than in the evening, you will be able
to take advantage of the most advantageous formulas.
French
gastronomy has been part of UNESCO's intangible world heritage since
November 2010. The French often spend time at the table and meals are
one of their favorite occasions for conviviality, in restaurants or at
home. Business meals are also a French institution that often confuse
Anglo-Saxon and Asian visitors.
First, a few vocabulary notes:
breakfast: served in the morning upon waking;
lunch: midday meal
(served around 11.30 a.m. - 1 p.m.);
snack: optional, served around 4
p.m. - 4:30 p.m.: cakes, tea, coffee...;
dinner: evening meal (served
between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.).
In the restaurant, the prices
mentioned on the menu include taxes (7%) + service (15%). Although there
is therefore nothing to add to the final bill, it is however common
practice to leave a coin or two if one has appreciated the service.
In most restaurants, you can ask for a carafe of water for free. The
water served is then that of the tap which is often of very good
quality. Bread is often provided free with the meal. It is possible to
ask for a carafe of water or bread.
France is rightly famous for
being the country of gastronomy all over the world. Here are some
specialties:
In France, it is not uncommon to see bakeries in most towns, even the
most remote ones, even though supermarkets have got the better of many
small businesses, bread making remains a very much alive craft in
France, and it's good for our taste buds! With regard to pastries and
other pastries, it is advisable to be wary, certain craftsmen allow
themselves to sell industrial products without informing the customer.
Traditional bakeries usually sell, in addition to bread, pastries
and pastries as well as sweets. In urban areas, bakeries also sell
sandwiches made from baguettes (see Breads below).
Supermarkets
also sell bread, sandwiches and pastries. These are made industrially
and often do not have the same quality or the same freshness.
Nevertheless, the French being quite fussy about the quality of bread,
it is now possible, in some supermarkets, to be able to buy bread that
is still hot from the oven in the middle of the day.
The best known and most consumed French bread is the baguette. There
are two main types of baguette: the classic that can be found
everywhere, and the tradition, a little more expensive, made by hand
without additives, the manufacture of which requires know-how to
guarantee its quality. We can find the tradition among artisan bakers,
but also behind large bakery brands such as Rétrodor, Banette, Baguépi
and others. There are also variants of the baguette such as the ficelle,
finer and crisper, or conversely the flute (or "restaurant" in the
south), wider and softer.
Other breads are also popular from time
to time, including:
Country bread: large bread made from wholemeal
flour which keeps relatively well and can be found everywhere;
Cereal
bread: there are all kinds (rye, poppies, walnuts, olives, sesame,
etc.);
Sourdough bread: demand real natural sourdough bread without
baker's yeast, preferably organic; flavor and conservation will be
there, trust the creativity of the bakers;
Storm bread, mina bread,
work, pumpkin bread, nettle bread, garlic bread for discerning taste
buds, etc.
Viennese pastries are normally eaten for breakfast, but are also
sometimes eaten as a snack or a snack:
croissants: made from puff
pastry, this is the most popular pastry in France because it is the only
one, along with brioche, that can be eaten “plain”. However, many French
bakeries also offer almond croissants, ham and cheese croissants, which
allows you to vary the pleasures;
pain au chocolat (or “chocolatines”
in the southwest): contrary to what the name suggests, it's not bread at
all, but rather a croissant with one or two bars of chocolate inside;
brioches: the most delicious, you can find them everywhere;
pain aux
raisins: again, it's not bread at all, but a brioche coated in pastry
cream and raisins; in some regions they are spiral and are called
snails;
apple turnovers: made from puff pastry, it is a derivative of
the croissant, filled with mashed potatoes or apple compote inside;
shortbread and their many variations: fig, blackberry, raspberry,
rum-grape, cavados grape, date palm, rose petal, damaskina, orange,
lemon, grapefruit...
Note: Freshly baked pastries are the best.
Pastries and confectionery
Pastry is a particularly creative area
of catering in France: there are hundreds of pastry products. Their
names are sometimes quite curious, even with colonial hints like the
negro in a shirt.
Here are the main ones:
chocolate, coffee
and fruit eclairs;
nuns;
Pets Of Nun
Madeleines ;
Vendée
brioches;
rum babas;
salambos, also called acorns;
Paris Brest
;
Pithiviers ;
marvellous ;
thousand sheets ;
fruit tarts
(strawberries, raspberries, lemon, apricots, mirabelle plums, cherries,
plums, apples, pears...), chocolate, vanilla, tatin, tropézienne...;
macarons ;
cat language ;
financial;
beggars ;
shortbread;
marzipan;
Breton kouign-amman;
pebbles;
paving stones;
creme
brulee.
The main sweets are:
nougat (Montélimar);
Calissons
(Aix-en-Provence);
fruit jellies (Auvergne);
candied fruits (Apt,
Auvergne);
cartons (Carpentras, Nantes);
bergamot (Nancy);
sugared almonds (Verdun);
Vichy pastilles;
anise from Flavigny;
angelica (Niort);
honey candies (Vosges);
nonsense of Cambrai;
caramels (Isigny);
pancakes (Pont-Aven);
crackers (Saint-Malo);
violet sweets (Toulouse);
grisettes (Montpellier);
fluted
(Bordeaux);
chocolates (Bayonne, Biarritz);
nougat (Basque
Country);
gingerbread (Alsace, Dijon);
pink biscuits from Reims;
prunes (Agen);
jams (Itxassou, Corsica).
National gastronomy
Soups and soups of all kinds (asparagus,
potatoes, leeks, bacon bits, onion, lobster bisque, cotriade, fish,
garbure...)
Blanquette of veal (last update May 2020)
Rooster in
wine
Turkey with chestnuts
Rabbit with Mustard <<hunter>>
Pot-au-feu (last update May 2020)
Various terrines
Financial
vol-au-vent
Regional gastronomy
Each French region has its own
dishes. These dishes differ according to the resources (hunting,
fishing, agriculture, etc.) of the region, the vegetables (cabbages,
turnips, endives, beans, etc.) that are grown there. Here is a small
list of regional dishes that you can easily find in France. Regional
dishes generally constitute a single and very hearty dish (because it
was generally the dish of the poor):
Carbonade flamande (Carbonnade à
la flamande) (last updated May 2020)
Cargolade of Roussillon
Cassoulets from Castelnaudary and Toulouse
Breton pancakes and
pancakes
Duck confit
Amiens duck pâté
Duck breast
Duck
cricket
Duck à la Rouennaise, with orange, with turnips
Boiled
chicken
Roasted chicken or “Vallée d’Auge” or basquaise
Duck and
goose foie gras
Pork trotter from Sainte-Menehould
Marseille feet
and packets
Caen-style tripe
Tripoux from Cantal and Aveyron
Bold-doubles
Lyon sapper apron
Head of veal
Head cheese or
snout salad
Alsatian sauerkraut, seafood sauerkraut
Stew, wild
boar stew, sautéed Corsican pork
Stew from Avignon
Alsatian
Baeckeofe
Fondue (Savoyard, Burgundy, Bresse, Winegrower)
Lorraine
and Auvergne stews
Beef bourguignon
Tournedos Rossini
Lamb from
Sisteron
Lamb with mojettes
Veal stew
Leg of seven hours or
brayaude
Small Provençal stuffed animals, Nice stuffed animals
Country ham and mojettes
Raw ham from the Ardennes, Auvergne,
Lacaune, Bayonne, Corsica,...
Ham of Paris
Sausage from
Strasbourg, Morteau, Montbéliard, Corsica...
Alsatian Knacks
Dried
sausages, rillettes and gratons from Auvergne
Corsican coppa,
pancetta and lonzu
Savoy diots
Andouille de Vire, Cambrai,
Guéméné, Jargeau,...
Andouillette from Troyes, Clamecy, Chablis,
Alençon,...
Black pudding from Mortagne-en-Perche, Paris, Oise
Le
Mans rillettes
Coppa and Figatelli from Corsica
Camargue Gardiane
Stew of Provençal vegetables
Snails (Burgundy style,...) and frog
legs
Bouillabaisse Marseille, Provencal
Mussels
Catalan
anchovies
Marmite Dieppoise
Aziminu of Corsica
Bourride of
Provence
Scallops
Armorica Lobster
Lobster in beautiful view
Pike with Nantes white butter sauce
Trout with almonds, bacon
Tuna
with Basque piperade
Norman sole
Seafood from Brittany and
Normandy
Gard brandade, cod brandade
Aveyron Aligot
Tartiflette
Savoyarde
Auvergne truffade
Nicoise salad
Ratatouille
Gratin
dauphinois, Savoyard gratin, potato gratin
Pan-fried mountain,
Auvergne, Parisian,...
Potato pie, potato pie or potato pie or potato
cake from Berry, Bourbonnais, Auvergne and Sologne
Stuffed tomato
Eggplant au gratin
Pancakes to the bordele
Pepper with goat cheese
Vichy carrots
Kig ha farz
Dumplings of Lyon
Pike dumplings
Quiche Lorraine
Tome pie
Burgdorf
Cheese soufflé
Raclette
Alsatian Flammekueche
Flamiche Logo indicating a wikipedia link (last
update May 2020)
Picardy string
pissaladiere
Eggs In Meurette,
...
Omelets of all kinds
Various gougères
Nice Panbagnat
Hot
manure in salad
Provencal tapenade
Anchoiade
pesto
Frogs
and snails
Contrary to popular belief, we do not eat snails and frog
legs every day in France. However, quality restaurants sometimes offer
it on their menu: for lovers of curious dishes, don't hesitate. And for
those who don't really want it, know that many French people don't
really like to see these little beasts on their plate anyway, but that
said, these meats are interesting to taste because they are original,
that of frog being halfway between fish and chicken, and that of snail
with a very concentrated flavor.
Cheeses
France is one of the
cheese countries with between 1,200 and 1,800 different types. We can
compare and distinguish between cooked and raw cheeses, and the original
milk: cow, goat, sheep. Here is a list, far from being exhaustive, of
what you can find:
Roquefort
Maroilles
Avesnes dumpling
Munster
Bishop's Bridge
Saint Moor of Touraine
Camembert
Murol Selles-sur-Cher
Chabichou
Valencay
Livarot
Crottin de
Chavignol
Brie de Meaux
Bresse blue
Pouligny-Saint-Pierre
Reblochon
Laguiole Fourme d’Ambert
French Emmental
Saint-Nectaire
Plenty
Blue Auvergne
Cantal
County
Beaufort
Rocamadour
Ossau-iraty-ewes-pyrenees
Coulommiers
Morbier
Saint Marcelin
Saint-Felicien
The snack, which is optional, is mainly practiced in Paris and around
Paris. There are plenty of tea rooms where people sit, chat and eat
cookies with tea or coffee (juice or syrup for the kids).
In some
large French cities, for afternoon tea, you will also find "cereal
bars", places (quite rare, still) where you will be sold breakfast
cereals (of well-known brands) in a small wooden box. cardboard (pasta
box type) with small accompaniments (milk, chocolate, biscuits or
sweets) for around €5, as if it were a gastronomic speciality.
Tap water is drinkable everywhere in France, you can drink it all
your life without worrying about it. Its taste can vary a lot from one
region to another depending on the geology.
France is a country
that produces many spring waters or mineral waters, still or sparkling.
Some are of international reputation (Evian, Perrier, Vichy, Badoit,
Vittel, Contrex, Cristalline, etc.), but many only have local or
regional distribution. Thus, the Colmar region in Alsace has several
springs (Carola -Ribeauville-, Wattwiller -Cernay-, Lisbeth -Soulzmatt,
Metzeral, etc.) and that of Bordeaux, Gironde, has natural mineral
spring water which is drawn from the Bassin d'Arcachon (Abatilles).
Apart from gastronomy, France is also known for the diversity of its alcohols.
France is famous for its wine, indeed, each region has its own
vineyards with its specificities:
Alsace vineyard: Riesling,
Gewurztraminer, Sylvaner, Pinot gris, white and black
Armagnac
vineyard
Auvergne vineyards: Saint-pourçain, Côtes-d'auvergne
Beaujolais vineyards: Morgon, Brouilly, Juliénas, Saint-Amour, Chénas,
Fleurie, Moulin-à-vent, Chiroubles, Régnié, Côte de Brouilly
Bordeaux
vineyards: Médoc, Saint-Émilion, Pomerol, Graves, Sauternes,
Entre-deux-mers, Fronsac, Margaux
Burgundy vineyards: Chablis,
Mâconnais, Côtes-de-nuits, Côtes-de-beaune, Mercurey, Rully, Givry...
Bugey vineyard
Camargue vineyard
Champagne vineyard: Champagne
wines
Cognac vineyard
Vineyards of Corsica: wines of Corsica
Jura vineyards: Arbois, Château-Chalon, yellow wine, straw wine
Reunion vineyard
Languedoc-Roussillon vineyards: Costières-de-Nîmes,
Côteaux-du-Languedoc, Saint-Chinian, Corbières, Fitou, Minervois, Muscat
(from Lunel, from Rivesaltes, from Frontignan, from Mireval), Banyuls,
Maury
Limousin vineyard
Lorraine vineyards: Côtes-de-Toul, Moselle
wines
Normandy vineyard
Vineyards of Provence: Bandol,
Baux-de-provence, Bellet, Côteaux varois, Côtes-de-provence,
Côtes-du-ventoux, Cassis wines, Côteaux d'aix-en-provence, Palette
Savoy vineyard
South-West vineyards: Madiran, Jurançon, Irouléguy,
Tursan, Béarn, Cahors, Bergerac, Monbazillac, Pécharmant,
Côtes-de-Buzet, Saint-mont, Marcillac, Gaillac, Fronton, Pacherenc du
Vic Bilh, Corbières, Minervois, Faugéres
Tahiti vineyard
Vineyards
of the Loire Valley: Muscadet, Saumur-Champigny, Côteaux-du-layon, Quart
de Chaumes, Bourgueil, Chinon, Valençay, Sancerre, Pouilly-sur-loire,
Pouilly-fumé, Vouvray, Touraine, Anjou, Jasnières, Vendée Fiefs
Vineyards of the Rhône Valley: Cornas, Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu,
Saint-Joseph, Hermitage, Crozes Hermitage, Châteauneuf-du-Pape,
Gigondas, Grignan les Adhémar (formerly Coteaux du Tricastin),
Côtes-du-Rhône
Many shops offer wine. There is a wine section in
most grocery stores and supermarkets. Wine merchants specialize in the
sale of alcohol. In specialty shops and supermarkets, the store (or
department) manager is often good advice. Do not hesitate to tell him
how much you are ready to spend because there is wine at absolutely all
prices.
Each region generally produces its own beer, but the North and East
of France often remain the benchmarks. Here are some kinds of beer:
Large breweries (Kronenbourg)
Local or regional breweries, with
limited distribution;
Beers from the North, with a wider distribution
but only available from specialists.
Be careful all the same,
although there are many very good quality beers, and especially in the
North region (Lille, Lens, Valenciennes...), the most accessible beers,
the easiest to find on the whole territory are not of very good quality:
the Kronenbourg (or "Kro") is the subject of many jokes. France is more
the country of wine than that of beer, and imports a lot from Belgium,
the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Eire and the United Kingdom, among
others...
Almost every region produces its own farm, artisanal or industrial
cider, but especially Normandy and Brittany, Pays de Loire,
Hauts-de-France, Champagne-Ardenne, Limousin, Pays Basque and Brie often
remain the references. Here are some kinds of ciders:
Industrial
cider factories in Brittany and Normandy (MDD, Loïc Raison, Ecusson,
Kérisac, Val de Rance, Le Brun)
Local or regional artisanal cider
houses, with limited distribution
Farmhouse cider houses mainly for
family or friendly consumption.
Armagnac
Cognac
triple sec
Royal Combier
Lillet
Byrrh
Noilly Prat
Cointreau
Calvados
Grand Marnier
Benedictine
Poissy core
Izarra
Pineau des Charentes
Floc de Gascony
Crème de cassis, strawberry, blackberry, etc (used in kir with white
wine)
Fruit brandy (differs by region)
Chartreuse
Genepi
Pastis
Pontarlier
picon
Gentian liqueur
suze
Mead
hypocras
Ratafia
Pommels from Brittany and Normandy
Breton
Chouchen
Breton whiskey, ....
Rum (French West Indies, Reunion
Island)
Beyond the usual sodas and common drinks (Coca-Cola, Pepsi Cola,
Ice-Tea, Fanta...), some French specificities:
Many syrups
(blackcurrant, grenadine, strawberry, lemon...) that you can consume
with water or with milk. Often less expensive than other drinks, syrups
are also less sweet and therefore healthier.
Well-known industrial
fruit juices and artisanal ones.
A variant is diabolo, a syrup with
the addition of fresh lemonade. A diabolo-mint is made from mint syrup.
Alternative French colas (Breizh-Cola, Auvergnat-Cola, Meuh-Cola...)
more and more numerous, in the regions, the departments, in rural
areas...
Coffee refers to espresso or filter coffee depending on the
context. Barring exceptions, the coffees served in the restaurant are
espressos. In bars and cafes you can order: a “coffee”: an espresso, a
“double espresso” an “elongated”: a more diluted coffee, an “American”:
even more diluted, a “hazelnut”: with a drop of milk, a "cream": a
coffee with milk, a "big cream": with a lot of milk.
Gastronomy is one of the biases of the association of local bistros – , in order to maintain a commercial and social life, in municipalities with less than 2000 inhabitants, to contribute to the conservation and animation of the economic and social fabric in rural environment by maintaining a place of village life. This network of bar-restaurant establishments is present in many French regions.
Independent or chain hotel rooms, from zero to 5 stars. Tourist
hotels are classified, approved and controlled by the administration.
They usually offer breakfast or buffet, and half board or full board at
their restaurant.
Para-hotel residences where the apartments are
fully equipped and offer various additional services (sports activities,
babysitting, entertainment).
Holiday villages with entertainment,
often managed by social tourism associations, offer either rental, half
board or even full board.
Guest rooms with breakfast, with or without
a label, and rooms without breakfast, homestays, are an excellent way to
discover urban and rural France. Some, more and more rare, offer the
table d'hôtes in the evening.
The farm inns have a warm welcome
and it is also a good way to discover the specialties of the region. It
may be advantageous to stay in a farmhouse in the vicinity of a major
tourist town, even if it means traveling a few extra kilometres.
Urban lodgings and rural lodgings, labeled or not.
Refuges in the
mountains, which can be found at prices that are sometimes more
attractive than campsites. They usually offer half board.
Unusual
accommodation: tree houses, yurts, tepees, igloos, trailers,
troglodytes, etc...
Accommodation of certain religious institutions,
as in certain neighboring countries.
There are many campsites, at all
prices, all over the territory. Wild camping is authorized in France,
subject to the agreement of the owner of the land, if it is private, but
with the exception of beaches, roadsides, classified sites, reserves and
natural parks (except pitches furnished).
The youth hostels. With
more and more comfort, they will allow you to spend one or more nights
at a very affordable price, including in the city center of major French
cities. Also remember to consult the websites of the establishments for
all the promotional offers.
One of the best solutions is to
contact the tourist offices of the city or region concerned so that they
can direct you to the establishments that can accommodate you.
The house or apartment exchange formula is the most advantageous if you
wish to stay in the same place. Consult the websites
echangedemaison.com, homelink.fr and intervac.fr.
Some
accommodations offer free internet connections as well as wifi
connections.
Many websites also allow you to compare the prices
of accommodation, their availability and take advantage of last-minute
offers. You can usually book directly online.
United Federation
of Youth Hostels
In many universities, you will find foreign student support organizations that will allow you to learn French, if you are not yet up to date with this language. In most universities, there is also a section dedicated to learning French, find out more on the website of the university that interests you. Associations exist in large and medium-sized towns to learn or improve in French, find out at the town hall.
There are often staff shortages in seasonal trades (accommodation-catering, grape harvesting, trades related to snow and the sea, etc.). There are also shortcomings, among others, in the medical field, personal assistance, cleanliness, safety and in construction and public works.
January 1, 2024 New Year's Day: First day of the year.
March 29,
2024 Good Friday: Additional Christian holiday specific to the
departments of Moselle, Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin.
April 10, 2023 Easter
Monday: Easter
May 1, 2023 Labor Day: Commemorates the ratification
of the 8 a.m. workday; traditionally the day of many union and political
demonstrations in France. (The name "Labor Day" was formalized on April
29, 1948).
May 8, 2023 Victory Day: Commemoration of Nazi Germany's
"unconditional surrender" ending World War II in Europe (1945).
May
18, 2023 Ascension Thursday: Christian holiday celebrating the ascent of
Jesus into heaven
May 29, 2023 Whit Monday Holiday: Monday (only
Sunday retains special religious significance).
July 14, 2023
National Day: Commemoration of the Federation Day of July 14, 1790
(itself the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille in 1789).
August 15, 2023 Assumption: Catholic holiday celebrating the ascent of
the Virgin Mary into heaven
November 1, 2023 All Saints Day: All
Saints Day of the Catholic Church
November 11, 2023 Armistice of
1918: Commemoration of the armistice ending the First World War
December 25, 2023 Christmas: Christian holiday celebrating the birth of
Jesus of Nazareth
December 26, 2023 Saint-Étienne (first martyr)
Additional public holiday specific to the departments of Moselle,
Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin
School holidays are the periods during which schools are closed, with
the exception of weekly periods such as weekends. The dates and lengths
of these periods vary considerably across France.
School holidays
generally start on Friday evening or Saturday morning after classes and
end two weeks later on Monday morning when classes resume. They include:
the All Saints' Day (or autumn) holidays: in 2012, reduced to two
weeks, the All Saints' Day holidays are generally located at the end of
October and the beginning of November. They lasted a week and a half
between 1981 and 1996 and between 2003 and 2012, and a week between 1997
and 2002.
Christmas (or end of year) holidays: lasting two weeks and
also common to all zones. They include Christmas and New Year's Day and
leave a few recovery days at the beginning of January.
winter
holidays: located in the months of February until March. They are
divided into zones and last two weeks.
spring vacation: the last
vacation of the school year, it is also divided into zones and lasts two
weeks.
You will have no trouble finding a cybercafé in major cities to
connect to the Internet.
WiFi access is also increasingly
developed: it is often free in bars and restaurants, and included in the
price of rooms in most hotels and bed and breakfasts (but not always
present in budget hotels). Please note that some top-of-the-range hotels
provide WiFi access that is generally chargeable (but cheap because not
taxed by volume but on a flat rate valid for 1 hour or 24 hours from the
time of activation).
Internet access by mobile network is still
often quite slow (even in areas where theoretically 3G or 3G+ networks
are deployed) and it can be expensive on your operator's bill because
French telephone operators charge roaming charges (roaming) high enough
for entry into their network, both for foreigners coming to France and
for French people abroad. It is advisable to find out about roaming
charges (especially the price per megabyte). Also favor WiFi access that
is easy to find.
In train stations and airports WiFi access is
generally chargeable (online payment on the home page displayed in the
browser). There is also a high density of Internet boxes shared by
French fixed Internet subscribers, allowing access to the Internet via
an identification page (Fon subscribers can use the WiFi access shared
by French fixed Internet subscribers at SFR, one of the 4 main mobile
operators). However, on many paying WiFi access points, it is possible
to choose to connect with the identifiers of one's own national operator
from a list, by paying roaming charges that are often much lower than
those applicable to mobile access and less still expensive than the
Internet access offered by the access point operator.
WiFi is
most often offered in the IEEE 802.11b or g standard, but not in 802.11a
(beware of American laptops and WiFi keys that use 802.11a). In France,
frequencies offer on most access points channels 1 to 13 for WiFi b/g/n.
Fast 802.11n WiFi is quite rare in public access points (hotspots). The
range of WiFi accesses is legally limited by their power and hardly
exceeds ten meters from buildings, so this WiFi solution cannot be used
everywhere (or otherwise with fairly low speeds).
France is now very well covered by 4 main mobile phone operators
(Orange, SFR, Bouygues Telecom and Free). Second (GPRS, Edge) or third
generation (3G: UMTS, 3G+: HSDPA) networks are already present
throughout the territory, 4G (LTE) networks are deployed in certain
large cities and are beginning to spread elsewhere.
Please note:
the three incumbent operators (Orange, SFR and Bouygues Telecom,)
constituting an oligopoly, have maintained very high prices for a long
time. This is no longer the case since the arrival of Free on the market
which has allowed the proliferation of a large number of low-cost
packages. However, to subscribe to it with a package at the price
offered to French people, you may be asked to prove your address in
France, otherwise they may ask you to pay an advance of consumption or a
security deposit (which will be returned once your subscription ended),
and these rates are often accompanied by a 2-year commitment period, and
therefore not accessible to visitors.
Apart from packages sold by
these operators, it is also possible for visitors to buy at a low price
a temporary SIM card offered by various virtual operators (MVNO) and
time refills sold (in increments of 30 min to several hours and valid
depending on the range between 2 weeks to a month, the time of your
stay) in tobacconists or supermarkets, and sometimes offering
significant discounts for calls to certain countries. It is often
cheaper than using your own operator's roaming access (but you must use
the French operator's SIM card in your mobile, communicate the French
telephone number to your correspondents in your country original). You
can find in most tobacconists kits including for about 15 to 30 € a
basic mobile phone, a SIM card and 30 minutes of communications (which
can be useful if the charging cable for your mobile does not include an
adapter compatible with the format of French electrical outlets and the
standard mains voltage, between 220 and 240 Volts).
Since June 15, 2017, "European roaming" has been introduced. It
allows all SIM card holders belonging to one of the European member
countries to maintain the same tariff conditions as in the country of
origin.
Telephone calls and Internet browsing are valid at no
additional cost in all European countries, unless authorized by national
authorities (generally minor operators) or if a Gbit data threshold is
exceeded, which increases from year to year. To use this service, simply
activate the roaming option on your mobile phone.
The
participating countries are those of the European Union (Germany,
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Spain, Estonia,
Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic,
Romania, United Kingdom, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden), those of the
European Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) and certain
overseas territories (Azores, Canaries , Gibraltar, Guadeloupe, Guyana,
Madeira, Martinique, Mayotte, Reunion, Saint-Martin).
Apart from a few rural areas not covered by mobile telephone networks, there are no longer any telephone booths in service in France today. Most have disappeared from public space; some have survived and have found a new use, becoming book boxes, for example.
The taxiphone (or phone shop), little known to many people, is an establishment which, like a cyber-café, offers you access to the Internet and allows you to call wherever you want. You pay for the communication after your phone call. Payphones allow taxi drivers to call each other or the general public to call a taxi.
Metropolitan France enjoys a temperate climate, but periods of heat waves or harsh winters are not uncommon. The geographical diversity is found in 3 main climates: Atlantic, Mediterranean and Continental.
France is a relatively safe country, thanks to its law enforcement
agencies (army, national police, municipal police), private security
companies and volunteer networks of vigilant and supportive neighbours.
As proof, in 2012, the number of homicides posted the lowest level ever
reached in the country.
However, certain well-known areas,
particularly in large cities (certain cities, certain stations, certain
shopping centers, places of alcoholic parties, etc.) are still to be
avoided. It is still a good idea to take the usual precautions,
particularly in large cities and tourist places: do not leave any
visible objects in the car, never leave luggage unattended in a station
or in other places of transit, do not let your wallet protrude from your
pocket (especially in the metro, RER, bus and tram), keep your precious
objects out of sight and only take on you the cash that is strictly
necessary to during the day, keep your bag close at hand, preferably on
your knees or on the table (never leave it on the floor or hanging from
the back of a chair), when you sit on the terrace of a café.
Against pickpockets, place your valuables (ID, transport tickets, check
book, bank card) in a wallet belt (or kangaroo pocket) hidden under your
clothes when walking on the sidewalk, avoid carrying your street-side
backpack or handbag. However, beware of some classic pickpocketing:
tearful stories pretext to ask you for money, mud (or spit) thrown on
your shoulder to divert your attention while you snatch your bag.
Another tactic, especially with children, is to deploy a newspaper right
in front of your nose to block you from seeing what they're up to
(usually dutifully rummaging through your waistband). Either way, the
best strategy is to not answer, look the person straight in the eye, and
quickly walk away with an assured step, holding your things firmly.
Yelling or threatening with big gestures also tends to discourage the
aggressor.
Motorhome owners should be especially careful. There
are indeed many reports of thefts of motorhomes or inside them when they
are left unattended. So prefer guarded campsites or homestays to wild
pitches.
It is a good idea to take out an all-risk travel
insurance policy covering all personal effects.
However, we must
not enter into a psychosis: we walk around and work in France serenely.
All emergency numbers are free. On the other hand, certain
interventions (not all) can be chargeable, such as, for example, the
rescue by helicopter or the removal of a wasp or hornet nest by the
firefighters (in certain municipalities, these interventions to remove
pests are not taken care of, you may be asked to call a private service,
as there is normally no emergency to intervene). But in the case of a
paid intervention, the sum is not claimed until after the intervention
(which is not the case everywhere in the world), and this sum may be
covered by your insurance: we will present you with an invoice
justifying the sums to be paid with time for you to take the necessary
steps. In addition, France offers everyone, even foreigners, minimal
free medical aid.
You will be admitted to public hospitals
immediately for all emergency assistance, even if you cannot provide
immediate proof of insurance or social protection, and ambulance
transport to the hospital will not be charged at all. suite (emergency
transport by the fire department is free). Please note: part of the
hospital costs are not covered, that of the "hospital package" (lump sum
per day), only beneficiaries registered for social assistance can be
exempted from it subject to means testing (by the intermediary of a
social service, present in almost all public hospitals and able to help
with the administrative procedures).
In the mountains, rescue is
free — unless you have a pair of skis or a snowboard on your feet. It is
better to provide insurance, especially for off-piste skiing. For skiing
on slopes, ski lift passes generally include the price of insurance
covering rescue (which only covers skiing on the open domain and on the
day the pass is valid), but not always subsequent care or repatriation
to your home.
At sea, rescue is free for people but not for
boats: you will have to pay to recover your windsurfing board or have
your boat towed to a port or taken over by a navigator.
Nationals
of the European Union benefit from free healthcare with the European
health insurance card. Each member of the same family must have one,
including children under 16. For other nationals, it is necessary to
provide medical care and repatriation insurance. On public holidays or
at night, when a pharmacy is closed, the name of the nearest duty
pharmacy is displayed on its door. You can also contact the police or
the gendarmerie.
Tap water is drinkable, except when the contrary
is indicated: "Not drinkable water". Never drink water from mountain
streams or elsewhere.
To travel to France with your dog or cat,
make sure he is identified by an electronic chip and bring his European
passport and his vaccination record (updated anti-rabies vaccination).
Find out from the places of accommodation and visits to find out if
animals are accepted and from the tourist offices for authorization to
access the beaches. If you are traveling by train, small animals must be
placed in a basket, large dogs kept on a leash and muzzled; prices vary
according to the size of the dog.
SOS Médecins, Logo indicating a
telephone number +33 826 46 44 44
Citizens of the European Union (EU), who fall ill unexpectedly during
a temporary stay, studies or a professional stay, are entitled to the
same medical care as in their country of residence. It is always useful
to take with you the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) which
constitutes the material proof of your insurance in an EU country.
However, if you do not have the card with you or if you cannot use it
(as in the case of private assistance), you are still entitled to
treatment, but you are obliged to pay the costs on the spot. , then you
will ask for the refund on your return.
The countries in which
health cover is provided are all those who are members of the European
Union (Germany, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark,
Spain, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy ,
Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal,
Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden), those of the
European Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway), Switzerland,
the United Kingdom and the overseas territories member of the European
Union (Azores, Canary Islands, Gibraltar, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Madeira,
Martinique, Mayotte, La Réunion, Saint-Martin).
Bathroom
The
use of public toilets, which are sometimes rare in certain cities and
sometimes broken down, comes at widely varying prices. All are
prohibited for unaccompanied children under 10 years old. Motorway rest
areas, certain train stations, certain metro stations, department
stores, supermarkets, shopping centers and buildings open to the public
have free toilets. You can also go to a café and head towards the
“Toilets” sign; it's often free, but you may be told in a more or less
friendly way that “the toilets are reserved for customers”.
Disability
Accessibility in France has been a real will of the State
for fifteen years, the modifications are going slowly but surely. The
problem is rather on the side of the respect of the installations.
Indeed, although it is less and less frequent, it is not uncommon to
encounter motorists parked on the sidewalk or on lowered pedestrian
crossings. You will then need to arm yourself with a good dose of
patience and agree to a few detours. You also have to be wary of dog
droppings which are a real problem in France, so don't get too
distracted by the scenery. You must therefore regularly lower your eyes
to ensure that the ground is clear in front of you. With a little
preparation, your stay will nevertheless be pleasant, especially since
these remarks only concern urban areas, and France is a country with
vast rural areas. On the other hand, find out about the accessibility of
places to visit in order to avoid unpleasant surprises, access for the
disabled is often better in urban areas and national monuments than in
small towns and private monuments (castles, etc.). Do not hesitate to
ask for help, the French are very helpful.
It is quite frowned upon to speak loudly on public transport or in
restaurants. We won't tell you anything, but you'll surely get more than
one icy stare!
In France, although the country welcomes
immigrants and is the first tourist destination in the world, the racial
domain is not a subject that one can easily approach because there are
sometimes very embarrassing political connotations. Likewise, do not
discuss religious matters with people you know little about.
Incidentally, do not ask personal questions (religion, political and/or
sexual orientation, salary) to people you know little about.
Systematically use the “you” of politeness when addressing people you
know little about. If you become close with someone, they will tell you
to be familiar with them or do it directly with you. It's always better
to use "you", even if it seems awkward at first, than to use "you" in a
bad situation, which can be offensive to the person you're talking to.
The only exception is if the person calls you or tells you to; then you
will have to act like him.
Even if the Frenchman is sometimes
grumpy about his own country, he is still proud to be French. Criticism
of his country or of French behavior is to be avoided. Even if the
subject is launched by French people, keep any negative criticism to
yourself, especially if the subject concerns gastronomy. Don't forget
that the French are also “chauvinists”! Indeed, France has been a
unified country for more than a thousand years and was, until the 19th
century, a nation of the very first order. The French like to believe
that their country, propagator of the ideas of the French Revolution
relating to the Rights of Humanity, would always exert a moral and
intellectual influence on the whole world. Do not deceive them because
if this is no longer the case today, this nostalgia for the great
civilizing Nation is nevertheless the cement of its population.
As in all countries where football is the national sport, there are
great rivalries between regions. Thus, never compare a Marseillais to a
Parisian because it is very badly taken.
We must scrupulously
respect the ban on smoking in public places, bars, restaurants,
discotheques and transport.
In some regions, avoid using the new
name that came into effect after the 2014-2016 redistricting of the
territory so as not to arouse the mockery specific to "chauvinism". For
example, a Picard or a Ch'ti (inhabitant of Nord-pas-de-Calais) may not
appreciate the appellation "Hauts-de-France" (fusion of Picardy and
Nord-pas-de-Calais) ; similarly, an Alsatian or a Lorrain will not
appreciate the "Grand Est" appellation at all (Alsace, Lorraine and
Champagne-Ardenne)
Families benefit from a series of discounts, including access to
tourist sites at reduced prices or free for children.
In France,
seniors do not benefit from reduced admission to national museums and
monuments, but certain castles, museums and private sites offer
reductions.
Students under 26, holders of a valid student card,
benefit from numerous reductions in addition to those granted to all
young people under 26 from a European Union country, sometimes even free
in some public museums.
The 14 municipal museums of the City of
Paris are free (excluding temporary exhibitions). More and more big
cities followed suit.
On the 1st Sunday of the month, most
national museums and monuments are also open.
Visits to religious
monuments are still open and free in France (except sometimes guided
tours).
There are also monuments and thematic trails in the
region for free self-guided tours.
It is estimated that what is now France was settled around 48,000
years ago. Significant rock paintings from the Palaeolithic have been
preserved in the Lascaux Cave. From 600 BC Phoenician and Greek traders
established bases along the Mediterranean coast, while Celts from the
north-west settled what was later called Gaul by the Romans. The Celtic
Gauls with their Druidic religion are often seen today as the ancestors
of the French, and Vercingetorix is glorified as France's first national
hero, although hardly any Gaulish elements have remained in French
culture. (See also celtomania)
Between 58 and 51 BC BC Caesar
conquered the region in the Gallic Wars; the Roman provinces of Gallia
Belgica, Gallia cisalpina and Gallia Narbonensis were established. In a
period of prosperity and peace, these provinces adopted Roman advances
in technology, agriculture, and law; great, elegant cities arose. From
the 5th century, increasing numbers of Germanic peoples immigrated to
Gaul, who founded their own empires after the collapse of the Roman
Empire in 476. After a temporary dominance of the Visigoths, the Franks
under Clovis I founded the Merovingian Empire. They adopted numerous
Roman values and institutions, e.g. Catholicism (496). In 732, they
managed to stop Islamic expansion from the Iberian Peninsula at the
Battle of Tours and Poitiers. The Carolingians succeeded the
Merovingians. Charlemagne was crowned emperor in 800, in 843 the
Frankish kingdom was divided among his grandchildren with the Treaty of
Verdun; its western part roughly corresponded to today's France.
The French Middle Ages were characterized by the rise of royalty in
the constant struggle against the independence of the high nobility and
the secular power of monasteries and religious orders. Starting from
today's Île-de-France, the Capetians pushed through the idea of a
unitary state, which was underpinned by their participation in various
crusades. From the first half of the 9th century, the Vikings repeatedly
invaded the lower reaches of the Seine and settled there. After the West
Frankish King Charles the Simple entrusted the Norman leader Rollo with
the county of Rouen in 911, the area became known as Normandy. In 1066
the Romanized Normans conquered England. A long series of military
conflicts with England began under King Louis VII after Louis' divorced
wife Eleanor of Aquitaine had married Henry Plantagenet, King of England
from 1154, in 1152 and thus about half of the French state territory had
fallen to England. Philip II August was able to largely oust England
together with the Staufers from France by 1299; the English king Henry
III. also had to Louis IX. recognized by France as a feudal lord. From
1226 France became a hereditary monarchy; in 1250 Louis IX. one of the
most powerful rulers of the West.
After the death of the last
Capetian, Philip of Valois was elected the new king in 1328 and founded
the Valois dynasty. The population of France at this time is estimated
at 15 million. The country had significant cultural achievements with
scholastic, Gothic and Romanesque architecture. Claims to the throne
that Edward III. Plantagenet, King of England and Duke of Aquitaine, led
to the Hundred Years' War in 1337. After great initial successes by
England, which conquered the entire north-west of France, France was
initially able to push back the invaders. A rebellion in Burgundy and
the assassination of the king meant that England was even able to occupy
Paris and Aquitaine. Only the national resistance sparked by Joan of Arc
led to the reconquest of the lost territories (with the exception of
Calais) by 1453. In addition to the Hundred Years' War, the plague of
1348 killed about a third of the population.
With the incorporation of Burgundy and Brittany into the French
state, the monarchy was at a temporary peak of its power, but was
threatened in this position by Habsburg during the Renaissance - the
Habsburg Emperor Charles V ruled an empire whose lands centered around
France grouped. From the Reformation in the early 16th century,
Protestantism spread to France, mainly through the work of John Calvin.
The French Calvinists, called Huguenots, were severely oppressed in
their religious practice. The Huguenot wars resulted in up to 4 million
deaths. The high point is Saint Bartholomew's Night in 1572. It was not
until the first ruler from the House of Bourbon, Henry of Navarre, that
the Huguenots were granted freedom of religion in the Edict of Nantes in
1598.
The Renaissance period was also characterized by greater
centralization, with the king becoming independent of the church and the
nobility. The leading ministers and cardinals, Richelieu and Jules
Mazarin, succeeded in establishing an absolutist state. At Richelieu's
instigation, France actively intervened in the Thirty Years' War in
Central Europe in 1635; in connection with this there was a war against
Spain. In the Peace of Westphalia of 1648, France was granted
territories in Alsace; the Holy Roman Empire and Spain were weakened.
The era of French dominance in Europe began. All the rulers of Europe
followed the example of French culture. French became the dominant
language of education. However, the expensive wars and opposition from
the nobility led to state bankruptcy and an uprising (Fronde). With the
Edict of Fontainebleau in 1685, Louis XIV revoked the religious freedom
of the Huguenots. Despite severe threats of punishment, around 200,000
Huguenots fled again. More than 400,000 remaining Protestants converted
to Catholicism and fewer than 200,000 remained of the Reformed faith,
mostly in the Languedoc (predominantly in the Cevennes). Under Louis
XIV, the so-called Sun King, who was enthroned in 1643 at the age of
four and ruled until 1715, absolutism reached its peak. During this
time, the Palace of Versailles was built.
The wars waged by the absolutist kings (such as the War of
Devolution, the Dutch War, the Palatinate War of Succession, the Spanish
War of Succession, the Seven Years' War, and participation in the
American War of Independence), their expensive court and crop failures
triggered a major financial crisis that King Louis XVI. compelled to
convene the States General. The National Assembly drafted a
constitution, limited the king's powers, and ended the Ancien Régime.
The deteriorating living conditions of the people led to the French
Revolution in 1789 with the declaration of human and civil rights as a
central achievement. The church was expropriated and even a new calendar
was introduced. The constitution passed in 1791 made France a
constitutional monarchy. After the king's attempted escape, he was
arrested and executed in 1793, and the First Republic was proclaimed.
However, the first experience of republican rule, based on the principle
of equality, ended in chaos and the reign of terror under Robespierre.
In this situation, Napoleon Bonaparte seized power as First Consul
with a coup d'etat in 1799; In 1804 he crowned himself Emperor. In the
following coalition wars he brought almost all of Europe under his
control. However, his Russian campaign in 1812 was a failure, and the
Battle of the Nations near Leipzig in 1813 sealed the defeat of the
French troops. During the exile in Elba reigned with Louis XVIII.
another Bourbone, Napoleon returned in 1815 and ruled another hundred
days. After the defeat at the Battle of Waterloo, he was finally
banished. The Restoration restored the Bourbons to the throne, who set
about rebuilding the lost colonial empire. In France, the Industrial
Revolution was taking place at the same time, and a working class was
slowly forming. The July Revolution of 1830 overthrew the despotic ruler
Charles X, who was replaced by the citizen-king Louis-Philippe I.
Another bourgeois revolution brought France the Second Republic in 1848.
Louis Napoléon Bonaparte, who identified himself as Napoleon III in
1852, was elected President of the Second Republic. to be crowned
emperor. Opposition was violently suppressed under his rule, but foreign
policy projects such as the acquisition of Nice and Savoy, the
incorporation of Equatorial Africa and Indochina into the colonial
empire, and the construction of the Suez Canal succeeded. His rule
coincided with the formation of a nation state in Germany under the
leadership of the North German Confederation. The Franco-Prussian War,
which Napoleon III. began to prevent a powerful competitor for hegemony
in Europe, ended in defeat, Wilhelm I had himself proclaimed German
Emperor in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles. The Paris Commune, an
uprising directed against the surrender, was crushed with violence and
numerous casualties.
Already under Karl X. Algiers was occupied under a pretext in 1830 to
distract from internal political difficulties. In 1831, the Foreign
Legion was founded to provide security. Algeria became the granary of
France. By 1906, French settlers, later called "Pieds-noirs", had
increased to 13 percent of the population. In 1854 the first French
bases were set up on the coast of Senegal. By 1891, all of what is now
Senegal came under French control.
The Third Republic lasted from
1871 to 1940. During this time, the French colonial empire expanded to
an area of 7.7 million square kilometers. The industrialization of
France led to an economic boom: in 1878, 1889 and 1900 world exhibitions
were held in Paris.
A scramble for Africa ensued between France
and the United Kingdom. Both countries practiced imperialism. The
highlight of the "race" was the Fashoda crisis in 1898 between the two
countries. The United Kingdom had set itself the goal of conquering a
north-south belt of colonies in Africa, from the Cape of Good Hope to
Cairo ("Cape Cairo Plan"). France, on the other hand, wanted an
east-west belt from Dakar to Djibouti. The claims of both states finally
collided in the small Sudanese town of Fashoda. France finally gave in
without a fight; the two countries staked out their areas of interest in
March 1899 (“Sudan Treaty”). The Third Republic experienced three major
crises within ten years: the Panama scandal (1889-1893), the Fashoda
crisis and the Dreyfus affair (1894-1905).
The Roman Catholic
Church in France practiced an anti-modernist stance for decades; This is
one of the reasons why France – also in the course of the Dreyfus affair
– became a distinctly secular state (“Law on the Separation of Religion
and State” in the “Law on the Separation of Church and State” of
December 1905).
In 1904, France joined the Entente Cordiale with
the United Kingdom and entered World War I in 1914 with the aim of
regaining Alsace-Lorraine and decisively weakening Germany. After the
war, although France was on the winning side, northern France was
largely devastated. The Spanish flu of 1918/19 added 166,000 to the 1.5
million soldiers who died.
The interwar period in France was
characterized above all by political instability. In the Treaty of
Versailles in 1919, Germany was obliged to pay high reparations to the
victorious powers. Above all, the French Prime Minister and Foreign
Minister Poincaré insisted on an uncompromising and punctual fulfillment
of the services. The French military repeatedly took delays in
deliveries as an opportunity to move into unoccupied territory. For
example, on March 8, 1921, French and Belgian troops occupied the cities
of Duisburg and Düsseldorf in the demilitarized zone. As a result, even
the Ruhr area was temporarily occupied.
The "People's Front" that
ruled from 1934 was primarily concerned with preserving the status quo,
so that France was poorly prepared for the Second World War: In their
western campaign, German troops bypassed the Maginot Line and marched
into undefended Paris. Marshal Pétain had to sign the "second armistice
of Compiègne" (in France: Armistice de Rethondes) on June 22, 1940.
France was divided into a zone occupied and a zone libre, with the
latter governed by the conservative-authoritarian Vichy regime, which
was dependent on Germany. Shortly after the armistice was signed,
Résistance groups formed, and Charles de Gaulle founded the Forces
françaises libres government in exile in London. Northern France was
recaptured in 1944 in Operation Overlord, conducted by the Allies. A
month after the liberation of Paris in August 1944, de Gaulle formed a
provisional government. Among other things, in October 1944, the latter
decided on women's suffrage, which French women had previously been
denied. It was used for the first time in the municipal elections on
April 29, 1945 and at the national level in the elections to the
National Assembly on October 21, 1945.
The constitution of the Fourth Republic had already been adopted by a
referendum on October 13, 1946. France, which found itself on the side
of the victorious powers, became a founding member of the United Nations
and was given veto rights in the Security Council. To promote
reconstruction, France received, among other things, support from the
Marshall Plan; it is disputed among economists whether these had any
significant economic effects. The long post-war economic boom that began
after World War II was known as the Trente Glorieuses. In 1949, France
was a founding member of NATO; The first step towards European
integration was taken in 1951 with the founding of the European Coal and
Steel Community. In March 1957 the Treaties of Rome were signed; On
January 1, 1958, the European Economic Community (EEC) was founded,
which has since become the European Union and of which France is an
active and important member.
The post-war period was also marked
by the collapse of the colonial empire. The First Indochina War
(1946–1954) ended with the Battle of Điện Biên Pủ and the loss of all
French colonies in Southeast Asia. The Algerian war (1954-1962) meant an
even deeper cut, which was fought with great severity and at the end of
which Algeria had to be granted independence. Hundreds of thousands of
Pied-noirs fled to France, where their integration into French society
was not always smooth (see also Decolonization of Africa).
Domestically, the unstable Fourth Republic was replaced in October 1958
by the Fifth Republic, which provides for a strong president who is
largely independent of the legislature. This Fifth Republic was shaken
by student protests and a general strike in May 1968 as part of the
worldwide '68 movement, which resulted in long-term cultural, political
and economic reforms. Around 1971, ie before the oil price crisis of
1973, France decided to make itself less dependent on oil by using
nuclear energy (see nuclear energy in France).
Another turning
point came in 1981 when the Socialist Party took over the government and
François Mitterrand assumed the presidency, which lasted until May 1995.
During it, among other things, nationalizations were promoted, the death
penalty abolished, the 39-hour week and other social reforms introduced;
In 1992 the Maastricht Treaty on European integration was ratified.
Mitterrand's successor, Jacques Chirac, implemented the introduction of
the euro and refused to take part in the Iraq war in 2002/2003.
President Nicolas Sarkozy (UMP), who was in office from 2007, was
followed in 2012 by François Hollande (Parti socialiste) and in 2017 by
Emmanuel Macron, who had been a minister under Hollande but left the
government in 2016 and founded his own party En Marche.
In the
context of the euro crisis, France's net new debt, public spending, the
ability to reform and other factors have been the subject of critical
debate since around 2010.
In 2015, Paris was hit by several
Islamist terrorist attacks: on January 7, twelve people were killed in
an attack on the editorial staff of the satirical magazine Charlie
Hebdo. On January 9, four people were murdered in a kosher supermarket
hostage situation at Porte de Vincennes. On the evening of November 13,
terrorists carried out attacks in six different locations in the city,
killing 130 people. The terrorist organization "Islamic State" (IS)
claimed responsibility for these attacks. A state of emergency was
declared the following day. After being extended six times, the state of
emergency was officially ended on November 1, 2017. In its place came a
new anti-terror law that gives security forces more powers; in
particular, since then, the freedom of movement of perpetrators can be
drastically restricted without a judge's decision.
The entire territory of the French Republic is 632,733.9 square
kilometers. The “French metropolitan area” in Europe, also known as
Metropolitan France (France métropolitaine), has an area of 543,939.9
square kilometers. It is called Hexagone (hexagon) because of its shape.
As one of the largest countries in Europe, France has numerous,
sometimes very differently shaped landscapes. The landscape is
predominantly characterized by plains or hills. The country is
mountainous in the southeast and on the border with the Iberian
Peninsula. The main mountain ranges are the Pyrenees in the southwest,
the Massif Central in the center of the southern half of the country and
the Vosges, the Jura and the Alps in the east (listed from north to
south). The highest mountain in France is the 4810 meter high Mont Blanc
in the Alps; it is also often regarded as the highest mountain in
Europe. Although Elbrus in the European-Asian border area is higher, it
is not clearly assigned to any continent.
France has sea coasts
south to the Mediterranean Sea, west and north to the Atlantic Ocean,
the English Channel and the North Sea. It borders Spain and Andorra to
the southwest, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland and Italy to
the north and east, and Monaco to the southeast. In addition, France
borders on the countries of Suriname and Brazil through the overseas
department of French Guiana and on the autonomous country of Sint
Maarten of the Kingdom of the Netherlands through the overseas territory
of Saint-Martin.
France is divided into 18 regions of which 13 are in Europe and five are French Overseas Territories (France d'outre-mer, FOM) - French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte and Réunion. Until December 31, 2015, metropolitan France was divided into 22 regions (France had 27 regions including the five FOM).
France maintains nature reserves of various categories in mainland
Europe and in the overseas departments. There are
eleven national
parks covering an area of around 4.5 million hectares,
nine marine
nature parks,
54 Regional Natural Parks covering an area of more than
nine million hectares and
a multitude of protection zones, such as
nature reserves (réserve naturelle), Natura 2000 areas of the EU and
biosphere reserves of the UNESCO.
The Obere Mundatwald, which lies on the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany and is therefore subject to German law, is managed by the Forestry Office of the French Republic. On the part of France, imported wood from the Upper Mundat forest is subject to French sales tax. In Oberhausen, Germany (near Neuburg/Donau), a 300-square-meter piece of land containing a monument to Théophile Malo Corret de la Tour d'Auvergne belongs to France and is therefore French territory. France also has some churches and the Villa Medici in Rome (Italy) and the Pays Quint in Spain. In Jerusalem, Israel, a church and several historical sites are part of France. Furthermore, part of the Žuráň hill in the Czech Republic is part of the French Republic.
France's population was 67.8 million as of January 1, 2022, with
Metropolitan France, the European part of France, accounting for 65.2
million inhabitants. In 2021, the annual population growth was + 0.3%.
The population of France in 1750 was estimated at around 25 million.
This made it by far the most populous country in Western Europe. By 1850
the population had risen to 37 million; After that, a stagnation in
population development that was unique in Europe at the time set in. The
relative prosperity and advanced civilization of France are seen as the
cause of this. Contraceptive sexual behavior was practiced and more
widespread than in other countries, but the influence of the Catholic
Church was already weakened. In just under 100 years, the number of
inhabitants grew by only three million: in 1940, despite strong
immigration after 1918, France only had around 40 million inhabitants.
This population stagnation is seen as one of the reasons why France
struggled to hold its own against its more populous neighbor Germany
during the two world wars. In addition, France's army suffered the
highest relative casualties of any belligerent country during World War
I. After the Second World War, after a long time, there was again an
increase in the birth rate and population increase, which was partly
caused by the transnational baby boom generation as well as by increased
immigration, especially from former French colonies.
A surplus of
births (birth rate: 10.9 per 1000 inhabitants vs. death rate: 9.7 per
1000 inhabitants) contributed to the population growth in 2021. The
number of births per woman was statistically 1.8 in 2020 and thus above
the value of the European Union of 1.5. The life expectancy of residents
of France from birth was 82.2 years in 2020 (women: 85.3, men: 79.2).
The median age of the population was 40.1 years in 2020, below the
European value of 42.5.
In 2021, 3.2 marriages were contracted
per 1000 inhabitants. As an alternative, numerous French chose the Civil
Solidarity Pact as a form of coexistence. This partnership, called Pacs,
was introduced in 1999; In 2009, 175,000 Pacs were closed.
Due to slow population growth, France already faced the problem of
labor shortages in the mid-19th century. Since the beginning of
industrialization, guest workers from various European countries
(Italian, Poles, Germans, Spaniards, Belgians) have therefore come to
France, for example to the greater Paris area or to the mining and
mining areas of Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Lorraine. As of 1880, around one
million foreigners lived and worked in France; they made up seven to
eight percent of the workforce. France was not familiar with the
phenomenon of mass emigration, which also prevailed in Germany. During
the First World War, around three percent of France's population were
foreigners. The first xenophobic tendencies emerged, and by 1931 the
proportion of foreigners had grown to 6.6 percent. After that,
immigration was severely restricted, and refugees from the Spanish Civil
War, for example, were expelled or interned. After the Second World War,
France again recruited guest workers, mainly from Spain and Portugal,
and maintained a very liberal immigration policy until 1974. Europeans,
especially Italians and Poles, had made up more than 90 percent of the
foreign population in 1931; in the 1970s this proportion was only around
60 percent, with the largest proportion now being Portuguese.
The
proportion of foreign residents in 2006 was 5.8 percent, plus 4.3
percent came français par acquisition, ie people who were born abroad
and have adopted French citizenship. In 2008, 5.23 million immigrants
lived in France, representing 8.4% of the total population. Of these,
2.72 million had adopted French citizenship. Descendants of immigrants
who had at least one foreign-born parent born abroad were estimated at
about 10.4% of the total population in 2010. Today (2014) most
immigrants in France are of North African origin (Algerians, Moroccans,
Tunisians), followed by Southern Europeans (Portuguese, Italians,
Spaniards). In 2018, 273,000 immigrants were registered (39% from Africa
and 35% from Europe). The highest concentration of immigrants lives in
the greater Paris area or in south-eastern France (in the Marseille
region). Since the start of the European refugee crisis, many migrants
have arrived in France from Africa, including from former French
colonies in sub-Saharan Africa.
The constitution of the Fifth French Republic states that access to
education, training and culture must be equal for all citizens and that
the maintenance of free and secular public schools is the responsibility
of the state. Accordingly, the education system in France is organized
centrally; the regional authorities must provide the infrastructure.
Private and public institutions coexist, with the mostly Catholic
private schools having been the subject of intense political debate
several times in the past. In contrast to the school systems of the
German-speaking countries, in France there is more emphasis on the
selection and education of elites, or education about education. Since
1967 there has been compulsory education up to the age of 16;
Homeschooling is allowed. In France, the average school attendance for
over 25 year olds was 11.6 years (as of 2015).
The kindergarten
is called École maternelle in France and offers pre-school education for
children from the age of two. It is attended by a high percentage of
children. The visit is all-day and free of charge, only optional
additional offers for care at off-peak times and lunchtime meals have to
be paid for by the parents. The École maternelle is seen in France much
more as a school than is the case with kindergartens in German-speaking
and other countries. The supervisors in the Maternelles have teacher
training and are employed by the state school board, Éducation
Nationale, which also sets the curriculum.
The École élémentaire,
which follows the Maternelle and corresponds to the German elementary
school, lasts five years. After graduating, the children attend the
Collège, a four-year comprehensive school, where they graduate with the
Brevet des collèges.
The young person then has several options.
He can enter a vocational school, which he completes with the Certificat
d'aptitude professional; a dual training system like in Germany is very
rare. The Lycée roughly corresponds to the Gymnasium. After twelve
school years, it leads to the Baccalauréat. Several school branches such
as scientific, economic or literary are distinguished. Those who attend
a Lycée professionnel or a Center de formation d'apprentis can graduate
with a Baccalauréat professionnel after 13 school years. In foreign
language classes, English and Spanish are taught more than German, which
is considered the “Intello idiom”.
Academic education is
characterized by the coexistence of the Grandes écoles and the
universities. Compared to the universities in France, the Grandes écoles
have a better reputation, low student numbers and a high level of
personal attention. You can usually only visit them after attending the
classe préparatoire, which is usually offered by lycées. Among the more
important of the Grandes écoles are the École polytechnique, the
Écolenormal supérieure, the École national d'administration, the École
des hautes études en sciences sociales and the École Centrale Paris. In
the course of the Europe-wide harmonization of degrees as part of the
Bologna process, the LMD system was also introduced at French
universities. LMD means that the license or bachelor's degree (after
three years), the master's degree (after five years) and the doctorate
(after eight years) can be acquired one after the other. The traditional
national diplomas (DEUG, Licence, Maîtrise, DEA and DESS) are to be
dropped as part of this process. At the end of 2009, around 2.25 million
students were studying at French universities.
In the 2015 PISA
ranking, France's students ranked 26th out of 72 countries in
mathematics, 16th in science and 19th in reading. France is thus in the
middle of the OECD countries.
The health care system is part of the public social security system
Sécurité Sociale, which was founded in 1945 and includes equal
representation of employers and employees. The organization of the
system is the responsibility of the state and the statutory health
insurance. However, private supplementary insurance is widespread.
According to estimates by the European Consumer Center, spending on
medicines is higher than in Germany, although medicines are
comparatively cheaper in France.
In 2019, 32.7 doctors per 10,000
inhabitants practiced in France. Medical care problems mainly exist in
underfunded hospitals. In addition, there is a shortage of staff, since
the income of the nurses is below the national average. In France there
are 5.6 hospital beds per 1000 inhabitants, in Germany the ratio is 1000
to 7.9. The intensive care units in particular only offer insufficient
capacities. Since March 2019 there have been protests by emergency room
workers and doctors.
The French language evolved from francien, which was spoken in what
is now the Île-de-France region in the Middle Ages. It spread roughly as
the French kings expanded their dominions. In 1539, King Francis I
decreed that French should be the only language in his kingdom. Even so,
in the 18th century only about half of the subjects of French kings
spoke French. After the revolution, the regional languages were actively
opposed; only a law passed in 1951 permitted teaching in regional
languages. Even today, Article 2 of the 1958 Constitution establishes
French as the sole official language of France. Not only is it the
language commonly spoken in France, but it is also the vehicle of French
culture around the world. The regional languages spoken in France are in
danger of dying out due to internal migrations and the almost exclusive
use of French in the media. Although France has signed the European
Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, it has not ratified it.
Among other things, the Constitutional Council ruled in 1999 that parts
of the charter were incompatible with the French constitution. Since
2008, Article 75-1 of the Constitution mentions the regional languages
as part of France's cultural heritage.
Regional languages spoken
in France are the Oïl Romance languages of Northern France, some of
which are considered French dialects, such as Picardy, Norman, Gallo,
Poitevin-Saintongeais, Walloon and Champenois, Franco-Provençal in
French and (West- )Swiss Alps and Jura region, Occitan in southern
France, Catalan in the Pyrénées-Orientales department, Alsatian and
Lorraine in north-eastern France, Basque and its dialects in the extreme
south-west, Breton in the north-west, Corsican in Corsica and Flemish in
the north of the country. Furthermore, a wide variety of languages such
as Creole languages, Polynesian languages or Kanak languages in New
Caledonia are spoken in the overseas possessions.
Unlike e.g. B.
in Italy there are no regional official languages in France. Regional
influences are also reflected only to a limited extent in place names
and field names. German-language names are still very widespread in
Alsace, but not in Lorraine. Similarly, the Italian names in Corsica
largely remained in place even after the incorporation into France, but
this is not the case in the areas on the mainland (Savoy, County of Nice
and Alpes-Maritimes), which were formerly associated with Italy. The
place name Nice comes from the Italian (Italian Nice), but only the
French name Nice is officially used locally. In the extreme north of
France, in the border areas with Flanders, there are some Dutch place
names, while in the border areas with Spain, Basque and Catalan
influences can be seen.
French is the working language of the
United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe,
the European Commission and the African Union. The Loi Toubon was passed
in 1994 to protect the French language from being monopolized by
Anglicisms. The 1996 implementing decree established a mechanism for
introducing new words, controlled by the Délégation générale à la langue
française et aux langues de France and the Commission générale de
terminologie et de néologie. This decree obliges the authorities to use
the new creations published in the Official Journal and in the
FranceTerme dictionary.
Immigrants from different nations, mainly
from Portugal, Eastern Europe, the Maghreb and the rest of Africa,
brought their languages with them. In contrast to the traditional
languages, these speaking communities are particularly concentrated in
the big cities, but cannot be assigned to any specific geographical
area.
France is officially a secular state, which means that the state and
religious communities are completely separate. Since the state does not
collect any data on the religious affiliation of the inhabitants, all
information on the denominational composition of the population is based
on estimates or information from the religious communities themselves
and therefore often differ significantly from one another, which is why
the following figures should also be treated with caution. In a poll by
Le Monde des religions, 51 percent of French people identified as
Catholic, 31 percent said they had no religion, and about 9 percent said
they were Muslim. 3 percent identified themselves as Protestants. Almost
all Protestant churches in France, of which the United Protestant Church
of France has the largest membership, work together in the French
Evangelical Church Federation. One percent identified themselves as
Jews. Extrapolated to the population, this corresponds to 32 million
Catholics, 5.7 million Muslims, 1.9 million Protestants and 600,000 Jews
as well as 20 million non-religious. 6 percent provided other or no
information. According to surveys, only a small proportion of Catholics
are actually believers and practitioners, but conversely, tendencies of
Catholic traditionalism are also strongly represented in France. In
addition, due to immigration from Eastern Europe and the Middle East,
around a million Orthodox and members of the Oriental Orthodox Churches
live in France. The ancestors of the approximately 600,000 Buddhists
came primarily from the former French Indochina. There is also a larger
number of Hindus.
A representative survey commissioned by the
European Commission as part of the Eurobarometer in 2020 showed that
religion is important for 26 percent of people in France, for 25 percent
it is neither important nor unimportant and for 48 percent it is
unimportant.
Estimates by the Swiss Metadatabase of Religious
Affiliation (SMRE), published in 2018, for the period 2000 (1996 to
2005) range from 51.7 percent Catholics, 2.3 percent Protestants, 0.2
percent Orthodox, 0.5 percent Jews, 0.5 percent percent Muslims, 44.2
percent people with no religious affiliation and 0.6 percent others. For
the period 2010 (2006 to 2015), the SMRE estimates 40 percent Catholics,
1.7 percent Protestants, 0.3 percent Orthodox, 0.8 percent other
Christians, 0.3 percent Jews, 5.1 percent Muslims, 50.5 percent
non-religious and 1.3 percent others.
Historically, France has long been a Catholic-dominated country.
Since Louis XI. († 1483), with the consent of the Pope, the French kings
bore the title of roi très chrétien (most Christian king). During the
Reformation, France always remained a Catholic majority, even though
there were strong Protestant minorities (Huguenots). However, after St.
Bartholomew's Night in 1572 at the latest, they had to give up hope of a
Protestant France. When the Protestant Henry of Navarre became heir to
the throne of France, he converted to the Catholic faith for political
and tactical reasons (Paris vaut bien une messe, "Paris is worth a
mass"), but at the same time guaranteed the Protestants special rights
and special rights in the Edict of Nantes in 1598 freedom of religion.
The Edict of Nantes was repealed in 1685 under Louis XIV, which led to a
mass exodus of the Huguenots to neighboring Protestant countries,
despite the threat of severe punishment. Only shortly before the French
Revolution were Protestants granted limited religious freedom. The
French Revolution then lifted all restrictions on freedom of belief. In
the years after the revolution in the First French Republic, there was a
brief period of intense anti-church sentiment, as the Catholic Church
was seen as representing the Ancien Régime. Not only the privileges of
the church, but even the Christian calendar and worship were abolished
and replaced by a revolutionary calendar or "cult of the supreme being."
Under Napoleon Bonaparte, however, the Concordat of 1801 brought about a
balance between the Catholic Church and the state. Under the Bourbon
restoration after 1815, Catholic-monarchist ideas regained the upper
hand: The Bourbon troops sent to Spain in 1823 to suppress the liberal
revolution were referred to as the "100,000 sons of St. Louis", and the
Jesuit mission overseas was promoted.
In the Third Republic, a
conflict between church and state arose again. Ultimately, this conflict
was part of the clashes between the republican, "liberal" forces on the
one hand and restorative, conservative currents, which were striving for
an authoritarian restructuring of the state up to the reintroduction of
the monarchy, on the other. The Catholic Church as an institution was
placed last, and many Republicans took decidedly anti-clerical stances.
With the law for the separation of church and state passed on December
9, 1905, most of the church property was expropriated and the strict
separation of church and state was established. Since today's three
departments of Moselle, Haut Rhin and Bas Rhin belonged to the German
Empire as the Reichsland Alsace-Lorraine, the law was not applied there
and was not applied there later, when Alsace-Lorraine came back to
France after the First World War in 1918 introduced. The regulation of
1801 is still in effect there today. Catholic priests, Protestant
pastors and Jewish rabbis are paid by the French state in these three
departments, and Catholic and Protestant religious instruction is
offered in public schools. In addition, the church holidays Good Friday
and Boxing Day are still public holidays there.
The Jewish community in France has a checkered history. Jews have
lived in France since Roman times. They were, however, in two waves 1306
under Philip IV and 1394 under Charles VI. all expelled from the
country. For many centuries after that there was hardly any Jewish life
in France. The only exceptions were the areas acquired in the east of
the country in the 18th and 19th centuries, especially Alsace, which had
a special status for a long time. The French Revolution finally granted
the Jews civil equality. However, France remained a country with a
comparatively small Jewish population until the beginning of the 20th
century. After the First World War, but especially after the Second
World War, there was heavy immigration from Eastern Europe and the
Arabian Mediterranean region, so that today France is the country with
the largest Jewish population in Europe.
In the context of a
rapidly rising anti-Semitism and the stagnant economy, there are
thousands of Jewish emigrants every year. It is believed that more than
100,000 Jews left the country between 2010 and 2015, leaving only about
400,000 Jews in France.
Also since the end of the Second World
War, there has been a sharp increase in the proportion of Muslims, which
can be traced back to immigration from the former colonies. The French
central state promotes a "Gallicanization of Islam"; he believes that it
is capable of reforms and demands that Islam designate a body as the
central point of contact for the state.
Since the adoption of a new constitution on October 5, 1958, France
has been talking about the Fifth Republic. This constitution makes
France a centrally organized democracy with a semi-presidential system
of government. Compared to earlier constitutions, the role of the
executive and especially that of the president has been largely
strengthened. This was in response to political instability in the
Fourth Republic. Both President and Prime Minister play an active role
in political life, with the President answerable only to the people.
Parliament's powers were curtailed in the Fifth Republic. Since the
1980s, the constitution has been modernized, primarily through
decentralization.
The constitution does not contain a catalog of
fundamental rights, but refers to the Declaration of the Rights of Man
and of the Citizen of 1789 and the fundamental social rights laid down
in the Constitution of the Fourth French Republic of 1946.
Graduates from the elite university ENA, founded in 1946, have been able
to assert themselves in political offices, in key positions in
administration and in the management of large French companies.
According to the constitution, the president, elected directly by the
people, is the highest state organ. It stands above all other
institutions. He monitors compliance with the constitution, ensures the
functioning of public authorities, the continuity of the state,
independence, the inviolability of national territory and compliance
with agreements concluded with other states. He acts as an arbitrator in
disputes between state institutions. He promulgates laws (Article 10)
and has the right to submit them to the Constitutional Council for
consideration. He may send laws or parts of them back to Parliament for
reconsideration, but has no right of veto. Decrees and regulations are
passed by the Council of Ministers, chaired by the President; the
President has a suspensive veto over these. When it comes to foreign and
security policy, the President has both the authority to issue
directives and to ratify, so that he shapes foreign policy and enters
into binding international agreements for France. This practice emerged
during de Gaulle's government and is not necessarily to be found in the
constitution. At the request of the government or parliament, the
President may initiate referendums. It appoints members of important
bodies, around three of the nine members of the Constitutional Council,
all members of the Supreme Council for the Judiciary and the
prosecutors. The President is not subject to any scrutiny by the
judiciary, he is only accountable to Parliament in cases of high
treason. In addition, the President commands the armed forces and the
use of nuclear weapons; in the event of a state of emergency, the
President has almost unlimited authority. The Office of the President
supports and advises the President.
The President transmits the
state authority bestowed on him to the Prime Minister and the
Government, with the Government having to implement the directives given
by the President. This requires close cooperation between the president
and prime minister, which can be difficult in cohabitation, i.e. when
the president and prime minister come from opposite political camps. The
President formally appoints, without any restrictions, a Prime Minister
and, on the Prime Minister's suggestion, the members of the government.
As a result, the government depends on the trust of parliament; the
president cannot formally dismiss a government once it has been
appointed. The government consists of ministers, ministers of state,
ministres délegués, i.e. ministers with special tasks, and state
secretaries. Members of the government may not hold any other government
office, professional activity or parliamentary mandate in France. In
their function they are accountable to Parliament.
The Parliament of the Fifth Republic consists of two chambers. The
National Assembly (Assemblée Nationale) has 577 members who are directly
elected for five years. The Senate has 348 members (since 2011, as of
2015). These are indirectly elected for a term of six years. The Senate
is elected at departmental level, with the electoral college made up of
departmental deputies, general councilors and municipal representatives.
The elections to the National Assembly in 1967, 1973, 1978, 1986, 2002,
2007, 2012 and 2017 were held as scheduled, the others were early
elections.
Legislation can be initiated by the Prime Minister or
one of the two chambers of Parliament. After the debate in the chambers,
the legal text must be passed by both chambers with the same wording,
with the passing of the text being referred to as a navette. After
adoption by Parliament, the President has only one right to reject a
legislative text. Parliament also has the task of monitoring the work of
the government through inquiries and debates. The National Assembly has
the power to overthrow the government. Parliament does not have the
power to challenge the President politically. However, the President may
dissolve the National Assembly; this right has been used repeatedly in
the past to end difficult phases of cohabitation. A frequent phenomenon
is the accumulation of offices: many senators and members of parliament
are also active as mayors in local politics.
After an eventful history of law in France, today, in the Fifth
Republic, the Constitutional Council (Conseil constitutionnel) assumes
the control function within the political system. In a non-renewable
mandate, the President of the Republic and the Presidents of the
National Assembly and Senate each appoint three deputies for a nine-year
term. The council reviews laws on request, monitors the legality of
elections and referendums. It takes 60 deputies to either the National
Assembly (10.4 percent of deputies) or the Senate (18.1 percent of
senators) to review laws.
The death penalty was abolished in
France in 1981.
In 1974 the state budget had no new borrowing for the last time; he
was balanced. In 2016, it included expenditures of US$1369 billion
compared to income of US$1288 billion. So the budget deficit was $81
billion, or 3.3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).
The
national debt in 2010 was 1591 billion euros or 82.3 percent of GDP. New
borrowing and the national debt ratio in France were thus far above the
upper limits of 3 percent per year and 60 percent respectively (Art. 126
TFEU Treaty) specified in the EU convergence criteria ("Maastricht
criteria"). In 2021, new debt was 5.2 percent of GDP. The national debt
this year was 1,717.3 billion euros.
At the end of 2012, the debt
level rose to around 89 percent of gross domestic product. The largest
item in the 2012 budget was interest payments: a total of around 48.8
billion euros. The Treasury has the authority to issue government bonds
worth 179 billion euros to finance the debt burden. As part of the euro
crisis, France was downgraded several times by the credit rating
agencies Standard & Poor's, Moody's and Fitch Ratings from 2012;
President Sarkozy had announced that he would save around 65 billion
euros in the budget over the next five years if he had been re-elected
in the 2012 French presidential election. Under President François
Hollande, national debt continued to rise. At the beginning of 2015, the
European Commission announced that it would also tolerate budget
deficits in 2015 and 2016 above the upper limit of 3% provided for in
the Maastricht Treaty. In 2015, France had a deficit of 3.5 percent of
GDP; only four of the 28 EU countries had higher rates. France will also
fail to meet the deficit ceiling in 2016 and 2017. In the context of the
COVID-19 pandemic, public debt rose to over 100 percent of GDP in 2020.
The French party landscape is characterized by a high degree of
fragmentation and great dynamism. New parties emerge and existing
parties change their names frequently. The names of the parties only
provide very limited information about their ideological orientation,
because there has been a certain alienation of the term. French parties
tend to have relatively few members and a weak organizational structure,
often centered in Paris as the place where most decisions are made.
The political left is dominated by the socialist Parti socialiste
(PS). She provided the long-serving President François Mitterrand and
several prime ministers; From 2012 to 2017, François Hollande was again
a PS politician President. Important left-of-centre parties are also the
Parti radical de gauche and the left-wing Parti de Gauche. The
historically significant French Communist Party, which had almost
slipped into insignificance in the early years of the 21st century,
formed the Front de gauche electoral alliance with the Parti de Gauche
from 2009, but was unable to build on the successes of previous decades.
The green party in France is called Europe Écologie-Les Verts, although
green politics tends to be less popular in France than in the
German-speaking countries.
The conservative camp is dominated by
the Gaullist party, which has changed its name several times since the
beginning of the Fifth Republic and has been called Les Républicains
since 2015. In addition to Charles de Gaulle, she provided Presidents
Georges Pompidou, Jacques Chirac and Nicolas Sarkozy in the Fifth
Republic. It shares the occupation of the bourgeois camp with various
centrist parties, including the party alliance Union des démocrates et
indépendants (UDI) and the party Mouvement démocrate (MoDem). The Front
National is located much further to the right of the political center.
Since being gradually realigned by Marine Le Pen in 2011, it has evolved
into a strong third camp, culminating in Le Pen's participation in the
2017 presidential runoff. In 2016, Macron founded the political movement
En Marche! for his presidential campaign. and emphasized that
participation is compatible with membership in other parties. However,
the character of an open movement was soon lost. On May 8, 2017, the
name was changed to La République en marche. It's now a party like any
other.
France is a nuclear power and veto power in the UN Security Council
and pursues an active foreign policy. With embassies in 160 countries,
France had the third highest number of foreign embassies in 2017, behind
the United States and the People's Republic of China.
After the
Second World War, Germany and France gave up the hereditary enmity that
had existed since 1870/71; among other things against the background of
the Cold War. Close relations developed between the two countries. Both
countries were founding members of the European Union. At times, a
"two-speed Europe" was discussed with Germany, France and a few other
countries in a core Europe.
In general, however, France's basic
interests in the European Union follow the intergovernmental approach,
which initially does not envisage any transfer of further competences to
the EU level. The central aim of French European policy is to
consolidate France's leading role in Europe. However, this position is
partially softened by new pragmatic approaches. France is increasingly
pioneering European positions, especially in climate and energy,
economic and financial, security and defense policy. However, the
fundamental focus on national interests remains.
In the euro
crisis, France and Germany largely advocated common positions. This is
reflected in frequent bilateral talks between Chancellor Angela Merkel
and François Hollande, also in the run-up to official summit meetings.
An important concern of France at EU level (as of 2008) is the
development of a European security and defense policy.
France is
also a permanent member of the UN Security Council with veto rights. It
coordinates its international development cooperation and humanitarian
commitment through the United Nations.
France was a founding
member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949 and
received military protection from the United States. When de Gaulle came
to power in 1958, relations with the United States and with the
US-dominated NATO changed in such a way that France gave up its military
integration into the structures of NATO in 1966 and remained purely
politically integrated. In March 2009, President Sarkozy announced
France's full return to NATO's command structure. The French parliament
confirmed this move on March 17, 2009, by expressing confidence in
Sarkozy.
Under de Gaulle's leadership, France developed into a
nuclear power in 1960 and, from 1965, had nuclear forces with the Force
de dissuasion nucléaire française, which initially put 50 aircraft
equipped with nuclear weapons (atomic bombs) into service. In 1968
France had already set up 18 launch pads for medium-range missiles,
which were equipped with nuclear warheads in 1970 and 1971. In the
1970s, France expanded its nuclear power at sea. Four nuclear submarines
each carry 16 medium-range nuclear missiles.
Another pillar of
French foreign policy is international cooperation in the field of
security policy and development cooperation while always safeguarding
French sovereignty. In addition, France is a member of numerous security
policy organizations such as the OSCE and participates in the Eurocorps.
So far (as of 2020), France has not announced that it intends to
relinquish the potential of its nuclear weapons.
French cultural
policy and the promotion of Francophonie are also of great importance
for French foreign relations. With around 140 million speakers, the
French language is of great importance internationally. The French
Ministry of Foreign Affairs supports this with a sub-department called
AEFE, whose around 280 schools in around 130 countries are attended by
around 16,000 young people. Approximately 200,000 students around the
world make use of the almost 1,000 locations of the Agence Française.
In addition, there is a commitment even after the end of colonial
rule in Africa, where France has remained the determining power in some
countries to this day. In the years 2020 and 2021, around 17,500 to
18,500 soldiers were stationed abroad and in overseas departments.
France has one of the highest arms budgets in the world and is one of the leading military powers and one of the official nuclear weapon states. The French armed forces have been a professional army since the late 1990s and comprise 350,000 men and women. France spent almost 2.3 percent of its economic output, or $57.8 billion, on its armed forces in 2017, ranking sixth in the world. Internationally, the French armed forces are in seventh place among the most powerful armed forces, and in NATO they are the second strongest military. 20,000 soldiers are stationed in the overseas departments and territories, and another 8,000 in African countries with which defense agreements have been concluded. The armed forces are divided into three classic sectors: army (Armée de terre), air force (Armée de l'air) and navy (Marine national). France's nuclear forces (Force de dissuasion nucléaire) with about 350 warheads provide the navy and, to a lesser extent, the air force. Furthermore, the police force Gendarmerie Nationale is subordinate to the Ministry of Defence. The French military's military and popular cultural figurehead is the Foreign Legion (Légion étrangère).