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General Information about France
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ALCOHOL - On the spot fines which can be very expensive or arrest. The limit is less than England or the Channel Islands. From June 2012 it is obligatory to carry a breathalyser in the car and this must be
AUTOROUTES - Are fast but you have to pay for the privilege via tolls by cash or credit card. It is possible to purchase a special device which is read as you go through the non stop high speed toll section. You either hold this to be read or stick it to the windscreen of the car. Your toll charges are then billed monthly. To obtain a card go to http://www.sanef.com/fr/. For further information on autoroutes go to THE AUTOROUTE SITE. Now for the good news - Brittany does not charge tolls! CHILDREN - Children over 10 can travel in the front of a car - the younger ones must be in the back and there are strict regulations about the number you can carry which must be equivalent to the number of seat belts available. DOCUMENTATION AND THINGS TO CARRY - You must always have your driving licence. A warning triangle for breakdowns, yellow reflective vests must be carried in the vehicle by law. Ideally there should also be a first aid kit in the car, spare bulb set and fire extinguisher. Do not forget that breathalyser! You must always carry evidence of valid insurance. French drivers are legally obliged to produce the vehicle’s "Carte Gris" (Log Book). The police and gendarmes are always surprised (and suspicious) at the typical UK driver’s presumption that these various documents can be produced at a police station within 5 days. Channel Islanders - It can help to carry your C.I. equivalent GIVE WAY ON THE RIGHT Priorité à droite – Give way to the right this no longer applies automatically as in the old days but does apply where indicated HEADLIGHTS - Adjust headlights to allow for driving on the other side of the road and to avoid dazzling other drivers. Dipped headlights must be put on in the daytime in weather conditions such as heavy rain or fog. Headlights must be kept on if you are on a motor-bike, moped or scooter INSURANCE - Carry an international accident declaration form. It is easier to get this filled out in France at the time than when you are back at home. PARKING - Be careful about paying as cars can be wheel clamped. SATNAV It is illegal to have a satnav capable of providing speed radar warnings. The satnav and even the car could be confiscated should this be discovered. SEATBELTS - Must be worn front and back SOMEONE ELSE'S CAR If you are driving someone else's car you must carry a letter of authority from the owner at all times SPEED LIMITS Apart from legal limits watch out for special signs In Towns and Built-up Areas 50 km/h in towns and villages Minor Roads 90 km/h on other main roads (80 km/h when wet). Dual Carriageways/Non Toll Motorways Dry conditions: 110km/h Wet conditions: Motorways Dry conditions: 130km/h on toll motorways Wet conditions: 110 km/h Towing Trailer: Slower speeds STOP means Stop and when you come to a junction, even if all is clear you must stop
To dial Channel Islands 0044 1481 12345 or 0044 1534 12335 i.e. drop the 0 it is not 01534 or 01481 as in the UK Mobiles are the same i.e. 0044 7797712345 dropping the 0 before the 77 etc. Click on logo above to go to France Telecom Site To dial UK 0044 the area code and number i.e. 0044124012345 Local numbers start with the area code - Brittany is 02 then the number Paris numbers start with 01 Call boxes: The majority of call boxes are card operated. Telecartes are available at several retail outlets such as newsagents. Mobiles: Make sure these are opened up for international use. Get in touch with your Telephone Company before travelling. If you are ringing a friend with an English or Channel Island mobile dial as if they are at home. REMEMBER - that when you are away in France you are picking up roaming charges. i.e. people dialling you pick up the local call charge but the minute you answer you pick up all the charges! INTERNET If you are not able to get on line and are desperate to check your e-mails you can use one of the many Internet Shops. For instance Cyber'Com, 26 bs. Bd. des Talards, Saint Malo rents out computer posts at 3.60€ per hour. ¼, ½, ¾ hour slots also available. A special price of 14.00€ is available for a 5 hour slot - what a way to spend your free time though - get on the beach! Cyber Com is conveniently found on the road between the hospital and station. Tel: 02 99 56 05 83 if you get lost. Open Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday mornings 9-12 a.m. and every day between 2 .00 and 6.00 p.m. Thursdays 1.00 pm. to 8.00 p.m. and Saturdays to 5.30 p.m. Your own dial up connection might have a French number so find this out before you go. On a long term basis Tiscali.fr is very cheap as is Wanadoo.fr. Although you do pay a monthly charge for these and it is only worth it if you are in France frequently i.e. weekend visitor.
Fire - Pompier 18
Medical - (Samu) 15 This number
puts you through to a medical line who will either organise emergency
treatment or advise you of the duty doctor in your area. Crisis Line for English http://www.soshelpline.org
French TV - SECAM English TV- PAL Remember this if you think of buying TV's or Videos! You can buy PAL/SECAM T.V.'s but check and insist that the set must work in United Kingdom. Videos for SECAM systems will play but in black and white. Check for English versions Click on logo above to go to EDF French Electricity Site
CHEQUES - are sacrosant in France and if they "bounce" this is a criminal offence
Chip and PIN but on occasions the machines - usually in smaller enterprises - require a signature
CHILDREN - most places welcome them unless a very grown up night club, discothèque or very smart restaurant. The latter may accept them but they do have to behave. Generally French children are very well trained as to how to behave at restaurants and bars and shops. Sadly being children when they visit abroad they get excited and this applies to little French ones too, when the visit the Channel Islands and U.K. However once our little ones calm down - if they need to - it is a delight for families who are not so cut off from social life.
Allowed on certain beaches but these are few in summer season. There are less restrictions out of season. You obviously will have followed legal procedures regarding vaccinations, micro chips and Veterinary checks before travelling back and forward. Dogs are incredibly welcome in a variety of places where you would not expect to see them in UK! They occupy bar stools, underneath tables, in shopping trolleys, small ones are carried under arms and bigger ones can quite surprise you. However they are expected to behave!!
GREETING PEOPLE If you are just introduced and do not know the person you shake hands. Once you know them there is a "kissing etiquette" the number of which depends on the region. decreases in certain circumstances and can be quite a puzzle. Follow your host. If you have kissed someone hello at the beginning of the day you do not bother anymore in the day. Children kiss once. Always refer to a mature lady who might be married as Madame. Young girls who are unmarried are Mademoiselle. Men are Monsieur unless you have been introduced and offered a First Name. If in doubt say nothing. Knives and forks are not left at 6.00 o'clock. Again there are different ideas about this but many people leave them at 9 and 3 o'clock on the plate when finished. Pleases and thank you's and an interest in shop keepers, bar-people etc are considered important. So they should be anyway.You should always greet assistants in shops etc and say good bye! Tipping is not so prevalent.
Saignant - means virtually raw. Au Point - should mean medium but veers towards rare. Bien Cuit - well cooked but can turn out to be either medium or too well done if the Chef feels that he or she is dealing with a weird English person or is basically lacking in understanding of the influx of English visitors in the summer
Unlike the UK if the dates fall on a weekend there is not an extra day on the following Monday to compensate.
January 1 - New Year's Day (Jour de l'an) April 18 - Good Friday April 21 - Easter Monday May 1 - May Day (Fête du premier mai) May 8 - VE Day 1945 May 29 - Ascension June 8 - Whit Sunday June 9 - Whit Monday July 14 - Bastille Day Fete Nationale August 15 - Assumption November 1 - All Saints' Day - (La Toussaint) November 11 - Armistice December 25 - Christmas Day
FORMALITIES & PRACTICAL INFORMATION Passport: Nationals of countries within the European Union entering France need only a national identity card. Nationals of other countries must be in possession of a valid national passport Visa: an entry visa is required for Canadian and US citizens (for a stay of more of three months) and for Australian and New Zealand citizens. - Agence consulaire de France: 71 Halkett Place St Helier, tél. 726 256. e-mail : frenchconsul@jerseymail.co.uk Time - French time is one hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time and moves further hour forward between late march and the end of September. France is therefore one hour ahead of the U.K. throughout the year. Currency: the euro is now the only official currency in France. One euro is worth app. £0.63. Opening hours: shops and banks tend to open earlier and close later, with the exception of the larger hypermarkets, many commercial outlets have a midday break of two hours. Hypermarkets don’t open on Sundays except during the pre-Christmas period. Many smaller food shops will be open on Sunday mornings and by the same token, might close all day Monday. Some of the banks also open on Saturday morning and close one day during the week.
TRAINS There are TGV links between most cities. Go to for more information. The service is excellent and quick. Whenever you buy a train ticket in France it has to be validated in one of the orange automatic date-stamping machines before you board the train. You can stop off en route to your destination as many times as you wish but on every separate day of travel the ticket has to be stamped. There are minor train routes that can be a pleasant way to see the area as these pass more slowly through the country side. BUSES It is possible to get reductions by buying blocks of tickets. All towns have buses but sometimes time tables are set to coincide with use i.e. to and from work
Well you wanted to know! Can be very different from you are used to at home. There are still Unisex Toilets - avert eyes ladies! Toilets do not take all manners of items being flushed down them which is why French toilet paper is more flimsy. Never put a disposable nappy etc in a toilet. However big bonus the water pressure is stronger and showers are powerful and reviving.
EXCELLENT. However please remember that you must have the appropriate forms with you i.e. Attestation from Jersey. In Jersey visit Social Security with your number at the ready prior to travel and this will be provided. You must get it re-stamped each year., U.K. residents need an E111. You will be refunded 80% of hospital charges provided you have had an overnight stay. Otherwise you pay. You need travel insurance to cover the other 20%. Minor problems can be dealt with at any of the many pharmacies which offer more advice than Chemists and are the first port of call unless matters are more serious. France is very much alive as regards the country-side which means lots of butterflies and grasshoppers etc. but be very careful to keep your legs covered in long grass as there are some particularly nasty "ticks" which bite and in rare case this can result in Lyme Fever. Also there are vipers as well as harmless grass snakes. However these occurrences are not common.
TIDES IN BRITTANY and NORMANDY- These have a high rise and fall - same as Channel Islands. Also they come in at the same speed so be very careful.
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