Practical Information

Time

Winter In Paris the time is GMT + 1 Ex : when it's midday GMT, it's 1pm in Paris.
Summer In Paris the time is GMT + 2 Ex : when it's midday GMT, it's 2pm in Paris.

Seasons in Paris

A melody of colours and atmospheres, a symphony of contrasting skies and light. Every season pays tribute to Paris and highlights its charms, be it the sun caressing its pale façades, or the rain reflecting the night's gleam. To the sweet music of romance or a festive beat, compose your own score for your trip to the city, depending on the time of year and the whims of the weather.
Spring (21 March-21 June) is the season where Paris seems to reawaken, with its avenues fringed with new green shoots and its trees in flower. The days are getting longer, as are the opening times of museums, and the high season is just around the corner. There's a holiday feeling in the air and the sweet smell of candy floss pervades the pathways of the Foire du Trône funfair. People venture out and about in the parks and gardens and along the river banks, strolling, cycling or skating.
Average temperatures and rainfall:

	Minimum	Maximum	Rain in mm
March	4°C	12°C	35
April	6°C	16°C	42
May	10°C	20°C	57

 

Money

On 1 January 2002, along with 11 other Member States of the European Union, France adopted the euro currency. These notes and coins can therefore be used in any country belonging to the euro zone: France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Austria, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece. Since 1 January 2007, Slovenia has been the 13th member state to introduce the euro.
€1 is divided into 100 centimes or cents.
Notes: €5, €10, €20, €50, €100, €200 and €500.
Coins: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents; €1 and €2.

Tipping

In France, all prices shown include tax and service (the latter is around 15% of the total price). However, if the service has been particularly good, you may wish to leave a tip in order to show your appreciation. As a general rule, the amount is 5 to 10% of the total bill.

Banks & Exchange

There is a multitude of banks in Paris, both French and foreign. They are generally open from 9am to 5pm, or 6pm, from Monday to Friday, sometimes from Tuesday to Saturday. Certain branches may close at lunchtime, between 12.30pm and 2pm. Even though you may find some banks who will accept your currency in exchange for euros, you are more likely to come across exchange bureaux, which specialize in this type of transaction. Make sure you have some ID with you.

Duty Free Shopping

For a VAT refund, ask for a Tax free Shopping France invoice when you shop in any major store or "Tax free for tourists" boutique. The amount to be refunded is shown under the heading "montant de la détaxe". You should have your invoices stamped at airport customs on leaving the EU and return the validated pink copies within three months using the stamped addressed envelope given to you at the time you made your purchases.

Public Transport

You can find a metro or RER train every day between 6am and 0.30am, wherever you might be along the line. The majority of bus routes operate from 7am to 8.30pm, some lines continuing until 0.30am. Then the Noctilien bus operates from 0.30am to 5.30am. As regards taxis, you'll find them 24 hours a day.
The Parisian transport network has its rush hours: at the time when most residents of Paris and Ile-de-France set off for work, between 8am and 10am, and when they head home again, between 5pm and 8pm. Saturday is also a very busy day, as many Parisians use it for their shopping expeditions. It becomes increasingly difficult to find a free taxi on Saturday evenings, particularly after midnight, as Paris is out on the town!

Museums and Monuments

Museums open at 9 or 10am and close between 5 and 6pm. Usual closing days are Monday or Tuesday, with a few exceptions mentioned in our information pages. Some are even open 7 days a week, such as some of the major monuments which can even be visited as late as 11pm or midnight.
Many museums have a late-night opening once a week until 9 or 10pm. On public holidays - in particular, 1 January, 1 May and 25 December - many museums and monuments are closed.
Open 365 days a year
• Tour Eiffel
• Tour Montparnasse
• Musée Grévin
• Musée Jacquemart-André
• Espace Salvador Dali
• Musée de l'Erotisme
• Towers of Notre-Dame

Communication

You can keep in touch with family and friends either by traditional methods or by using the latest technology. Making a phone call is as easy as pie: you'll find telephone booths in most places. Remember to send postcards, they are always much appreciated by those you've left behind... For speed: an e-mail, cyber cafés even offer keyboards compatible with the Japanese system.
How to call France from France
All French numbers have 10 digits and begin with 0. The prefix for Paris and Ile-de-France numbers is 01. Mobile numbers start with 06. Telephone calls are generally cheaper between 9pm and 9am.
How to call from France to another country
Dial the international code 00, the code of the country, then the number.
Mobiles
Contact your mobile phone operator who will confirm whether or not your mobile is compatible with the French network and also explain how you will be charged for calls received from your own country or that you make while abroad (local and international calls).
Connection with the French network
Some mobiles from other countries don't automatically connect with the French networks. All you need to do is choose the option "network selection" on your mobile to manually make the connection.
In order to use your mobile in France, it should be compatible with GSM 900 or GSM 1800 norms. If this is not the case, or if it is not working, you have the possibility of hiring a mobile phone in one of the many specialist boutiques.
Adapter
Don't forget that you'll probably need a plug adapter in order to be able to charge up your mobile phone.