France Travel Advice

General travel information for France

Continent: Europe

Geographical location: Central Europe, located in the northern hemisphere between the Atlantic / North Sea and the Mediterranean

Highest elevation: Mont Blanc (4810 m above sea level)

Longest river: Loire (1012 km)

Form of government: Republic System of

Government: semi-presidential democracy

Languages: French

Neighboring countries: Luxembourg, Belgium, Spain, Italy and Switzerland

Capital: Paris

Area: Approx. 544,000 km² (Europe only)

Residents: Approx. 67 million people (2017)

Population density: 117 residents per km²

Religions: About 54% followers of Christianity (51% Catholics, 3% Protestants), 9% Muslims, 31% non-denominational, minorities of Jews, Buddhists and Hindus

Currency: Euro; Travel

Climate: Mediterranean travel Climate in the south and oceanic travel climate in the north and west

Time zone: UTC +1

Area code: +33

Country code: FR, FRA

Electricity: In France, the sockets of type C and E used. The mains voltage is 230V with a 50Hz change interval.

Check a2zdirectory for old history of France and agooddir for modern history of France.

Culture and places of interest in France

French culture played a decisive role in the cultural development of Europe and also provided many cultural impulses on an international scale, which were taken up by many countries. It already developed in the Roman Empire and was shaped into its present-day variety during the times of the Franconian Empire, the Imperial Empire and later in the context of the various republics.

The French language is a cultural asset which the aristocracy and higher earners worldwide strived for and which is preserved and guarded even in today’s times of increasing Anglicisation.

French cuisine has been considered the most influential national cuisine in Europe since early modern times and is world-famous for both its quality and its versatility. Eating is an important part of everyday life in France and taking care of the kitchen is an indispensable part of the national culture.

The Romans left the oldest architectural traces in France above all in south-east France, such as the amphitheater of Nîmes or the Pont du Gard over the Gardon near Avignon. Above all, sacred buildings have survived from the Middle Ages, such as the Saint-Jean baptistery from the Carolingian era, churches in Romanesque style such as St-Sernin de Toulouse, Ste-Foy de Conques or Ste-Marie-Madeleine de Vézelay, and churches in Gothic style Style like Amiens Cathedral or Beauvais Cathedral. The most famous architectural buildings, however, were left behind by the cultural epoch of the Renaissance in the form of countless castles and magnificent buildings. The most important buildings of this time include the Louvre and Palace of Versailles, which were also imitated abroad, such as the Sanssouci Palace in Berlin.

With well-known composers such as Hector Berlioz, Claude Debussy and Georges Bizet, France has played a decisive role in many styles of classical music. In more recent times, among other things, the chansons were a French creation of the emerging popular music styles.

From this rich cultural heritage, unique and world-famous sights have been preserved in France, many of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites and represent cultural highlights of any trip to France. These include, for example, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, the Palace of Versailles, the castles on the Loire, the Cathedral of Amiens and the historic center of Strasbourg, but also the Roman buildings such as the amphitheater of Nîmes or the Pont du Gard or the cave paintings from early human culture in the Upper Paleolithic cave of Lascaux near Montignac in the French Dordogne. The French and Mediterranean way of life can be experienced well in the well-known seaside resorts on the Cotè Azur, such as St. Tropez or Nice.

In addition to the multitude of cultural attractions, France has many different natural landscapes to offer nature lovers, each with a unique landscape character, such as the French Pyrenees, Brittany, the coasts of Normandy, the Loire Valley, Provence or the island of Corsica. Many of these natural beauties such as the mountain landscape of Mont Perdu in the Pyrenees, the Mont St. Michel and its bay, the Chauvet grotto near Vallon-Pont-d’Arc on the Ardèche or the Causses and Cevennes in the French massif Central are also designated by UNESCO World natural heritage and are accessible to travelers through national and nature parks. Our adventure trips also offer the best opportunity to get to know the diverse and impressive landscapes of France.

Holidays with a fixed date in France

Jan 1st New Years

May 1st Labor Day

May 8th Victory Day

July 14th National

Holiday Aug 15th Assumption Day

Nov 1st All Saints Day

Nov 11th L’Armistice

Dec 25th Christmas

Medical information for France

For legal reasons, we as a tour operator are not allowed to communicate any binding medical information for France and therefore refer to the information provided by the Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Robert Koch Institute and the German Society for Tropical Medicine and International Health

Travel advice for France

You can obtain current travel and safety advice, information on entering and leaving the country, as well as special criminal law advice and recommendations for your stay in France from the Federal Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Foreign representation in France

Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Paris (There are other consulates general in Bordeaux, Marseille, Lyon and Strasbourg, as well as a number of other honorary consulates in Avignon, Brest, Dijon, Lille, Montpellier, Nantes and Nice.

Administrative district / consular district: France, French overseas territories and Monaco

Place: Paris

Street address: 13-15, Avenue Franklin D. Roosevelt, 75008 Paris

Postal address: Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, BP 30 221, 75364 Paris CEDEX 08

Telephone: +33 1 53 83 45 00, for emergencies +33 (0) 1 53 83 45 00

Fax: +33 1 53 83 45 02

Email: Contact form

Website: http://www.allemagne-en-france.diplo.de

Official languages in the host country: French

Embassy of the French Republic in Berlin

(there are other honorary consulates in Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Stuttgart and Munich)

Place: Berlin