France - Γαλλία

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THE France, officially the French Republic (French: République française), is a country with which almost every traveler has a relationship. There are countless cafes, picturesque villages and world-renowned gastronomy. Some come for the great French philosophers, writers and artists, or to immerse themselves in one of the most beautiful languages ​​in the world. Others come for the country's geographical diversity, with its vast coastlines, vast mountain ranges and stunning farmland.

France has been the most visited country in the world for over twenty years. It received 89 million visitors in 2018. All these people come to France for many reasons: its cities contain some of the continent's greatest treasures, its countryside is prosperous and well-intentioned, and it boasts dozens of major tourist attractions, such as Disneyland Paris. France is one of the most geographically diverse countries in Europe, with different regions, such as the urban elegant Paris, the sunny French Riviera, the quiet beaches of the Atlantic, the snowy resorts of French Alps, the renaissance villages of his valley Ligira, the Celtic Brittany and the dreamy Normandy.

France is a country with rich emotions and troubled politics, but also a place of rational thought and treasures of the Enlightenment. Above all, it is known for its cuisine, culture and history. Whatever you want for your vacation, you will find it in France.

Areas

Mainland France

Mainland France, also known as "Metropolitan France", includes 12 administrative districts (gal.: regions) on the mainland and Corsica, or in other words all the French territories in Europe. These are different from the country's overseas soils on other continents, which are listed below. The 96 apartments (gal.: departments) is the next lowest level of administrative division, 2/3 of which are named after a river and most others follow another natural feature, such as a mountain or a sea.

French territories

Beyond mainland France, also known as l'Hexagone for its shape, there are five overseas compartments (gal .: other departments - DOMs), each of which is an integral part of France, like any other part of: French Guiana in South America, Guadeloupe and Martinique of Caribbean, της Mayotte and her Ρεϋνιόν between its islands East Africa.

In addition, France has six organized overseas territories - French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Saint Bartholomew, Saint Martin, Saint Peter and Michel and Valesi and Futuna and some remote, uninhabited islands including islands Clipperton and the French regions of southern Antarctica. Although administratively part of France, these entities are not covered further here, but in their articles.

Due to the numerous overseas departments and territories scattered around the world, France effectively covers 12time zones - this is something more than any other country. However, all of mainland France uses Central European time (UTC 01:00 in winter, UTC 02:00 in summer).

Important cities

France has many interesting cities for travelers. Below is a list of nine of the most notable:

•   Paris (gal.: Paris) - It is the romantic capital of France, also known as the "city of light", there is also the Eiffel Tower.
•   Bordeaux (gal.: Bordeaux) - It is the city of wine, it has traditional stone guesthouses with terraces.
•   Nice (gal.: Nice) - It is the heart of the French Riviera with a world famous coastal road and the gateway to its tiny nation Monaco.
•   Lil (gal.: Lille) - It is a dynamic northern city known for its beautiful center and cultural life.
•   Lyon (gal.: Lyon) - It is the gastronomic capital of France with history from the Roman era to the Resistance
•   Marseille (gal.: Marseille) - It is the second cosmopolitan city in France, known for its Mediterranean port, its streams and its seafood.
•   Nantes (gal.: Nantes) - It is a green and very lively city, known for Jules Verne, sailors and Breton
•   Strasbourg (gal.: Strasbourg) - It is a beautiful historic center full of canals and the center of many European institutions.
•   Toulouse (gal.: Toulouse) - It is also known as the "pink city" thanks to its characteristic brick architecture and vibrant southern atmosphere.

Other destinations

•   Kamarg (gal.: Camargue) - One of the largest river deltas and wetlands in Europe, with a strong Provencal culture of bullfights and cowboys.
•   Disneyland Paris (gal.: Disneyland Paris) - The busiest attraction in Europe, the magic kingdom even has its own node.
•   French Alps (gal.: Alps) - It is home to the highest mountain in Western Europe, the White Mountain, this is the best place for skiing in the country.
•   French Riviera (French: Côte d'Azur) - The charming shores of the Mediterranean with top seaside resorts, yachts and celebrities.
•   Loire Valley - The world-famous valley, known for its wines and renaissance palaces.
•   Λουμπερόν - It is a standard Provence of picturesque villages and the joy of wine.
•   Le Mont Saint Michel - It is a monastery and a city built on a tiny end of a rock with sand, which is hidden from the mainland by the tide.
•   Verdon Gorge - It is a beautiful turquoise-green gorge, ideal for kayaking, hiking, climbing or just for riding on the limestone cliffs.

• Gallery
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  Eiffel Tower

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  Mont-Saint-Michel

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  w: Castle of Monsoro

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  The Palace of Versailles

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  Sampor Castle

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  Cap-Ferrat in Blue Coast

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  Parade in Disneyland Paris

At a glance

History

Roman Empire

Middle Ages

Early modern culture

Times of revolutions

20th and 21st century

Electric

How to get there

Entry requirements:

Minimum validity of travel documents Citizens of the EU, the EEA and Switzerland only need to present a passport or identity card valid on the date of entry. Nationals of other nationalities must present a passport valid for their entire stay in France.

Spain is a member Schengen Agreement.

• There are usually no border controls between countries that have signed and implemented the treaty. This includes most of the European Union and some other countries.
• There are usually authentication checks before boarding international flights or boats. Sometimes there are temporary border controls at land borders.
• Similarly, a check on any Schengen member applies to all other countries that have signed and implemented the treaty.
• See "Traveling in the Schengen area" for more information on how the system works, which countries are members and what are the requirements for your nationality.

EU, EEA and Swiss nationals entering France with an identity card under the age of 18 and traveling without their parents are required to have their parents' written consent. For more information, visit the website of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Citizens of the countries: Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, New Zealand, Guatemala, Guatemala, New Zealand San Marino, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Seychelles, Taiwan and Uruguay, as well as British nationals are allowed to work in France without having to obtain a visa for their period of stay and without a visa for 90 days. All other nationals are exempt from the visa requirement and are exempt from the visa requirement for short-term employment, provided they have a valid work permit, with limited exceptions. However, this visa-free work option does not necessarily extend to other Schengen countries. For more information, visit his website Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France.

Foreign nationals who are not exempt from the visa requirement (eg South Africans) must apply for entry to a police station or border checkpoint if they arrive in France directly from another Schengen country (e.g. Italy), unless they have a long-term visa or residence permit issued by a Schengen Member State. Their passports will be approved by the authorities to prove that such a declaration has been made. This government web page provides more information in French.

If you intend to stay in France for more than 90 days, regardless of the purpose, a long-stay visa is required for non-EEA or non-Swiss citizens. It is almost impossible to switch from "C" (guest) entry mode to "D" (long-term) entry status from France.

Since 2009, there are certain categories of long-stay visas:

• The Visitor (visitor)
• the family (private and family life)
• The student" (student)
• the "employee" (salarié) and
• the "short-term worker" (working time)

do not require individuals to obtain a separate residence permit (health card) for the first year of residence in France. However, the long - stay visa must be validated by OFII within three months of entering France. This is done by sending a form to the OFII received together with the visa with the address of residence in France, the completion of a medical examination and the presentation of an introductory meeting for the validation of the visa. From 2013, the tax paid to OFII must now be paid at the consulate where the visa is obtained. The validated visa will serve as a residence permit and will also allow travel to other Schengen countries for up to 90 days over a period of 6 months. After the first year, however, a book is required for many other visa categories, which indicate that it is necessary. Consult it OFII for more information in French.

The French overseas territories are not part of Schengen and have a separate immigration regime from mainland France.

There are several ways to enter France. From neighboring European countries, it is possible by car or train. Also, ferry services are available from many Mediterranean countries, while long-distance visitors will probably use air travel.

By air

Flight to / from Paris

Entry to France is mainly from Roissy-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), which is close to Paris. This airport is used by the national airline Air France for almost all international flights. AF and Skyteam member companies (Dutch KLM, AeroMexico, Alitalia, Continental, Northwest and Delta, Korean) use Terminal 2, the other foreign companies are in Terminal 1. Finally, a third terminal hosts companies charters.

Response to domestic flights: some AF domestic flights use CDG Airport but most use Orly, Paris's second airport. Responses to the CDG platform are made with the CDGVAL bus line (free of charge) which serves all terminals, stops, parking lots and hotels. Responses to Orly are provided (free of charge for AF passengers) by an AF bus. The two airports are also connected by metro (RER), which is a bit cheaper and faster, but difficult to use when the passenger is carrying a large amount of luggage. AF also has response agreements with some TGVs (see below). The TGV stop is at Terminal 2 and is on the free bus route. To go to Paris, click on Paris.

Other airports or 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 provide the ability to respond to other smaller airports. Finally, two airports are shared with Switzerland, that of Basel-Moulouse and that of Geneva, which allow entry to one or the other country.

Some low cost airlines such as Wizzair, Ryanair and Volare use Beauvais Airport, which is located 80 km northwest of Paris. A bus to Paris is organized by the airlines. For the schedules and charges of the itineraries visit their websites.

For all Paris airports, there are services shuttle (shared vehicles with a capacity of 1 to 8 seats): Paris Star Shuttle

For a list of French airports with flights to / from Great Britain and North America, including Canada: Air connections in English.

By train

France has special lines to various countries:

• Eurostar (derived from England) (Paris-London route takes 2 hours and 15 minutes).
• Lyria (derived from Switzerland)
• Thalys (derived from Belgium, the Germany and Netherlands)
• ICE (derived from Germany)

Night routes connect Paris with the main cities of France's neighboring countries, with the most important:

• Berlin, Hamburg and Munich in Germany,
• Rome and Milan in Italy,
• Madrid and Barcelona in Spain,
• Vienna in Austria.

Caution ! International TGVs are subject to a special tariff which can prove to be costly. For example, a ParisLondon can easily reach € 200 cost.

By road

By car

Enough European highways give access to France:

origin from Germany

• the European motorway 50 (E50)
• the European motorway 52 (E52), which reaches Strasbourg,
• European Highway 54 (E54), which starts at Munich, ending in Paris

origin from Belgium

• the European motorway 17 (E17), which starts from Antwerp,
• the European motorway 19 (E19), which passes through Brussels, ending in Paris,
• the European motorway 40 (E40), which passes through Brussels, ending in Good,
• the European motorway 42 (E42), which passes through Liege, ending in Dunkirk,
• the European motorway 46 (E46), which starts from Liege, ending in Cherbourg,
• the European Highway 411 (E411),
• the European 420 (E420) motorway,

origin from Spain

• the European motorway 5 (E5), which starts from Algebra, passing by Madrid, Bordeaux and Paris,
• European Highway 7 (E7), via the Sombor Road Tunnel,
• the European motorway 9 (E9), which starts from Barcelona,
• the European motorway 15 (E15), which starts from Algebra, following the shores of the Mediterranean on its route,
• the European motorway 70 (E70), following the Spanish coastline on the Atlantic Ocean on its route,
• the European motorway 80 (E80), which passes through San Sebastian,

origin from Italy

• the European motorway 25 (E25), which passes through Genoa,
• the European motorway 27 (E27), which starts from Algebra, following the shores of the Mediterranean on its route,
• the European motorway 74 (E74), which starts from Alessandria, ending in Nice,

origin from Luxembourg

• the European motorway 25 (E25), which passes through Luxembourg,
• the European motorway 29 (E29), which passes through Luxembourg,
• the European motorway 44 (E44), which passes through Luxembourg, ending in Χάβρη,

origin from Switzerland

• the European motorway 23 (E23), which starts from Lausanne,
• the European motorway 25 (E25), which passes through Geneva,
• the European motorway 27 (E27), which passes through Berne, ending in Belfort,
• the European motorway 60 (E60), which passes through Zurich and Reign,
• the European motorway 62 (E62), which passes through Lausanne and Geneva,
• the European Highway 712 (E712), which starts from Geneva, in the direction of Marseille,

By bus

This solution is not very expensive and is often practical as the bus stops in the city center.

There are several regular bus services to Paris and the largest French cities, starting with several European cities.

• Eurolines
• ouibus
• Megabus
• Flixbus

By boat

The main ports where you can disembark are:

• Good
• Marseille
• Toulon
• Bastia

The routes with Great Britain are enough, so it makes sense to have ports along the Channel that host ferries : Roskoff, Saint-Malo, Cherbourg, Wisterham (Caen), Le Havre, Dieppe, Dunkirk, Boulogne-sur-Mer and Calais. Departures for cruises in Corsica, Sardinia or the Mediterranean basin are made from its ports Toulon, της Nice or even her Marseille. In addition, the ports of Corsica serve Italy.

How to move

Car

France has a well-developed system of highways. Most of the motorway network (autoroute) consists of tolls. Some have a toll station that gives you access to a section, while others have toll booths at each intersection. When entering a section of a road, you must collect an entrance ticket from a machine that records the point on the road you started and ensures that you only pay for the distance you travel. Be careful not to miss your ticket or you will be charged for the longest possible distance. All toll booths accept large credit cards, although they may not accept foreign credit cards. It is also possible to use the automatic kiosk, but only if your card is equipped with a special chip.

Roads range from narrow countryside lanes to major highways. Most cities were built before the general availability of the car and therefore city centers tend to be difficult for cars. Keep this in mind when renting: large cars can be very stiff. It often makes sense to park and then use public transportation.

A French flashing driver confirms the right of way and warns you of intentions and presence. Do not use it to mean thanks. Blinking headlights can also mean: "Watch out, as there is a speed control by the police in front of you!". The horn should only be used in legal emergency situations: using the horn in urban areas other than in such circumstances may cost you a traffic call. Parisian drivers have been known for their honking, although increased calls have greatly reduced this practice.

hitchhiking

France is a good country for hitchhiking. Be patient, prepare for a long wait or walk and in the meantime enjoy the scenery. You will love a walk. People who stop are usually friendly and not dangerous. They will like you more if you speak a little French. They never expect money for the route.

Remember that hitchhiking from Paris is almost impossible. You can try your luck at the doors (city gates), but the heavy traffic and limited parking spaces will test your endurance. It is a good idea to take the local train to a nearby suburb, as the chances of getting to your destination will increase dramatically.
Outside of Paris, it is a good idea to try your luck at roundabouts. Since it is illegal to stop on motorways (autoroutes), which should be well observed by the police, you can try a motorway junction.

Car lending

Once you arrive in France you may need to use car rental services. Most of the top companies operate from French airports and it is best to book a car rental in advance. It is a common experience at smaller French airports not to have the type of car you booked online but an alternative model. Sometimes the alternative model is completely different, so check carefully before accepting the vehicle and do not accept it if it does not fit your reservation and is not suitable for your needs.

Most cars in France are equipped with standard gearboxes, which is also due to the driver's preferences and the peculiarities of the French licensing laws (automatic transmissions are generally used only by the elderly or people with physical disabilities). This extends to categories of vehicles that in other countries have virtually never had a manual transmission, such as trucks and large sedans. As a result, almost all cars available for rent during the average car rental will be equipped with a manual transmission. If you do not know how to drive a car with a manual transmission and do not have time to find out before your trip, make sure you book your rental car in advance and confirm your booking. Otherwise, you may find yourself in a car that is much larger than you can afford (or without a car at all).

Railroad

Bus

Bike

What to see

Entertainment

Transactions and purchases

Cost

France uses euro. It is one of the many European countries that use the single currency. All euro banknotes and coins are legal tender in all countries that use them.

Countries that have the euro as their official currency: EU members Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hellas, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain Countries outside the EU Andorra, Kosovo, Monaco, Montenegro, San Marino and Vatican These countries are called the "eurozone".

The euro is divided into 100 cents.

The official symbol of the euro is €, and the ISO code is EUR. There is no official symbol of the euro cents.

• Banknotes: Euro banknotes have the same design in all countries.
• Regular coins: All euro countries issue euro coins with a typical national design on one side and a common design on the other. The coins can be used in any Eurozone country, regardless of the design they depict. (eg a one euro coin from Finland can be used in Portugal).
• Commemorative coins of two euros: These differ from regular two euro coins on their "national" side, and are legally traded. Each country can mint a certain number of them, and sometimes "pan-European" two-euro commemorative coins are minted for important events (eg the anniversary of an important treaty).
• Other commemorative coinsCommemorative coins of other denominations (eg ten euros or more) are rarer, and have a special design, often containing some gold, silver or platinum. While they are technically a legal medium of exchange, their collectible value is greater than their face value, and you are therefore unlikely to find them in the everyday market.

Local cuisine

Local drinks

Tourist infrastructure

Studies

Job opportunities

Stay safe

Health and precautions

Respect local customs

Communications

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