France

A valid passport is required upon entry to France expiring a minimum of 6 months past the date of entry into the country. US citizens traveling to France do not require a tourist visa if their stay is ninety days or less.

Every traveler planning to visit France should be fully up to date on his or her routine vaccines prior to entering France. No other travel vaccinations are required for entry to France.

The weather is typically mild in France, but the weather varies between regions and seasons. France has four distinct seasons—it can get hot during the summer and cold (with snow) in the winter. The spring is from March to May, the summer from June to September, the Fall from October to December and the winter months are January and February. Pack warm clothes in addition to light clothes, so you are properly prepared for all seasons and regions in France.

The country code for France is +33. The cell phone service in France is excellent and is widely available across the country. The access to Internet and Wi-Fi is very good in France. Most cafes, restaurants, malls, hotels and other surprising locations all will have Internet with adequate speed, and in many cases free Wi-Fi access—though it may be best (for security purposes) to create a personal hotspot, or use a secure network.

France’s voltage is 220-230V, 50HZ. Two types of plugs are most commonly used in France: one with two round pins and the other with two round pins and a hole for the socket’s male earthing pin. If you are coming from the US, you will most likely need a power plug adapter as well as a converter.

It is recommended that travelers practice increased caution in France due to terrorism. Terrorist attacks can occur with little or no warning, so it is imperative be aware of your surroundings and vigilant in areas that are highly populated (i.e. locations of worship, shopping malls, major tourist attractions, local government facilities…etc.). Make two photocopies of your passport and tickets. Keep one copy with you in a separate place to the original and leave another copy with someone at home.

The currency used in France is the euro (€), as it is a member of the European Union and one of the twenty-three countries that uses the euro as its means of currency. Using US dollars is not generally accepted in France. It is best to exchange your money at a currency exchange office, but they charge commission and service fees for every transaction. It is important to note that banks typically do not exchange foreign cash, but ATMs are widespread. Credit cards are also regularly accepted across France, but only if it has a computer chip in it.

The type of government active in France is a combination of a presidential and parliamentary system. The President, Emmanuel Macron, was elected into government on May 14^th, 2017 and also acts as the head of state. The Prime Minister, Édouard Charles Philippe, entered into this role on May 15^th, 2017. The political system is made up of an executive branch, a legislative branch, and a judicial branch.

The largest affiliated religion present in France is Christianity, making up 63-66% of the population. 7-9% identify as Muslum, 1% as Jewish, 0.5-1% as other, and 23-28% report having no religious beliefs.

There are several ethnic groups in France and they include the following: Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African, Indochinese, and Basque minorities.

The official language of France is French. Other languages that are used in France include regional dialects and languages such as: Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish, Occitan, Picard. Additionally, German dialects are also spoken in France, though less frequently.

France is the third largest economy in the European Union. France has a very diverse economy. The chemical industry contributes greatly to its economic growth. Other relied upon industries include agriculture, technology and energy. Being the most visited destination in the world, the tourism industry is a large contributing component to France’s economy.