A lot of variety, but temperate winters and mild summers on most of the territory, and especially in Paris Mild winters and hot summers along the Mediterranean and in the southwest the latter has lots of rain in winter Mild winters with lots of rain and cool summers in the northwest Brittany Cool to cold winters and hot summer along the German border Alsace Along the Rhône Valley, occasional strong, cold, dry, north-to-northwesterly wind known as the mistral Cold winters with lots of the snow in the Mountainous regions: Alps, Pyrenees, Auvergne
Mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west; remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south west, Vosges , Jura and Alps in east, Massif Central in the mid south
France has been populated since the Neolithic period The Dordogne region is especially rich in prehistoric caves, some used as habitation, others are temples with remarkable paintings of animals and hunters, like those found at Lascaux
Rise and fall of the Roman empire
Written History began in France with the invasion of the territory by the Romans, between 118 and 50 BC Starting then, the territory which is today called France was part of the Roman Empire, and the Gauls name given to local Celts by the Romans, who lived there before Roman invasions, became accultured "Gallo-romans"
With the fall of the Roman empire, what was left were areas inhabited by descendants of intermarriages between gallo-romans and "barbaric" easterners Mainly the Franks, but also other tribes like the "burgondes"
The legacy of the Roman presence is still visible, particularly in the southern part of the country where Roman circuses are still used for bullfights and rock and roll shows Some of the main roads still follow the routes originally traced 2,000 years ago, and the urban organisation of many old town centers still transcript the cardo and the decumanus of the former Roman camp especially Paris The other main legacy was the Catholic Church which can be, arguably, considered as the only remnant of the civilization of that time
Middle-Ages
Clovis, who died in 511, is considered as the first French king although his realm was not much more than the area of the present Ile de France, around Paris Charlemagne, who was crowned emperor of the Holy Roman Empire in 800, was the first strong ruler He united under his rule territories which extend today in Belgium, Germany and Italy His capital was Aix-la-Chapelle now in Germany, known as Aachen
The country was under attack by the Vikings who came from the north and navigated upstream the rivers to plunder the cities and abbeys, it was also under attack from the south by the Muslim Saracens who were established in Spain The Vikings were given a part of the territory today's Normandy in 911 and melted fast in the Feudal system The Saracens were stopped in 732 in Poitiers by Charles Martel, grand father of Charlemagne, a rather rough warrior who was later painted as a national hero
Starting with Charlemange, a new society starts to settle, based on the personal links of feudalism This era is named middle age Although generally seen as an era of stagnation, it can more be described as a very complex mix of periods of economic and cultural developments Music and poems of the Troubadours and Trouveres, building of the Romanantic, then Gothic cathedrals, and recessions due to pandemic disease and wars
In 987, Hughes Capet was crowned as king of France ; he is the root of the royal families who later governed France In 1154 much of the western part of France went under English rule with the wedding of Alienor d'Aquitaine to Henry II Count of Anjou, born in the town of Le Mans Some kings of the Plantagenet dynasty are still buried in France, the most famous being Richard I, of Walter Scott's fame, and his father Henry II, who lies in the Abbaye de Fontevraud The struggle between the English and French kings between 1337 and 1435 is known as the Hundred Years War and the most famous figure, considered as a national heroine, is Joan of Arc
|
Reading up Before you leave you may want to read a book like French or Foe by Polly Platt or Almost French by Sarah Turnbull — interesting, well written records from English speaking persons who live in France For the adult reader interested in the famous reputation enjoyed by Paris for romance and sensuality, try "SENSUAL PARIS: Sex, Seduction and Romance in the Sublime City of Light" by Jonathan LeBlanc Roberts |
The making of a modern state nation
The beginning of the XVIth century saw the end of the feudal system and the emergence of France as a "modern" state with its border relatively close to the present ones Alsace, Corsica, Savoy, the Nice region weren't yet French Louis XIV who was king from 1643 to 1715 72 years was probably the most powerful monarch of his time French influence extended deep in western Europe, its language was used in the European courts and its culture was exported all over Europe
That era and the following century also saw the expansion of France on the other continents This started a whole series of wars with the other colonial empires, mainly England later Britain and Spain over the control of North America
The French Revolution started in 1789, leading to the creation of the Republic Although this period was also fertile in bloody excesses it was, and still is, a reference for many other liberation struggles
Napoléon reunited the country but his militaristic ambition which, at first, made him the ruler of most of western Europe were finally his downfall In 1815 he was defeated in Waterloo Belgium by an alliance of British and Prussian forces He is still revered in some Eastern European countries as its armies and its government brought with them the thinkings of the French philosophers
France went back to monarchy and another revolution in 1848 which allowed a nephew of Napoleon to be elected president and then become emperor under the name of Napoléon III The end of the XIX century was the start of the industrialization of the country, the development of the railways but also the start of the bitter wars with Prussia and later Germany
20th and 21st centuries
1905 saw the separation of the Church from the State This was a traumatic process, especially in rural areas The French state carefully avoids any religious recognition Under a 'don't ask, don't tell' policy the law forbids French students and civil servants from displaying any sign explicitly showing their religion This policy applies to wearing Christian crosses, and has recently been applied to the Muslim hijab and has been copied in countries like Tunisia and Turkey In the early 21st century, statistics for Church going and belief in God are among the lowest in Europe
World War I 1914 -18 was a disaster for France, even though the country was ultimately a victor A significant part of the male workforce had been killed and disabled and a large part of the country and industry destroyed World War II 1939 - 45 also destroyed a number of areas
Since the end of WWII France went through a period of reconstruction and prosperity came back with the development of industry France and Germany were at the start of the Treaties which eventually became the European Union One of the most visible consequence being the introduction in 2002 of the Euro €, the common currency of sixteen European countries
In 2010, France is a republic with a President elected for a 5-year term Some current main issues are the further integration of the country into the EU and the adoption of common standards for the economy, defense, and so on
|
L'Anglais et les Français Yes, it's true: while most people in France under the age of 60 have studied English, they are often unable or unwilling to use it This is not necessarily linguistic snobbery, but is usually due to lack of practice, or fear that their little-used-since-high-school English will sound ridiculous Please note that British English, spoken with the carefully articulated "received pronunciation", is what is generally taught in France; thus, other accents such as Irish, Scottish, Southern US or Australian accents may be understood with difficulty, if at all Try to speak clearly and slowly, and avoid slang or US-specific words or phrases There is no need to speak loudly unless in a loud environment to be understood; doing so is considered impolite Don't forget that French people will really appreciate any attempts you do to speak French |
See also: French phrasebook
French Français is the official language of France, although there are regional variations in pronunciation and local words For example, throughout France the word for yes, oui, said "we" is pronounced "ouais", said "waay" It's similar to the English language usage of "Yeah" instead of "Yes"
In Alsace and part of Lorraine, a dialect of German called "Alsatian", which is almost incomprehensible to speakers of standard High German, is spoken In the south, some still speak dialects of the Langue d'Oc because the word for "yes" is oc: Languedocien, Limousin, Auvergnat, or Provençal Langue d'Oc is a Romance language, a very close relative of Italian, Spanish, or Catalan In the west part of Brittany, a few people, mainly old or scholars, speak Breton; this Celtic language is closer to Welsh than to French In parts of Aquitaine, Basque is spoken, but not as much as on the Spanish side of the border In Corsica a kind of Italian is spokenIn Provence, Provençal is most likely to be spoken, especially along the Riviera In Paris, the ethnic Chinese community in Chinatown also speaks Teochew
However, almost everyone speaks French and tourists are unlikely to ever come across regional languages, except in order to give a "folkloric" flair to things
Hardly anybody understands imperial units such as gallons or Fahrenheit Stick to metric units
The French are generally attached to politeness and will react coolly to strangers that forget it You might be surprised to see that you are greeted by other customers when you walk into a restaurant or shop Return the courtesy and address your hellos/goodbyes to everyone when you enter or leave small shops and cafes It is, for the French, very impolite to start a conversation with a stranger even a shopkeeper or client without at least a polite word like "bonjour" For this reason, starting the conversation with at least a few basic French phrases, or some equivalent polite form in English, goes a long way to convince them to try and help you
Some travel phrases:
Note that French spoken with an hard English accent or an American accent can be very difficult for the average French person to understand In such circumstances, it may be best to write down what you are trying to say But tales of waiters refusing to serve tourists because their pronunciation doesn't meet French standards are highly exaggerated A good-faith effort will usually be appreciated, but don't be offended if a waiter responds to your fractured French, or even fluent but accented, in English If you are a fluent French speaker and the waiter speaks to you in English when you'd prefer to speak French, continue to respond in French and the waiter will usually switch back - this is a common occurrence in the more tourist-orientated areas, especially in Paris
Please note that some parts of France such as Paris are at times overrun by tourists The locals there may have some blasé feelings about helping for the umpteenth time foreign tourists who speak in an unintelligible language and ask for directions to the other side of the city Be courteous and understanding
As France is a very multicultural society, many African languages, Arabic, Chinese dialects, Vietnamese or Cambodian could be spoken
Many of the French take their vacations in August As a result, outside of touristic areas, many of the smaller stores butcher shops, bakeries will be closed in parts of August This also applies to many corporations as well as physicians Obviously, in touristy areas, stores will tend to be open when the tourists come, especially July and August In contrast, many attractions will be awfully crowded during those months, and during Easter week-end
Some attractions, especially in rural areas, close or have reduced opening hours outside the touristic season
Mountain areas tend to have two touristic seasons: in the winter, for skiing, snowshoeing and other snow-related activities, and in the summer for sightseeing and hiking
France is part of the Eurozone, so as in many other European Union countries the currency used is the euro symbol: € Some foreign currencies such as the US dollar and the British Pound are occasionally accepted, especially in touristic areas and in higher-end places, but one should not count on it; furthermore, the merchant may apply some unfavourable rate In general, shops will refuse transactions in foreign currency
It is compulsory, for the large majority of businesses, to post prices in windows Hotels and restaurants must have their rates visible from outside note, however, that many hotels propose lower prices than the posted ones if they feel they will have a hard time filling up their rooms; the posted price is only a maximum
Almost all stores, restaurants and hotels take the CB French debit card, and its foreign affiliations, Visa and Mastercard American Express tends to be accepted only in high-end shops Check with your bank for applicable fees typically, banks apply the wholesale inter-bank exchange rate, which is the best available, but may slap a proportional and/or a fixed fee
French CB cards and CB/Visa and CB/Mastercard cards have a "smart chip" on them allowing PIN authentication of transactions This system, initiated in France, has now evolved to an international standard and newer British cards are compatible Some automatic retail machines such as those vending tickets may be compatible only with cards with the microchip In addition, cashiers unaccustomed to foreign cards possibly do not know that foreign Visa or Mastercard cards have to be swiped and a signature obtained, while French customers systematically use PIN and don't sign the transactions
There is practically no way to get a cash advance from a credit card without a PIN in France
Automatic teller machines ATM are by far the best way to get money in France They all take CB, Visa, Mastercard, Cirrus and Plus and are plentiful throughout France They may accept other kinds of card; check for the logos on the ATM and on your card on the back, generally if at least one matches It is possible that some machines do not handle 6-digit PIN codes only 4-digit ones, or that they do not offer the choice between different accounts defaulting on the checking account Check with your bank about applicable fees, which may vary greatly typically, banks apply the wholesale inter-bank exchange rate, which is the best available, but may slap a proportional and/or a fixed fee; because of the fixed fee it is generally better to withdraw money in big chunks rather than €20 at a time Also, check about applicable maximal withdrawal limits
Traveller's cheques are difficult to use — most merchants will not accept them, and exchanging them may involve finding a bank that accepts to exchange them and possibly paying a fee
Note that the postal service doubles as a bank, so often post offices will have an ATM As a result, even minor towns will have ATMs usable with foreign cards
Exchange offices bureaux de change are now rarer with the advent of the Euro - they will in general only be found in towns with a significant foreign tourist presence, such as Paris Some banks exchange money, often with high fees The Bank of France no longer does foreign exchange
Do's Put money into your checking account, carry an ATM card with a Cirrus or Plus logo on it and a 4-digit pin and withdraw cash from ATMs Pay larger transactions hotel, restaurants with Visa or Mastercard Always carry some € cash for emergencies
Don't's Carry foreign currency $, £ or traveller's cheques, and exchange them on the go, or expect them to be accepted by shops
Inside city centers, you will find smaller stores, chain grocery stores Casino as well as, occasionally, department stores and small shopping malls Residential areas will often have small supermarkets Champion, Intermarché Large supermarkets hypermarchés such as Géant Casino or Carrefour are mostly located on the outskirts of towns and are probably not useful unless you have a car
With its international reputation for fine dining, few people would be surprised to hear that French cuisine can certainly be very good Unfortunately, it can also be quite disappointing; many restaurants serve very ordinary fare, and some in touristy areas are rip-offs Finding the right restaurant is therefore very important - try asking locals, hotel staff or even browsing restaurant guides for recommendations as simply walking in off the street can be a hit and miss affair
There are many places to try French food in France, from three-star Michelin restaurants to French "brasseries" or "bistros" that you can find at almost every corner, especially in big cities These usually offer a relatively consistent and virtually standardised menu of relatively inexpensive cuisine To obtain a greater variety of dishes, a larger outlay of money is often necessary In general, one should try to eat where the locals do for the best chance of a memorable meal Most small cities or even villages have local restaurants which are sometimes listed in the most reliable guides There are also specific local restaurants, like "bouchons lyonnais" in Lyons, "crêperies" in Brittany or in the Montparnasse area of Paris, etc
Chinese, Vietnamese, even Thai eateries are readily available in Paris, either as regular restaurants or "traiteurs" fast-food They are not so common, and are more expensive, in smaller French cities Many places have "Italian" restaurants though these are often little more than unimaginative pizza and pasta parlors You will also find North African Moroccan, Algerian, Tunisian as well as Greek and Lebanese food The ubiquitous hamburger eateries US original or their French copies are also available; note that McDonalds is more upmarket in France than in the US
In France, taxes 196 per cent of the total and service usually 15 per cent are always included in the bill ; so anything patrons add to the bill amount is an "extra-tip" French people usually leave one or two coins if they were happy with the service
Menu fixed price seldom include beverages If you want water, waiters will often try to sell you mineral water Évian, Thonon or fizzy water Badoit, Perrier, at a premium; ask for a carafe d'eau for tap water, which is free and safe to drink Water never comes with ice in it unless so requested and water with ice may not be available
As in other countries, restaurants tend to make a large profit off beverages Expect wine to cost much more than it would in a supermarket
Ordering is made either from fixed price menus prix fixe or à la carte A typical fixed price menu will comprise:
Sometimes, restaurants offer the option to take only two of three steps, at a reduced price
Coffee is always served as a final step though it may be followed by liquors A request for coffee during the meal will be considered strange
Not all restaurants are open for lunch and dinner, nor are they open all year around It is therefore advisable to check carefully the opening times and days A restaurant open for lunch will usually start service at noon and accept patrons until 13:30 Dinner begins at around 19:30 and patrons are accepted until 21:30 Restaurants with longer service hours are usually found only in the larger cities and in the downtown area Finding a restaurant open on Saturday and especially Sunday can be a challenge unless you stay close to the tourist areas
In a reasonable number of restaurants, especially outside tourist areas, a booking is compulsory and people may be turned away without one, even if the restaurant is clearly not filled to capacity For this reason, it can be worthwhile to research potential eateries in advance and make the necessary reservations in order to avoid disappointment, especially if the restaurant you're considering is specially advised in guide books
A lunch or dinner for two on the "menu" including wine and coffee will cost you as of 2004 €70 to €100 in a listed restaurant in Paris The same with beer in a local "bistro" or a "crêperie" around €50 A lunch or dinner for one person in a decent Chinese restaurant in Paris can cost as little as €6 if one looks carefully
Outside of Paris and the main cities, prices are not always lower but the menu will include a fourth course, usually cheese As everywhere beware of the tourist traps which are numerous around the heavy travelled spots and may offer a nice view but not much to remember in your plate
All white bread variants keep for only a short time - must be eaten the same day Hence bakers bake at least twice a day!
Pastries are a large part of French cooking Hotel breakfasts tend to be light, consisting of tartines pieces of bread with butter or jam or the famous croissants and pains au chocolat, not dissimilar to a chocolate filled croissant but square rather than crescent shaped
Pastries can be found in a pâtisserie but also in most boulangeries
Every French region has dishes all its own These dishes follow the resources game, fish, agriculture, etc of the region, the vegetables cabbage, turnip, endives, etc which they grow there Here is a small list of regional dishes which you can find easily in France Generally each region has a unique and widespread dish usually because it was poor people's food:
Cooking and drinking is a notable part of the French culture, take time to eat and discover new dishes
Contrary to stereotype, snails and frog legs are quite infrequent foods in France, with many French people enjoying neither, or sometimes having never even tasted them Quality restaurants sometimes have them on their menu: if you're curious about trying new foods, go ahead
Let us also cite:
France is certainly THE country of cheese, with nearly 400 different kinds Indeed, former president General Charles De Gaulle was quoted as saying "How can you govern a country which has 246 varieties of cheese?"
Here is a far from exhaustive list of what one can find:
| Bleu des Causses | Livarot | Roquefort |
| Bleu du Vercors | Morbier | Saint Nectaire |
| Boulette d'Avesnes | Maroilles | Salers |
| Brie de Meaux | Munster | Sainte Maure de Touraine |
| Brie de Melun | Murol | Selles-sur-Cher |
| Broccio | Neufchâtel | Saint Marcellin |
| Camembert | Ossau-Iraty | Sainte Maure de Touraine |
| Cantal | Pelardon | Tomme de chèvre |
| Chaource | Pérail | Tomme des Cévennes |
| Comté | Picodon | Tomme des Cévennes |
| Valençay |
Vegetarianism is not as uncommon as it used to be, especially in larger cities Still, very few restaurants offer vegetarian menus, thus if you ask for something vegetarian the only things they may have available are salad and vegetable side dishes
There may still be confusions between vegetarianism and pesce/pollotarianism Vegetarian/organic food restaurants are starting to appear However, "traditional" French restaurants may not have anything vegetarian on the menu, so you may have to pick something "à la carte", which is usually more expensive Veganism is still very uncommon and it may be difficult to find vegan eateries
Breakfast in France isn't the most important meal of the day and is usually very light The most typical breakfast consists of a coffee and a croissant or some other "viennoiserie", but since it implies going to the baker's store early in the morning to buy fresh croissant, it's typically reserved for somewhat special occasions On normal days most people have a beverage coffee, tea, hot chocolate, orange juice and either toasts "tartines" made of baguette or toast bread with butter and jam/honey/Nutella that can be dipped in the hot beverage, or cereals with milk People who eat healthy may go for fruits and yoghurt As a general rule, the french breakfast is sweet only, never savory ie you'll never see people eating eggs or sausage
Champagne, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Rhone, the Loire Valley France is the home of wine It can be found cheaply just about anywhere Beer lager is also extremely popular, in particular in northern France, where "Biere de Garde" can be found The alcohol purchase age was recently raised to 18 for all drinks, but this is not always strictly enforced; however, laws against drunk driving are strictly enforced, with stiff penalties
Wine and liquors may be purchased from supermarkets, or from specialized stores such as the Nicolas chain Nicolas offers good advice on what to buy specify the kind of wine and the price range you desire In general, only French wines are available unless a foreign wine is a "specialty" with no equivalent in France such as port, and they are classified by region of origin, not by grape
Never drink alcoholic beverages especially red wine or strong alcohol such as cognac directly from a 75 cl bottle Such behaviour is generally associated with bums and drunkards Drinking beer from a 25 to 50cl can or bottle is ok
Café prices depend heavily on location Remember, you're not paying so much for the beverage as for the table spot; and accordingly, in general, it is cheaper to drink at the bar than seated at a table Cafés in touristic areas, especially in Paris, are very expensive If your intent is simply to have a drink, you'll be better off buying beverages from a grocery store and drinking them in a park
There are a couple of mixed drinks which seem to be more or less unique to France, and nearby francophone countries
Tap water is safe to drink apart from exceptional cases remote farms, remote rest areas, in which case it will be labeled eau non potable Tap water may be obtained in restaurants by asking for a carafe d'eau; it will not come with ice In some cities, it may have a taste such as that of chlorine
There is a variety of bottled water, including:
Travelers should definitely consider short term villa/apartment/studio rentals as an alternative to other accommodations options Short term can be as few as several days up to months at a stretch Summer rentals are usually from Saturday to Saturday only July & August This type accommodation belongs to a private party, and can range from basic to luxurious A particular advantage, aside from competitive prices, is that the accommodations come with fully fitted kitchens
Hundreds of agencies offer accommodation for short term rentals on behalf of the owner, and can guide you into finding the best property, at the best price in the most suitable location for you An internet search for the location and type of property you're looking for will usually return the names of several listing sites, each of which may have hundreds or thousands of properties for you to choose from There are plenty of sites in both English and French, and the rental properties may be owned by people of any nationality
France is a diverse and colourful country, and you'll find everything from stunning log chalets in the Alps, Chateaux in the countryside and beach front villas on the Rivieraplus everything in between!
Hotels come in 4 categories from 1 to 4 stars This is the official rating given by the Ministry of Tourism, and it is posted at the entrance on a blue shield Stars are awarded according to objective yet somewhat outdated administrative criteria area of the reception hall, percentage of rooms with ensuite bathroom
Rates vary according to accommodation, location and sometimes high or low season or special events
As of 2004, the rate for a *** hotel listed in a reliable guidebook falls between €70 cheap and €110 expensive for a double without breakfast
All hotels, by law, must have their rates posted outside or visible from outside Note that these are maximal rates: a hotel can always propose a lower rate in order to fill up its rooms Bargaining is not the norm but you can always ask for a discount
Hotels located in city centers or near train stations are often very small 15 to 30 rooms which means that you should book ahead Many newer hotels, business oriented, are found in the outskirts of cities and are sometimes larger structures 100 rooms or more; they may not be easy to reach with public transportation The newer hotels are often part of national or international chains and have high standards Many older hotels are now part of chains and provide standardized service but they retain their own atmosphere
When visiting Paris, it is essential to stay in the city; there are cheaper tourism hotels in the suburbs, but these cater to groups in motor coaches; they will be hard to reach by public transportation
Along the highways, at the entrance of cities, you find US-like motels ; they are very often reachable only by car Some motels eg Formule 1 have minimal service, if you come in late you find an ATM-like machine, using credit cards, which will deliver a code in order to reach your assigned room
Throughout France, mainly in rural areas but also in towns and cities, you can find B&Bs and gîtes
B&B's are known in French as "Chambres d'hôtes" and are generally available on a nightly basis By law, breakfast MUST be included in the advertised price for a "chambre d'hôte" Bear this in mind when comparing prices with hotels, where breakfast is NOT included in the room price
Gites or gites ruraux are holiday cottages, and generally rented out as a complete accommodation unit including a kitchen, mostly on a weekly basis There are very few near or in the cities Finding them requires buying a guide or, for greater choice, using the internet, as you will not find a lot of signposts on the road
Traditionally, gites provided basic good value accommodation, typically adjacent to the owners household or in a nearby outbuilding More recently the term has been extended, and can now be used to describe most country-based self-catering accommodation in France Hence it includes accommodation as varied as small cottages villas with private swimming pools
During peak summer months the best self-catering gites require booking several months in advance
There are thousands of B&Bs and gites in France rented out by foreign owners, particularly British and Dutch, and these tend to be listed, sometimes exclusively, with English-language or international organisations and websites that can be found by keying the words "chambres d'hotes", "gites" or "gites de france" into any of the major search engines
There is a large number of organisations and websites offering "gites" Literally the French word gite just means a place to spend the night; however it now largely used to describe rental cottages or self-catering holiday homes, usually in rural parts of France
A France-wide cooperative organisation, Gites de France regroups on a voluntary basis more than 50,000 rural accommodations and was the first in France to offer a consistent rating system with comprehensive descriptions
Despite the name, Gites de France offers B&B as well as holiday rental gite accommodation
Its website in English is 28 for B&B and 29 for gîtes
The "Gites de France" rating system uses wheat stalks called Epis equivalent to stars, based on amenities rather than quality - though generally the two go together
Through its website, bookings can be done directly with owners or through the local Gîtes de France booking agency no extra fee for the traveler Although an English language version is available for many of the website pages, for some departments the pages giving details of an individual gite are only in French
The advantages of booking through this agency are that it is often possible to book on-line, payments can by made by credit/debit card and there will be someone who can be contacted by phone or e-mail who speaks English Some French language skills might be necessary if you are dealing directly with the owner Prices are usually competitive since they are initially geared to the local market A 25% non refundable payment is standard policy at the time of booking
After making a gite booking you will receive, by post, a contract to sign gites only Sign and return one copy When signing write the words "Read and approved", and the name of your home town, before signing and dating the contract The remaining 75% of the hire charge will be required one month before the start of your holiday When you arrive at the gite a security deposit, specified in the contact, should be given to the owner in cash This will be returned at the end of your stay, less any fuel charges and breakages In case of dispute with the owner the organisation will mediate since its rating system is at stake
Another possibility is gîtes d'étape These are more like overnight stays for hikers, like a mountain hut They are mostly cheaper than the Gîtes de France but also much more basic
Camping is very common in France Most campsite are a little way out of the city centre and virtually all cater not just for tents but for Camper Vans/Caravans also While all campsites have the basic facilities of Shower/toilet blocks, larger sites tend to offer a range of additional facilities such as bars and restaurants, self-service laundries, swimming pools or bicycle hire All campsites except for very small "farm camping" establishments must be registered with the authorities, and are officially graded using a system of stars
In coastal areas, three-star and four-star campgrounds must generally be booked in advance during the months of July and August, and many people book from one year to the next In rural areas, outside of popular tourist spots, it is usually possible to show up unannounced, and find a place; this is particularly true with the municipal campsites that can be found in most small towns; though even then it may be advisable to ring up or email in advance to make sure There are always exceptions
In France it's forbidden to camp:
Citizens of EU countries save from some Eastern European countries, for a temporary period can work in France without having to secure a work permit If you're from outside the EU, you will probably need a work permit - check with the French Embassy in your country Depending on your qualifications, you can find a lot of different jobs Do not forget though that the unemployment rate is around 10% 2009
Note that if you are not from the EU, you cannot work legally in France without a proper work visa or employment permit Doing so otherwise makes you an illegal alien, potentially subject to possible arrest, prosecution, expulsion, and prohibition from reentering France and the Schengen area
If you want to earn money to continue traveling, Interim agencies eg Adecco, Manpower are a good source of temporary jobs You can also consider working in bars, restaurants, and/or nightclubs they are often looking for English-speaking workers, particularly those restaurants in tourist areas - fast-food restaurants such as McDonald's and Quick are also always looking for people
A lot of "student jobs", if you happen to be in a big city, are also available for younger travelers, and foreigners are often very welcome Such jobs include, for example, giving private English lessons, taking care of young children or many other thingscheck out the university buildings, they often have a lot of advertisements An easy way to find job offers in France is to use Trovitfr 34, search engine for job offers in France
Don't forget that being an English speaker is a big advantage when you're looking for a job - French employers really have a problem finding English-speaking workers Do note, however, that it will be much easier for you if you know a bit of French, for the same reason your colleagues are not likely to speak English However, don't overestimate your chances of finding work; in March 2005 unemployment is back at 10%, and a whopping 22% among under-25's many of whom speak or understand English There are a lot more people looking for jobs than there are jobs - except those unattractive jobs that no-one wants to do
The French work market tends to operate through personal contacts - if you know someone that works somewhere, you can probably figure out quite an easy way to work at that place too It always helps to know people living in the area you wish to work
In France you will find jobs on CadrEmploi 35
| Meal in inexpensive restaurant | 13.3 EUR |
| 3-course meal in restaurant (for 2) | 45 EUR |
| McDonalds meal | 7.68 EUR |
| Local beer (0.5 draft) | 5.55 EUR |
| Foreign beer (0.33 bottle) | 3.72 EUR |
| Cappuccino | 2.86 EUR |
| Pepsi/Coke (0.33 bottle) | 2.67 EUR |
| Water (0.33 bottle) | 1.49 EUR |
| Milk (1l) | 0.83 EUR |
| Fresh bread (500g) | 1.26 EUR |
| White Rice (1kg) | 1.86 EUR |
| Eggs (12) | 2.54 EUR |
| Local Cheese (1kg) | 13.42 EUR |
| Chicken Breast (1kg) | 11.35 EUR |
| Apples (1kg) | 2.17 EUR |
| Oranges (1kg) | 2.46 EUR |
| Tomato (1kg) | 2.45 EUR |
| Potato (1kg) | 1.46 EUR |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 1.15 EUR |
| Water (1.5l) | 0.83 EUR |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 4.8 EUR |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 bottle) | 1.83 EUR |
| Foreign beer (0.33 bottle) | 1.83 EUR |
| Cigarettes | 6.37 EUR |
| One way local bus ticket | 1.52 EUR |
| Monthly pass for bus | 52.57 EUR |
| Taxi start | 2.94 EUR |
| Taxi 1km | 1.66 EUR |
| Taxi 1hour waiting | 30.66 EUR |
| Gasoline (1 liter) | 1.34 EUR |
| Utilities for a "normal" apartment | 137.86 EUR |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 15.29 EUR |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 680.08 EUR |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 539.89 EUR |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 869.62 EUR |
