VISA. Visas are no longer required for Americans staying in France for less than 3 months, with the exceptions of : Holder of diplomatic passports or government employees on official missions, students in study programs, and ship or airline crew members on duty.

BANK HOURS. Most major international banks have offices in Paris. Banks are open weekdays, 9am to 4.30pm, Banks are closed on Sundays, holidays and afternoon before holidays. Some of them are closed Saturdays in Paris and Mondays in the provinces.

POST OFFICE. They are marked PTT and are open from 8am to 7pm weekdays and 8am till noon on Saturdays. In Paris, the Central Post Office at 52, rue du Louvre is open 24 hours. Stamps can be purchased at Bar/Tabacs, Hotels and some Newstands.

ELECTRIC. Current in France is 220 Volts and current alternates at 50 cycles, not the 60 in use in the US. If you are bringing electrical appliances, you will need a voltage transformer and a plug adapter.

DRIVING IN FRANCE. A valid driver's licence, issued in the US, is required for all US citizens who wish to drive in France. The minimun age for drivers is 18. Proof of insurance is necessary. Seat belts must be worn at all times. Children under 10 must ride in the vehicle's rear seat. Driving while intoxicated carries severe penalties, and speed limits are strictly enforced. As follows :

TELEPHONES. Most public telephones accept phone cards called "Telecartes", not coins, they are available at most Cafe/Tabacs, Post Offices ranging from FF50 to FF200. To be connected with an English-speaking operator in the US, dial "19" from ANY phone, wait for the tone, then dial "0011" for AT&T Direct Service, dial "0019" for MCI, or dial "0087" for Sprint.

LOST PASSPORT-IDENTIFICATION. If you lose your passport in France, go to the nearest U.S. consulate to get a three-month temporary passport, or contact the :

Other US consulates include Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Strasbourg. It is mandatory in France to carry some proof of identification at all times.

MUSEUMS. In general, national Museums are closed on Tuesdays, and municipal ones are closed on Mondays. Some Museums open late on Wednesdays.

SHOPPING AND CUSTOMS. American Visitors carrying their passports can get a refund of the Value-added tax (TVA in French) on purchases of FF2,000 or more at any single store. The discount ranges from 10 to 22 % , depending on the classification of goods. You can combine purchases in Department Stores. Upon Leaving France, show your goods and the VAT refund forms filled out by the store at customs (la douane). French customs will keep both pink pages, mailing one in the envelope provided by the store, and will give you the validated green page which you should keep. Documentation MUST be processed at airport customs BEFORE you check-in. Refunds are sent a few weeks later or are credited to your credit card. ( Shopping with a credit card makes the paperwork easier ).

TIPPING. Most anywhere in France, both a 15% service charge and taxes are included in their prices referred to as "service compris". If a meal has or service has been particularly good, leaving another 10 Francs is customary. If service is not included in the price, a 15% tip is customary. If you have been served personally by the wine waiter, you may give him about FF 10. Other tips: about FF 10 for every piece of luggage to porters, FF10 a day to the chambermaid, 10 to 15% to taxi-drivers, FF 5 to cloakroom attendants, washroom attendants, ushers, and museum tour guides. If you take an excursion, it is standard Practice to tip Tour Guides and Bus Driver.

SMOKING LAW. French law restricts smoking in all public places, including the Metro and Metro Stations. Hotels, Restaurants and Theaters are free to decide how large a smoking area they provide. "Espace Fumeur" designates the smoking area, "Espace non-fumeur" the non-smoking area.

EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS.

Any questions ? Real@aceweb.net