< Introducing Paris
Useful Information
Shop on Rue des Francs Bourgeois in the Marais district
A little forward planning pays dividends when travelling with kids. Check when a sight is open before setting out – contact details and websites are listed in this guide. Buy a
carnet of tickets to both save money and time while using public transport (see
Getting Around Paris). Make sure your travel insurance covers you for all eventualities, and make, and carry with, you a copy of your family’s ID and passports in case the originals are stolen or lost.
Passports and visas
Citizens of EU countries can enter France for any length of time with a passport or national ID card; citizens of the USA, Canada, Australia or New Zealand do not require visas if staying for less than three months, but passports must be valid for three months beyond the end of the trip. If staying longer, a Schengen visa is required. Citizens of other nations should consult their country’s French consulate.
Customs information
For EU citizens there are no limits on goods that can be taken into or out of France, provided they are for personal use. Visitors from outside the EU can import the following duty-free allowances: 200 cigarettes; 2 litres of wine plus 1 litre of spirits; 60 ml of perfume and 250 ml of eau de toilette; other items up to a value of €430 for air and sea travellers and €300 for other travellers. Non-EU residents can claim back Value-added Tax (VAT) if they spend more than €175.
Insurance
It is vital to take out travel insurance. At a minimum, this should cover cancellation, lost property, personal liability, legal expenses, medical cover and emergency flights home.
All EU nationals have access to the French social security system, which reimburses around 80 per cent of the cost of medical care; treatment must be paid for, then reclaimed later. To use the system, a free
European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is required; find out more on the
EHIC website. US visitors should check before leaving home that their health insurance covers foreign trips and includes repatriation.
Health
Almost every main street in France has a pharmacy; look for the green neon cross outside. All pharmacies will display the address of the pharmacie de garde, or duty pharmacy, closest to them that is open out of hours, or you can consult the online list. Pharmacists are trained to diagnose minor ailments, suggest treatments and can direct you to the nearest doctor. Suppositories are quite common for children’s medicines in France. If that might be an issue, bring your own basic medicines.
There are very few health hazards in Paris; the tap water is safe to drink and no vaccinations are required. The city can get surprisingly hot in summer, so be prepared: a bottle of water or a small can of water spray and a hand-held fan will help cool down a fractious tot. Even in northern Europe the sun can be strong, so take precautions to avoid sunburn and heatstroke.
24-hour pharmacies
0148746518 & 0145620241
Personal safety and security
Paris is generally a safe city, but avoid poorly lit or isolated places. Beware of pickpockets in museums, on busy streets and on the metro; use a hotel safe, if available, for documents and valuables; and only carry as much cash on you as you need.
In an emergency on the metro or RER, call the station attendant by using the yellow telephone marked Chef de Station on the platforms.
Be very careful when crossing the road with children in Paris. Parisians frequently ignore traffic signals and pedestrian crossings, and often drive down one-way streets the wrong way. Remind children from countries that drive on the left that the French drive on the right.
Personal property
Make sure all items are insured. Be extra vigilant with bags, wallets, cameras and mobile phones when travelling with small children, as it is easy to get distracted. A waist-worn bag or money belt keeps hands free. If your passport is stolen you will need to contact your embassy or consulate.
Police
If you are a victim of crime, report the incident immediately at the nearest police station. You will need to make a statement called a procès verbal. Keep a certified copy of this for the insurance claim.
Child safety
It is easy to get separated in a busy city. If older children have a mobile phone, make sure it is unlocked, turned on, fully charged and in credit, and that your mobile number has been entered with the country code, so they can call it despite being abroad. Make sure that small children know their full name, have ID and your mobile number on them, and know that the best person to ask for help if they get lost is a policeman or a female shop assistant.
Medical emergency
Call for an ambulance from SAMU (Service d’Aide Médicale Urgence) or the Sapeurs-Pompiers, the fire brigade, which offers a first aid and ambulance service.
All services
112
Police 17 (emergencies); 0891012222; (to locate your nearest police station)
SAMU (ambulance) 15
Sapeurs-Pompiers (fire and ambulance) 18
SOS Dentaires (emergency dentist); 0143375100
Money
France is one of the 17 European nations using the Euro (€). All seven denominations of bank notes, from €5 to €500, are identical but coins, ranging from 1 cent to €2 pieces, show the country of origin. Kids might have fun trying to collect an example from every country.
There is no restriction on the amount of money visitors can bring into France.
Banks and bureaux de change
There are ATMs all over Paris. Most banks in the centre will also change money, at better rates than a bureau de change, and they usually accept traveller’s cheques. Banking hours vary widely and ATMs may run out of cash at peak times. Other bureaux de change are open 9am–6pm Mon–Sat and can be found along the Champs-Elysées and at main railway stations. American Express offices at the airports open early and close late.
Using an ATM cash dispenser
Credit and debit cards
Carte Bleu, Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted, American Express less so. Cards issued in France are “chip-and-PIN” but if yours is not, ask for it to be swiped through the bande magnétique, or magnetic reader.
American Express
0147777000 (credit cards); 0800832820 (traveller’s cheques)
MasterCard
0800901387
Visa/Carte Bleu
0800901179
Opening hours
Most banks open 9am–4:30pm Tue–Fri, though hours vary between branches. Some branches also open on Saturday mornings. Post offices are open 8am–7pm Mon–Fri and on Saturday mornings. Most shops in Paris open 9am–7pm, but small shops often close for lunch. Smaller supermarkets often close at 8pm, but the Monoprix supermarket on the Champs-Elysées is open until midnight Mon–Sat. Most shops are closed on Sunday. Many restaurants also close for a day at the beginning of the week, usually Monday. Many businesses, especially those in residential areas, close in August. As a general rule, museums and other sights are open 9am–5pm, often with a break for lunch, and tend to stay open late one evening per week. They are usually closed on Mondays or Tuesdays and public holidays. Ticket offices shut 30 minutes before closing time.
Media
There are kiosks and newsagents (maisons de la presse) all over the city, selling British, American and other foreign-language newspapers. There are lots of French magazines and comics for kids, mostly of a high standard. Many are very educational. Most French hotels have TVs with at least a few satellite channels, but English-language stations will be mostly news and sport. French children’s television is heavy on cartoons, which transcend the language barrier for the little ones.
Communications
French phone numbers have ten digits, all of which must be dialled. Some public telephones accept credit cards, otherwise a télécarte, or phone card, can be bought from a tabac, or tobacconist, at the metro station, train station or post office. Very few boxes take coins.
Mobile phones and internet
Most European mobile phones function normally in France; US cell phones need to be at least tri-band to work. Check with your service provider before using a mobile abroad, as charges can be very high – and keep an eye on older kids with their own mobiles. Use one of the various international call packages if you expect to be making more than a few calls. If your phone is unblocked you can buy a local SIM card from any tobacconist.
Internet access is widely available in Paris. Nearly all public places have free Wi-Fi.
Postal service
Sending postcards home is part of the fun for kids. Timbres, or stamps, can be bought from a tobacconist or any branch of the post office (La Poste). International mail is sent by air; allow up to five days for delivery.
To call France from abroad from the UK, US and Ireland dial 0033; from Australia 001133. Omit the first 0 of the French number.
To call home from France dial 00, then the country code: UK 44; US and Canada 1; Ireland 353; Australia 61; New Zealand 64
Visitor information
The main Paris Convention and Visitors’ Bureau (Office du Tourisme et des Congrès de Paris) is on Rue des Pyramides (Métro Pyramides) near the Louvre. They can assist with last-minute hotel bookings. The website has information for visitors.
Disabled facilities
Only line 14 of the Métro, some RER stops and some buses are accessible by wheelchair, but taxis are obliged by law to take wheelchair users. Most pavements are contoured to allow wheelchairs easier passage, but many restaurants are hard to access, especially toilets, which are often downstairs. Modern chain hotels are better equipped than characterful, historic ones. The Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, the Château de Versailles and the Cité des Sciences are all easily accessible. The Visitors’ Bureau website has a great deal of useful information, and the Musée de la Ville de Paris produces a leaflet detailing all museum activities and tours for disabled people.
What to pack
The weather can be very variable so pack for rain in the summer and for very cold snaps in winter. Pack good walking shoes as Paris is a city that is a pleasure to explore on foot. Bring casual but smart clothes: Parisians dress well. Parisian supermarkets are well stocked with everything you might need to look after kids, and Monoprix, in particular, sells good value, children’s clothes and shoes.
Time
France uses Central European Time (CET), which is 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Summer (Daylight Saving) Time comes into effect from 2am on the last Sunday in March, and ceases at 2am on the last Sunday in October. The French use the 24-hour clock.
Electricity
The voltage in France is 220 volts. Plugs have two round pins. The BHV store sells adaptors if you have forgotten to bring your own.
BHV
52–64 Rue de Rivoli, 75001
Babysitting
Many hotels can arrange babysitting but may need some advance warning. The American Church in Paris has a notice board with ads from English-speaking babysitters, or Ma Babysitter Paris has an online request form in English.
American Church in Paris
65 Quai d’Orsay, 75007;
0140620500;
www.acparis.org
Toilets
There are plenty of public toilets in Paris, mostly modern, automated units. There are luxury pay toilets in the Carrousel du Louvre and the Printemps department store.
Window display in a department store
Etiquette
Children get a warm welcome all over Paris, in museums, hotels and restaurants, but it is important to remember that French parents and teachers are strict and expect children to be polite and respectful.
The French are quite formal. Remind your brood that they should address absolutely everyone, even the bus driver, with a cheerful “Bonjour Madame/Monsieur”. It is worth memorizing even a very few basic phrases, and encourage the kids to as well. The famous Parisian standoffishness is more often just exasperation at people who make no effort to speak their language.