Fast Facts

Auto Club -- An organization designed to help motorists navigate their way through breakdowns and motoring problems is Club Automobile de Provence, 149 bd. Rabatau, 13010 Marseille (tel. 04-91-78-83-00; www.automobileclubprovence.com).

Business Hours -- Business hours here are erratic, as befits a nation of individualists. Most banks are open Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 4:30pm. Many, particularly in smaller towns or villages, take a lunch break at varying times. Hours are usually posted on the door. Most museums close 1 day a week (often Tues), and they're generally closed on national holidays. Usual hours are from 9:30am to 5pm. Some museums, particularly the smaller and less-staffed ones, close for lunch from noon to 2pm. Most French museums are open on Saturday; many are closed Sunday morning but open Sunday afternoon. Again, refer to the individual museum listings.

Generally, offices are open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm, but always call first. In larger cities, stores are open from 9 or 9:30am (often 10am) to 6 or 7pm without a break for lunch. Some shops, particularly those operated by foreigners, open at 8am and close at 8 or 9pm. In some small stores, the lunch break can last 3 hours, beginning at 1pm.

Customs -- Customs restrictions for visitors entering France differ for citizens of the European Union and for citizens of non-E.U. countries. Non-E.U. nationals can bring in duty-free 200 cigarettes, 100 cigarillos, 50 cigars, or 250 grams of smoking tobacco. You can also bring in 2 liters of wine, 1 liter of alcohol over 22 proof, and 2 liters of wine 22 proof or under; 50 grams of perfume; a quarter liter of eau de toilette; 500 grams of coffee; and 200 grams of tea. Visitors 15 and over can bring in other goods totaling 175€ ($228); for those 14 and under, the limit is 90€ ($117). (Customs officials tend to be lenient about general merchandise, realizing that the limits are unrealistically low.) Citizens of E.U. countries can bring in any amount of goods as long as these goods are intended for their personal use and not for resale.

Returning U.S. citizens who have been away for 48 hours or more are allowed to bring back, once every 30 days, $800 worth of merchandise duty-free. You'll be charged a flat rate of 4% duty on the next $1,000 worth of purchases. Be sure to have your receipts handy. On mailed gifts, the duty-free limit is $200. With some exceptions, you cannot bring fresh fruits and vegetables into the United States. For specifics on what you can bring back, download the invaluable free pamphlet Know Before You Go online at www.cbp.gov, or contact the U.S. Customs Border Protection (CBP), 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20229 (tel. 877/287-8867), and request the pamphlet.

For a clear summary of Canadian rules, write for the booklet I Declare, issued by the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (tel. 800/461-9999 in Canada, or 204/983-3500; www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca). Canada allows its citizens a C$750 exemption once a year and only after an absence of 7 days, and you're allowed to bring back duty-free 1 carton of cigarettes, 1 can of tobacco, 40 imperial ounces of liquor, and 50 cigars. In addition, you're allowed to mail gifts to Canada valued at less than C$60 a day, provided that they're unsolicited and don't contain alcohol or tobacco (write on the package "Unsolicited gift, under $60 value"). All valuables should be declared on the Y-38 form before departure from Canada, including serial numbers of valuables you already own, such as expensive foreign cameras.

Citizens of the United Kingdom who are returning from a European Union country will go through a separate Customs Exit (called the "Blue Exit") especially for E.U. travelers. In essence, there is no limit on what you can bring back as long as the items are for personal use (this includes gifts) and you have already paid the necessary duty and tax. However, Customs law sets out guidance levels. If you bring in more than these levels, you might be asked to prove that the goods are for your own use. Guidance levels on goods bought in the E.U. for your own use are 3,200 cigarettes, 200 cigars, 400 cigarillos, 3 kilograms of smoking tobacco, 10 liters of spirits, 90 liters of wine, 20 liters of fortified wine (such as port or sherry), and 110 liters of beer. For more information, contact HM Revenue & Customs at tel. 0845/010-9000 (02920/501-261 from outside the U.K.), or consult the website www.hmrc.gov.uk.

The duty-free allowance in Australia is A$900 or, for those under 18, A$450. Citizens can bring back 250 cigarettes or 250 grams of loose tobacco, and 1,125 milliliters of alcohol. If you're returning with valuables you already own, such as foreign-made cameras, you should file form B263. A helpful brochure available from Australian consulates or Customs offices is Know Before You Go. For more information, call the Australian Customs Service at tel. 1300/363-263, or log on to www.customs.gov.au.

The duty-free allowance for New Zealand is NZ$700. Citizens over 17 can bring back 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, or 250 grams of tobacco (or a mixture of all three if their combined weight doesn't exceed 250 grams), plus 4.5 liters of wine and beer or 1.125 liters of liquor. New Zealand currency does not carry import or export restrictions. Fill out a certificate of export listing the valuables you are taking out of the country; that way, you can bring them back without paying duty. Request the free pamphlet New Zealand Customs Guide for Travellers, Notice no. 4 from New Zealand Customs Service, The Customhouse, 17-21 Whitmore St., Box 2218, Wellington (tel. 04/473-6099 or 0800/428-786; www.customs.govt.nz).

Drugstores -- In France they are called pharmacie. Pharmacies take turns staying open at night and on Sunday; the local Commissariat de Police will tell you the location of the nearest one.

Electricity -- In general, expect 200 volts, 50 cycles, though you'll encounter 110 and 115 volts in some older hotels. Adapters are needed to fit sockets.

Embassies & Consulates -- All embassies are in Paris. The Embassy and Consulate of the United States are at 2 av. Gabriel (tel. 01-43-12-22-22; Métro: Concorde), open Monday through Friday from 9am to 6pm. Passports are issued at the consulate. The United States also maintains a consulate in Marseille at Place Varian Fry, 13286 Marseille (tel. 04-91-54-92-00).

The Embassy of Canada is at 35 av. Montaigne (tel. 01-44-43-29-00; Métro: Franklin-D-Roosevelt), open Monday through Friday from 9am to noon and 2 to 5pm; the Canadian Consulate is at the same address. The Embassy of the United Kingdom is at 35 rue du Faubourg St-Honoré (tel. 01-44-51-31-00; Métro: Concorde), open Monday through Friday from 9:30am to 1pm and 2:30 to 5pm; the U.K. consulate, 18 bis rue d'Anjou (tel. 01-44-51-31-02; Métro: Concorde), is open Monday through Friday from 9am to noon and 2 to 5pm. The Embassy of Ireland is at 4 rue Rude, 75116 Paris (tel. 01-44-17-67-00; Métro: Etoile). Hours are Monday through Friday from 9:30am to noon and 2:30 to 5:30pm.

The Embassy of Australia is at 4 rue Jean-Rey, 15e (tel. 01-40-59-33-00; Métro: Bir-Hakeim), open Monday through Friday from 9:15am to noon and 2:30 to 4:30pm. The Embassy of New Zealand is at 7 ter rue Léonard-de-Vinci (tel. 01-45-01-43-43; Métro: Victor-Hugo), open Monday through Friday from 9am to 1pm and 2:30 to 6pm.

Emergencies -- In an emergency while at a hotel, contact the front desk to summon an ambulance or do whatever is necessary. But for something like a stolen wallet, go to the police station in person. Otherwise, you can get help anywhere in France by calling tel. 17 for the police or tel. 18 for the fire department (pompiers).

Legal Aid -- The French government advises foreigners to consult their embassy or consulate in case of an arrest or similar problem. The staff can generally offer advice on how you can obtain help locally and can furnish you with a list of local attorneys. If you are arrested for illegal possession of drugs, the U.S. embassy and consular officials cannot interfere with the French judicial system. A consulate can advise you only of your rights.

Lost & Found -- To speed the process of replacing your personal documents if they're lost or stolen, make a photocopy of the first few pages of your passport and write down your credit card numbers (and the serial numbers of your traveler's checks, if you're using them) before leaving your home country. Leave this information with someone at home -- to be faxed to you in an emergency -- and swap it with your traveling companion. Be sure to tell all of your credit card companies the minute you discover your wallet has been lost or stolen, and file a report at the nearest police precinct. Your credit card company or insurer may require a police report number or record of the loss.

Use the following numbers in France to report your lost or stolen credit card: for American Express, tel. 336/393-1111 (call collect; www.americanexpress.com); for MasterCard, tel. 08-00-90-13-87 (www.mastercard.com); and for Visa, tel. 08-00-90-11-79 (www.visaeurope.com). Your credit card company may be able to wire you a cash advance immediately or deliver an emergency card in a day or two.

Mail -- Most post offices in France are open Monday through Friday from 8am to 7pm, and Saturday from 8am to noon. Allow 5 to 8 days to send or receive mail from your home. Airmail letters to North America cost .85€ ($1.10) for 20 grams. Letters to the U.K. cost .54€ (70¢) for up to 20 grams. An airmail postcard to North America or Europe (outside France) costs .85€ ($1.10).

You can exchange money at post offices. Many hotels sell stamps, as do local post offices and cafes displaying a red TABAC sign outside.

Passports -- Allow plenty of time before your trip to apply for a passport; processing normally takes 3 weeks but can take longer during busy periods (especially spring). And keep in mind that if you need a passport in a hurry, you'll pay a higher processing fee.

For Residents of Australia: You can pick up an application from your local post office or any branch of Passports Australia, but you must schedule an interview at the passport office to present your application materials. Call the Australian Passport Information Service at tel. 131-232, or visit the government website at www.passports.gov.au.

For Residents of Canada: Passport applications are available at travel agencies throughout Canada or from the central Passport Office, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ottawa, ON K1A 0G3 (tel. 800/567-6868; www.ppt.gc.ca).

For Residents of Ireland: You can apply for a 10-year passport at the Passport Office, Setanta Centre, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2 (tel. 01/671-1633; www.irlgov.ie/iveagh). Those under 18 and over 65 must apply for a 3-year passport. You can also apply at 1A South Mall, Cork (tel. 021/272-525) or at most main post offices.

For Residents of New Zealand: You can pick up a passport application at any New Zealand Passports Office or download it from their website. Contact the Passports Office at tel. 0800/225-050 in New Zealand or 04/474-8100, or log on to www.passports.govt.nz.

For Residents of the United Kingdom: To pick up an application for a standard 10-year passport (5-year passport for children under 16), visit your nearest passport office, major post office, or travel agency or contact the United Kingdom Passport Service at tel. 0870/521-0410 or search its website at www.ukpa.gov.uk.

For Residents of the United States: Whether you're applying in person or by mail, you can download passport applications from the U.S. State Department website at http://travel.state.gov. To find your regional passport office, either check the U.S. State Department website or call the National Passport Information Center toll-free number (tel. 877/487-2778) for automated information.

Police -- Call tel. 17 anywhere in France.

Restrooms -- If you're in dire need, duck into a cafe or brasserie. It's customary to make some small purchase if you do so. France still has many "hole-in-the-ground" toilets, so be forewarned.

Telephone -- The French use a télécarte, a phone debit card, which you can purchase at rail stations, post offices, and other places. Sold in two versions, it allows you to use either 50 or 120 charge units by inserting the card into the slot of most public phones. Depending on the type of card you buy, the cost starts at 10€ ($13) and goes up from there.

If possible, avoid making calls from your hotel; some French establishments double or triple the charges.

Time -- The French equivalent of daylight saving time lasts from around April to September, which puts it 1 hour ahead of French winter time. Depending on the time of year, France is 6 or 7 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Standard Time.

Tipping -- All bills, as required by law, are supposed to say service compris, which means that the tip has been included. Here are some general guidelines: For hotel staff, tip 1.05€ to 1.50€ ($1.35-$1.95) for every item of baggage the porter carries on arrival and departure, and 1.50€ ($1.95) per day for the chambermaid. You're not obligated to tip the concierge, doorperson, or anyone else -- unless you use his or her services. In cafes, waiter service is usually included. For porters, there's no real need to tip extra after their bill is presented, unless they've performed some special service. Tip taxi drivers 10% to 15% of the amount on the meter. In theaters and restaurants, give cloakroom attendants at least .75€ ($1) per item. Give restroom attendants about .30€ (25¢) in nightclubs and such places. Give cinema and theater ushers about .30€ (25¢). Tip the hairdresser about 15%, and don't forget to tip the person who gives you a shampoo or manicure 2€ ($2.60). For guides of group visits to sights, 1€ to 1.50€ ($1.30-$1.95) per person is reasonable.