{"id":3805,"date":"2018-05-02T10:52:02","date_gmt":"2018-05-02T14:52:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/?p=3805"},"modified":"2018-05-02T10:55:55","modified_gmt":"2018-05-02T14:55:55","slug":"go-france","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/go-france","title":{"rendered":"What to know before you go: France"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From the illustrious Eiffel Tower, to the majestic palace of Versailles, to the somber battlefields of Normandy<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, there&#8217;s so much to see and explore when you\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/teachers\/select-a-tour\/french.aspx\">travel to France<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In order to truly make the most of your trip, though, it\u2019s best to be prepared. Knowing what to expect in France can help you avoid some of the little stresses that go along with travel and spend more time on what you came for: life-changing experiences.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are some tips for making sure you\u2019re ready for your trip to France:<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>What do I need to know about France? <\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>President:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Emmanuel Macron<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Prime Minister:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00c9douard Philippe<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Religion:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Christian (51%), No religion (40%), Other (9%)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Date format: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">DD\/MM\/YYYY<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Time zone: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Central European Time (EST+6)<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>What do I need to know about French culture?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>Language: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The official language of France is \u2014 you guessed it \u2014 French. If you\u2019re learning French, then this is a golden opportunity to practice. It\u2019s okay, though, if you have no knowledge of the language \u2014 people will mostly speak English in more touristy areas, and tour guides will help you navigate. Here are some <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/about-france.com\/tourism\/french-phrases.htm\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">French phrases<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that might be helpful for you to learn before you go.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Etiquette: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The French are keen on politeness \u2014 though they have a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thelocal.fr\/20180124\/decoding-the-french-are-they-really-rude\">reputation<\/a> for being stuffy and rude, this really stems from a strict emphasis on etiquette. Always say please and thank you. Be sure to use <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">vous <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">when speaking to someone older than you, or when speaking to strangers, and add on monsieur or madame. Handshakes are common greetings, though with friends, it\u2019s common to kiss cheeks, though the number of kisses depends on the region.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Holidays: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your trip happens to fall during a holiday, this can be an excellent way to interact with locals during your free time, though it may affect business hours for shops and sites. Check out a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.expatica.com\/fr\/about\/National-public-holidays-in-France_103612.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">calendar of French holidays<\/span><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to see if any of them overlap with your trip dates.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>If you happen to be travelling on July 14, you&#8217;re in for a real treat: This is Bastille Day, which commemorates the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.bl.uk\/learning\/timeline\/item106472.html\">storming of the Bastille<\/a> in 1789. Every year, Parisians celebrate with a Bastille Day Military Parade in the morning, and at night firework shows abound throughout the rest of the country.<\/p>\n<h3><b>What about health and safety?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>Safety: <\/b>As of this post, the Government of Canada has\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/travel.gc.ca\/destinations\/france\">listed<\/a>\u00a0France as a country where you should \u201cexercise a high degree of caution.\u201d Be sure to keep an eye on your luggage and wallet, and stay with your group if you\u2019re with a tour.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The French drive on the right, so you don\u2019t have to worry about looking the wrong way before crossing the street.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Health:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> You do not need to have any vaccines to travel to France, and the tap water is <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/wwwnc.cdc.gov\/travel\/destinations\/traveler\/none\/france?s_cid=ncezid-dgmq-travel-single-001\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">safe to drink<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Weather: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">France\u2019s climate varies depending on where you go within the country. Western France is cool and rainy in the summer, eastern France is warmer but with plenty of rainfall, and the south of France has warm summers with little rainfall.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check out the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/weather.com\/weather\/today\/l\/FRXX0076:1:FR\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">weather<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> before you go, and prepare with clothes for cool weather and rain.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Food: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">France is famous for its cheese, so expect to see plenty of it. French cuisine also includes plenty of butter or olive oil, plus vegetables and various meats, but recipes vary by region. Because of the meat-heavy cuisine, it isn\u2019t the most vegetarian-friendly country, but in mainstream restaurants in popular tourists destinations like Paris, finding veggie cuisine shouldn\u2019t be too difficult.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>How do I use my phone in France?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>International calling and WiFi: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The number to call for emergency services is 112. To call Canada from France, dial 001 and then the number, starting with the area code. Most hotels will offer WiFi.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For information on how international calling works for your cellular provider, contact them directly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Adaptors: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">France uses a different plug than Canada, so you will need an <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.power-plugs-sockets.com\/france\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">adaptor<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Be sure to purchase one so you are able to charge your phone abroad.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>What do I need to get in, out, and around France? <\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>Passport and visa: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your passport must be <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/travel.state.gov\/content\/travel\/en\/international-travel\/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages\/France.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">valid<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for three months following your date of departure from France. Visas are not required if you are staying for less than 90 days. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Customs: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t try to bring any raw beans, or fruits or vegetables back into Canada. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Money: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">France uses the Euro (\u20ac), the official currency of the European Union. Other types of paper currency won\u2019t be accepted, though credit cards from Canada are fine. Check with your bank to see if you\u2019ll be charged a fee for using your card abroad, and definitely notify them of your tour dates.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check out the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.xe.com\/currencyconverter\/convert\/?Amount=1&amp;From=CAD&amp;To=EUR\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">exchange rate<\/span><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">for Canadian dollars to Euros before you go, and if you decide to change money, make sure the rate is favourable. Usually, the airport currency exchange will not offer you the best rate, and you\u2019re best off using a debit card at an ATM during your trip, but be aware of any international fees.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also, be sure to check out our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.explorica.com\/get-ready\/spending-money-and-currency.aspx\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">tips and guidelines for spending money<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> abroad.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Packing essentials for France<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Passport<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Raincoat<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Umbrella<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Are you a teacher who is interested in taking students along for the ride? Explorica takes care of all of the little details so you can focus on making your trip to France educational and fun. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/educational-tours\/paris-city-of-light.aspx\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Plan a trip to France<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> today!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>From the illustrious Eiffel Tower, to the majestic palace of Versailles, to the somber battlefields of Normandy, there&#8217;s so much to see and explore when you\u00a0travel to France. In order to truly make the most of your trip, though, it\u2019s best to be prepared. Knowing what to expect in France can help you avoid some <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/go-france\">Read More &#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3806,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[173,63,172],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3805","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-parents","category-students","category-teachers"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3805","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3805"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3805\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3812,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3805\/revisions\/3812"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3806"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3805"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3805"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.explorica.ca\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3805"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}