France and the country's largest city. It is situated on the River Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region (also known as the "Paris Region"; French: Région parisienne). The city of Paris within its administrative limits (largely unchanged since 1860) has an estimated population of 2,167,994 (January 2006). The Paris unité urbaine (or urban area) extends well beyond the administrative city limits and has an estimated population of 9.93 million (in 2005).[3] The Paris aire urbaine (or metropolitan area) has a population of nearly 12 million and is one of the most populated metropolitan areas in Europe
An important settlement for more than two millennia, Paris is today one of the world's leading business and cultural centres, and its influence in politics, education, entertainment, media, fashion, science and the arts all contribute to its status as one of the world's major global cities According to 2005 estimates by the PricewaterhouseCoopers accounting firm, the Paris urban area is Europe's biggest city economy and is fifth in the world's list of cities by GDP
The Paris Region, with €500.8 billion (US$628.9 billion), produced more than a quarter of the gross domestic product (GDP) of France in 2006 The Paris Region hosts 37 of the Fortune Global 500 companiesin several business districts, notably La Défense, the largest purpose-built business district in Europe Paris also hosts many international organizations such as UNESCO, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and the informal Paris Club.
Paris is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, with over 30 million foreign visitors per year.[12] There are numerous iconic landmarks among its many attractions, along with world-famous institutions and popular parks.
Showing posts with label France. Show all posts
Showing posts with label France. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Friday, May 2, 2008
France: Money and Costs
Credit and debit cards are convenient and relatively secure. Visa and MasterCard (Access or Eurocard) are widely accepted; AmEx cards are useful at more upmarket establishments. In general, all three cards can be used in shops, supermarkets, for train travel, car rentals, autoroute tolls and cash advances. Remember you'll need to know your PIN number ( le code ) to use a credit card in many hotels, shops and restaurants.
Currency, Changing Your Money, Money Tips, Price Guide, Tipping
Currency
Name Euro
Symbol € Euro notes come in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500. It is often difficult to get change for a €500.00 note.
One euro is divided into 100 cents or centimes. Coins of 1, 2 and 5 centimes are copper-coloured; coins of 10, 20 and 50 centimes are gold-coloured; 1 and 2 euro coins are gold-and-silver coloured. It's a good idea to keep a supply of various coins for parking meters, laundrettes, tolls etc.
Changing Your Money
The cheapest and most convenient way to change money in France is via ATMs (known as DABs in French); they accept all the major international credit and bank cards. You get the best exchange rate by using a credit card for purchases and a debit card for cash. Travellers cheques are safe and almost universally accepted, especially in larger towns and tourist centres; they also offer better exchange rates than cash. Post offices that exchange travellers cheques give a good rate. Major train stations and fancy hotels also have exchange facilities which usually operate in the evening, at the weekend and during holidays, but the rates are generally poor.
Money Tips
The land of the €5.00 café au lait is not exactly Europe's cheapest destination, but that doesn't mean you have to break the bank to visit. Devoted scrimpers can get by on around €50.00 per day, though it means a whole lot of brie-and-baguettings in the park. For a more well-rounded culinary experience and a comfy bed or two, a minimum of €90.00 is in order. Of course, for the Dom Perignon crowd, those figures might not cover even the day's pourboires - count on dropping €200.00 and up if you're really living large. Student and senior citizen discounts are common. Whatever your budget, figure on everything being up to 50% more expensive in Paris.
Sample Price Guide
litre of petrol € 1.30 small bottle of water € 0.50 petit café/café au lait € 0.90/2.50 filled baguette € 4.50 ten-minute taxi ride € 10.00 bottle of cheap wine € 4.00 develop 36 exposure film € 18.00 rental of small canal boat per week € 1200 hostel bed in Paris with breakfast € 18.00 Average Room Prices
Low Mid High Deluxe
€15-50 €50-100 €100-150 €150+
Average Meal Prices
Low Mid High Deluxe
€4-15 €15-25 €25-35 €35+
Tipping
Leaving a pourboire (tip) is done at your discretion - restaurants and accommodations add a 10-15% service charge to every bill, making a tip unneccesary, but most people leave a few coins if the service is satisfactory.
Currency, Changing Your Money, Money Tips, Price Guide, Tipping
Currency
Name Euro
Symbol € Euro notes come in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500. It is often difficult to get change for a €500.00 note.
One euro is divided into 100 cents or centimes. Coins of 1, 2 and 5 centimes are copper-coloured; coins of 10, 20 and 50 centimes are gold-coloured; 1 and 2 euro coins are gold-and-silver coloured. It's a good idea to keep a supply of various coins for parking meters, laundrettes, tolls etc.
Changing Your Money
The cheapest and most convenient way to change money in France is via ATMs (known as DABs in French); they accept all the major international credit and bank cards. You get the best exchange rate by using a credit card for purchases and a debit card for cash. Travellers cheques are safe and almost universally accepted, especially in larger towns and tourist centres; they also offer better exchange rates than cash. Post offices that exchange travellers cheques give a good rate. Major train stations and fancy hotels also have exchange facilities which usually operate in the evening, at the weekend and during holidays, but the rates are generally poor.
Money Tips
The land of the €5.00 café au lait is not exactly Europe's cheapest destination, but that doesn't mean you have to break the bank to visit. Devoted scrimpers can get by on around €50.00 per day, though it means a whole lot of brie-and-baguettings in the park. For a more well-rounded culinary experience and a comfy bed or two, a minimum of €90.00 is in order. Of course, for the Dom Perignon crowd, those figures might not cover even the day's pourboires - count on dropping €200.00 and up if you're really living large. Student and senior citizen discounts are common. Whatever your budget, figure on everything being up to 50% more expensive in Paris.
Sample Price Guide
litre of petrol € 1.30 small bottle of water € 0.50 petit café/café au lait € 0.90/2.50 filled baguette € 4.50 ten-minute taxi ride € 10.00 bottle of cheap wine € 4.00 develop 36 exposure film € 18.00 rental of small canal boat per week € 1200 hostel bed in Paris with breakfast € 18.00 Average Room Prices
Low Mid High Deluxe
€15-50 €50-100 €100-150 €150+
Average Meal Prices
Low Mid High Deluxe
€4-15 €15-25 €25-35 €35+
Tipping
Leaving a pourboire (tip) is done at your discretion - restaurants and accommodations add a 10-15% service charge to every bill, making a tip unneccesary, but most people leave a few coins if the service is satisfactory.
France: Overview
Beautiful by name, beautiful by nature, la belle France is still turning heads.
Whether it's gastronomic greatness, artistic endeavour or cultural cachet you're looking for, there's no doubt that France still sits right at the top of the European heap. France is the country for which the word chic was invented - seductive and aloof, old-fashioned and forward-looking, but always characterised by a certain je ne sais quoi .
The country that gave the world champagne, casseroles and Camembert is justly famous for its cooking, and you'll find there are plenty of places to indulge yourself. But while France is undoubtedly a place to eat and drink to your heart's content, there's much more to this fascinating country than cutting-edge cuisine.
Country Full Name
French Republic
Population
60,400,000
Currency
Name: Euro
Code: EUR
Symbol: €
Electrical Plugs
230V 50Hz
Languages Spoken
Official: French
Time Zones
GMT/UTC +1 (Central European Time)
Country Dialing Code
+33
Weights & Measures
Metric
read more
Whether it's gastronomic greatness, artistic endeavour or cultural cachet you're looking for, there's no doubt that France still sits right at the top of the European heap. France is the country for which the word chic was invented - seductive and aloof, old-fashioned and forward-looking, but always characterised by a certain je ne sais quoi .
The country that gave the world champagne, casseroles and Camembert is justly famous for its cooking, and you'll find there are plenty of places to indulge yourself. But while France is undoubtedly a place to eat and drink to your heart's content, there's much more to this fascinating country than cutting-edge cuisine.
Country Full Name
French Republic
Population
60,400,000
Currency
Name: Euro
Code: EUR
Symbol: €
Electrical Plugs
230V 50Hz
Languages Spoken
Official: French
Time Zones
GMT/UTC +1 (Central European Time)
Country Dialing Code
+33
Weights & Measures
Metric
read more
France: Overview
Beautiful by name, beautiful by nature, la belle France is still turning heads.
Whether it's gastronomic greatness, artistic endeavour or cultural cachet you're looking for, there's no doubt that France still sits right at the top of the European heap. France is the country for which the word chic was invented - seductive and aloof, old-fashioned and forward-looking, but always characterised by a certain je ne sais quoi .
The country that gave the world champagne, casseroles and Camembert is justly famous for its cooking, and you'll find there are plenty of places to indulge yourself. But while France is undoubtedly a place to eat and drink to your heart's content, there's much more to this fascinating country than cutting-edge cuisine.
Country Full Name
French Republic
Population
60,400,000
Currency
Name: Euro
Code: EUR
Symbol: €
Electrical Plugs
230V 50Hz
Languages Spoken
Official: French
Time Zones
GMT/UTC +1 (Central European Time)
Country Dialing Code
+33
Weights & Measures
Metric
read more
Whether it's gastronomic greatness, artistic endeavour or cultural cachet you're looking for, there's no doubt that France still sits right at the top of the European heap. France is the country for which the word chic was invented - seductive and aloof, old-fashioned and forward-looking, but always characterised by a certain je ne sais quoi .
The country that gave the world champagne, casseroles and Camembert is justly famous for its cooking, and you'll find there are plenty of places to indulge yourself. But while France is undoubtedly a place to eat and drink to your heart's content, there's much more to this fascinating country than cutting-edge cuisine.
Country Full Name
French Republic
Population
60,400,000
Currency
Name: Euro
Code: EUR
Symbol: €
Electrical Plugs
230V 50Hz
Languages Spoken
Official: French
Time Zones
GMT/UTC +1 (Central European Time)
Country Dialing Code
+33
Weights & Measures
Metric
read more
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