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Nationals of the EU, the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Israel do not need visas to visit France as tourists for up to three months. Except for the citizens of a handful of other European countries, everyone else must have a visa.
To apply, you'll need a passport (valid for a period of three months beyond your departure date from France), a ticket in and out of France, proof of money and possibly of accommodations, two passport-sized photos and the visa fee in cash.
Tourist visas cannot be extended except in emergencies (eg medical problems). You might try calling the Préfecture de Police (tel 01 53 71 51 68; www.prefecture-police-paris.interieur.gouv.fr) for guidance.
If you don't need a visa to visit France, you'll almost certainly qualify for another automatic three-month stay if you take the train to Geneva or Brussels and then re-enter France.
As the old song says, Paris is at its best in springtime, even if it is sometimes a little wet. In winter Paris has all sorts of cultural events going on, while in summer the weather is warm and lazy - sometimes sizzling. In August, when Parisians flee for the beaches to the west and south, many restaurateurs lock up and leave town too, but this is changing rapidly and you'll find considerably more places open in summer than even a decade ago. Things can get a bit hectic around Bastille Day and towards the end of the year so reservations at this time are a good idea.
There are strict rules governing what can be brought through customs into France. Some items affected by these laws include animals, plants, food and medicines. For detailed information in French and English visit www.douane.gouv.fr.
The usual allowances apply to duty-free goods purchased at airports or on ferries outside the EU: tobacco (200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 250g of loose tobacco), alcohol (1 litre of strong liquor, 2 litres of wine), coffee (500g, or 200g of extracts) and perfume (50g of perfume and 0.25 litres of eau de toilette).
The allowances are more generous for duty-paid items bought at normal shops and supermarkets in another EU country and brought into France, where the goods might be more expensive.
European plug with two circular metal pins
| Electricity voltage | 230V |
| Electricity Hz | 50Hz |
