PARIS -- PRACTICAL INFORMATION



Babysitters-- The best selection of English-speaking sitters is found at
Kid Services (tel. 08-20-00-02-30).

Banks-- Banks in Paris are open Monday to Friday from 9am to 4:30pm. A few are open on Saturday. Ask at your hotel for the location of the bank nearest you. Be sure to have access to your funds through an ATM, and make sure you've allowed enough funds for le weekend.

Business Hours-- Opening hours in France are erratic. Most museums close 1 day a week (often Tues) and national holidays; hours tend to be from 9:30am to 5pm. Some museums, particularly the smaller ones, close for lunch from noon to 2pm. Most museums are open Saturday, but many close Sunday morning and reopen in the afternoon. Generally, offices are open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm, but don't count on it -- always call first. Large 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 non-native French owners, open at 8am and close at 8 or 9pm. In some small stores, the lunch break can last 3 hours, beginning at 1pm.

Currency Exchange-- For the best exchange rate, use banks or foreign-exchange offices, not shops and hotels. Most post offices will convert currency. Currency exchanges are also found at Paris airports and train stations and along most of the major boulevards. A small commission is charged.

Dentists-- For emergency dental service, call S.O.S. Dentaire, 87 bd. du Port-Royal, 13e (tel. 01-43-37-51-00; Métro: Port-Royal), Monday through Friday from 8pm to midnight and Saturday and Sunday from 9:30am to midnight. You can also call or visit the American Hospital, 63 bd. Victor-Hugo, in the suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine outside Paris (tel. 01-46-41-25-25; Métro: Pont-de-Levallois or Pont-de-Neuilly; Bus: 82).

Drugstores-- After regular hours, ask at your hotel where the nearest 24-hour pharmacie is. You'll also find the address posted on the doors or windows of other drugstores in the neighborhood. One all-night drugstore is the Pharmacie Derhy, in La Galerie Les Champs, 84 av. des Champs-Elysées, 8e (tel. 01-45-62-02-41; Métro: George-V). Electricity-- In general, expect 200 volts AC (60 cycles), though you'll encounter 110 and 115 volts in some older establishments. Adapters are needed to fit sockets. Many hotels have two-pin (in some cases, three-pin) sockets for electric razors. It's best to ask at your hotel before plugging in any electrical appliance.

Embassies & Consulates-- If you have a passport, immigration, legal, or other problem, contact your consulate. Call before you go, as they often keep odd hours and observe both French and home-country holidays. The Embassy of the United States, at 2 av. Gabriel, 8e (tel. 01-43-12-47-08; Métro: Concorde), is open Monday through Friday from 9am to 6pm. Passports are issued at its consulate at 2 rue St-Florentin (tel. 01-43-12-22-22; Métro: Concorde). The Embassy of Canada is at 35 av. Montaigne, 8e (tel. 01-44-43-29-00; Métro: Franklin-D.-Roosevelt or Alma-Marceau), open Monday through Friday from 9am to noon and 2 to 5pm.

Emergencies-- For the police, call tel. 17; to report a fire, call tel. 18. For an ambulance, call the fire department at tel. 01-45-78-74-52; a fire vehicle rushes patients to the nearest emergency room. For S.A.M.U., an independently operated, privately owned ambulance company, call tel. 15.

Hospitals-- Open Monday to Saturday from 8am to 7pm, Central Médical Europe, 44 rue d'Amsterdam, 9e (tel. 01-42-81-93-33; Métro: Liège or St-Lazare), maintains contacts with medical and dental practitioners in all fields. Appointments are recommended. Another choice is the American Hospital of Paris, 63 bd. Victor-Hugo, Neuilly (tel. 01-46-41-25-25; Métro: Pont de Levallois or Pont de Neuilly; Bus: 82), which operates 24-hour medical and dental services. An additional clinic is the Centre Figuier, 2 rue du Figuier, 4e (tel. 01-49-96-62-70; Métro: St-Paul). Call before visiting.

Liquor Laws-- Supermarkets, grocery stores, and cafes sell alcoholic beverages. The legal drinking age is 16, but persons under that age can be served alcohol in a bar or restaurant if accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Wine and liquor are sold every day of the week, year-round. Hours of cafes vary. Some open at 6am, serving drinks to 3am; others are open 24 hours. Bars and nightclubs may stay open as late as they wish. The Breathalyzer test is used in France, and a motorist is considered "legally intoxicated" with .5 grams of alcohol per liter of blood. If convicted, a motorist faces a stiff fine and a possible prison term of 2 months to 2 years. If bodily injury results, sentences can range from 2 years to life.

Mail/Post Offices-- Most post offices in Paris are open Monday to Friday from 8am to 7pm and Saturday from 8am to noon. The main post office (PTT) for Paris is at 52 rue du Louvre, 75001 Paris (tel. 01-40-28-76-00; Métro: Louvre). It's open 24 hours a day for the sale of stamps, phone calls, and sending faxes and telegrams, with limited hours (Mon-Fri 8am-7pm and Sat 8am-noon) for services like the sale of money orders. Stamps can usually be purchased at your hotel reception desk and at cafes with red TABAC signs. You can send faxes at the main post office in each arrondissement. Airmail letters cost .90€ ($1.05). You can have mail sent to you poste restante (general delivery) at the main post office for a small fee. Take an ID, such as a passport, to pick up mail. American Express offers a poste restante service, but you may be asked to show an American Express card or traveler's checks.

Newspapers & Magazines-- English-language newspapers are available at nearly every kiosk. Published Monday to Saturday, the International Herald-Tribune is the most popular paper with visiting Americans and Canadians; the Guardian provides a British point of view. For those who read French, the leading domestic newspapers are Le Monde, Le Figaro, and Libération; the top magazines are L'Express, Le Point, and Le Nouvel Observateur.
Kiosks are generally open daily from 8am to 9pm.

Police-- Call tel. 17 for emergencies. The principal Préfecture (police station) is at 9 bd. du Palais, 4e (tel. 01-53-71-53-73; Métro: Cité). Restrooms-- Cafes or brasserie all have restrooms. It's customary to make some small purchase if you do so. In the street, the domed self-cleaning lavatories are an option if you have small change; Métro stations and underground garages usually have public lavatories, but the degree of cleanliness varies. Safety-- In Paris, be especially aware of child pickpockets. They roam the capital, preying on tourists around attractions like the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, and Notre-Dame, and they also often strike in the Métro, sometimes blocking a victim from the escalator. A band of these young thieves can clean your pockets even while you try to fend them off. Their method is to get very close to a target, ask for a handout (sometimes), and deftly help themselves to your money or passport. Although public safety is not as much a problem in Paris as it is in large North American cities, concerns are growing. Robbery at gun- or knifepoint is uncommon, but not unknown. Be careful. Telephone-- Public phones are found in cafes, restaurants, Métro stations, post offices, airports, and train stations, and occasionally on the streets. Finding a coin-operated telephone in France is not an easy task. A simpler and more widely accepted method of payment is the télécarte, a prepaid calling card available at kiosks, post offices, and Métro stations and costing 7.45€ to 15€ ($8.55-$17) for 50 and 120 units, respectively. A local call costs one unit, which provides you with 6 to 18 minutes of conversation, depending on the rate. Avoid making calls from your hotel, which might double or triple the charges. To call long distance within France, dial the 10-digit number (9-digit in some cases outside Paris) of the person or place you're calling. To make a direct international call, first dial 00, listen for the tone, then slowly dial the country code, the area code, and the local number. The country code for the U.S. and Canada is 1.

Time-- France is usually 6 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time and 9 hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time in the United States. French daylight savings time lasts from around April to September, when clocks are set 1 hour ahead of the standard time.

Tipping-- By law, all bills show service compris, which means the tip is included; additional gratuities are customarily given as follows: For hotel staff, tip the porter 1.05€ to 1.50€ ($1.20-$1.75) per item of baggage, and 1.50€ ($1.75) per day for the chambermaid. You're not obligated to tip the concierge, doorman, or anyone else unless you use his or her services. In cafes and restaurants, waiter service is usually included, though you can leave some small change, if you like. Tip taxi drivers 12% to 15% of the amount on the meter. In theaters and restaurants, give cloakroom attendants at least .75€ (85¢) per item. Give restroom attendants in nightclubs and such places about .30€ (35¢). Tip the hairdresser about 15%, and don't forget to tip the person who gives you a shampoo or a manicure 1.50€ ($1.75). For guides for group visits to museums and monuments, .75€ to 1.50€ (85¢-$1.75) is a reasonable tip.

Water-- Drinking water is generally safe, though some who are unused to it have gotten diarrhea. To be on the safe side, drink bottled water. If you ask for water in a restaurant, it'll be bottled water (for which you'll pay), unless you specifically request tap water (l'eau du robinet).