France
France: Various travel information

Formalities, visas
Germans, Swiss and Austrians can enter the EU country France with a valid
passport or a valid ID card that has been invalid for a year. German child ID
cards are recognized without restriction; Children under the age of 16 can also
enter the country if they are entered on a parent's passport.
People who still need a visa can get one at the following address.
Embassy of the Republic of France 10117 Berlin Tel: +49 - (0)
30 - 590 03 90 00 Opening times: Mon - Fri 8:30 a.m. - 6:00
p.m. Consular matters: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., Wednesday 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.:
30 o'clock
Currency, foreign exchange regulations, goods
The national currency of France is the
euro (€) = 100 cents.
- Import and export of local currency
Unrestricted import and export of local currency.
- Import and export of foreign currencies
The import and export of foreign currencies is permitted. Cash worth over
7,622 (€) must be declared.
Cheap goods, souvenirs
The most beautiful French souvenirs vary with the respective regions of France
such as lace, glasses and pottery from Brittany, baskets and ceramics from
Burgundy, leather goods and clogs from the Midi-Pyrenees, perfumes and herbal
teas from Provence etc. In Paris is a very good place to buy fashion
accessories, clothes and perfumes, but also antiques and art. Culinary
specialties such as chocolates, cheese, mustard from Dijon, honey from Provence,
herbs from Provence, pies and of course French wine are also nice souvenirs. In
addition to the famous French wine, there are also cider and calvados from
Brittany and Normandy, cognac from Charente, Cointreau, Armagnac and Pinneau.
How do you get to France?
From Germany you can reach France by plane, car, train and intercity bus. But
bike tours or hikes are also available from the regions near the border. And
France can even be reached with your own motor yacht via the extensive canal
system. Sailors and motor yacht drivers can of course also reach the country by
sea, with cruises in the Mediterranean being particularly popular. Because of
the extreme changes in water depth and the sometimes very strong currents on the
coast of the canal and the Atlantic, you should have good experience in tidal
waters here as a skipper or hire a local skipper.
Pass roads and tunnels
Eurotunnel
The Eurotunnel, which connects France with Great Britain, crosses under the
English Channel and has a length of 50 km. It is a railway tunnel that is
single-tracked in two main tunnels. The tunnel was completed in 1994 and begins
near Calais in France and ends in Folkestone in Kent in England and Great
Britain.
Col de la Bonette/Resteford
The Col de la Resteford and the Col de la Bonette are located one behind the
other in the French Maritime Alps on the same road, which is around 49 km
long. The pass begins in Jausier and ends in Saint Ètienne or, of course, the
other way around. The pass of the Col de la Resteford is at an altitude of 2,678
m, that of the Col de la Bonette at 2,715. If you leave the actual pass road and
drive a loop around the Cime de la Bonette, you even get to a height of 2.802,
the highest place in the Alps that you can reach by car on a tarred road.
The pass is closed from October 1st to June 15th. Between the Col de la
Resteford and the Col de la Bonette, you can still see the remains of the bunker
systems of the Maginot Line next to the road. Incidentally, the top of the pass
forms the border between the two French departments Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and
Alpes-Maritimes.
Col de la Galibier
The pass connects the two French departments of Savoie in the north with the
department of Hautes-Alpes in the south. The pass is at an altitude of 2,645
m. The pass was built in 1876. The pass is closed from October 15th to June
15th.
Col de la Glandon
The 1,924 m high pass is located in the Savoie department and connects
Rochetaillée with La Chambre. it was opened in 1898 and connected to the Col de
la Croix de Fer in 1912. The latter leads to Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne instead of
La Chambre and has a pass height of 2,067 m. Incidentally, the 17th stage of the
2008 Tour de France passed through it. Both passes are only open from May to
October.
Col de la Croix de Fer
The 2,067 m high pass is located in the Savoie department and connects
Rochetaillée and Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne. It has been connected to the Col de la
Glandon since 1916 - the road to the Col de la Glandon branches off from
Rochetaillée about 2.5 km before the top of the pass. The pass is only open from
May to October. It should be mentioned that the 17th stage of the Tour de France
passed over this pass.
Col de I´Iseran
The pass of the Col de I´Iseran is with a height of 2,770 m the highest point
for a motor vehicle. passable pass. The Col de la Bonette is higher, but its
height can only be reached on a circular route that deviates from the pass
road. The pass road connects the well-known winter sports resort Val-d`Isere in
the department Savoie with Bonneval-sur-Arc, also located in Savoie. It is part
of the Route des Grand Alpes, one of the well-known French roads that leads from
Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean Sea and, in addition to the Col de I´Iseran,
another 15 Alpine passes. On parts of the route, including the Col de I´Iseran,
stages of the world's most famous cycle race "Tour de France" have been and will
be carried out.
Little St. Bernhard
The Little St. Bernhard Pass connects the Isèretal in the French department
Savoien with the Aosta valley in Italy. The top of the pass is at an altitude of
2,188 m, the border between France and Italy is also located here. The pass was
named after Saint Bernhard von Menthon (around 983-1081) who - like on the Great
St. Bernhard - set up a hospice to rescue people in need in the region.
Travel in the country
Flight connections
France has a very well developed domestic flight network, so that almost all
larger cities are connected by flight connections.
Bus
There are very good bus connections within cities as well as intercity
connections between cities. There are also bus companies that go to other
countries, such as Eurolines or Flixbus.
Rail
The rail network in France is very well developed. Long-distance and express
trains run on the main routes and the TGV (Train a Grande Vitesse), which is the
fastest train in the world at 300 km/h, runs on sections of the route. Since
November 2007 there has been an extremely fast connection with the Eurostar from
Gare du Nord in Paris to the new St. Pancras train station in London. The train
only takes 2 hours and a few minutes to travel from Paris to London through the
Eurotunnel. For more high-speed connections, see Paris. The first TGV ran from
Paris to Lyon on September 22, 1981.
Roads
France has a well developed road network and highways. However, the motorways
are usually tolled and operated by private companies. The French road network is
one of the densest in the world. Around 8,000 km of motorways connect Paris with
major cities, regions and international transport routes.
Mont Blanc Tunnel
The 11.6 km long tunnel, which consists of only one tube, connects the towns of
Chamonix on the French side with Courmayeur in Italy. The tunnel gained
notoriety worldwide on March 24th when a major fire broke out here, killing 39
people.
Car rental
In France all known car rental companies are represented.
Ferry connections
There are ferry connections to Corsica, Tunisia, Italy, Southern Ireland and
England.
Traffic rules, emergency calls
In France, it is well known that traffic is on the right. Regardless of the
information given here, it is advisable to obtain detailed information from the
ADAC, the AvD or the traffic clubs in France.
Maximum speeds
In addition to the general speed limits shown, the speed limits indicated by
signs must be strictly observed.
- Urban: in built-up areas there is a speed limit of 50 km/h.
- Country roads: there is a speed limit of 80 km/h on country roads.
- Expressways: on some special expressways there is a speed limit of 110
km/h.
- Motorways: there is a speed limit of 130 km/h on motorways.
Special regulations
Trams have right of way. Dipped headlights are mandatory in case of rain and
snow. Priority roads end at the place-name signs. Yellow stripes on the edge of
the road mean no parking. When it is wet, the speed must be reduced by 10 km/h
outside urban areas and by 20 km/h on motorways. Mopeds are only allowed to
drive 45 km/h in and out of town. Vehicles over 3.5 t: extra-urban 80, on
expressways (2 lanes in each direction) 100, on motorways 110 km/h.
Those who have had their driving license for less than two years may drive a
maximum of 80 km/h outside of town, 100 km/h on expressways and 110 km/h
on motorways.
Blood alcohol
limit , alcohol test device In France there is a blood alcohol
limit of 0.5 parts per thousand for drivers of motor vehicles. The same rule
applies to drivers of motorcycles.
Since July 1, 2012, an alcohol test device had to be carried in every motor
vehicle - even tourists. But this nonsensical rule was suspended indefinitely at
the end of January 2014.
Useful
in the event of an accident or other problems with the car or motorbike to reach
information and assistance at the following numbers:
Tel.: 0825 - 800 822
Mobile: 0033-825800822
Police: 17
The ADAC can be reached 24 hours in Munich under the following
number:
0049 - (0) 89 - 22 22 22
International license plate
According to
Abbreviationfinder, The international license plate of France is:
Infectious diseases
In the south of France, two infectious diseases are to be expected that are
not or less widespread in Germany or in Central and Northern Europe:
Recommended vaccinations
when traveling to France, the following also in Germany usual vaccinations
recommended:
- Cholera, but only among travelers who can come into
contact with polluted water or contaminated food.
- Diphtheria, a vaccination against diphtheria should
always exist in your home country.
- Hepatitis A and B, a vaccination against hepatitis B,
is only required for people who may come into contact with blood or for
those who seek sexual contact.
- Polio, polio, a vaccination against polio should
always exist, also in the home country.
- Meningococcal meningitis
- Tetanus, a vaccination against tetanus should always
exist in the home country.
- Rabies, but only in high-risk travelers who can come
into contact with the vector animals.
- Typhoid, but only in travelers who may come into
contact with polluted water or contaminated food.
Vaccination requirements There are no vaccination requirements
when entering or staying in the country.
Warning notices
Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany
Citizens' Service
Phone: 0049 - (0) 30 - 5000 - 2000
Fax: 0049 - (0) 30 - 5000 - 51000
www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de
France: embassies and consulates
Visit Countryaah for a full list of France embassies and consulates in each
country around the world.

Representations of France in Germany
The embassy of the French Republic in Berlin is located on Pariser Platz - in
the immediate vicinity of the Brandenburg Gate. The embassy stands on the same
ground that the previous representative office was on until it was destroyed in
1945. It should be mentioned that the property has been owned by the French
state since 1860. After reunification, it was returned to France. The building
was built in 1997 based on plans by the Parisian architect Christian de
Portzamparc.
Embassy of the French Republic in Berlin
Pariser Platz 5
10117 Berlin
Tel: 0049 - (0) 30 - 590 03 90 00
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.botschaft-frankreich.de
Consulate General in Düsseldorf
Poststrasse 24
40213 Düsseldorf
Tel: 0049 - (0) 211 - 82 85 46 0
E-Mail: [email protected]
Consulate General in Frankfurt am Main
Zeppelinallee 35
60325 Frankfurt am Main
Tel: 0049 - (0) 69 - 7 95 09 60
E-Mail: [email protected]
Consulate General in Hamburg
Heimhuder Strasse 55
20148 Hamburg
Tel: 0049 - (0) 40 - 4 13 32 50
E-Mail: [email protected]
Consulate General in Munich
Heimeranstrasse 31
80339 Munich
Tel: 0049 - (0) 89 - 4 19 41 10
E-Mail: [email protected]
Consulate General in Saarbrücken
Ludwigsplatz 10
66117 Saarbrücken
Tel: 0049 - (0) 681 - 92 79 986 0
E-Mail: [email protected]
Consulate General in Stuttgart
Diemershaldenstrasse 11
70184 Stuttgart
Tel: 0049 - (0) 711 - 239 25 50
E-Mail: [email protected]
You can find other honorary consulates in: Aachen, Bremen, Freiburg, Fürth,
Hanover, Cologne, Mannheim and Saarlouis.
German representations in France
Embassy in Paris
Avenue Franklin D. Roosevelt 13/15
75008 Paris
Tel: 0033 - 1 - 53 83 45 00
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.paris.diplo.de
Consulate General in Bordeaux-Caudéran
377, boulevard du Président Wilson
33200 Bordeaux-Caudéran
Tel: 0033 - 5 - 56 17 12 22
E-Mail: [email protected]
Web: www.bordeaux.diplo.de
Consulate General in Lyon
33, boulevard des Belges
69458 Lyon Cedex 06
Tel: 0033 - 4 - 72 69 98 98
E-Mail: [email protected]
Web: www.lyon.diplo.de
Consulate General in Marseille
338, avenue du Prado
13295 Marseille Cedex 08
Tel: 0033 - 4 - 91 16 75 20
E-Mail: [email protected]
Web: www.marseille.diplo.de
Consulate General in Strasbourg
6 Quai Mullenheim
67000 Strasbourg
Tel: 0033 - 3 - 88 24 67 00
E-Mail: [email protected]
Web: www.strassburg.diplo.de
You can find other honorary consulates in: Avignon, Bastia, Brest, Dijon,
Grenoble, Lille, Montpellier, Nantes, Nice, Perpignan, Reims, Rennes, Rouen,
Toulouse and Tours.
Austrian representations in France
Embassy in Paris
6 Rue Fabert
75007 Paris
Tel: 0033 - (0) 1 - 40 63 30 63
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.amb-autriche.fr
Consulate General in Strasbourg
29, Avenue de la Paix
67000 Strasbourg
Tel: 0033 - (0) 388 - 35 13 94
E-Mail: [email protected]
Web: www.aussenministerium.at/strassburggk
Consulate General in Marseille
27, Cours Pierre Puget
13006 Marseille
Tel: 0033 - (0) 491 - 53 02 08
Email: [email protected]
You can find other honorary consulates in: Ajaccio, Bordeaux, Lille, Lyon,
Nice and Toulouse.
Representations of France in Austria
Embassy in Vienna
Technikerstraße 2
1040 Vienna
Tel: 0043 - (0) 1 - 502 75 0
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.ambafrance-at.org
Honorary consulates can be found in Innsbruck, Groß-St.Florian, Bregenz, Linz
and Salzburg
Swiss representations in France
Embassy in Paris
142, rue de Grenelle
75007 Paris
Tel: 0033 - 1 - 49 55 67 00
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.eda.admin.ch/paris
Consulate General in Lyon
4, Place Charles Hernu
Immeuble "Le Colysée"
69100 Villeurbanne (Lyon)
Tel: 0033 - 472 - 75 79 10
E-Mail: [email protected]
Web: www.eda.admin.ch/ lyon
Consulate General in Marseille
7, rue d'Arcole
13291 Marseille Cedex 6
Tel: 0033 - 496 - 10 14 10/-11
E-Mail: [email protected]
Web: www.eda.admin.ch/marseille
Consulate General in Strasbourg
23, rue Herder
67000 Strasbourg
Tel: 0033 - 388 - 35 00 70
E-Mail: [email protected]
Web: www.eda.admin.ch/strasbourg
You can find other consulates in: Ajaccio, Annecy, Besancon, Bordeaux, Dijon,
Le Havre, Le Lamentin, Lille, Montpellier, Mulhouse, Nantes, Nice and Toulouse.
Representations of France in Switzerland
Embassy in Bern
Schosshaldenstrasse 46
3006 Bern
Tel: 0041 - (0) 31 - 359 21 11
Email: pré[email protected]
Web: www.ambafrance-ch.org
Consulate General in Zurich
Signaustrasse 1
8008 Zurich
Tel: 0041 - (0) 44 - 268 85 85
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.consulatfrance-zurich.org
Consulate General in Geneva
Cours des Bastions 2
1205 Geneva
Tel: 0041 - (0) - 22 - 319 00 00/-12/-14
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.consulfrance-geneve.org
|