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Welcome to France !!

France, the Practical

In Short : The French Republic is one of the founding members of the European Union. It is also one of the world’s top six economies. Metropolitan France (France in Europe) has a population of slightly over 64 million.

Cost of living

The cost of living in France is fairly similar to neighbouring countries, though some things (like supermarket food) may be more expensive. Staying in Paris can be expensive – as can staying on the Riviera, particularly during the peak tourist periods. On the other hand, fruit, wine, travel, hotels and restaurants tend to be cheaper particularly in rural areas, and there are plenty of ways of avoiding tourist traps.

Tipping

In France, service is always included in the price, so you only leave a tip when you are extremely satisfied with the service (about 5 to 10% of the total amount).

Healthcare budget (cf. Campus France)

Here are a few examples of how much medical visits costs and how much is reimbursed by the French National Health Insurance (Social Security):

Check up with a specialist: 25 Euros (16,50 Euros reimbursed);
Check up with a gynaecologist, ophthalmologist: 30 Euros (20 Euros reimbursed);
Check up with a dentist: 30 Euros (the amount reimbursed depends on what is done).

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS IN FRANCE 2023
January 1st	New year’s Day	Jour de l’an
April 10th	Easter Monday	Lundi de Pâques
May 1st	Labour Day	Fête du Travail
May 8th	Victory in Europe Day	Victoire 1945
May 18th	Ascension Day	Ascension
May 29th	Whit Monday	Lundi de Pentecôte
July 14th	Bastille Day	Fête Nationale
August 15th	Assumption Day	Assomption
November 1st	All Saints’ Day	Toussaint
November 11th	Armistice Day	Armistice 1918
December 25th	Christmas Day	Noël

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS IN FRANCE 2024
January 1st	New year’s Day	Jour de l’an
April 1st	Easter Monday	Lundi de Pâques
May 1st	Labour Day	Fête du Travail
May 8th	Victory in Europe Day	Victoire 1945
May 9th	Ascension Day	Ascension
May 20th	Whit Monday	Lundi de Pentecôte
July 14th	Bastille Day	Fête Nationale
August 15th	Assumption Day	Assomption
November 1st	All Saints’ Day	Toussaint
November 11th	Armistice Day	Armistice 1918
December 25th	Christmas Day	Noël

Time

French standard time is +2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). Don’t be confused as France has Daylight Saving Time. Daylight Saving Time starts on the last Sunday in March and ends on the last Sunday in October. It’s wise to keep this in mind if you have classes on those days.

CLOSED TODAY…

Foreign visitors in France are sometimes surprised to find themselves faced with closed doors, on reaching a museum or a famous monument. So it is not a bad idea, before visiting France, to learn what is closed in France, and when? On Sundays, public holidays and holiday periods in genral, shops, museums, businesses and public services may be closed. Museums are often closed on Tuesdays.

France Public Holidays

Phoning

To call a French number from an International phone:

Dial: 0033 (or + 33 from a mobile phone) + the number after removing the first zero

For example, to call the Reims Campus: 03 26 77 47 47 becomes 0033 3 26 77 47 47 or +33 3 26 77 47 47

To call a French number from a French phone:

Dial the 10-digit numbers, including the first zero.

To call an international number from France:

Dial: 00 + Country Calling Code + number

Electricity

The voltage in France is 220 Volts and the plugs are identified by two round pins spaced 19mm apart, with a hole for the socket’s male grounding pin.

If the electricity system is different from what you have in your country, we recommend you to bring plug adapters and/or voltage converters with you or buying them once in France.

Mealtimes

Mealtimes in France are very important. It is a moment of meeting and sharing with friends or family, sometimes between colleagues.

French mealtimes are strict. Restaurants are generally open from 12 pm to 2 pm for lunch, and from 7 pm to 11 pm for dinner.

Family

French people are respectful of privacy and are quite reluctant to talk about themselves and their personal concerns.

The family remains an important landmark for them. It is perceived as a space of security and relaxation, well separated from professional life.

Religion

There is no state religion, but France has a strong Catholic tradition. Islam is the second religion, followed by Protestantism, Judaism and Buddhism.