Here's some basic information for you when it comes to travel to France...
CAPITAL
Paris
OFFICIAL LANGUAGE
French
EMERGENCY SERVICE
Ambulance  15, Fire 18, Police 17
FLAG
The flag of France is three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), white, and red; known as the French Tricouleur (Tricolor).
MONEY
France's currency is the euro. Coins are 1 and 2, 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 cents. Euro notes
come in 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, and 500 denominations.
The TVA (taxe sur la valeur ajoute) is 19.6% on the purchase price of most goods. Prices that include TV are often marked TTC.
TIME
France is one hour ahead of GMT/UTC; thus when it's noon in France, it's 11am in London, 6am in New York, 3am in San Francisco,
6am in Toronto, 9pm in Sydney and 11pm in Auckland. In the summer France observes daylight savings time, setting clocks forward an hour on the last Sunday in
October and; clocks are wound back in the first Sunday of the following March.
BUSINESS HOURS
Most museums are closed on either Monday or Tuesday and on public holidays. Most
businesses open 9am or 10am to 6L30pm to 7pm daily
except Sunday and perhaps Monday, with a break between noon or 1pm and 2pm or 3pm.
RELIGION
80% of French people say they are Catholic. Protestants, who were severly persecuted during the 16th and 17th centuries, now
number about 1 million. There are more than 5 million Muslims, making Islan the second-largest religion in the country.
ELECTRICITY
Electricity is 220V AC, 50 Hz, as in Australia, Asia and most of Europe; appliances designed
for DC supply or different voltages need a transformer.
WEIGHTS & MEASURES
France uses the metric system of measurements. Petrol is bought in litres and food is
weighed in kilos.
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