Facts about Paris and France
Paris is the capital of France. It is situated on the River
Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Ile-de-France region ("Région Parisienne").
Paris has an estimated population of 2,153,600 inhabitants within city limits (2005 estimate). The
Paris urban area has a population of 9.93 million; a vast commuter belt around the same completes
the Paris "aire urbaine" (roughly: "metropolitan area") that, with its population of 11.5 million,
is one of the most populated areas of its kind in Europe.
The Paris region (Ile-de-France) is France's foremost centre of economic activity. With its economic activity of €478.7 billion, it produced more than a quarter of the gross domestic product (GDP) of France in 2005. “La Défense”, the largest purpose built business district in Europe, hosts the head offices of almost half of the major French companies, as well as the headquarters of ten of the world's 100 largest companies. Paris also hosts many international organizations such as UNESCO, the OECD, the ICC, or the informal Paris Club. It is regarded as one of the 4 major global cities.
Paris' strategic location at a crossroads between land and river trade routes in lands of
abundant agriculture had made it one of France's principal cities by the 10th century, rich with
royal palaces and demurs, wealthy abbeys and a cathedral; by the 12th century Paris had become one
of Europe's foremost centres of learning and arts. Today, Paris is an influential centre in
politics, fashion, business, gastronomy, arts and science. The city serves as an important hub of
intercontinental transportation and is home to some of the most prominent universities, sport
events, opera companies and museums such as le Louvre, the National Modern Art Museum Georges
Pompidou, le Grand
Palais, le Musée des Arts Premiers, quai Branly, making it an attraction for over 30 million
foreign visitors per year.
Discovering the City of Light and making it your own has always
been the most compelling reason to visit Paris. If you are a firsttimer, everything, of course,
will be new to you. If you have been away for a while, expect changes: Taxi drivers may no longer
correct your fractured French but address you in English - almost a revolution. More and more
Parisians have some understanding of the English language. Paris - aware of its role within a
united Europe - is an international city. Parisians are attracted to foreign music, videos and
films, especially those from America.
Though Paris is in flux culturally and socially, it lures travellers for the same reasons it always
has. You will still find classic sights like the Tour Eiffel, Notre-Dame, the “Arc de
Triomphe”, “Sacré-Coeur” and all those atmospheric cafes, as well as
daringly futuristic projects like the “Grande Arche de La Défense”, the
“Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie”, the “Cité de la
Musique” and the “Bibliothèque François-Mitterrand”. Also don't
forget the parks, gardens, and squares; the “Champs- Elysées” and other grand
boulevards; and the river Seine and its quays. Paris' beauty is still overwhelming, especially at
night, when it truly is the City of Light.
Ernest Hemingway called the many splendours of Paris a
"moveable feast" and wrote: "There is never any ending to
Paris, and the memory of each person who has lived in it differs from that of any other." It's this
aura of personal discovery that has always been the most compelling reason to come to
Paris. Perhaps that's why France has been called “le deuxième pays de tout le
monde” (everybody's second country).
The Seine not only divides Paris into the Right Bank and the Left Bank, but also seems to split the city into two vastly different sections and ways of life. Depending on your time, interest and budget, you may quickly decide which section of Paris suits you best.
The old “clichés” about the Left Bank being for poor, struggling artists and the Right Bank being for the well-heeled were broken down long ago. The very heart of the Left Bank, including the areas around “Odéon” and “St-Germain-des-Prés”, are as chic as anything on the Right Bank -- and just as expensive.
The history of Paris repeats itself. In the past Montmartre was the artists'
quarter until prices and tourism drove these
"bohemians" to less expensive “quartiers” such as Montparnasse. But long ago
Montparnasse became gold-plated real estate.
So where does the struggling artist go today? Not to the central core of the Right or Left Bank, but farther away. First, it was the “Marais”, until that district, too, saw rents spiral and the average visitor carrying an American Express Gold card. Now it's farther east, into the “11ème Arrondissement”, a blue-collar neighbourhood between the “Marais”, “Ménilmontant” and “République”. The heartbeat of this area is “rue Oberkampf”.
Good to know
Languages
You come from abroad and don't speak French? In Paris you will usually find someone who speaks a
smattering of English, which is the leading foreign language studied at school in France. Numerous
efforts are made to guide you in Shakespeare's and Hemingway's language and even in
German, Spanish, Italian or Japanese, particularly in the tourist areas, hotels, museums and
monuments, public transport or department stores. Paris does everything to help you feel at home
here.
English-French-English online dictionary >>
Currency Exchange
Local currency is the Euro (EUR/€). 1€ = 100 cents.
Banks - Credit cards - Automatic Teller Machines
There is a multitude of banks in Paris, both French and foreign. They are generally open from 9am to 5pm or 6pm, from Monday to Friday, sometimes from Tuesday to Saturday. Certain branches may close at lunchtime, between 12.30pm and 2pm. Even though you may find some banks which will exchange your currency for Euros, you are more likely to come across exchange offices, which specialize in this type of transaction. Make sure you have some ID with you.
Your credit card will enable you to withdraw cash in Euros 24 hours a day at hundreds of automatic
cash points in the city. The exchange rate is correct if the difference between buying and selling
rate is approximately 5%.
NB: The “Banque de France” no longer provides an exchange service.
Oanda quick currency converter >>
Visas
France is part of the European Union. Visitors from the EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein,
Norway, Switzerland, the USA, Canada and New-Zealand do not need a visa and can stay in France for
90 days. A valid passport is all you need to enter France. Check with the French Embassy or
Consulate in your own country whether you need a visa. They also have the necessary forms you have
to complete. Foreign Embassies in France and French Embassies abroad are at your service. If you
should need a visa, please apply early enough to allow sufficient handling time to the authorities.
If required you may ask the Organising Secretariat for an official letter of invitation (proof of
registration required).
Climate and Clothing
The weather in Paris in June is usually warm and sunny with daily temperatures ranging from
20°C to 25°C. Night temperatures may be milder between 12°C to 16°C.
The weather in Paris right now >>
Electricity
Electricity used in France is 240 Volts; its frequency is
50 Hz and the plugs have two male contact points. Plan to bring a transformer for your electrical
or electronic equipment using different voltage (ie. USA, Canada).
Telephones
For international calls to France, dial the international code
followed by 33 and the correspondent's number (without
the 0).
Insurance and Liability
It is recommended that participants obtain adequate cover for travel, health and accident insurance before they depart from their countries. EULAR and MCI as organisers cannot accept responsibility for personal injuries or loss of or damage to private property belonging to the congress participants and accompanying persons.
Shopping
The majority of shops are open all day from 09:00 to 19:00,
Monday to Saturday. Some smaller shops may close over
lunchtime between midday and 14:00, or all day on Monday. Sundays and public holidays are the usual
closing days, although there are some exceptions. During the week the department stores all have
one late-night opening day, known as a “nocturne” until 21:00. Supermarkets are open at
different times depending on the neighbourhood, every day except Sunday, until 20:00, 21:00 or
22:00.
Time
France follows Central European Time (CET) which is
GMT +1 hour in winter and GMT + 2 in summer.
Tipping
In France, all prices shown include VAT and service (the latter is around 15% of the total price).
However, if the service has been particularly good, you may wish to leave a tip in order to
show your appreciation. As a general rule, the amount is 5 to 10% of the total bill.
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