Field guide

France

Europe • Western EuropeParisEuro (EUR) · €

FR, French Republic, République française

This page stitches together our stored feeds—expect warm, human-readable snippets rather than dry data tables.

Snapshot metadata

Last generated December 24, 2025 at 2:38 AM

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Names & aliases

FranceFrench RepublicFRRépublique française

Quick facts

Need-to-know at a glance

Capital

Paris

Currency

Euro (EUR) · €

Languages

French

Population

66,351,959

Area

543,908 km²

Calling code

+33

Driving side

Right-hand

Pre-trip intel

Safety & entry

Advisories and border basics from our stored feeds.

Safety outlook

France - Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution

Reissued after periodic review with minor edits. Exercise increased caution in France due to  terrorism  and  civil unrest . Advisory Summary:  Pickpocketing and phone thefts are common, especially in crowded places. Terrorist groups continue to plan possible attacks in France and may attack with little to no warning. There are also regular, peaceful protests and strikes in Paris and other cities throughout France. Pickpocketing and phone thefts are frequent crimes. They can occur in crowded areas such as: Airports Subways and train cars Tourist attractions Train stations Terrorist groups continue to plan possible attacks in France. They may attack with little or no warning. Visit the U.S. Department of State's country reports on terrorism to learn more. Possible targets include: Tourist locations Transportation hubs and airports Markets and shopping malls Local government facilities Hotels, restaurants, and clubs Places of worship Major sporting and cultural events Educational institutions Parks Other public areas Peaceful demonstrations and strikes happen often in Paris and other cities in France. Protests can disrupt transportation services. On rare occasions, protests have turned violent or caused property damage. Police may respond with water cannons and tear gas. Tips for travel to France: Stay alert at tourist locations and crowded public places. Avoid demonstrations and areas with significant police activity. Follow the instructions of local authorities including movement restrictions related to any ongoing police action. Check local media for breaking events. Be prepared to adjust your plans. Find a safe place to stay and shelter in place if you are unable to leave the immediate area of a demonstration. If you decide to travel to France:  Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive messages and alerts from the U.S. Embassy and make it easier to locate you in an emergency. Review the  Country Security Report  for France. Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the  Traveler’s Checklist . Visit the CDC page for the latest  Travel Health Information  related to your travel and return to the United States. We highly recommend that you buy insurance before you travel. Check with your travel insurance provider about evacuation assistance, medical insurance, and trip cancellation coverage. (Updated May 28, 2025 at 12:00 AM)

Pickpocketing and phone thefts are frequent crimes. They can occur in crowded areas such as: Airports
Subways and train cars
Tourist attractions
Train stations
Terrorist groups continue to plan possible attacks in France. They may attack with little or no warning. Visit the U.S. Department of State's country reports on terrorism to learn more.
Possible targets include: Tourist locations

Full advisory

Source: U.S. Department of State

Entry & Docs

Visas, customs & paperwork

For restrictions on imports, see European Union#Customs.

For restrictions on imports, see European Union#Customs.

Source: Wikivoyage

On the ground

Getting around & connectivity

Practical notes from Wikivoyage sections.

Transport

Getting around

Rail travel in France Rail travel in Europe The French rail company, SNCF, as well as many other companies (sometimes in cooperation with SNCF), provide direct service from most European countries using regular as well as high speed trains. * TGVs between Paris, Metz and Luxembourg, as well as TGV between Brussels and France (except Paris) are operated by SNCF * TGVs between Paris, Lille, and London in the UK, through the Channel Tunnel (also called Chunnel by some), are operated by [https://www.eurostar.com Eurostar] * TGVs between Paris, Lille, Belgium, Netherlands and north-west Germany (Cologne, Essen) are also operated by Euros…

The French rail company, SNCF, as well as many other companies (sometimes in cooperation with SNCF), provide direct service from most European countries using regular as well as high speed trains.
TGVs between Paris, Metz and Luxembourg, as well as TGV between Brussels and France (except Paris) are operated by SNCF
TGVs between Paris, Lille, and London in the UK, through the Channel Tunnel (also called Chunnel by some), are operated by [https://www.eurostar.com Eurostar]
TGVs between Paris, Lille, Belgium, Netherlands and north-west Germany (Cologne, Essen) are also operated by Eurostar (formerly Thalys).
High speed trains between France and South Germany (Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Munich) are operated by Alleo, with either a SNCF TGV or a Deutsche Bahn ICE, and bilingual crew from both countries.
TGVs between France and Switzerland are operated by [https://www.tgv-lyria.com Lyria]
TGVs between France and Italy are operated by TGV France Italie.
Night trains between Moscow and Paris operated by the Russian RZD used to run weekly, stopping en-route in Belarus (Minsk), Poland (Warsaw, Poznan) and Germany (Berlin, Erfurt). These are suspended because of the Russian war on Ukraine.

Source: Wikivoyage

Connectivity

Wi-Fi, SIMs & staying online

Not available.

Source: Wikivoyage

Local wisdom

Etiquette, tipping & staying well

Etiquette & respect

French waiters have a reputation for being rude, but this is largely undeserved. While there are certainly a few bad ones who will seemingly go to any length to demonstrate their contempt for you as a customer, most perceptions of rudeness are simply down to travellers having certain expectations of service which are different to the French cultural norm. Important differences from some other countries follow. In France the customer does not come first. You are not always right, your every whim does not have to be indulged, and the amount of money you flash will not entitle you to a superior service to others in the room. The vast m…

French waiters have a reputation for being rude, but this is largely undeserved. While there are certainly a few bad ones who will seemingly go to any length to demonstrate their contempt for you as a customer, most perceptions of rudeness are simply down to travellers having certain expectations of service which are different to the French cultural norm.
Important differences from some other countries follow. In France the customer does not come first. You are not always right, your every whim does not have to be indulged, and the amount of money you flash will not entitle you to a superior service to others in the room. The vast majority of restaurants in France are privately-owned independents, with all the proprietary pride that entails; you as the customer are nothing more than a temporary guest in the restaurateur's home. That means you will be treated well, as long as you are polite and follow a few house rules. Humility and a sense of humour when mistakes happen can both go a long way in this game!
Upon arrival at a restaurant, wait at the door to be shown to your table. Seating yourself without being invited to do so is often taken to be presumptuous, and may result in your getting off on the wrong foot before you can even say bonjour. Asking for a dish to be changed for any reason is unusual and can be taken as a criticism of chef's cooking. If you don't like how a particular dish is prepared, or can't eat one of the ingredients, order something else. There is a reason the full menu is posted on every restaurant door: to allow people to get an idea of what is on offer in advance of making a commitment to eat there. While dining, it is considered impolite to have your elbows on the table; ditto for laying your hands in your lap. If you are given a glass or a cup with your beverage, use it.
Waitering is a respected profession in France. In the French psyche, a good waiter is there to make sure you receive your meal and drinks in the proper manner, and then to keep out of your way so you can enjoy yourself in peace. If you need something, you're more than welcome to ask, but don't expect to be approached during your meal, or for your needs to be anticipated in advance. Above all, don't address your waiter as garçon (boy), as this is demeaning and about a century out-of-date etiquette-wise. A simple excusez-moi is more than sufficient to attract the server's attention. One way to ensure good service is to ask the waiter's recommendations for wine or to point out any local specialities on the menu; this shows that you respect their expertise and gives you the opportunity to learn more about the local cuisine.
You can show your appreciation at the end by leaving a small tip. Tipping is neither compulsory nor expected as the serving staff receive a full wage, and many establishments factor a 10% service charge into the price of the food (this is signalled with service compris printed on the bill or menu). Most French people, when deciding to tip, will just round up the bill to the next multiple of five – if a bill comes to €46, call it €50 and everyone's happy.

Source: Wikivoyage

Tipping guidance

Tips are not expected in France since service charges are included in the bill. However, French people usually leave the small change left after paying the bill or one to five euros if they were satisfied with the service quality.

Tips are not expected in France since service charges are included in the bill. However, French people usually leave the small change left after paying the bill or one to five euros if they were satisfied with the service quality.

Source: Wikivoyage

Health & wellness

No summary available.

No bullet notes stored.

Source: Wikivoyage

Scams & street smarts

No summary available.

No bullet notes stored.

Source: Wikivoyage

Tempo & rhythm