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General Information On France
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General information and a quick overview of France
Contact the French
Government Tourist Office for travel and destination information
in and about France. You can also contact them at 410-286-8310.
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Passport Visa Express specializes in obtaining Passports for United States Citizens who wish to travel internationally within the next 30 days. We work directly with the U.S. Passport Agency assisting you in expediting your passport application in as fast as the same day! Our passport consultants have many years of direct experience working with the Passport Agency. |
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Click here for language helps, dictionaries, electronic translators, language software and other helps for learning a foreign language. Being able to speak at least some of the language in the country you are visiting will help you have a better time and enjoy your trip more. Jim.
The currency for France is the euro. At the time of conversion to the euro, the exchange rate was as follows: 6.55957 French francs = 1 euro. You should check for the current exchange rate at Onada.com and get a cheat sheet.
The euro is the single currency of the European Monetary Union, which was adopted by 11 Member States from 1 January 1999. The 11 Member States are Belgium, Germany, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal and Finland. Greece became the 12th Member State to adopt the Euro on 1 January 2001. The name "euro" was chosen by the European Heads of State or Government at the European Council meeting in Madrid in December 1995.
There will be 7 euro notes and 8 euro coins. The notes are in denominations of 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10, and 5 euro. The denominations of coins are 2 euro, 1 euro, 50 euro cent, 20 euro cent, 10 euro cent, 5 euro cent, 2 euro cent, and 1 euro cent.
If you have used "foreign" currency in the past in your travels, you will find that, just like using than old national currency, it is pretty much the same. The real difference you will see is when you travel to other countries in the euro area. There will be no more currency exchange - which means no more exchange commission to be paid - no more time spent calculating price comparisons, and no more time wasted shopping around for the best exchange rate.
Click on Quest for just about all the information you will need for the euro.
Language Information
Click here for language
helps, dictionaries,
electronic translators,
language software and other helps for learning
a foreign language. Being able to speak at least some of the language in the
country you are visiting will help you have a better time and enjoy your trip
more. Jim.
| France Phone Adaptor - Modifies the France outlet to accept one US style RJ11 connector and one France connector to allow use of connection for both the US line and the France phone line simultaneously. For more great travel items, visit Travel Essentials |
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Books and Resource Materials
Champs-Elysées offers monthly French audio magazines for the intermediate to advanced speaker
designed to take their speaking and listening comprehension to the next level.
Every issue takes the form of an hour long radio broadcast featuring interviews
with French celebrities as well as up to date news from the worlds of art,
business, literature, politics etc. Previous guests on the programs include
Brigitte Bardot, Francois Mitterand, Juliette Binoche and Jacques Chirac. Each
magazine comes with a complete transcript and a comprehensive glossary together
with optional linguistic exercises. The magazine is available on both CD and
cassette. I have found that being able to speak at least some of the language
really helps you enjoy your visit to a foreign country more. Check
Champs-Elysées
and see how you can become more familiar with the French language and people. Jim.
The Riches of Paris - In The Riches of Paris, Maribeth Clemente shares her insider's knowledge of the choicest boutiques, restaurants, wine cellars, and auctions to help you find endless treasures. Whether you're looking for designer fashions, Limoges china, the finest perfumes, the best Bordeaux or just browsing, The Riches of Paris is an indispensable guide for making your visit to Paris enjoyable and unforgettable. And, if you enjoy The Riches of Paris, you will also enjoy Maribeth Clemente's other book, The Riches of France. Whether you're a shopper, a browser, or a traveler with a love of all things French, this is your one-of-a-kind guidebook to the culture of regional France represented by the products and centuries-old craftsmanship of each region. At prices lower than what you would pay in Paris or the United States, you'll find endless treasures as you tour boutiques, small factories, artisans' workshops, and wineries and distilleries. Complete with details on exchange rates, shipping, French customs, touring, and restaurant and hotel selections, The Riches of France is an indispensable sourcebook for exploring every province in France.
Invitation to France (Notes from the authors) Our travels in France have been a thoroughly enjoyable experience--truly, it's an exciting and beautiful country. The towns we've visited, the sights we've seen, the people we've met! This is a story of what we saw, and where we saw it during our nine trips to France. It's a composite of all our trips--nearly 160 nights, spent in over 100 different places. The purpose of our book is neither to boast about, nor to celebrate our travels. Whether traveling in a car, a train, or in an arm-chair, the reader will become acquainted with the wonderful people they will meet, and the fascinating places they may visit as they travel through the enticing country of France. The title, Invitation to France was carefully selected. A vacation should not be a destination, it should be the journey. We have been able to travel with the idea that "it has been here for many years, and if we miss it this time, it will still be here the next time we are in the area." Relax and Enjoy. This book suggests "Why Not Travel" thousands of other books try to tell you "How to Travel."Click here for language helps, dictionaries, electronic translators, language software and other helps for learning a foreign language. Being able to speak at least some of the language in the country you are visiting will help you have a better time and enjoy your trip more. Jim.
Moto Europa - If you are visiting Belgium, England, France (Offices in Avignon, Bordeaux, Calais, Lyon, Marseille, Montpellier, Mulhouse, Nantes, Nice, Paris, Pau, Perpignan, Rennes, Strasbourg, and Toulouse), Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Portugal or Spain, why rent a car when you can lease from Moto Europa. Getting Away has teamed with Ideamerge to provide an online way for you to learn more about, and perhaps subsequently order, a Renault Eurodrive tax-free, short-term auto lease. These leases can be great deals for persons traveling 17 days or more! And, this is the only site on the web where you can learn so much about them and order securely online. Tax-free, short-term leases have the touch and feel of a rental but can be much less costly and, in many respects, much simpler. You book and pay for your lease before taking delivery, signing a contract which allows Renault to register and fully insure in your name the exact vehicle of your choice for the period you requested. You do not, of course, pay the full price of the vehicle; the one low charge—tax-free and including full comprehensive insurance and breakdown coverage, 24/7 roadside assistance, and full warranty—is essentially the difference between preset buying and selling prices. After returning the vehicle, you have no further obligations whatsoever; Renault sells the vehicle to a rental agency or other party. Check it out today before you rent a car!
Travel
Etiquette
Behavior and customs vary greatly from country to country. We
discuss the correct travel etiquette so that you won't be caught out.
TravelEtiquette was formed to offer a unique reference
point on essential etiquette advice and information for worldwide
travel. Our features and articles are written by professional
journalists and experts - who have a particular interest, or a
background in this area. So – know before you go. Visit
TravelEtiquette so you will know how to, as the old adage states, “When in Rome,
do as the Romans do.”
France Business Etiquette and
Culture - An excellent guide to business culture and
etiquette in France.
Executive Planet™
provides valuable tips on business etiquette, customs and protocol for doing
business worldwide. Our guides are co-authored by experts in international
business etiquette, who are available to answer your questions on the discussion
board.
This guide to France business etiquette and
culture covers many aspects of doing business in France. It is our goal to
provide practical, accurate, and up-to-date tips on France business culture and
etiquette, written by experts in business consulting in France. We encourage
visitors to leave questions or comments on our discussion boards, moderated by
experts in intercultural training and business.
Click On:
Executive Planet - France
This guide contains the following articles:
Let's Make a Deal - negotiating tactics, the value of connections, recommended
business card style and content, business card protocol, sitting and presenting
yourself in meetings, language for brochures and promotional material, pace of
business, preferred presentation styles, final agreements, thinking styles,
adherence to company policy, and more on France business culture . . .
Prosperous Entertaining - typical mealtimes throughout the day, best venues for
business entertaining, punctuality for social events, dinner table seating
etiquette, mealtime etiquette, importance of alcohol, toasting, guidelines for
hosting a banquet/social event, what foods should be served/avoided, accepting
and declining invitations, and more on France business etiquette. . .
Appointment Alert! - typical vacation times, recommended appointment times,
length of the lunch hour, signals that indicate beginning or end of an
appointment, best arrival time (early, late, right on time), and more on France
business culture. . . Gift Giving - recommended gifts, gifts to avoid, good and
bad colors for wrapping paper, how to present a gift to individuals and groups,
guidelines for receiving gifts, and more on France business culture. . . First
Name or Title? - using titles such as 'Doctor', naming conventions to avoid,
when to use first names, and more. . . Public Behavior - how to greet strangers
and introduce yourself, the rules for men shaking hands with women, acceptable
demeanor, rules for eye contact, gestures/sayings to avoid, and more on France
business culture. . . Business Dress - is dress modest, conservative, etc.,
specific dress requirements for men and women, what visitors should wear to
social functions, and more on France business culture. . Conversation - welcome
and unwelcome topics of conversation, the role of compliments, the tone of voice
to be used, whether your hosts are physical or more reserved, and more on France
business etiquette. For additional information, click on
http://www.executiveplanet.com/index.php?title=France
