Paris

Internal Affairs

Population

France 57.8 million

Paris 2.2 million

Time

GMT plus one hour; summertime (last Saturday in March to last Saturday in September) plus two hours.

Telephone

IDD country code 33, Paris 33-1

Weather

Temperate sunny climate. July-September, temperatures stay around the 30s, while in winter they are usually 6-10°C. Sporadic, heavy rain and winds can occur in March-early May, and late September-December. An umbrella is useful.

Commercial Hours

Banks 9.00-12.00 and 14.00-17.00/17.30 Monday to Friday. Some Branches open 9am-1pm Sat.

Shops 9.00-10.00 to 19.00-20.00 are the standard opening hours for shops Monday to Saturday. Some shops also close on Monday. Shops often close at least an hour for lunch usually between the hours 12.30-14.00. Many shops are also closed for part or all of August.

Offices 8.30-9.00 to 12/12.30 and 14.00-18.00/18.30, Monday to Friday. Saturday openings from 9.00-12.00 are not uncommon.

National Holidays

1 Jan, Easter Monday, May Monday 1 May, Ascension Day, Whit Monday, Bastille Day 14 July, Feast of the Assumption 15 August, All Saint's day 1 November, Remembrance Day 11 November, 25 & 26 December.

New Year's, May Day, Bastille Day and Christmas are the most fully observed. Many places may remain open on other days.

Best Guides & Maps

The official tourist office provides a wide range of basic information on attractions and events around Paris. Local listings magazines are, however, usually more up-to-date. Free maps of the metro, bus and rail systems are available from airports and all metro stations. The Paris transport authority RATP also offers free brochures, available from all metro stations.

Tourist Information

The Tourist Office (Office de Tourisme de Paris), 127 avenue des Champs-Elysees, 75008 Tel 49 52 53 54/English language info line 49 52 53 56/Fax 49 52 53 00.

Electric current

220 volts

Trading Places

Number of cinema screens (France) - 4,440

Annual admissions - 125.8 million (1993)

Number of households with colour TV - 32.4 million

Number of VCRs - 13.8 million households

TV Networks

TF1 AA quai du Point du Jour, 92656 Boulogne Cedex, Tel 41 41 12 34

France 2 22 av Montaigne, 75008 Paris Tel 44 221 42 42 Fax 44 21 51 45

France 3 116 ave de President Kennedy, 75790 Paris Tel 42 30 22 22.

Canal Plus 85/89 quai Andre Citroen, 75015 Paris Tel 42 25 10 00

Arte 2A rue de la Fonderie, 67080 Strasbourg Cedex Tel (16) 88 52 22 22

La Sept 50 av Theophile Gautier, 75016 Paris Tel 44 14 77 77 Fax 44 14 77 00

M6 16 cours Albert 1er, 75008 Paris Tel 44 211 66 66 Fax 45 63 78 52

industry events 1996

MIDEM

21-25 January

Milia (Cannes)

9-12 February

Monte Carlo International TV Festival & Market

9-15 February (Market 12-15 February)

MIP-TV

19-24 April

Cannes International Film Festival & Market

9-20 May

Sunny Side of the Doc, Marseille

18-25 June

Deauville Festival of American Films

September (tbc)

Festival of European Cinema (La Baule)

6-10 October

MIPCOM

7-11 October

Couriers

Chronopost 45 21 64 00

DHL 45 01 91 00

Flash Services 42 74 26 01

Emergency

Ambulance 45 67 50 50

Police 17

Fire service 18

Lost Credit Cards

American Express 47 77 72 00

Diners Club 47 62 75 75

MasterCard/Access 45 67 84 84

Visa 42 77 11 90

NB American Express not as widely accepted as Visa.

Money

Many branches of the Post Office change foreign currency, usually at a much better rate than commercial change shops and often better than the banks.

Translation Services

Association des Anciens Eleves de L'Esit Tel 44 05 41 46

International Corporate Communication Tel 43 87 29 29 Fax 45 22 49 13

Publications

Newsstands, foreign dailies and news magazines Most kiosks on the Champs, some in Avenue de l'Opera, stay open to midnight, and carry the main foreign dailies and news magazines.

Foreign Books and publications

Large selection of foreign books and papers available at FNAC Etoile, 26 avenue des Ternes, 75017 or at WH Smith, 248 rue de Rivoli, 75001.

The X Files Tipping

All cafes and restaurants in France include a 15% service charges in the bill. However, since this is taxed it is not unusual to leave an additional 3% in cash.