Local Information

France is geographically the largest country in Europe, but has a smaller population than the United Kingdom or Germany. It is made up many towns, villages, and big cities. Paris is both the largest city and cultural center of France. To Parisians, it is not only the center of France, but also the center of the world. This may seem egotistical, but there is some truth in it. France is the best-placed Western nation for trade, travel, and cross-border communication. It borders 6 countries (Belgium, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, Switzerland) and is a stone’s throw away from the United Kingdom. So, before you try to humble the excessive Parisian ego, don’t forget that Paris is indeed the center of the world- the Western world.
The French are committed to a high "quality of life" standard. Food and the culinary arts are sacred. Beauty, philosophy, the philosophy of beauty, and the beauty of philosophy are common topics of conversation that are discussed for hours upon end with friends in cafés and universities.
The French tend to have a general disregard for money; it is almost taboo to discuss money while eating. The workweek is getting shorter and shorter- it’s now down to 35hrs/week. There are strikes and protests all the time, and although they may cause you to be late for an important rendez-vous, they keep you constantly aware of what is happening politically and socially in the country.
The French traditions are well established, but are constantly evolving with the opening of European boundaries. France is becoming progressively more multicultural as the population continues to acquire a diverse array of people from all over the world.
France is a country of invention : the chip used in credit cards, the space shuttle Ariane, and Airbus were all invented here. France is also highly developed in technical fields. They developed the minitel (an information network like the Internet) almost ten years before the Internet made its way to the modern world.
The French are appreciated and respected for their special attention to detail, pride in their own expertise, and high quality standards. For these reasons and more, the French touch is something of high demand throughout the world.

Weather and seasons :
The south of France has a mild Mediterranean climate, but there is always snow in the Alps and the Pyrenees. In the north the winter is very cold from December to February The summers can be especially hot in the north and scorching near the Mediterranean borders between June and August.

Distance :
France is a large country in Europe, but the transportation system is very efficient. France has more national highways, called ‘autoroutes’, than any other country in the world. The railway system is of the highest quality, and boasts of two of the fastest and most efficient trains in the world: 1. the TGV(super fast train) which covers a distance of 800 km (Paris to Lyon), and 2. the Eurostar, which provides reliable service between London and Paris in three hours.

Currency : French Francs (1st January 2002 : Euro)
Currency equivalence as of 23/03/01 : 1FF =0.152 Euro = 0.135 US$
Telephone code : 00 33 + regional code + number