Safety in France What do other Racers need to know in order to be safe? Current safety protocols/precautions in place? Any relevant issues/concerns? Any precautionary suggestions?
People’s Opinions
Health
Health in France Any special health concerns?
People’s Opinions
Visa Info
Visa Info in France Do you need one? Where did you get it? Cost? Resources/sources:
People’s Opinions
no visa needed at this time (aug 2017)
Currency Info
Currency Info in France Name of currency? Where can you exchange money?
People’s Opinions
The euro is used everywhere in France. ATM’s can be found pretty much anywhere and are a good way to withdraw cash. You can also use your debit or visa card to make purchases at restaurants and shops but there is probably an extra fee for using your card instead of paying cash. Markets are an AWESOME place to get cheap food and you can usually talk the price down (bring smaller bills and change to the market to make it easier to get good prices)
Communication
Communication in France Did you have cell reception / Internet service? Where? Carrier / Provider, where did you get phones / SIM cards, cost? Country code?
People’s Opinions
There are lots of local phone company’s that you can get cards from. We found a SYMA mobile store and found some for cheap. It’s cheaper to buy SIM cards outside the airport and is fairly easy to find in Paris. LYCA mobile is also a good store, just make sure that you buy a card that already has minutes. Some cards you have to activate online and this can be a hassle to setup.
Transportation
Transportation in France What transportation did you use to enter the country? Where were you coming from? What transportation was used to move throughout the country? Be sure to include the cost per person in USD and contact info if applicable.
People’s Opinions
Rental Cars: we used Go Euro and it was decently cheap if you have enough people to share it with. Stick shifts are cheeper and more fuel efficient. No that they will ticket you by cameras so you have to make sure you go the speed limits at all times. They will send you an email with ticket information and make you pay it and it can be a pain.
Traveling around Paris was almost impossible without the local metro. The metro costs about €1.50 for a one way. We ended up spending way too much personal money on transportation or else we would of had 4+ mile walks home at night. The metro is fast and easy to use. We saw it as an opportunity to be more effective in connecting with people so we chose to use it. Know that if you buy a book of 10 tickets it will be cheaper than if you just buy 1 ticket.
Metro book of 20 tickets or monthly passes are most cost efficient. May want to buy 2 monthly passes and then books of 20 tickets. That way if there are days that a few people will be taking the metro more than twice it will be covered. Best transportation app: Paris Metro (works similar to google maps but will give you your route when you are offline.)
Culture
Culture in France Anything Racers need to be aware/respectful of? Suggestions/Recommendations?
People’s Opinions
Culture tips in France:Always say “Bonjour” when you enter a store to let them know you are there.When crossing the street, it is acceptable to cross when the cross walk says don’t walk, HOWEVER, if children are present, DON’T cross the road until the parents start to cross the road. The community is still considered to be a part of raising the kids and the kids get excited and say “red, red!” when they see the light. Then when it turns green they say “green green!” and everyone crosses the road.Eating with your hands is considered rude. Only bread is culturally acceptable to eat with your hands, but even then, when making a sandwich or meat and cheese, the bread is prepared first with a knife and fork and then you can pick it up with your hands. So no eating pizza with your hands (We usually didn’t follow this unless dining with the French but it was cool to know.)If in Paris its a pretty diverse city and there aren’t too many cultural rules you have to really worry about.Speaking French before English is a huge plus, even if you are awful, just tryStand on the right side of escalators, walk on the left side of escalators
Always say “Bonjour” before interacting with a frenchman. Greetings are very important and its viewed as being very rude if you jump right into your question without saying hello first. Attempt french before turning to English, even if you do not know it. Frenchmen like that you are making an effort. Helpful app: Google translate. Download french, then you can use it offline.
Shipping / Mailing
Shipping / Mailing in France Company used and contact info? How did you get packages to them?
Tips
People’s Opinions
The French countryside is beautiful! Get out and explore if you have the chance!
Additional Info
Check out Hillsong Paris if you get the chance! You will be able to meet a lot of people and there are lots of connections you can make.
Additional Info in France Anything we’ve left out? Any additional suggestions to make travel easier for others?