Planning a France singles vacation to Europe and not sure what to pack. The France country information and trip tips below will make sure you have everything you need to ensure a wonderful vacation.
Visas are not required for US, Canadian and European citizens. To enter France, a passport valid for at least three months beyond the length of stay is required by all nationals. South African citizens must have a passport that is valid upon their arrival, and a valid Schengen visa, to enter Italy. All other citizens please check with your local embassy for visa requirements.
The Currency in France is the Euro and comes in both paper and coins. Paper Euros come in different colors and sizes depending on the face value, 500 bills are violet, 200 bills are yellow, 100 are green, 50 are orange, 20 are blue, 10 are red and 5 are grey. The coins are either 1 Euro or 2 Euros, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cent.
France is on Central European Time (CET), which is 6 Hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time (EST) and 9 Hours ahead of Pacific Standard (PST) – During daylight savings time, France is 5 Hours ahead of EST and 8 Hours ahead of PST.
Electricity in Italy, as in the rest of Europe, comes out of the wall socket at 220 volts alternating at a 50 cycles per second. Italy’s electric outlets are either two or three round-prong socket. If you are traveling from North America you will need to use an electric converter.
France’s weather can be very diverse and changes from region to region and city to city. Paris and Lyon share some of the country’s coldest winters and summers are usually warm, with temperatures in the mid 70’s F in Paris and the low 90’s F in Lyon. Be prepared for a quick thunderstorm in July and August. Mediterranean climate can be found along the French Riviera and summer is the best time of year to vacation in the south of France. The average temperature is around 85 F.
The French are all about the fashion. If you don’t want to look like a tourist then don’t wear any of the following: white sneakers and white socks – baseball caps – fanny packs – sweatshirts or sweatpants. For easy travel, pack clothing that can be layered depending on the day’s weather. Neutral colors are always easy to match. Add a sweater or lightweight jacket that you can carry with you in case it gets cold.
France is one of the world’s top shopping countries and even people who hate shopping enjoy shopping in Paris. The most important word to know when shopping in France is SOLDE – English translation – SALE. Prices displayed in shops in France always include sales tax (“la TVA” – value added tax) and the price on the label is the price you will be pay.