French travel taboos

When traveling to France, there will be many things to pay attention to. The following is a detailed introduction to some French travel precautions. For a smooth journey, I hope everyone will read it carefully.

★ Customs taboos: 1. The standard French greeting ceremony is to shake hands and kiss each other on the cheek-the latter is a more intimate way of greeting. People call each other Mr. or Ms. instead of calling each other by their last names, and only call each other by their first names until the relationship becomes more familiar and intimate.

2. Casual clothing has become more and more common and can be worn even during some social events. However, some social venues, such as casinos, clubs and fine restaurants, require formal attire. On most beaches in France, sunbathing is considered acceptable for women to dress scantily, but there are certain limits to complete nudity. France no longer allows smoking in public places.

3. If you are invited to have a meal in a French family during your tour in France, you must arrive on time or no later than 10 minutes after your due time. The farther south, the dining etiquette will be more casual. However, if you are invited to a large dinner party, the most polite thing to do is to send flowers to the host or hostess that morning so they can be used at the dinner party. The host will say 'bonappétit' before the formal meal to indicate that the meal is ready to begin. Get ready for a long, leisurely dinner.

4. French table etiquette follows continental etiquette. When dining, you need to hold the fork in your left hand and the knife in your right hand. Elbows should not rest on the table, but hands should be at the same height as the table. It is considered a courtesy to finish your plates, and if you don't want a refill, keep the glass full or almost full.

★ Time difference: The time difference between Europe and China is six hours in summer and seven hours in winter. It is best to deal with the time difference and let nature take its course, and everything should be based on local time.

★ Clothing:

1. Spring: (March-May) Spring really comes around Easter in April. Spring is warm and suddenly cold, so thin sweaters and coats are needed; 2. Summer: (June-August) Tour buses are generally air-conditioned, and it is cooler in the morning and evening, so a thin coat is needed; 3. Autumn: (September-November) Autumn is the better season of the year, and the temperature is generally around 10 degrees. Please prepare simple cold clothes; 4. Winter: (December-February) Heating equipment is available on most occasions, but please bring a coat that can block the wind and keep warm,

It is used for getting on and off vehicles and places without heating equipment.

Note: It is recommended to bring an umbrella or raincoat in spring and autumn.

★ Customs and Airport: 1. Free checked baggage is limited to 20 kilograms per piece. Excess baggage is subject to self-payment for excess baggage. If you need to bring a knife, nail clippers, or liquid or paste-like items such as face cream and toothpaste, please leave them in your checked baggage. Please clearly indicate your Chinese and English name, address, contact information, etc. on your checked baggage so that you can recover it after you lose it. Limit one piece of carry-on luggage and the size shall not exceed 56cm×23cm×36cm.

2. Please put your passport, ticket, cash and other valuable or fragile items or items you want to take on in your carry-on luggage. In accordance with relevant regulations, it is strictly prohibited to carry inflammable, explosive and other dangerous goods, and it is strictly prohibited to enter the aircraft in the destination country. Since the amount paid by airlines for baggage is very low, and airlines that carry luggage and cause damage but do not affect the use will not pay, our company recommends that you not carry valuable checked luggage.

3. European customs entry and exit considerations: Adults over the age of 18 can bring 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco, and 1 liter of spirits or 2.25 liters of wine or 3 liters of beer. Other daily necessities, travel appliances and personal effects are not subject to tax when entering and leaving the country. Please do not bring counterfeit brand-name goods out of the country. If they are found, they will be confiscated and fined more than 300 euros. Please pay attention! Please abide by the laws of various countries and strictly prohibit carrying prohibited items from various countries, otherwise you will bear the consequences.

French customs stipulates that tourists traveling to France from non-EU member states can bring the following items without paying customs duties: 200 cigarettes or 50 cigarettes;1 liter of spirits;2 liters of alcoholic wine;2 liters of still wine;250 ml of cosmetics;50 grams of perfume;500 grams of coffee;100 grams of tea. You can also carry personal medicines. The value of other items cannot exceed 175 euros.

4. Starting from July 1, 2005, my country will resume the declaration system for inbound and outbound passengers, and the customs will determine the value of items based on purchase invoices. All passengers entering and leaving our country, except for passengers under the age of 16 who enjoy exemption from inspection and travel with adults according to regulations, other passengers must fill in the "Customs Declaration Form for Inbound and Outbound Passengers of the People's Republic of China." Customs stipulates that each person can carry RMB 20000 yuan in cash or US$5000 yuan out of the country, and the excess must be declared. Cameras and long-lens cameras should be declared to the customs when leaving customs, and the original items should be brought back when entering the country; if tourists bring back additional goods with a total value of more than RMB 5000 from overseas or Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, the customs must impose taxes in accordance with regulations. For other items that need to be declared, please refer to the "Customs Declaration Form of Outbound Passenger Baggage and Articles of the People's Republic of China".

5. Unforeseeable things often happen in checked baggage, and tourists are specifically reminded not to place cash and valuables in checked baggage. Please check carefully when collecting checked baggage. If your baggage is lost or damaged, notify the team leader immediately and ask the team leader to assist in handling relevant procedures.

★ Hotels: 1. Hotels in Western Europe are quite different in terms of hardware facilities from international hotels in my country. The lobby is not spacious and the elevator is narrow, but it is very clean. It is recommended to bring your own disposable items such as slippers and dental tools, which are usually not provided by the hotel; 2. Do not leave the room in your pajamas; do not wear slippers in the hotel lobby or in its attached restaurants and bars; no loud noise is allowed in the hotel to avoid affecting other guests resting; 3. Please pay special attention to water temperature regulation when taking a shower in the hotel bathroom to avoid burns, and take corresponding anti-slip measures to pay attention to personal safety. Please close the shower curtain and close the door when taking a shower to avoid water soaking the indoor carpet, etc., otherwise the hotel may ask for compensation of more than 200 euros.

4. When checking in to the hotel, please first check the items in the room. If you find any missing or damaged conditions, please contact the tour guide or team leader in time so that they can assist you in communicating on your behalf.

5. Please do not smoke in the room. European law stipulates that smoking is not allowed in a closed environment. If this happens, it may be fined by relevant authorities.

6. Cold water in European hotels can generally be drunk directly depending on the country. Please choose to drink it after specific inquiry), but hot water cannot be drunk directly. If you need to drink hot water, you need to bring your own electric kettle to heat and drink. Since the water quality varies from country to country, tourists are advised to choose carefully according to their own circumstances to avoid diarrhea and other diseases caused by acclimatization.

7. When leaving the hotel, please inform the team leader or escort, and bring a business card with the hotel address and phone number printed on it in case you get lost. It is best to travel in company (preferably one who understands a foreign language) for safety; 8. Be sure to check carefully when checking out to avoid forgetting items, and hand the room key to the hotel front desk. If you ask a bellman to help with carrying luggage at the hotel, you usually have to pay an extra tip of 1-2 euros per piece. All items in the hotel are valuable items, please do not take away or damage them at will.

9. Hotel telephone bills are expensive, so it is recommended to purchase your own telephone magnetic card and use public telephones (telephone booths in Europe can dial international direct calls); 10. The European power jack is cylindrical and has a voltage of 220V. Different from domestic ones, please pay attention to the installation of conversion plugs; 11. Some hotels have pay TV services. Please consult the tour guide before checking in to the hotel to avoid unnecessary expenses.

★ Catering: 1. Breakfast is mainly Western-style buffet. The eating habits of Western European countries are different. Breakfast in the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, and Italy is very simple and requires attention. Lunch and dinner are mainly Chinese, but I'm afraid it can't be compared to the pure taste in China. I hope you can understand; 2. When using the breakfast buffet in the hotel, please choose the right amount and do not leave too much food on the plate or pack it away. This is an behavior prohibited by the hotel; 3. The drinks in the hotel room are very expensive. If you don't drink it, please don't move it, so as to avoid automatic billing by the hotel computer; 4. Drinking water is usually not available in hotels. Cold tap water in most parts of Europe (excluding Venice) meets drinking water hygiene standards (please do not drink hot tap water); 5. If guests are contraindicated by certain food, please inform the tour guide or team leader so that arrangements can be made properly.

★ Transportation: 1. The use of mobile phones and game consoles is prohibited on the aircraft; according to European law, the use of mobile phones on the aircraft will be subject to fines and even criminal liability; 2. Please check your seats on the aircraft. If you need to adjust your seat, please contact the air service personnel; 3. Smoking is prohibited in the cabin, on tour buses, and in some restaurants. Please follow instructions and respect the rights and interests of others; When traveling in Europe, when traveling on luxury buses, please throw the waste in the designated garbage bin. Do not smoke in the car without the driver's permission, and put your luggage in a dedicated luggage compartment; 4. European law stipulates that drivers must not drive more than 9 hours per day. Hours/day, at least 12 hours of rest must be taken every day; drivers must take a 20-minute break after every two hours of driving; 5. European law has strict restrictions on working hours. If you require additional services, you need to obtain the consent of the local tour guide driver and pay a certain additional fee; please respect and cooperate with the tour guide driver's work so that the trip can proceed smoothly.

★ Safety: 1. When checking luggage, please do not put cash or other valuables into your luggage. If your luggage is lost, please fill in the baggage loss or loss form at the airport in time; 2. Please carry money, passports, air tickets and other valuables with you and cannot put them in hotel rooms or on transportation; 3. In attractions, hotel breakfast rooms, restaurants and other places, pay attention to personal belongings, and do not display too much cash and other valuable items in public places. Keep your tickets and passports well; 4. While overseas, you must carry out group activities, follow the arrangements of the team leader and local tour guide, and are not allowed to leave the team without authorization or act on your own will; 5. Cars in Western Europe travel fast, so please follow the traffic lights when crossing the road; 6. Do not leave the hotel alone, especially at night, it is best to carry out activities with more than 3 people.

★ Health and medicines: Going out may cause your body to feel uncomfortable due to changes in the environment, so you should prepare some commonly used medicines for emergencies. If you need to take certain medicines for a long time, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, stomach disease or diabetes, you must bring enough medicines and doctor's prescriptions just in case.

★ Life aspects of French travel precautions: 1. Tipping: There is no need to pay tips in French restaurants and hotels, because according to French law, all bills already include a 15% service charge. The exception is super luxury hotels. When taking a taxi, you usually need to tip 0.4-1 euros, no matter how much your fare is.

2. Mail: The French postal service is called LaPoste.20g postcards and letters cost 0.6 euros within the EU);8.8 euros to USA,Canada and MiddleEast, and 1 euro to Australasia. Telegram is 1 euro no matter where you go. All packages sent abroad are airmail and are very expensive.

3. Rent a car It is very convenient to rent a car in France. The driver holds an international driver's license. Relevant car rental companies will provide cars in good condition with insurance. Driving in France must comply with speed limits and right-hand priority rules, which means that vehicles driving on the right must be given first, even motorcycles or bicycles). There are very conspicuous guide signs on the road. Wherever in France, even in rural areas, there will always be enthusiastic French people to guide you.

4. Telephone: All public telephones in France can be dialed directly to every corner of the world.

Almost all public phones require telephone cards (telecartes/Phonecards), which are sold at post offices and tabacstobacshops), subway stations and supermarket checkouts. 10/20 euros can buy 50/120 units of talk time. The call time of one unit can make a three-minute local call. Pick up the receiver when making a phone call, insert the card in, and dial when you see Numerotez on the LCD screen. Telephone lines in France are divided into 5 zones. No matter where you dial in France, you have to dial 10 digits. Numbers in Paris start with 01, 02 is northwest, 03 northeast, 04 southeast, and 05 southwest. Calls starting with 0800 are free. The international area code for France is 33. When dialing France from abroad, 033 is added to the ten-digit telephone number. Use your phone card to make international calls from France, dial 00 first, and then dial the country number, area code and telephone number after you hear an answer.

5. Internet: More than 1000 LaPostees in France have Internet centers. Cybercarte costs 6 euros for one hour of Internet access, and charges 5 euros per hour to continue. Other commercial cybercafes charge 4-6 euros for half an hour.

6. Emergency situation: The biggest danger to French travel is thieves. Be careful at airports and crowded public transportation facilities. Emergency numbers: ambulance 15; police 17. Common to all France) 7. Currency conversion: France belongs to the European Union, and the euro is commonly used, with the symbol of €.

Exchange rate: roughly 1 euro to 9 yuan.

8. Shopping tax When shopping in France, you need to pay a shopping tax. The shopping tax is 20%. If you purchase goods exceeding 185 euros, you can apply for a 13% shopping tax refund.

Store hours: 09:30-19:00, closed on Sundays. Some stores will close for 2 hours starting from 12 noon.

Xiaotes: Every year in July, August and after the New Year, French shops will offer special discounts, roughly between 50% and 25%.

9. Post office business hours: The working hours of the large post office are 8:00-19:00, and on Saturdays, 8:00-12:00, closed on public holidays. The post office in central Paris is the only post office that is open all day long and has no year off.

Mailbox: Outside the French Post Office or in some public places, there will be yellow mailboxes for visitors to post letters or postcards.

Postage: It costs only 0.6 euros to mail postcards, letters, etc. in France; 8.8 euros to mail to the United States, Canada, the Middle East and other places; and 1 euro to Australia and other places.

10. Power supply voltage: 50Hz plug between 220V and 230V: divided into two round holes and three round holes.

★ Other precautions for French travel: 1. France implements a summer system. Every year, at 2 a.m. on the last Sunday in March, the time is set forward by one hour, and at 3 a.m. on the last Sunday in October., then adjust the time back.

2. Telephone. China Unicom and China Mobile support international roaming in France, but the charges are relatively expensive, ranging from 14 yuan to 20 yuan per minute, and the cost of sending short messages alone is between 1.85 yuan and 2.54 yuan.

3. The working hours of the police station are from 09:00 to 19:00, and police officers will be on duty on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

4. Bank business hours: 10:00-17:00, closed on Saturdays and Sundays.