France - Country Information

Film Commissions

Film France (Commission Nationale du Film France)
Tel: 1 53 83 98 98 Fax: 1 53 83 98 99
E-mail: film@filmfrance.net
Website: www.filmfrance.net
General Manager: Patrick Lamassoure

Permits/visas
No special film permit is required to film in France other than permission from the owner or authority responsible for the locations in question. The Film France network of local film commission will help you to identify them all over France. Authorisation can best be obtained through the production service company or co-producer with which you have chosen to work.

Tax breaks/incentives
Through the 46 bilateral treaties France has signed with foreign countries, 40 to 50 foreign-speaking movies initiated by non-French producers are qualified each year as French productions, and co-produced by French production companies. To be shot in French is not a requirement.

Recent productions
Rush Hour 3, Vintner’s Luck, Mr Bean’s Holiday, Da Vinci Code, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Two Days in Paris.

General Information

Location: Europe
Local Time: GMT+1
From 25 Oct 09 to 28 Mar 10 GMT +1
From 28 Mar 10 to 31 Oct 10 GMT +2
From 27 Mar 11 to 30 Oct 11 GMT +2
Capital City: Paris
Population: 64 million
Area: 547,030 square km, 211,209 square miles.
Language(s): French
Dialling Code: 33
Emergency: Police: 17. Fire: 18. Ambulance: 15
Directory Enquiries: 12
TV Standard: SECAM/PAL
Driving: Driving is on the right. National licence required. Minimum driving age is 18
Electricity: 220V AC 50Hz

Business & Currency

Currency: Euro (EUR 1 = 100 Cents)
Notes: EUR: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500
Coins: EUR: 1, 2. Cents: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50

Credit Cards/Travellers Cheques: Credit cards and travellers cheques are widely accepted

Opening Hours
Bank: 0900-1200 & 1400-1600 Mon-Fri (some banks in Paris 1000-1700)
Office: 0900-1200 & 1400-1800 Mon-Fri
Shops: 0900-1830 Mon-Sat (some shops close between 1200-1430 Mon-Fri & many close all or pm Mon)

Public Holidays
2010
1 Jan New Year's Day, 5 Apr Easter Monday, 1 May Labour Day, 13 May Ascension, 8 May 1945 Victory Day, 24 May Whit Monday, 14 Jul Bastille Day, 15 Aug Assumption, 1 Nov All Saints' Day, 11 Nov Remembrance Day, 25 Dec Christmas Day.

Business/Social Hints: Business is conducted in French, most executives speak English or some German or Spanish. Smoking is very restricted in many public places and always request permission before smoking. Request permission before smoking in offices and cars. Smoking in restaurants is now restricted to specific areas. On social occasions, eg invitation to restaurants, be punctual and dress as for business meetings unless otherwise indicated. The minimum drinking age is 18 years

Tipping: Service charges are normally added to bills, if so tips are not necessary, but it is customary to leave small change. Tips for taxis around 10%

Health

Reciprocal health: Participant of the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC scheme) which allows visitors on short-term stays to other member countries to use the public health care sector for free or reduced-cost medical treatment and emergency care.

Compulsory vaccinations: None.

Recommended immunisations: Tick-borne encephalitis*
* recommended in some circumstances, travellers making 3 or more visits per year, stays of more than 3 months in a rural area, high-risk occupational groups & backpackers staying more than 1 month.

Risks: Rabies low risk in terresterial animals originating in France, and there is a low but increased risk of rabies in Gers (south-west), Grandpuits in Ile-de-France, Calvados in Normandy. Medical advice should be sought following any bite.

Airports

Passport & Visa

The following details relate to holders of adult normal passports (requirements for children may be different), if any other type of passport or travel document is held, entry requirements should be checked with the relevant embassy or consulate

Passports

Required, but NOT by the following:

1) Holders of National Identity Cards or passports issued to nationals of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland & United Kingdom

Passport Validity: 1) Where a visa is not required, passport validity varies according to nationality, contact nearest embassy/consulate

a) Expired passports (max 5 year) issued to nationals of Austria, Belgium, France, Liechtensten, Luxembourg, Portugal, San Marino, Spain & Switzerland is accepted

b) Expired passports (max 1 year) issued to nationals of Germany is accepted

3) Where a visa is required, passports must be valid for 3 months

Passport Notes: 1) All visitors must hold onward/return tickets, sufficient funds for length of stay & additional requirements as follows (except nationals of Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland Rep, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland & United Kingdom)

a) for tourist visits holding documents showing tour arrangements & hotel reservations

2) Member of Schengen Visa Agreement, however we strongly recommend that travellers make enquiries prior to travel with the appropriate embassies of the countries within the agreement which they plan to visit

Visas

The following DO NOT require a visa:

1) Nationals of France and Monaco

2) For an unrestricted length of stay by:
a) Holders of passports issued by Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland Rep, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden & Switzerland
b) Holders of British passports endorsed British Citizen

3) For tourist stays up to 3 months by:
b) Nationals of Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong (SAR passports), Israel, Japan, Korea (South), Macao (SAR passports), Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, San Marino, Seychelles, Singapore, St. Kettis-Nevis, United States, Uruguay, Vatican City & Venezuela
b) Holders of British passports endorsed British National (Overseas) or British Overseas Territories Citizen with the right of abode label issued by the UK

Air Transit

Required by all except:

1) Persons in direct transit by air without leaving the airport & arriving & departing from/to a non-Schengen country (except nationals of Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Bissau, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Congo Dem Rep, Cote d'Ivoire, Djbouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Haiti, India, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Liberia, Libya, Mali, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine (holders of travel documents issued by the Lebanese or Syrian authorities), Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan & Syria, Togo, Turkey
Unless they hold a valid residency permit of an EU country, Andorra, Canada, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland or United States

Notes: Transit without a visa is not available if any of the subsequent destinations or transit locations are a Schengen country requiring a visa. Therefore, as the passenger is entering the Schengen territory, which is a borderless territory, those nationals of countries requiring a visa for any Schengen state, which they are entering, require a visa at all times

Exit Permits

Special Notes

Climate

The north and northwest has a maritime climate which is changeable. Winters are usually mild, summers are moderate and rainfall occurs throughout the year. Southwestern France has a markedly warmer summer although it can be rather wet, and winters are usually mild. Central and eastern areas have a more continental climate with colder winters and a little warmer summers. Rainfall is usually low and tends to fall in summer. The Mediterranean coastlands have a warm/hot summer period when rainfall is scarce. Winters are usually mild although changeable cold weather can be brought by the northerly wind called the `Mistral'(which can blow at any time of the year). The mountainous areas are the wettest and coldest regions where much of the winter rain falls as snow. Summers are relatively fine although there are frequent and sudden periods of cloud and rain

Clothing

Mediumweights in winter with topcoat necessary in mountain areas and in the north. Medium or lightweights in summer

Charts for Paris

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Max Temp (C) 6 7 11 16 19 23 25 24 21 15 9 6 Min Temp (C) 1 1 2 5 8 11 15 12 10 7 3 1 Humidity am (%) 90 90 88 80 79 79 81 84 91 94 93 92 Humidity pm (%) 71 69 59 50 52 55 58 54 59 68 76 80 Rainfall (mm) 56 47 35 42 57 54 59 64 55 50 51 50

Temperature (C) Rainfall (mm) Humidity (%)

Representative

UK Tourist Office
French Tourist Office
300 High Holborn
WC1V 7JH
tel: +44 0906 824 4123*
fax: +44 207 061 6646
e-mail: info.uk@franceguide.com
website: www.franceguide.com
* calls cost 60p per minute

Embassy
Consulate General of France
P.O. Box 520, 21 Cromwell Road
London, SW7 2EN
tel: +44 20 7073 1200
office hours: 0845-1200 (Mon to Thur) 0845-1130 (Fri)
website: www.consulfrance-londres.org
Visa Office
P.O. Box 57, 6a Cromwell Place
London, SW7 2EW
tel: +44 20 7073 1250, 0906 550 8940* (visa enq)
* calls cost 1 per minute