POPL97 General Travel Information

Paris, the capital of France, is a city of over two million people covering 460 square miles of northern France. It is on the River Seine at the center of the Ile-de-France, the region that is home to ten million people, around one-fifth of the French population. An important European business and cultural center, it is the focus of activity in the north of France.

The University of Paris was founded in 1215. One of its colleges, "La Sorbonne", was founded by Robert de Sorbon, confessor to Louis IX, to welcome poor students, and became a famous European center for the study of theology. The building of the chapel started in 1635 under the initiative of Richelieu, prime minister to Louis XIII. The Sorbonne almost disappeared during the French revolution because of the college's opposition to liberal 18th-century philosophy. The Sorbonne was renovated by Napoleon in 1806, adjoining new humanities and science faculties to the theology, law and medicine faculties. The new build-ings, around the chapel, date from the end of the nineteenth century at the time of a reorganization of the French universities by Jules Ferry and Louis Liard.

Weather: Paris has winter weather in January, but it is rarely freezing cold. Temperatures in January average about 42 degrees Fahrenheit (6 degrees Centigrade). There is occasional snow, though rain is more likely. Average rainfall for January is about 2 inches.

Currency: The currency in France is the franc, which exchanges at roughly 5 francs to the US dollar. There are numerous banks and bureaux de change. The best exchange rates are often available from the widely available automated teller machines, which typically accept all major credit cards, as well as bank cards on all of the major ATM networks.

Tourist Information: There are seven tourist offices in Paris, one at each of the five main SNCF railroad stations, one at the Eiffel Tower, and one on the Champs-ElysŽes. All offices provide maps, information, and brochures. They also offer last-minute hotel reservation services.

Electrical Adapters: The voltage in France is 220 volts. Plugs have two small round pins; heavier-duty ones have two large round pins. 220-to-110 volt adapters can be bought at many electronics and appliance stores such as Radio Shack, as well as department stores in Paris such as BHV.

Paris Time: Paris is one hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time, six hours ahead of New York, and eight hours behind Tokyo.

Tipping: At restaurants, the tip is usually included in the bill ("tout service compris", or simply S.C.). It is customary to leave some change at the table, but generally a tip is not expected. For taxis, a small tip is customary. For exceptionally good service anywhere, however, it is considered good manners to provide a gratuity.

Telephones: French pay phones usually take plastic telephone cards (telecartes) that can be bought at all post offices and "tabacs" (tobacconists). To call abroad, dial the local access code (00), the country code, then area code plus local telephone number in the destination country. For example, to call the United States simply dial 00-1 then area code plus local telephone number.