Basic information about Paris
One of the most beautiful cities in the world – Paris is known worldwide for its famous monuments, such as the Louvre Museum, Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower.
Having its reputation as a romantic and cultural city, Paris is also renowned for its high-quality gastronomy and the cafes on the building’s terraces.
In this article, we give you all the necessary information you need to know before you travel to Paris.
History of Paris
Paris is home to many prehistoric vestiges as the history of this city belongs since the Gallo-Roman times when Paris was called the Lutecia.
Whatever may be your favorite period, you will find a monument or museum of that period.
| Famous Monument | Established dates |
|---|---|
| Palace of Versailles | 1631 |
| Catacombs of Paris | 7 April 1786 |
| Eiffel Tower | 31 March 1889 |
| Musee D’ Orsay | 1986 |
Culture of Paris
Since the 17th century, France had been a ‘center of high culture all over the world.
Being played a vital role in shaping world arts, cultures, and sciences – Paris is known for shaping world arts, cultures and sciences.
In particular, French people are internationally well-known for their fashion, cuisine, art and cinema.
The country of France does not simply have a culture; the word “culture” originated from French.
Geography
Located on the north-bending arc of the River Seine – Paris city includes two islands, the Île Saint-Louis and the larger Île de la Cité.
The French landscape comprises vast fertile plains dominating most of the north and west, which helps in making France the agricultural epicenter of Europe.
South of France is mostly mountainous.
Currency
France is one of the 23 members of the European Union and regions that come under European control use the euro as their national currency.
The banknotes and coins in euro were introduced in France on 1 January 2002.
Spoken languages
The official language of Paris and the whole of France is French, which is spoken by 88% of the population.
Time Zone
France has 12 time zones, the world’s largest number of time zones any country has in the world.
This unusual span is because of France’s scattered national territories.
Paris uses two time zones, Central European Time as its standard time (UTC+01:00).
Another time zone that Paris observes is Central European Summer Time (UTC+2:00) from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October.
Local Laws
Visitors should prove their identity by providing documents when asked or within four hours of entering Paris going to any police station.
The identity documents can be your passport, photo driving license, or any other documentation provided by a government body.
Parking laws
With few rare exceptions, all parking spaces in Paris demand payment, including on-street parking.
One needs to buy a parking ticket from Monday to Saturday between 9 am and 8 pm.
On-street parking is free at night from 8 pm until 9 am. You will also get free parking on Sundays during the day and on public holidays.
Note: To park on the city streets of Paris, one has to pay for tickets in machines called horodateurs.
You can choose to pay by card, change, or telephone. After buying the ticket, put it on your dashboard.
Helpful phone number
+33 is the country code for Paris. You can use these emergency numbers to get emergency services free of charge.
Here is the list of emergency numbers in France:
A central organization known as SAMU (Service d’Aide Medicale Urgente) provides emergency medical assistance in Paris. You can reach them for an ambulance by dialing the number 15.
To reach out to the police for their help is the number 17.
In case of fire emergencies, number 18 will get you the required help.
For any general emergency in the countries of Europe, please dial 112 to get assistance.
If your credit card is lost while traveling in France, here are the numbers that can help you in situations like that –
- American Express: 01 47 77 72 00
- Visa: 00 1-880-950-5114 or 08 92 70 57 05
- Mastercard: 0 800 901 387
- Citibank (collect): 001-605-335-2222
For lost and found objects, you can register your queries at 36 rue des Morillons, Paris M Convention 08 21 00 25 25.
Safety
Compared to other European countries, Paris is a relatively safe city. One can wander around in almost any district in the city with a shallow risk of mugging.
Since Paris is a big city, the only crimes that you should be aware of are petty theft and pickpocketing.
Apart from this, there is no such thing to worry about.
Tipping
Tipping here in Paris is considered a gesture, not an obligation.
At most of the restaurants in Paris city service charge is already included in the total price; no one expects you to tack on an additional tip at the end of your meal.
One doesn’t always need to tip waitstaff because they serve there with a living wage and other benefits.
Featured Image: Worldstrides.com