Facts and Figures

WORK WEEK

The official work week in France is 35 hours/week. Most institutions are open from 9.00am to 12.30pm and from 2.00pm to 6.00 pm. The lunch hour is a venerable French institution; few institutions are open between noon and 2.00 pm.

SCHOOL BREAKS

They occur approximately every two months. The most important are: All Saints Day (November 1st), Christmas holiday, Winter break (February), Spring break (April), summer holiday (July and August).

TRANSPORTATION

Large cities have underground transportation, known as métro. It is the fastest and simplest way to commute. Paris also has a dense rail network, known as the Réseau Express Régional (RER) that links the city with its suburbs. Buses and tramways make up the other forms of public transportation.

France’s dense rail network is operated by the Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer (SNCF). The High-Speed train (TGV - Train à grande vitesse) competes with airlines for long-distance trips including those to London (UK).

MONEY AND BANKS

The French currency is the Euro (€), the unique currency adopted by the European Union members.

OPENING HOURS: Banks are normally open from Mondays to Fridays from 9.00 am to 4.00 pm (5.00 pm at some branches). Some banks are open on Saturday mornings or all day on Saturdays, in which case they are closed on Mondays.

OPENING A BANK ACCOUNT: If you are staying in France for more than three months, you are entitled to open a bank account.
If you are staying for less than three months, you may open an account at a Savings Bank (Caisse d'Épargne) or at the Post Office (La Poste). The Savings Banks have a large network of branches and there is a post office in most French communes.

TO OPEN A BANK ACCOUNT YOU NEED THE FOLLOWING:
- Valid passport
- Residency card (carte de séjour)
- Student card
- Proof of residency (rent, electricity/gas, telephone payment receipt)

Allow two to three weeks to receive a cheque book and/or a credit card. Notify your bank immediately if the cheque book and/or credit card is lost or stolen. If your bank is closed, notify the "Lost and Stolen" department of the Banque de France.

TELEPHONE

French telephone numbers consist of 10 digits. The first two are the code for the area in which your correspondent is located.

To make an international call FROM FRANCE to Singapore, dial: 00 + 65 + your subscriber’s phone number.

To call France FROM ABROAD (Singapore) dial:
international code + France code (33) + your subscriber’s phone number without the leading "0".

Cheap international phone calls – Subscribe to a call back service or by a pre-paid calling card (télécarte). They can be found in post offices, cafés with tabacs, railroad stations, and metro stations in some cities.

HEALTH SERVICES

MEDICAL INSURANCE: All French students under 28 years of age who are registered in a French academic institution can be medically insured through the National Health Plan (Sécurité Sociale). An international student can opt to subscribe to the French medical plan. Select physicians that participate in the National Health Plan. You can subscribe to Student insurance companies to get complementary help insurance and to be reimbursed up to 100 % of medical expenses. Students 28 years and above are responsible for their own medical plan.

EMERGENCY SERVICES: Consult the daily local newspapers and check for physicians and pharmacies on call.

THE CITY HALL - MAIRIE

The City Hall is an important centre that will provide you with information about local government agencies, social services, job offers available, certified translation service, recreational facilities, etc.

FRENCH CONVIVIALITY

The French have always had a love affair with food and fine cuisine. Meals are carefully prepared and enjoyed leisurely, usually accompanied by different wines. Animated discussions, generally on political topics, are also part of gatherings.
Cream and butter, cheese and wine are the inseparable companions to a typical French meal. Four hundred different kinds of cheese are made in France and the consumption of red wines confirms the medical opinion that red wine is good for health.

THE FRENCH ARTISTIC TOUCH

International music, theatre, and film festivals are held in all major cities in France. The movie theatre is a French invention due to the Lumière brothers. Museums and historical sites attract millions of people from around the world. Louvre, Versailles and the Musée d’Orsay are visited by more than 15 million visitors each year.
There is certainly no shortage of leisure and cultural activities in France, as well as in Europe, given the proximity of France to the different European countries.
Students pay discounted rates for theatre performances, movies, museums, travel, and accommodation.

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