Page 239 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Provence & The Côte d'Azur

PR A C TIC AL INFORM A TION  237

may be imported to France free you want, merci when you receive merci when you receive merci
of duty and without any paper- your change and au revoir when au revoir when au revoir
work as long as they are for you depart. In supermarkets, the
personal use and not for resale. cashier will not say bonjour to bonjour to bonjour
A brochure called Voyagez en you until they have finished
Toute Liberté, available from the with the previous customer. The
Centre des Renseignements usual greeting among friends of
des Douanes, has further details. both sexes is generally two or
Special rules apply for the three kisses on the cheeks.
import and export of plants, In smaller communities, any
medicines, animals, weapons efforts made by English speakers
and art objects. Be sure to to communicate in French and
consult your own or French show a real interest in the area
customs before travelling. will be met with encouragement.
Tourist Information Opening Times
Most large towns have a tourist Opening hours for museums are The beautifully decorated façade of the
office (Office de Tourisme or usually 9am–noon and 2–5:30pm, Musée Matisse in Nice
Syndicat d’Initiative); in smaller but they vary according to the
villages, it is the town hall (mairie) season, with longer hours being supermarkets, tourist offices
that provides information. Tourist kept from May to September. and some sights may remain
offices will supply free maps Most museums close one day open during the lunch break.
and details of local events and a week: national museums on Restaurants often close
accommodation; they will also Mondays and municipal ones one day a week, usually
book hotel rooms on your behalf. on Tuesdays. Many museums Monday; many will also
also close for all of November. close on Sunday evenings.
Most businesses open from In winter, much of seaside
Etiquette 8 or 9am until noon and from Provence shuts down. Phone
The French rituals of politeness 2 or 3pm to 6 or 7pm. Banks ahead to check what is open,
apply in Provence too. When are open 8:30am–noon and because some establishments
introduced to a new person, it is 1:30–4:30pm Monday to Friday may be closed for months.
correct to shake hands. In shops, and sometimes on Saturday Transport services may also
say bonjour before asking what bonjour before asking what bonjour mornings. Department stores, be restricted out of season.
DIRECTORY
French Tourist Tel 04 42 16 11 61. Monte-Carlo United States
Offices Abroad ∑ aixenprovence 2A blvd des Moulins. ∑ travel.state.gov
tourism.com Tel 00 377 92 16 61 16.
Australia ∑ monte-carlo.mc Customs
25 Bligh St, Level 13, Arles Information
Sydney, NSW 2000. Blvd des Lices. Nice
Tel (2) 9210 5400. Tel 04 90 18 41 20. 5 promenade des Anglais. Centre des
∑ au.france.fr ∑ arlestourisme.com Tel 04 92 14 46 14. Renseignements
Canada Avignon ∑ nicetourism.com des Douanes
23 rue de l’Université,
1800 Ave MacGill College, 41 cours Jean-Jaurès. Nîmes
Suite 1010, Montreal H3A Tel 04 32 74 32 74. 6 rue Auguste. Tel 04 66 75007 Paris. Tel 08 11 20
3J6. Tel (514) 288 2026. ∑ avignon- 58 38 00. ∑ ot-nimes.fr 44 44. ∑ douane.gouv.fr
∑ au.france.fr tourisme.com St-Tropez Marseille
United Kingdom Cannes Quai Jean-Jaurès. 48 ave R Schuman.
300 High Holborn, London Palais des Festivals, Tel 08 92 68 48 28. Tel 09 70 27 83 83.
WC1 VJH. Tel (0207) 061 La Croisette. Tel 04 92 99 ∑ sainttropez
6600. ∑ au.france.fr 84 22. ∑ cannes- Useful Websites
destination.com tourisme.com
USA Anglo Info
825 Third Ave 29th Floor, Draguignan Travel Safety ∑ riviera.angloinfo.com
2 ave Lazare Carnot.
New York, NY 10022. Tel 04 98 10 51 05. Advice Provence Web
Tel (212) 838 7800. ∑ tourisme- ∑ provenceweb.fr
∑ au.france.fr Australia
dracenie.com ∑ dfat.gov.au Provence & Beyond
Tourist Offices in Marseille ∑ smartraveller.gov.au ∑ beyond.fr
Provence 11 La Canebière.
Tel 08 26 50 05 00. United Kingdom
Aix-en-Provence ∑ marseille- ∑ gov.uk/foreign-
300 ave Giuseppe Verdi. tourisme.com travel-advice