Page 245 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Provence & The Côte d'Azur

PR A C TIC AL INFORM A TION  243

Communications and Media

The main telephone company is France Télécom, while postal
services are run by La Poste. Post offices (bureaux de postes)
are identified by the blue-on-yellow “La Poste” sign. In small
villages, the post office may be in the town hall (mairie).
Internet access is readily available via Internet cafés, hotels
and Wi-Fi.

Mobile Phones Postal Services
A mobile phone from another Postage stamps (timbres)
European country can be used can be purchased singly or
in France, though you may in books (carnets) of ten, 12 or Mail boxes throughout France are
need to inform your network 20 from post offices or tabacs. a distinctive yellow
in advance so that it can be Post office hours vary. The
enabled. US-based mobiles maximum hours are around affairs, including BBC World
need to be tri-band to work 9am–5pm on weekdays, with Service programmes. France
in France. a lunch break (noon–2pm), Musique (92.2 FM in Nice and
International calls on mobile and 9am–noon on Saturdays. 94.7 in Marseille) specializes in
phones are expensive. As an To send letters from France, classical music, while France Info
alternative, replace your SIM drop them into the yellow (105.2–105.8 FM) is a national
card with a French card and mail boxes. These often have rolling-news station.
number or pre-paid mobile two slots: one for the town
and Internet cards, although you are in; the other for the DIRECTORY
you may need to get your surrounding département Dialling Codes
phone unlocked to be able and other destinations.
to do this. The main local Operator
providers are Orange France, Newspapers and Tel 12.
Bouygues Télécom, SFR and International calls
Free. Note, however, that Magazines Tel 00 + country code.
French top-up vouchers In main cities and airports,
have strict expiry periods. international papers can Mobile phones
Tel 06 and 07 + number.
An easier and cheaper option often be bought on the day of
is to use VoIP services such as publication. The Connexion is a Mobile phone services
Skype from your laptop, tablet monthly newspaper devoted ∑ bouyguetelecom.fr
or smartphone, which allow to France, and Provence also ∑ free.fr
you to place a call or send has its own English-language ∑ orange.fr
messages using only an publications. Most major towns ∑ sfr.fr
Internet connection. have an English bookshop (see Internet Cafés
With the rise in the use of p221), often an invaluable
mobile phones, public phone source of information. Cannes
boxes (cabines téléphoniques) The Bird Phone,
are becoming obsolete and 75 rue Georges Clemenceau.
are rarely found. Television and Radio Tel 04 93 99 80 34.
The subscription channel Digne-les-Bains
Canal+ broadcasts ABC 48 rue de l’Hubac.
Internet Access American evening news at 7am Tel 04 92 32 00 19.
Internet facilities are readily daily. Sky News and CNN are Nice
available. Most hotels offer Wi-Fi, available in many hotels. The Cyber Massena, 9 rue Massena.
while Wi-Fi hotspots can also Franco-German channel ARTE Tel 06 06 70 42 35.
be found in many cafés and broadcasts programmes and
restaurants. The larger towns films from all over the world, Postal Services
such as Marseille and Nice often in the original language
provide for no-cost access with French subtitles. Listings La Poste
∑ laposte.fr
in public places and may indicate VO or VF (Version
also have a few Internet cafés, Originale or Version Française)
although these have never for non-French films.
been very popular in France. Riviera Radio broadcasts in
The major ports in Provence are English throughout the South
all equipped with Wi-Fi. Airports of France on 106.3 and 106.5 FM
usually offer complimentary stereo from Monte-Carlo. The
Wi-Fi access as well. station offers music and current