{"id":1753,"date":"2013-12-12T13:10:59","date_gmt":"2013-12-12T13:10:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/?p=1753"},"modified":"2013-12-23T14:50:31","modified_gmt":"2013-12-23T14:50:31","slug":"the-suitcase-essentials-what-to-pack-for-france","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/the-suitcase-essentials-what-to-pack-for-france\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Essentials to Pack for a Trip to France"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Francepack2\"<\/a>

Photo by puroticorico<\/p><\/div>\n

Oh la la, France, the country of fine food and wines, a land rich in arts, culture, and history, and of course, the place they talk the language of love \u2013 but if you\u2019re visiting, there are a few things to remember:<\/p>\n

France is a wonderful and relatively easy place to holiday in, and let\u2019s face it, 85 million visiting tourists can\u2019t be wrong every year! So here are the essentials for a smooth, fun, and fabulous time.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

1. Take The Language With You!<\/b><\/p>\n

The French are infamous for their lack of patience with visitors who don\u2019t at least make an effort to speak their language, so brush up on your French<\/a> before you go, and have a phrase book handy \u2013 they appreciate it, even if they don\u2019t really show it!<\/p>\n

2. Learn To Kiss<\/b><\/p>\n

Sounds strange, but the rules to kissing varies in France from region to region, and depending on status, relationship, and situation, so it\u2019s a good idea to read up on this to see how they do it \u2013 but when in doubt, just copy them!<\/p>\n

Interestingly enough, \u00a0a law was passed in France in 1910 banning kissing on train platforms to avoid delays \u2013 although the law is still in place, it\u2019s not really enforced, so don\u2019t worry\u2026 kiss away!<\/p>\n

3. Licenced To Thrill<\/b><\/p>\n

You may be on holiday, but laws still apply, and in France you have to be 18 years-old with a full licence to drive. International driver\u2019s licences are recommended, but US, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, South African, and all EU driving licences are valid in France for up to twelve months. Carry your licence at all times when driving, and it\u2019s a good idea to have insurance, car rental, and\/or registration documents always handy too.<\/p>\n

4. Lights, Camera, Action<\/b><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re driving a right-hand-drive car in France you\u2019ll need to adjust your headlights to dip to the right, as the French drive on the right. This can be done with glare deflectors which can be bought at most car accessory stores or at ferry terminals.<\/p>\n

5. Be Patriotic<\/b><\/p>\n

\"frenchhostels\"<\/a>

Photo by Al Ianni<\/p><\/div>\n

Don\u2019t forget that if you\u2019re driving a foreign car in France you need to display your national identification letters \u2013 these stickers can be bought in most car accessory stores, or once again, at the ferry terminal.<\/p>\n

6. Breathalyser Kit<\/b><\/p>\n

No, we\u2019re not joking, in France it is compulsory for drivers and motorcyclists to have a breathalyser on them when driving. Despite their wine drinking culture, the French are very strict on drink driving, with the legal limit just 50mg per 100ml of blood, compared with 80mg in Britain \u2013 the equivalent of a small glass of wine.<\/p>\n

7. Take Charge!<\/b><\/p>\n

Despite being our nearest, and sometimes dearest, neighbours, France has different plug sockets from Britain. France uses 220 volt 50Hz mains, and the sockets are two pins, but you can pick up a European adaptor at Poundland for a pound! Don\u2019t buy at the airport, as they charge through so roof \u2013 so to speak!<\/p>\n

Remember, your holiday in France will be much more enjoyable with a good grasp on the language, so learn the language of love<\/a> \u2013 and then the world\u2019s your oyster, not just France!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Oh la la, France, the country of fine food and wines, a land rich in arts, culture, and history, and of course, the place they talk the language of love \u2013 but if you\u2019re visiting, there are a few things to remember: France is a wonderful and relatively easy place to holiday in, and let\u2019s(\u2026)<\/p>\n

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\n\t \t\t\t\tCONTINUE READING »<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":1755,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[236,28],"tags":[240,39,253,44],"class_list":["post-1753","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-must-know","category-culture-travel","tag-france","tag-french","tag-packing","tag-travel"],"yoast_head":"\n7 Essentials to Pack for a Trip to France<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Here are a few things to know when you go to France, to make your holiday one to remember \u2013 for all the right reasons!\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/the-suitcase-essentials-what-to-pack-for-france\/\" \/>\n<meta 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