Europe

• Travel Summary
• Safety and security
• Local laws and customs
• Entry requirements

• Health
• Natural disasters
• General
 

• Travel by air to, from or in France may be affected by ongoing industrial action by flight crew and ground crew. You should contact your airline before you travel.
  
  
• France has reported a high number of cases of measles in 2011. For further information and advice see our measles page.
  
  
• There is a general threat from terrorism. Attacks could be indiscriminate. You should remain vigilant in public places including on public transport. See Safety and Security - Terrorism.
  
  
• Driving regulations in France are different from those in the UK. On 4 January 2012 new legislation regarding driving came into force. Penalties for various offences have been increased. See Safety and Security - Local Travel - Road Travel.
  
  
• British nationals make around 19,300,000 visits to France every year (Source: Ministry of Tourism). Most visits are trouble-free.  See General - Consular Assistance Statistics.
  
  
• You should apply for a free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to be eligible for emergency medical treatment in France. If you already have an EHIC, make sure it has not expired. You should also take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. See the Health and General - Insurance  sections.

Safety and Security - Terrorism
There is a general threat from terrorism. Attacks could be indiscriminate. You should remain vigilant in public places including on public transport. 

There have been a number of explosions, failed explosions and other attacks in recent years in Corsica. Government buildings, restaurants, police vehicles, bars, a discotheque and a number of holiday homes have been targeted and, in some cases, substantially damaged. In the main these buildings were closed or unoccupied at the time of the attacks, but there have been fatalities. The authorities, who have previously warned that attacks might escalate, believe that the Corsican nationalist group, the FLNC, are responsible. See our Terrorism Abroad page.

Safety and Security - Crime
Take precautions against street and car crime. Avoid having your passports, credit cards and valuables in the same place.   

Guard your baggage against theft and beware of pickpockets at all times. Thieves and pickpockets operate on the Paris underground and R E R lines. There have been several victims of serious assault recently on the R E R line B, which serves Charles de Gaulle airport, Orly airport and Gare du Nord.

Alcohol and drugs can lead to you being less alert, less in control and less aware of your environment. If you are going to drink, know your limit. Remember that drinks served in bars overseas are often stronger than those in the UK. 

See our Rape and Sexual Assault Abroad and Victims of Crime Abroad pages. 

Safety and Security - Local Travel
Travel to France can be disrupted by strike action. You should contact your travel provider before you travel (a list of ferry operators can be found here).

Safety and Security - Local Travel - Road Travel
Advice on driving outside the UK can be obtained from motoring organisations such as the AA and RAC.

Information on road safety and potential traffic black spots (in French only) is available on the French government website.

To drive in France you must be 18 years old and have a valid UK driving licence, insurance and vehicle documents. Failure to comply may lead to a fine and/or your vehicle being impounded. You are not permitted to drive at 17 even if you hold a valid licence. If you do not own the vehicle you are driving, you should obtain written permission from the registered owner. 

It is compulsory to carry a warning triangle and reflective jacket. The reflective jacket must be stored inside the vehicle itself. Non-compliance is a fineable offence.

Driving regulations in France are different from those in the UK. On 4 January 2012 new legislation regarding driving came into force. Penalties for various offences have been increased.

It is compulsory to carry a warning triangle and reflective jacket in all vehicles.

Speeding can result in heavy, on the spot fines and potentially immediate confiscation of your vehicle and licence.

It is illegal to cross, even partially, on to the hard shoulder of a motorway without due cause.

In-car radar detectors and satellite navigation systems which warn of the presence of speed cameras or radars are illegal whether in use or not. There use or possession can attract fines and/or, confiscation of the device and the vehicle.

In 2010 there were 3,992 road deaths in France (source: DfT). This equates to 6.2 road deaths per 100,000 of population compared to the UK average of 3.1 road deaths per 100,000 of population in 2010. Many drivers undertake long journeys in, or through, France. Care should be taken to plan journeys and take regular breaks.

Safety and Security - Local Travel - Road Hauliers
Heavy goods vehicles over 7.5 tonnes are banned from driving on roads in France on a number of days during the year, including all Sundays and public holidays. Dates are set by the French Ministry of Transport. Full details of restrictions can be found on the Bison Futé website.

British haulage companies and their employees should contact the Road Hauliers Association for further information about driving in France..

See our Driving Abroad page. 

Safety and Security - Local Travel - Air Travel
The revised EU-wide security measures that came into effect for all passengers departing from UK airports in November 2006 are also being implemented in France. For more details about this see Airline Security.

Safety and Security - Political Situation
France Country Profile

Local Laws and Customs - Concealment of the Face

A ban on concealment of the face in public places in France entered into force on 11 April 2011. This includes e.g. balaclavas, full veils or any other garment or mask that is used to conceal the face. Failure to comply with the ban is punishable by a maximum fine of €150. Under this law, forcing someone to hide their face is also a crime and is punishable by a year’s imprisonment and a fine of up to €30,000. If the person forced to hide their face is a minor, the sentence is doubled: up to two years imprisonment and a €60,000 fine. The law does not provide any exemption for tourists.

Entry Requirements - Passport Validity
You must hold a valid passport to enter France. For stays of up to three months your passport must be valid for the proposed duration of your stay; you do not need any additional period of validity on your passport beyond this. However, it is always sensible to have a short period of extra validity on your passport in case of any unforeseen delays to your departure. You do not have to wait until your old passport expires to apply to renew it. Any time left on your old passport when you apply will be added to your new passport, up to a maximum of nine months. For passport applications in the UK, you should apply to the Identity and Passport Service. For stays of longer than three months, contact the Embassy of the country to which you are travelling.

Entry Requirements - Visas
If your passport describes you as a British Citizen you will not need a visa to enter France. Other British passport holders should check the current entry requirements here and if necessary confirm with the nearest French Diplomatic mission.

Entry Requirements - Travelling with children
For information on exactly what will be required at immigration please contact the French Embassy in London.

Entry Requirements - Employment/Living in France
For guidance on living and working in France, please visit the British Embassy website.

You should obtain a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before leaving the UK. The EHIC is not a substitute for medical and travel insurance, but entitles you to emergency medical treatment on the same terms as French nationals. It does not cover medical repatriation, on-going medical treatment or treatment of a non-urgent nature.

British nationals planning a permanent move to France, especially those who have not yet reached retirement age, should consult the UK Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) at the earliest opportunity to obtain advice on their longer-term entitlement as residents to health care provision under the French national system. Enquiries should be made to the DWP Overseas Medical Benefits help-line on 00 44 191 218 1999 which is open on Mondays to Fridays from 08.00 to 20.00 daily. Alternatively, information can be obtained direct from the English language service of the Caisse Primaired’Assurance Maladie (French social security service) on 00 33 8 20 9042 12 or CLEISS (the Helpdesk in France for international mobility and social security) on 00 33 1 45 26 33 4. Information is also available on the website of the British Embassy in France.

In the 2010 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 150,000 adults aged 15 or over in France were living with HIV; the prevalence percentage was estimated at around 0.4% of the adult population compared to the prevalence percentage in adults in the UK of around 0.2%. You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see HIV and AIDS.

Seek medical advice before travelling to France and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date. For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention visit the websites of the NaTHNaC and NHS Scotland’s Fit for Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

See our Travel Health page.

Natural Disasters - Forest Fires
Fires can be a regular occurrence in forested areas anywhere during the summer months but especially along the Mediterranean coast and on Corsica. It is not uncommon for fires to be started by cigarettes thrown from cars or by the illegal lighting of campfires or barbecues. The fires are generally extinguished quickly and efficiently by experienced fire fighters, though short-term evacuations are sometimes necessary. Most visits to forested areas should remain trouble-free, but if you plan to stay in such an area you should familiarise yourself on arrival with local regulations as lighting fires in most forested areas is illegal and severe penalties exist for any infringement. You should also familiarise yourself with local emergency procedures in the event of fire.

Natural Disasters - Avalanches
There is often a danger of avalanches in the French Alpine regions. Exercise due care and attention and observe all written notices and warning instructions and, where and when appropriate, consider carrying avalanche search equipment. You can find the latest on avalanche risk at the Meteo Alarm website.

Natural Disasters - Sports activities and winter sports
Conditions on roads in mountainous areas can quickly become difficult in winter. You should carry supplies such as water, food, warm clothing and medicines in your vehicle.

Travellers to mountainous areas should take out comprehensive insurance to cover extra medical costs, repatriation or, in the départements of Savoie and Haute-Savoie, possible transfer to Switzerland for hospital treatment. For sports activities such as skiing, potholing and mountaineering, and for sports classed as dangerous (off-piste skiing or snow-boarding, mountain biking, etc) travel insurance must include mountain rescue services and helicopter costs. Be aware of weather forecasts and conditions and make sure you are well equipped. Never undertake the activity alone and consider hiring a guide Always leave copies of your itinerary and plans with someone.

If you intend to go hill walking in any part of France including Corsica, you should ensure that you are well prepared and equipped to cope both with the terrain, high temperatures and a lack of shade in summer and low temperatures during the winter months.

General - Insurance
You should take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. Check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. See our Travel Insurance page.

If things do wrong then see our When things go wrong page.

General - Consular Registration
Register with our LOCATE service to tell us when and where you are travelling abroad or where you live abroad so our consular and crisis staff can provide better assistance to you in an emergency. 

General - Customs Regulations
There are strict customs regulations in force in France and the European Union, including movement of valuable items and assets.

General - Consular Assistance Statistics
Around 19,300,000 British nationals visit France every year (Source: Ministry of Tourism). Most visits are trouble-free. 1,283 British nationals required consular assistance in France in the period 01 April 2010 - 31 March 2011 for the following types of incident; 674 deaths; 228 hospitalisations; and 159 arrests, for a variety of offences. If you need to contact the emergency services in France call 112.

General - Money
Legislation on the controls of cash entering or leaving the EU applies in all Member States. Any person entering or leaving the EU will have to declare the cash that they are carrying if this amounts to 10,000 Euros or more; this includes cheques, travellers' cheques, money orders, etc. This will not apply to anyone travelling via the EU to a non-EU country, as long as the original journey started outside the EU nor to those travelling within the EU.