smartraveller.gov.au - Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
It's a must see destination.
It's a must see destination.
France
| France overall | This Advice is current for Monday, 09 November 2009. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Be alert to own security | Exercise caution | High degree of caution | Reconsider your need to travel | Do not travel |
This advice has been reviewed and reissued. It contains new information under Safety and Security: Crime (Update) and Health Issues (Call line of H1N1 information). The overall level of the advice has not changed.
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We advise you to exercise caution and monitor developments that might affect your safety in France because of the risk of terrorist attack. Pay close attention to your personal security and monitor the media for information about possible new safety or security risks.
Terrorism is a threat throughout the world. You can find more information about this threat in our General Advice to Australian Travellers.
Following the bombings in London in July 2005, the French Government heightened security measures across a range of public venues including airports, train stations, local public transport systems, government ministries, popular tourist sites, major shopping districts, and foreign embassies and consulates across the country. The French police conduct random identity checks, particularly at border crossings.
The Basque terrorist group ETA is believed to have conducted terrorist activities in France.
Terrorist attacks could be indiscriminate and targeted at places frequented by tourists. In December 2008 explosives were disarmed in the Printemps Haussman department store in Central Paris.
You should avoid protests, demonstrations, political rallies and large public celebrations as they may turn violent. You should also avoid, particularly at night, the outlying neighbourhoods of large cities where in the past there has been civil unrest and clashes between local youths and police forces.
Corsica: The National Front for the Liberation of Corsica (FLNC) has been conducting a sporadic bombing campaign in Corsica for several years. Although French government buildings have been the main targets, installations associated with tourism, such as holiday complexes, have also been targeted in the past. The FLNC has also targeted French government buildings on mainland France.
There is a high incidence of petty crime, especially bag snatching and pickpocketing, throughout France particularly on the streets of larger cities such as Paris, Marseilles and Nice. Airports, public transport, tourist areas, hotel lobbies, restaurants and cafes, and beaches are prime targets for thieves who frequently work in gangs using a variety of methods to distract potential victims. Increasingly, such crime is being accompanied by acts or threats of violence. There are frequent reports of crime, including robbery and muggings, on the train system servicing Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle and Orly Airports. Travellers are advised to consider other means of transport from the airports to Paris, such as bus or taxi, particularly late at night and early in the morning.
There is a growing incidence of violent attacks against tourists by groups of young people, usually occurring late at night around major tourist attractions such as the Champs-Elysees, the Les Halles district, the Latin Quarter in central Paris and the environs of the Gare du Nord train station, or in the vicinity of main train stations in the provinces.
Vehicles are frequently the target of crime, such as purse snatching from cars stopped in traffic and theft from unattended vehicles, particularly in the south of France between the cities of Perpignan (near the Spanish border), Menton (near the Italian border) and in the north, at the military cemeteries around Normandy. You should be particularly vigilant at isolated automated service stations and avoid sleeping in rest areas beside autoroutes (motorways) and major roads, or in makeshift or unauthorised camp grounds on the outskirts of cities.
Credit card and ATM fraud involving 'skimming' machines which can store card data is rising, particularly at automated service stations and in tourist areas. You should use ATMs within controlled areas such as banks, shops and shopping centres.
You should be wary of strangers that invite you for a complimentary drink or show at a private club. Some foreigners who have accepted such offers have had large sums debited from their credit cards before they have been permitted to leave the venue.
Australians wanting to drive in France must have a valid Australian driver's licence and a valid International driver's licence.
It is obligatory for all vehicles to carry a reflective vest and warning triangle for use in case of breakdown. Non-compliance may result in a fine.
For further advice, see our bulletin on Overseas Road Safety.
Passengers on international flights to and from Australia are only allowed to carry a small amount of liquids (including aerosols and gels) in their carry-on baggage. You can find out more information at the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government website. Similar restrictions apply to flights in an increasing number of countries. Contact your airline for further information.
If you have concerns about the safety standards of a particular airline or aircraft, we recommend you research the airline or aircraft through organisations such as Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government has published fact sheets on security for air travellers. When staff at Australia's overseas missions are advised not to use particular airlines due to safety concerns, this will be included in the travel advisory.
The European Union (EU) has published a list of airlines that are subject to operating bans or restrictions within the EU. The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) through its foreign assessment program focuses on a country's ability, not the individual airline, to adhere to international standards and recommended practices for aircraft operations and maintenance established by ICAO.
Avalanches and mudslides are a danger in some mountain areas. There have been a number of fatalities in recent years. If you are skiing or mountaineering you should monitor advice on weather and safety conditions. It is highly dangerous to move off marked slopes or trails and may result in detention and prosecution in some areas.
During the summer months, forest and grass fires are a regular occurrence, particularly along the Mediterranean coast and on Corsica.
If a natural disaster occurs, follow the advice of local authorities.
Australians are advised to respect wildlife laws and to maintain a safe and legal distance when observing wildlife, including marine animals and birds. You should only use reputable and professional guides or tour operators and closely follow park regulations and wardens' advice.
Before you go, organise a variety of ways to access your money overseas, such as credit cards, travellers' cheques, cash, debit cards or cash cards. Australian currency and travellers' cheques are not accepted in many countries. Consult with your bank to find out which is the most appropriate currency to carry and whether your ATM card will work overseas. Thefts at ATMs, ATM scams and credit card fraud, such as double billing, are increasingly common in France.
Make two photocopies of valuables such as your passport, tickets, visas and travellers' cheques. Keep one copy with you in a separate place to the original and leave another copy with someone at home.
While travelling, don't carry too much cash and remember that expensive watches, jewellery and cameras may be tempting targets for thieves.
As a sensible precaution against luggage tampering, including theft, lock your luggage. Information on luggage safety is available from Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
Your passport is a valuable document that is attractive to criminals who may try to use your identity to commit crimes. It should always be kept in a safe place. You are required by Australian law to report a lost or stolen passport. If your passport is lost or stolen overseas, report it online or contact the nearest Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate as soon as possible.
You are required to pay an additional fee to have a lost or stolen passport replaced. In some cases, the Government may also restrict the length of validity or type of replacement passports.
For general information and tips on travelling with children see our Travelling Parents brochure.
If you are planning on placing your children in schools or childcare facilities overseas we encourage you to research the standards of security, care and staff training within those establishments. You should exercise the same precautions you would take before placing children into schools or childcare facilities in Australia.
Ideas on how to select childcare providers are available from the smartraveller Children's Issues page, Child Wise and the National Childcare Accreditation Council.
When you are in France be aware that local laws and penalties, including ones that appear harsh by Australian standards, do apply to you. If you are arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you but we can't get you out of trouble or out of jail.
Information on what Australian consular officers can and cannot do to help Australians in trouble overseas is available from the Consular Services Charter.
In France, failing to offer assistance to 'a person in danger' is illegal. This means that if you fail to stop upon witnessing a motor accident, fail to report such an accident to emergency services, or ignore appeals for help or urgent assistance, you may be charged. Penalties include suspended prison sentence and fines. The law does not apply in situations where to answer an appeal for help might endanger your life or the lives of others.
Under French law you are required to carry an identification document at all times, for example your passport..
There are severe penalties for traffic infringements. Penalties may include immediate confiscation of your licence and vehicle and on the spot fines.
It is illegal to photograph security services, including police. Penalties may include detention and confiscation of film and/or camera.
Some Australian criminal laws, such as those relating to money laundering, bribery of foreign public officials, terrorism and child sex tourism, apply to Australians overseas. Australians who commit these offences while overseas may be prosecuted in Australia.
Australian authorities are committed to combating sexual exploitation of children by Australians overseas. Australians may be prosecuted at home under Australian child sex tourism laws. These laws provide severe penalties of up to 17 years imprisonment for Australians who engage in sexual activity with children under 16 while outside of Australia.
Our Travel Information for Dual Nationals brochure provides further information.
Visa and other entry and exit conditions (such as currency, customs and quarantine regulations) change regularly. Contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate of France for the most up to date information.
Australians cannot apply for a visa for France inside French territory.
France is a party to the Schengen Convention, along with 24 other European countries, which allows Australians to enter France without a visa in some circumstances. Australian tourists may qualify for entry into France under the 90-day visa waiver program within the Schengen Zone. See our travel bulletin on the Schengen Convention for more information.
People travelling directly to or from a country outside the European Union (EU) who are carrying 10,000 euros or more (or the equivalent in another currency) are required to declare the cash at the place of their arrival or departure from the EU. Travellers failing to declare the cash or providing incomplete or incorrect information will incur a fine. In France, this requirement also extends to people travelling to or from another EU country. Failure to declare such funds, or incorrect declarations, can result in prosecution.
Make sure your passport has at least six months' validity from your planned date of return to Australia. You should carry copies of a recent passport photo with you in case you need a replacement passport while overseas.
Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 has spread throughout the world. The World Health Organisation (WHO) provides useful information for individuals and travellers on its website. For further information and advice to Australians, including on possible quarantine measures overseas, see our travel bulletin on Pandemic (H1N1) 2009.
French authorities advise travellers who have influenza-like symptoms to dial “15” or contact a local General Practitioner for advice and assistance. Visitors dialling “15” should specify they are tourists and therefore do not have a nominated French GP.
We strongly recommend that you take out comprehensive travel insurance that will cover any overseas medical costs, including medical evacuation, before you depart. Confirm that your insurance covers you for the whole time you'll be away and check what circumstances and activities are not included in your policy. Remember, regardless of how healthy and fit you are, if you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel. The Australian Government will not pay for a traveller's medical expenses overseas or medical evacuation costs.
Your doctor or travel clinic is the best source of information about preventive measures, immunisations (including booster doses of childhood vaccinations) and disease outbreaks overseas. The World Health Organization (WHO) provides information for travellers and our 'Travelling Well' brochure also provides useful tips for travelling with medicines and staying healthy while overseas.
The standard of medical facilities is high. Costs per day in a public hospital range between $A1,350 to $A3,350, depending upon the treatment.
The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has confirmed cases of avian influenza in birds in a number of countries throughout the world, including France. For a list of these countries, visit the OIE website. For information on our advice to Australians on how to reduce the risk of infection and on Australian Government precautions see our travel bulletin on avian influenza.
In France, you can obtain consular assistance from the:
Australian Embassy
4 Rue Jean Rey,
75015 Paris FRANCE
Telephone: (33 1) 4059 3300
Facsimile: (33 1) 4059 3315
Website: http://www.france.embassy.gov.au/
If you are travelling to France, whatever the reason and however long you'll be there, we encourage you to register with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. You can register online or in person at any Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate. The information you provide will help us to contact you in an emergency - whether it is a natural disaster, civil disturbance or a family issue.
In a consular emergency if you are unable to contact the Embassy, you can contact the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305 or 1300 555 135 within Australia.
In Australia, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra may be contacted on (02) 6261 3305.
While every care has been taken in preparing this travel information for travellers, neither the Australian Government nor its agents or employees including any member of Australia's consular staff abroad, can accept liability for injury, loss or damage arising in respect of any statement contained therein.
