France Singles Vacation - What to Pack and Travel Info

Planning France one holiday trip to Europe and not sure what to pack. French country information and travel tips below will ensure you have everything you need to ensure a good vacation.

Visas are not required for US, Canadian and European citizens. Entering France, a valid passport for at least three months over the length of stay is required by all foreign nationals. South African citizens must have a valid passport upon arrival, as well as a valid Schengen visa, to enter Italy. All other citizens please check with your local embassy for visa requirements.

The French currency is the Euro and comes with both paper and coins. Euro paper is different colors and sizes depending on face value, 500 bills are green, 200 bills are yellow, 100 are green, 50 are orange, 20 are blue, 10 are red and 5 are gray. Coins are 1 Euro or 2 Euros, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cent.

France is in Central European Time (CET), 6 hours before Eastern Standard Time (EST) and 9 hours before Pacific Standard (PST) - During daylight hours, France has 5 hours before -EST 8 hours before that. PST.

Electricity in Italy, as in other European countries, comes out of a wall socket at 220 volts alternating at 50 cycles per second. Italian electrical outlets are two or three circular sockets. If you are traveling from North America you will need to use an electric converter.

The climate of France can vary greatly and vary from region to region and from city to city. Paris and Lyon share some of the world's coldest winters and summers are often warm, with temperatures between 70's F in Paris and 90's F in Lyon. Get ready for a thunderstorm in July and August. The Mediterranean climate can be found near the French Riviera and summer is the best time of year to go on vacation in the south of France. The average temperature is about 85 F.

The French are all about fashion. If you do not want to look like a guest do not wear any of the following: white sneakers and white socks - baseball caps - fanny pockets - sweatshirts or sweatpants. For easy travel, pack clothes that can be fitted depending on the weather of the day. Neutral colors are always easy to match. Wear a lightweight jersey or jacket that you can take with you when it is cold.

France is one of the world's leading shopping malls and people who love to shop are delighted to shop in Paris. The most important word to know when shopping in France is SOLDE - translation English - SALE. Prices shown in stores in France often include sales tax ("la TVA" - value added tax) and the price tag on the price you pay.