Time Zone
From the end of October until the end of March GMT/UTC +1 (GMT = Greenwich Meridian Time)
Weather in France
Visa
Information are available from the "Visa" webpage
Health and Safety
* Pharmacies can be identified by a Green Cross.
* Emergencies SAMU (ambulance) - Tel: 15 (free)
* Police Emergency (from a cell phone) -Tel: 112
* Fire Department - Tel: 18 (free)
* Police - Tel: 17 (free)
* European emergency call: 112
Insurance
The meeting organizers cannot accept liability for personal injuries sustained, or for loss of, or damage to, property belonging to conference participants or their accompanying persons, either during or as a result of the workshop. Participants are advised to arrange for insurance to cover medical, travel, and personal effects while attending the meetings.
Loss or Theft
* Visa, Eurocard MasterCard : Tel: 33 (0)8 36 69 08 80 (24/24). Contact details can be found at the cash dispenser at your bank or from the multilingual inter-bank voice server by dialling 33 (0)892 705 705
* Diners Club: Tel: 33 (0)810 314 159 (24h/24)
* Checks: Tel: 33 (0)8 92 68 32 08 (24/24)
*
Carte France Télécom: Tel ("Green number") : 0 800 10 20 40 (free)
Currency and Banks
Credit and debit cards are convenient. Visa and MasterCard (Access or Eurocard) are widely accepted; AmEx cards are useful at more upmarket establishments. In general, all three cards can be used in shops, supermarkets, for train travel, car rentals, autoroute tolls and cash advances. Remember you'll need to know your PIN number (le code) to use a credit card in many hotels, shops and restaurants.
The cheapest and most convenient way to change money in France is via ATMs; they accept all the major international credit and bank cards. You get the best exchange rate by using a credit card for purchases and a debit card for cash. Travellers cheques are safe and almost universally accepted. Post offices that exchange travellers cheques give a good rate. Major train stations and fancy hotels also have exchange facilities which usually operate in the evening, at the weekend and during holidays, but the rates are generally poor.
Euro notes come in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500. It is often difficult to get change for a €500.00 note. One euro is divided into 100 cents or centimes. Coins of 1, 2 and 5 centimes are copper-coloured; coins of 10, 20 and 50 centimes are gold-coloured; 1 and 2 euro coins are gold-and-silver coloured.
Exchange rate given by the Universal Currency Converter is now about
1 EUR = 1,31 USD (August 2010)
Air Travel
* Paris Airports
* CDG airport
* Air France - Tel: 36 54
Rail travel
* TGV-Europe
* SNCF (French Railways)
* Rayl-Europe
* Eurostar
* Thalys
Subway and RER (express subway)
Central Paris and the immediate suburbs are served by a network of 14 lines. Stations are close together. The Paris Metro is very easy to use and, given the traffic congestion in Paris, is often much faster than taking a taxi. The various lines are numbered and color-coded. You need to identify the number of the line and name of the station at the end of the line in the direction you wish to go so that you know which way to go in the station. If you are going to be in Paris more than a few days, or are going to be travelling around the city for sightseeing, it is much cheaper to buy a pass or a “carnet” , which is a bunch of 10 tickets, than to buy single tickets every time you use the Metro.
For more information about the ticket fare
* Subway and RER (express subway)
* Public transports in Paris and suburbs
* Interactive map of public transports
Car Travel
Speed is limited to 50 Km/h in town, and 90 Km/h out of town and 130 Km/h on motorways.
In towns, parking is controlled and must be paid for.
Tourism and City Maps
Post Office 
Letter boxes are yellow. Stamps can be bought in post offices, open Monday to Friday and Saturday morning, as well as in tobacconists
Electricity
The electrical voltage in France is 220 volts. Most European appliances will work perfectly with the correct adaptor although a converter may be necessary. Step down transformers can be used for US appliances for 110 to 220 voltage.
Tax-Free
If you live outside of the EU you can claim taxes back if you have purchase more than 175 € of value. Customs info 33 (0)820 024 444
Tipping
Leaving a pourboire (tip) is done at your discretion - restaurants and accommodations add a 10-15% service charge to every bill, making a tip unnecessary, but most people leave a few coins if the service is satisfactory.
Tobacco
Smoking is forbidden in public areas as well as in restaurants and bars.