GETTING THERE & AROUND
GETTING THERE
By airInternational airports in France can be found in all major cities. Paris is served by two main airports: Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport (CDG), which is the largest airport in the country, and Orly (ORY). Other international, mainly European, air links include the airports in Bordeaux (BOD), Lyon (LYS), Marseille (MRS), Nice (NCE), Strasbourg (SXB) and Toulouse (TLS). There are also numerous smaller, regional airports. The national flag carrier Air France offers flights from most major towns to Paris and also connections between the regional towns. Most major European airlines have direct scheduled flights to France. These include: Alitalia, Air Malta, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Czech Airlines, Iberia Airlines, KLM, LOT, Lufthansa, SAS, TAP. There are also budget flights to France such as BMI Baby, Eastern Airways, Easyjet, FlyBe, Germanwings, Jet2, Ryanair.
Air France schedules: www.airfrance.com
Airports in Paris: www.adp.frAirports in France: www.aeroport.fr
By seaMain ports in France include La Rochelle (Atlantic), Boulogne, Calais, Le Havre (in the north), Marseille and Nice (Mediterranean). There are many ferry carriers which offer routes to France, especially across the English Channel and between the Mediterranean ports. For example, SpeedFerries offers the direct routes between Dover and Boulogne. Norfolkline offers direct link between Dover and Dunkirk. SeaFrance and P&O Ferries offer the direct routes between Calais and Dover. LD Lines links Le Havre with Portsmouth, Rosslare and Newhaven, Dieppe with Newhaven, and Toulon with Civitavecchia. SNCM offer links between French ports and Corsica, Sardinia, Tunisia and Algeria.
P&O Ferries: www.poferries.comSNCM: www.sncm.fr
DFDS Seaways: www.dfdsseaways.co.uk
MyFerryLink
Brittany Ferries
Ferry prices comparison: www.aferry.co.uk
By busMany carriers connect European countries and French towns. The leader is Eurolines which offers routes from Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland to France.
Eurolines: www.eurolines.comBy trainGetting to France by train is comfortable. The main French rail hub is Paris. High-speed Eurostar and Thalys connect France with England, Belgium and the Netherlands. The French company SNCF offer connections with most European countries.By carTravelling by car from the neighbouring countries usually does not take much time and if it does one can enjoy the beautiful views. Tourists coming from Great Britain can use the Eurotunnel (Folkstone – Calais). People travelling to Paris from Benelux (Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands) should follow the A1, the A6 from Italy, and the A10 from Spain.
GETTING AROUND
By bus/tram
Urban public transport in France is well-organized. There are comprehensive public transportation networks (buses, trams, trolleybuses) in all large cities in France. Many major French cities offer cheap and fast underground services. These include: Paris, Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse and Rouen.
By taxi
One can find taxi stands at street corners and outside the airports, railway and bus stations. Taxis can be also hailed in the streets in some cities (Paris, Marseille, Lyon). In other cities one will have to find a taxi stand or call for a taxi.
By car
Travelling around France by car is a good option. Driving is on the right side of the road. International and foreign driving licenses are accepted. Driver must also have insurance documents and car registration documents. Driver must not drive with a blood alcohol level of more than 0.5 grams/litre. Driver and passengers must wear seat belts. Speed limits: built-up areas – 50 km/h, motorways – 130 km/h, dual carriageways – 110 km/h, other roads – 90 km/h. A warning triangle is a legal requirement. First-aid kit and fire extinguisher are recommended.
