01Free
The 30-second card
Emergency · tap to call
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Visa · United States passport
No visa needed · up to 90 daysSource: U.S. Department of State · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗TippingService is included in the bill, so tips are not expected.Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗
Water at restaurantsRestaurants serve tap water free of charge.Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗
SIM and eSIM
Prepaid SIM cards must be activated, normally online, before use.Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Apps locals use
Book taxis in many French cities and towns.Ride-hailing in the big cities.Ride-hailing in the big cities.Share a ride with a driver going your way, usually cheaper than the train.Live train times, platforms and delays.Arrange organised lifts and hitchhiking with registered drivers.
Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Cards or cash
Mostly cashMostly cards
Step 4 of 5: Cards are accepted in most places; cash is needed less often.Source: Wikivoyage · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Money in France
Euro · € · EUR
Drink your coffee standing at the bar; a table costs more, and the terrace more still.
In restaurants, ask for a jug of tap water instead of paying for bottled water.
Get euros from cash machines, which beat exchange offices.
Book train tickets early: reserved seats cost less when bought ahead.
Collect Euro in CointryOur sister app for coin and banknote collectors · cointry.appOpenPublic holidays in the next 12 months
Wed, 11 Nov 2026 · Armistice Day Armistice 1918
Fri, 25 Dec 2026 · Christmas Day Noël
Fri, 1 Jan 2027 · New Year's Day Jour de l'an
Mon, 29 Mar 2027 · Easter Monday Lundi de Pâques
Sat, 1 May 2027 · Labour Day Fête du Travail
Thu, 6 May 2027 · Ascension Day Ascension
Sat, 8 May 2027 · Victory in Europe Day Victoire 1945
Mon, 17 May 2027 · Whit Monday Lundi de Pentecôte
Wed, 14 Jul 2027 · Bastille Day Fête nationale
Sun, 15 Aug 2027 · Assumption Day Assomption
Mon, 1 Nov 2027 · All Saints' Day Toussaint
02Free
Safety today
Germany, the US and the UK publish their travel advice openly. Here is what those that cover France say, side by side, checked daily.
German Foreign Office says
No travel warning
Calm ●
Caution
Serious
Don’t go
Source: Auswärtiges Amt
Updated 20 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 20 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
U.S. Department of State says
Exercise increased caution
Calm
Caution ●
Serious
Don’t go
Level 2 of 4
Source: travel.state.gov
Updated 20 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 20 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
UK Foreign Office says
No advice against travel
Source: GOV.UK
Updated 22 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Updated 22 Oct 2026 · Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Scams to know
Distraction pickpocketing
If a stranger distracts you, hold your bag, wear it across your body, split valuables.
Source: GOV.UK · Checked 24 Oct 2026 ↗Countrywise is a summary. The official page is authoritative.
03Free
Health
Get routine vaccinations up to date; parts of the country are high enough for altitude sickness.
Vaccinations
Get your routine vaccinations up to date before the trip.
Altitude
Parts of the country are high enough for altitude sickness to be a risk.
Talk to a travel clinic 4–8 weeks before you go.
Source: CDC
Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Checked 24 Oct 2026Official page
Summarised from the CDC’s Travelers’ Health pages. Using them does not mean the CDC endorses Countrywise.
04Travel layer
In the app: the travel layer
The travel layer
Read a country like someone who’s been there.
What’s different from home, and what’s the lawMust-see places, free entry and World Heritage sites20 words to remember, with pronunciationStrange and surprising factsThe anthem and national symbolsSaved for offline use
€4.99once · all countries
Pay once. No subscription. All countries, yours forever.
05Free
Deep facts
| GDP | ≈ $3.4 trillionSource: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Per person | ≈ $48,986Source: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Top exports | aircraft, cars, packaged medicine, gas turbines, vehicle parts/accessories (2023)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Population | 68.7 millionSource: World Bank · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 42.7 yearsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · 2025 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Life expectancy | 82.6 yearsSource: The World Factbook (archive) · 2024 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Religions | Roman Catholic 47%, Muslim 4%, Protestant 2%, Buddhist 2%, Orthodox 1%, Jewish 1%, other 1%, none 33%, unspecified 9% (2021 est.)Source: The World Factbook (archive) · 2021 figures · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Area | 643,801 km²Source: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Climate | metropolitan France: generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters and hot summers along the Mediterranean; occasional strong, cold, dry, north-to-northwesterly wind known as the mistralSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Terrain | metropolitan France: mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west; remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east French Guiana: low-lying coastal plains rising to hills and small mountains Guadeloupe: Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains; Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the seven other islands are volcanic in origin Martinique: mountainous with indented coastline; dormant volcano Mayotte: generally undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks Reunion: mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coastSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
| Type of government | semi-presidential republicSource: The World Factbook (archive) · as of 2025/26 · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
|---|---|
| Calling code | +33Source: libphonenumber · Checked 23 Oct 2026 ↗ |
About the data
Written from the sources we link, and checked against them before each release. Countrywise summarises public sources. We are not an official source. For safety and entry rules, always follow the official page we link to.
From your foreign ministry when it publishes its advice openly (Germany, the US, the UK). Otherwise we show those three side by side. Checked daily, with the date next to every entry.
CDC · 24 Oct 2026 ↗GOV.UK · 24 Oct 2026 ↗IANA Time Zone Database · 23 Oct 2026 ↗libphonenumber · 23 Oct 2026 ↗Nager.Date · 23 Oct 2026 ↗The World Factbook (archive) · 23 Oct 2026 ↗U.S. Department of State · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Unicode CLDR · 23 Oct 2026 ↗Wikidata · 24 Oct 2026 ↗Wikivoyage · 24 Oct 2026 ↗World Bank · 23 Oct 2026 ↗
Flag artwork from flag-icons (MIT licence).
More countries in Europe
Albania
Andorra
Austria
Belarus
Belgium
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Bulgaria
Croatia
Czechia
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Ireland
Italy
Kosovo
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Moldova
Monaco
Montenegro
Netherlands
North Macedonia
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Russia
San Marino
Serbia
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Ukraine
United Kingdom
Vatican City