traveldk.com

Nice Côte d’Azur Airport is the best gateway for Nice, eastern Provence and the Cote d’Azur and Monaco, with frequent flights from Paris, London, New York and other major cities. Flight times are around two hours from the UK, one hour from Paris and nine from New York. The airport is 7 km (4.5 miles) west of Nice and 17 km (10.5 miles) west of Antibes. Buses to Nice bus and railway stations run every 10 minutes. A taxi to the centre costs around €20. There are hourly buses to Antibes and Cannes, and buses every 90 minutes to Monaco, 45 minutes away. Most international flights use the east terminal; domestic flights use the west terminal.

Marignane (Marseille-Provence) Airport is handy for central Provence, Aix, Avignon and Marseille itself. The airport is 25 km (17 miles) northwest of the city centre and 24 km (15 miles) southeast of Aix. Buses run to Marseille-St Charles railway station every 20 minutes. Taxis to the centre cost around €40. International flights use both terminals.

Nîmes, just beyond Provence’s western border, is the landing place for cheap charter flights and is a good gateway for Provence, particularly the Camargue, Bouches-du-Rhône, Arles or Avignon. The airport is 8 km (5 miles) southeast of the city with buses every 30 minutes. Taxis into Nîmes cost around €20.

Packages which involve a flight and a hire car, available from airlines and tour operators, can be cheaper than taking your own car. However, main car rental companies have desks at Marseille and Nice airports and offices in major towns including Avignon, Nice, Cannes, Marseille, Monaco and St-Tropez.

International and specialist airline, ferry and rail websites are worth checking out before you go – flying, for instance, can often be cheaper than going by rail, and driving is usually the most expensive option.

The TGV Mediterranée high-speed train takes just three hours to travel between Paris and Marseille, with stops at Avignon and Aix. The journey time to Marseille from London is under seven hours, including a change from the subChannel Eurostar service to TGV in Lille.

French Railways (SNCF) operate a seasonal overnight motorail service from Calais to Avignon and Nice, transporting cars while their owners travel in sleeping compartments.

Avignon, gateway to Provence by road, is around 1,000 km (640 miles) from the Channel ports. The fastest drive, via France’s Autoroute du Soleil, takes around 8.5 hours and costs around €50 in tolls. Avoiding toll motorways (péages ) lengthens the journey time by six hours.

The most romantic and stress-free way to arrive in Provence is on a Rhône river cruiser. Many cruise lines operate luxury, full-board river cruises between Lyon and Avignon.

Renting a car on arrival can be cheaper than driving your own car. Other advantages include left-hand drive and replacement vehicles if the one you rent breaks down. Packages combining flights, car rental and accommodation can be very good value, or you can rent a vehicle for part of your stay from major rental companies at airports or in all main towns and resorts. Most car rental companies require drivers to be over 21 with a clean record.

If travelling from elsewhere in Europe, using your own car has its advantages: you can bring more luggage, see more of France, and take home more souvenirs. You must have adequate insurance cover and French law also requires modifications to headlights and a range of accessories including fire extinguisher, replacement bulb set, warning triangle and first-aid kit. Emergency breakdown insurance is also advisable: consult your insurer or motoring organization.

Taxis are reliable and use meters (compteurs ) but are not flagged down on the street – find one at a taxi rank, book by phone, or ask your hotel or restaurant to call one.

France has some of the best public transport in Europe and getting around the region’s major cities by bus, tram and (in Marseille) metro presents few problems. Fares are integrated, so a single ticket can be used on any combination of transport for one hour. Day passes and books of tickets (carnets ) are also available (see Carnets).

From Marseille, rail lines run west to Arles and Nîmes, north to Aix and Avignon and east to Nice and Monaco. TER (regional express trains) also operate an inland route from Nice to Digneles-Bains. A range of discounts is available (see Rail Passes).

Inter-city buses supplement trains between major cities and numerous companies operating from long-distance bus stations (gares routières ) in cities and larger towns. Smaller villages and rural towns are poorly served by buses: many villages have no service at all, others have only one or two services a day.

Cycling is a great way to explore Provence. Mountainous regions such as the Vaucluse and the Alpes may be only for the super-fit, but there are gentler rides in the lowlands, along the coast and in the dead-flat Camargue. Mountain bikes (velos tous terrains or VTT) can be hired in all major towns and resorts (tourist offices have lists) and marked cycle trails range from demanding to totally relaxed (see Mountain Biking).

Provence is superb walking country, offering guided or marked walks through historic cities and coastal paths, sentiers balisés (local trails) and sentiers de grande randonnée (long-distance hiking tracks), part of a network that crosses France. Main long distance trails are the GR5, GR51 GR6 and GR9. Maps and guides are available from tourist offices (see Top 10 Walks).

Horses can be hired by the day or for longer, with or without a guide, on gentle or more demanding trails. The Camargue especially is ideal riding country (see The Camargue).

Information on sights, events, travel and places to stay is available from many sources including the French national tourist office (with offices abroad), regional and city tourist offices and, in villages, the local Syndicat d’Initiative . You’ll also find information desks at airports and main railway stations (see By Train). Staff are multilingual and guides and maps are available in English and other major European languages.

The French Government Tourist Office (Maison de la France) is a one-stop shop for information on how to get to Provence, what to see and where to stay (see Sources of Information).

The Regional Committee for Tourism for Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur is based in Marseille, with multilingual maps, guides and a hotel finding and booking service. The tourist office of the Bouches-du-Rhône is also based in Marseille and has a handy website.

The main information source for Cannes and the Côte d’Azur is in the town centre. It has a website to help you plan your trip, multilingual guides and maps and information on nightlife and events.

This should be your first stop in town for maps, guides, help with finding accommodation, and information on what’s on in Nice.

For information on where to stay, where to go and what to do in Nice’s hinterland contact the Comité Regionale du Tourisme, also located in Nice.

Practical information on all aspects of travel in the area is available from the Monaco Direction du Tourisme de la Principauté de Monaco.

For information on events, transport and hotels in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence.

The main information source for the Var region.

French autoroutes (motorways) are very crowded in August, especially during the first and last weekends of the month, when huge numbers of holiday-makers from northern France head at top speed for the sunny south. There are long traffic jams and often serious accidents. Avoid driving south at these times if possible.

For two weeks in May it becomes impossible to find a hotel room or a table at a good restaurant in Cannes as the resort is overrun with up to 30,000 film stars and their entourages, directors, producers, financiers, journalists and other hangers-on. This is strictly an insider’s event, and unless you have Hollywood ambitions, give Cannes a wide berth during the festival (see Cannes Film Festival).

Monaco is host to two of the world’s most prestigious motor sports events, the Rallye Monte Carlo every January and the Monaco Grand Prix, at differing dates during the Grand Prix season (see Monaco Grand Prix). Both are worth avoiding – it’s claimed that to be sure of a room during either event it is necessary to book 10 years ahead. Both events take place through the city streets, so much of Monaco is closed off.

The traditional Provençal bullfight (course à la cocarde ) is a bloodless affair in which the bull-fighter (razeteur ) tries to snatch a red ribbon (cocarde ) from the horns of an increasingly irritated bull. In the arenas of Arles and Nîmes, however, Spanish-style corridas , in which the bull is tormented and then killed, are often part of the entertainment. These are advertised as mise à mort (to the death)

Police issue heavy fines on the spot for speeding and for other motoring offences. The blood alcohol limit for drink-driving is low: one glass of wine or a 33cl bottle of beer will take you close to the limit, two will exceed it. Drivers who cannot pay fines in cash on the spot have their vehicles impounded.

After Greece and Portugal, France has the worst road accident record in the EU. Many French motorists drive aggressively, overtake carelessly and ignore safe braking distances on motorways. Expect the unexpected at all times.

Many hotels charge very high rates for international phone calls. It is far cheaper to call from a post office or telephone booth using coins, a credit card or phonecard (see Public Phones).

With the cheapest vins de pays (local wines) costing as little as €4.00 for a five-litre plastic flagon, there is a strong temptation to look no further. Many of these wines are quite drinkable but some are guaranteed to produce a crippling hangover. For a few euros more, France has far better wines to offer.

The South of France has a serious forest fire problem in July and August, when under-growth and pine forests are tinder dry. High risk areas are closed from the beginning of July to mid-September, and lighting camp fires anywhere in the region is strictly forbidden.

Don’t even think about visiting Provence in high season without reserving accommodation. From the beginning of July to the end of August the region, especially the Riviera and Côte d’Azur, is at its busiest and everything, from grand hotels to campsites, is full. May to mid-June and September to mid-October are less crowded. Some smaller hotels in rural areas close from November to February.

You can book direct with hotels and other accommodation providers by phone, fax and, increasingly, by email and via the web. The site www.franceguide.com provides useful links to sites where you can find and book accommodation. You will normally be asked for a deposit, which you can pay by credit card in most larger hotels and campsites, or by money order.

The South of France is very well geared up for family tourism, both on the coast and inland. Many hotels will provide an extra bed for smaller children or a cot for babies at a nominal cost. Gîtes (see Gîte Farmhouses) and camp sites (see Under Canvas Choices) also offer excellent value for families travelling on a budget. Most camp sites have facilities and activities for children.

The best way to save money is to travel off-season (and avoid the glitzy Riviera resorts). However, accommodation in France can be surprisingly cheap, with rooms in small pensions available for as little as €30 for a double room (see Value-for-Money Hotels). Hotels in Maison de la France’s Bon Weekend en Villes programme (see Government Tourist Offices) offer two nights for the price of one at hotels in towns including Aix, Arles, Avignon and Marseille.

Camp sites in Provence usually feature pools, playgrounds, cafébar and often a mini-market and morning bread delivery. They become crowded in July and August, and most close their gates by 10pm. Independent camping is discouraged, as is sleeping on beaches.

France pioneered the “limited service hotel” which offers clean, comfortable rooms at budget prices, and not much else. Chains such as Formule 1, Campanile, Etap and others cluster at motorway junctions, airports and on the outskirts of cities. Although lacking in character they can be perfect for the first and last night of your stay.

Accommodation in gîtes is plentiful – most are privately owned and often in pretty cottages or farmhouses. Crockery and kitchen utensils are supplied, but you usually have to bring your own bedlinen and do your own cleaning.

A villa holiday offers a more luxurious version of self-catering. Most villas are in or near coastal resorts and usually have a pool. They offer basic maid service (cleaning and linen change) but the more luxurious can be fully staffed with cook, valet service and chauffeur.

Holiday apartments can be found in most resort areas, especially in the Cannes-Antibes area, but few offer the facilities of a gîte or villa and most are geared to long stays.

There’s not much to choose in Provence between establishments calling themselves cafés and those which call themselves bars. All serve alcoholic drinks and coffee all day, and most serve simple snacks such as ham, cheese or salami sandwiches. Village cafés usually close around 8pm but city and resort café-bars stay open much later, some until dawn.

Most restaurants have several set menus, the cheapest usually starting as low as €7.00. If you are not sure what to order, these menus are excellent value. Eating à la carte (selecting each dish yourself) is usually more expensive.

Wine served by the pichet (jug) – usually the local vin de pays , bought by the barrel and decanted – is usually much cheaper than wine by the glass or bottle, and always palatable. If you want a draught beer, ask for a une pression ; if you order “une bière” you will be served a more expensive, bottled beer.

The Provençaux, like all French people, love picnics, and when you plan an al fresco lunch at the beach or in the country you will be spoilt for choice. Boulangeries (bakeries) and pâtisseries (pastry shops) sell a wonderful choice of loaves, rolls and pastries and most patisseries sell delicious ready-made sandwiches. Provence’s typical takeaway snack is the pan bagnat , a crusty roll soaked in olive oil and stuffed with salade Niçoise (see Salade Niçoise). To make your own sandwiches, head for the village traiteur , charcuterie or supermarket to buy cuts of cold meats, chicken and sausage.

Vegetarians are poorly served in Proven-çal restaurants. Few offer anything more than salad, omelette or cheese – soups almost always contain meat stock. However, vegetarians catering for themselves will find mouthwatering fresh fruit and vegetables, delicious cheeses, Provençal ingredients such as truffles, olives, pine nuts and garlic and dozens of aromatic herbs.

Throughout Provence signs invite the traveller to visit local wineries (caves cooperatives ) and enjoy a tasting (dégustation ), after which you will be expected to buy at least a bottle. If staying in self-catering accommodation, this is a good opportunity to invest in a vrac (plastic barrel) containing five or ten litres of wine, usually at competitive prices.

Water as well as wine is always drunk with meals and even in up-market restaurants it’s accepted to ask for a carafe d’eau (jug of tap water) rather than a bottle of mineral water.

Soft drinks are no cheaper than wine or beer. Typical Provençal offerings include a range of sweet cordials with ice and water: mint syrup (syrop de menthe ), blackcurrant (cassis ), grenadine and tart lemon juice (citron pressé ).

If you like your steak well done, order it “bien cuit” . If you prefer it very rare, ask for “saignant ” (literally, “bleeding”) and if you like your steak barely cooked ask for “bleu ” (blue).

If you live within the EU you can take home as much wine, spirits, tobacco and perfume as you wish, although if you are travelling by air you are unlikely to be able to find room in your weight allowance for more than two bottles of wine or spirits. If you live outside the EU you are limited to two bottles. Non-EU residents can claim back the value added tax (TVA) included in the sales price on purchases worth more than €180 in one shop, to be exported within three months.

For wine to take home, the world-class appellations of the Côtes du Rhône, and especially those of Châteauneuf-du-Pape (see Châteauneuf-du-Pape), are the best investment. You can buy them young to drink straight away, or let them age for up to seven years for a long-lasting souvenir.

Bunches of oregano and thyme can be bought in markets or in packaged form in supermarkets – they will add the scents and flavours of the south to your kitchen long after you reach home. They make attractive gifts too, as do bags of dried lavender packed in local fabrics, but check your home country’s rules on importing foodstuffs.

Truffles must be the ultimate high-value, low-weight souvenir or gift to take home. Taking up next to no space in your luggage, the “black diamonds” from the Vaucluse cost as much as €180 per kilogram, so there’s no risk of buying too many. Best places to buy include Puyméras, Richerenches and Valréas, all in the Vaucluse region (see Truffles).

Nothing, perhaps, is more typical of Provence than the olive tree and its fruit. For happy memories of meals in the sun, take home virgin olive oil – the best is said to come from around Nyons, in the Vaucluse, or from the Vallée de la Baux olive groves of the Alpilles region. Or you could buy a jar of green olives with Provençal herbs, bars of savon de Marseille olive oil soap, or attractive, practical salad bowls, forks and salad spoons carved from close-grained olivewood.

The French gift for presentation makes local produce irresistible (as it’s intended to). Make one last visit to a market or épicier (grocer) to fill your basket with goat’s cheese wrapped in chestnut leaves or numerous other fabulous options.

Santons (“little saints”) were originally designed to decorate Nativity scenes at Christmas but these pottery figures make unique Provençal mementos and gifts. There are dozens of different figures, each representing a traditional trade or skill. They can be found all over the region, but are especially popular in Marseille.

Perfumed oils, lavender water or orange water, and bubble baths and shampoos scented with different fragrances can be found on the shelves of Provence’s many fine perfumiers.

Museum-quality reproductions of works by the masters who have lived in Provence (see Painters in Provence) are on sale at gallery shops attached to the region’s leading museums of art (see Art Galleries). Weighing very little and rolling up into a conveniently small package, unframed prints are excellent purchases to take home.

During July and August, when Provence throngs with thousands of French and foreign holidaymakers, the price of everything, from a beach deckchair to a hotel room, is highest. Provence is much cheaper (and pleasanter) in May and June and in September and October.

Buying a carnet of five or ten tickets from bus and railway stations for public transport in larger towns such as Marseille, Nice and Monaco is cheaper and more convenient than buying single tickets.

Many museums and attractions offer discounted admission to students and professionals such as teachers and journalists. Proof of status, such as a college or university ID card, press card or teacher ID card, is required.

French Railways (SNCF) offer the France Railpass, which is hard to beat for flexibility and value for money. It allows from three to nine days travel on any route, from high-speed TGVs (see By Train) to mountain railways, anywhere in France within one month. The Senior France Railpass for people over 60 is valid for groups of up to eight and for first-class travel. Both passes are available at all major French railway stations, but for convenience can also be booked via travel agents before you leave home.

Youth hostels can be found in Marseille, Nice, Menton, St-Raphaël, Aix and Arles, and at several national parks. Despite the name, there is no age limit for travellers. For more information contact the Fédération Unie des Auberges de Jeunesse (FUAJ) in Paris.

The British-based “no-frills” airlines sell their best fares on their websites. Those flying to Provence from the UK include Ryanair to Nîmes, easyJet and Go! to Nice, and Buzz to Marseille.

Multi-site and multiple entry passes for sights and museums include the Carte Musée Côte d’Azur, allowing unlimited access to more than 50 museums, sold through local tourist offices (see Tourist Offices) and at museums. A three-day pass costs €10, a seven-day pass €20. La Clef des Temps (Key to Time) costs €15 from tourist offices and allows entry to 10 historic monuments throughout the Provence and Côte d’Azur region.

Provençal camp sites can be quite lavish affairs, with swimming pools, self-service laundry, mini-market and restaurant and are good value, but are not always cheaper than simple hotels (see Value-for-Money Hotels).

Grape-picking is hard work and although pickers (vendangeurs ) usually receive lunch and dinner daily as well as their pay, accommodation is not always part of the deal. The vendange (harvest) in Provence is from mid-September to mid-October. Recruiting starts as early as May, and the best way to find work is to call or write directly to as many domaines (estates) as possible. Lists of wine growers who recruit foreign workers are available from local tourist offices.

Young children can usually share a room with parents at no extra cost. Hotels such as those in the Campanile and Formule 1 chains (see Hotel Chains), located at motorway junctions and near major towns and airports, offer family rooms which sleep three to five people for the same price as for two. Many youth hostels also have comfortable family rooms which are ideal for families with older children (see Youth Hostels).

Camp sites in Provence are very much geared to cater for families, with play areas for children and large discounts for under 12s. Some more expensive camp sites also offer supervised activities for children (see Under Canvas Choices).

Children are welcome in almost all restaurants and are not excluded from cafés and bars. Restaurants do not usually provide special facilities for children such as high chairs. Some, especially those in tourist resorts, offer fixed-price menus for children, at around half the price.

Many resorts on the coast, as well as national and regional parks, offer a range of organized activities and events for children during the summer season. A schedule of events is usually available from the local tourist office, to be found even in very small villages (see Tourist Offices). Many French festival events (see Festivals and Events) culminate in fireworks displays which will delight older children but may terrify toddlers. Children will also enjoy the sound and light shows held throughout the summer season at many castles and other historic buildings.

Children are eligible for free or reduced price travel on French Railways (SNCF) trains and buses and on urban public transport. Babies normally travel free.

Use of child safety seats and rear seat belts is obligatory under French law. All major car rental companies will provide children’s safety seats if requested in advance. There is normally a small charge for this service.

Most beaches along the Côte d’Azur and the Riviera are safe for children, with shallow waters, gentle waves and lifeguards on duty in many places. However, sensible precautions should be taken. Babies, toddlers and older children are at risk of sunburn from April to October, and use of high-factor, waterproof sun block is advisable. Beaches become very crowded during July and August, making it easy for toddlers to become separated from parents. On rocky beaches, look out for black sea urchins with spines which give painful stings.

Using self-catering accommodation gives parents greater flexibility and allows families to keep to the mealtimes and bedtimes they are accustomed to instead of living by hotel schedules.

French autoroute service areas cater very well for parents with babies and small children, with clean, spacious nappy (diaper) changing areas, toddlers’ toilets, disposable nappy (diaper) vending machines and baby food on sale in service area shops.

RADAR (the Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation) provides information to help disabled and older people travel abroad. Holiday Care, the UK’s central source of travel and holiday information for disabled people, has information sheets on accessible accommodation and attractions in France. The website www.faa.gov/acr/dat.htm outlines airline rules for access and seating for wheelchair users and other people with disabilities on scheduled and charter flights.

Access Travel offers wheelchair-accessible properties which have been personally inspected or suggested by a wheelchair-user. They also offer special air fares worldwide and will liaise with airlines to arrange special services. The travel website www.youreable.com offers advice on organizing your holiday, insurance, passports, health, online accommodation guides and specialized holidays for people with all types of disabilities.

Assistance for wheelchair users and other disabilities is offered at Nice airport by Service Handicapés. A similar service is operated at Marseille airport by the Societé d’Assistance Midi-Provence.

Admission is free to blind people and others in need in most major museums and art galleries in Nice, Avignon and Marseille. Most have audio guides in English. Some also have braille guides.

Free or reduced rate transport is available in Nice and Marseille for people with disabilities and their carers. SNCF French Railways has an accessibility helpline. For wheelchair access to trains, book in advance. SOS Voyageurs also offers help to older travellers.

Most mid-priced 2- to 3-star hotels have elevators. Many motel-style hotel chains have wheelchair access direct from the car park. Gîtes de France publishes a guide to accessible farmhouse accommodation available through Maison de la France (see Government Tourist Offices). The Association des Paralysés de France publishes a guide to accessible accommodation (in French) titled Où FeronsNous Etape ?

Most restaurants have poor access for wheel-chair users. In summer, picking an outside table eases the problem.

This company organizes holidays in Provence for disabled children and teenagers, mainly in gîtes .

The APF association for people with cerebral palsy publishes a guide to wheelchair accessible accommodation, transport and museums throughout France (in French).

English is widely spoken by people working in coastal resorts, tourist offices, hotels, larger restaurants and airports. It is less fluently spoken in urban Marseille and in rural communities, where you will need a grasp of French in order to understand and be understood. Etiquette is highly valued: shake hands on being introduced and use the titles “Monsieur ” and “Madame ” on greeting.

Foreign currency and travellers’ cheques in all major currencies can be changed into euros at exchange offices and banks. French francs ceased to be legal tender in February 2002. Euro notes are issued in denominations of €5, €10, €20, €50, €100, €200 and €500 and coins in 2-euro, 1-euro, and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 euro cents. The euro is legal tender in 12 European countries. Cash and travellers’ cheques can be changed at larger post offices. Banks are usually open 9am– noon and 2–5pm Monday to Friday, but some also open on Saturday. You can also change money at larger hotels.

Cash can be drawn from your bank or credit card account using automatic teller machines (ATMs) in all towns and larger villages. On-screen instructions are in English and French. Credit cards can be used to pay for motorway tolls but smaller shops, restaurants, hotels, camp sites and gîte operators prefer cash.

International and local calls can be made from telephone booths even in the smallest communities, with cards or euro coins. Some phones accept only French telephone debit cards (télécartes ) which can be bought from post offices, newsagents and tabacs (tobacconists) in denominations of 50 and 120 units. You can also call from metered telephone booths at large post offices, or via the pays direct service which allows you to place your call through an operator in your home country and pay by credit card, charge card, or reversing the charges. The code for the UK is 00 44, followed by the local code (omitting the zero) and number. For Canada and the USA the code is 01; Australia, 61; and New Zealand, 64.

Reception is generally good but it may be hard to obtain a signal in deep mountain valleys. Better reception can be obtained by heading for higher ground.

Most post offices open 9am–noon and 2–5pm Monday to Friday and 9am–noon on Saturday. Stamps are sold singly or in books of ten (carnets ) and are also sold in tabacs .

Faxes can be sent or received at any post office. For a small fee you can also use the poste restante service to receive mail at any post office. Letters must be addressed using the five-digit postal code and surname before forename.

There are internet cafés in all main towns, larger villages and most coastal resorts.

A telescreen information system installed in post offices and some hotels. It offers a range of services including railway timetables, telephone numbers and addresses for companies throughout France.

Service d’Aide Médicale Urgence, the 24-hour emergency medical service, can send an ambulance, paramedic or a doctor. For most emergencies payment in cash is required immediately after treatment.

France has excellent health care but treatment is not free. Take out adequate insurance to cover all emergencies – policies are available through your credit card company, bank, motoring association, household insurance company, or direct from insurers. Policies sold by travel agents are more expensive. For citizens of EU countries, form E111, available from post offices before you leave home, entitles visitors to free health care but only for basic treatment. Instructions are on the form.

Provence has no serious health risks. Tap water is safe, but water from village fountains should be drunk only if it bears the sign “eau potable” . Sunburn is a risk throughout the summer: wear a hat and sun-screen. In early summer hay fever sufferers should carry antihistamine tablets or drops. Change of diet and climate can cause diarrhoea or indigestion. Remedies are available from pharmacies.

Mosquitoes are common in summer. Repellents containing deet (diethyltoluamide) and/or citronella oil will keep them away. Plug-in electric repellent pads which keep bedrooms mosquito-free can be bought at pharmacies. On rocky beaches, beware of treading on spiky sea urchins; when swimming, watch out for stinging jellyfish. Hornets and scorpions, both of which have a painful but non-lethal sting, are harmless unless provoked. You will encounter snakes on country walks, but the only venomous species, the viper, is shy, rarely seen and harmless unless trodden on.

A red warning triangle must be placed 50–100 m (160–300 ft) behind any broken down vehicle. In the event of an accident, call the police/emergency services and await their arrival by your car.

A 24-hour doctor service (médécin de garde ) operates in major towns. The telephone number is obtainable from your hotel, telephone operator or pharmacies.

Dental care services are offered by major hospitals.

The accident and emergency clinic (service des urgences ) of any public hospital will treat injuries and unexpected illnesses. Payment is required immediately.

Pharmacies are indicated by a green cross. French pharmacists are usually helpful in suggesting remedies for minor illnesses. In all towns one pharmacy will open at night and weekends – details are posted on all pharmacy doors.