MISCELLANEOUS ADVICE
Euraxess network
For Research Scholars and doctoral candidates:
We highly suggest that you take advantage of the Euraxess network.
"EURAXESS - Researchers in Motion is a unique pan-European initiative delivering information and support services to professional researchers. Backed by the European Union and its Member States, it supports researcher mobility and career development, while enhancing scientific collaboration between Europe and the world."
There are Euraxess service centers throughout France that are there to assist you with visa/carte de séjour procedures, finding housing, enrolling your children in school or daycare, insurance questions, opening a bank account, and other key issues related to international mobility. They may also offer French language courses, cultural outings, and other social activities.
Find your local center here.
Tipping
Taxis: 5-10% of the total
Meals: Service (tip) of 15% is automatically included in the bill. If you feel that the service has been especially efficient, you may add an extra tip of 5% or so.
Food delivery: At least 2€ or around 10% of the total
Ushers: 1-2 € – depends on theater
Beauticians: 3 - 5€
Gardien/ne: If you live in an apartment with a gardien/ne, it is suggested that you give him or her a tip for the holidays. You will find that he/she can render you many little services. This tip, called an étrenne, can vary from 30 - 75 euros.
Postal services
Find your local post office. Postal rates: letter within France – 1.29 euros for standard delivery (“lettre verte”) of letters weighing up to 20 grams; airmail letter to U.S. – 1.96 euros (up to 20 grams: envelope plus up to three sheets of paper). Stamps may be bought either at the post office, through an online order, or at any bureau de tabac.
The French Post offices also offer additional services such as banking, photocopies, and cell phone plans.
At La Poste you can ship internationally with Colissimo. Shipping to the United States is expensive, so expect to pay at least 40 euros for a small 2 kg package.
For more information, click here.
Shopping
Détaxe
If you will be in France for less than 6 months with the intention of returning to the US directly, you are eligible for refunds of the 20% TVA (taxe sur la valeur ajoutée, or value added tax) which is included in the price of most items in France. Refunds are given for purchases that total at least 100 euros in one shop over a maximum of three days, for purchases made no more than 3 months before departure. Large department stores like the Printemps or the Galeries Lafayette are required to rebate 12% of the purchase price, while smaller stores can establish their own rate. Customers ask for a tax refund form, called bordereau de détaxe. When leaving the EU, use one of the touch terminals (called PABLO) at the airport to request the rebate.
Groceries
Try to plan ahead for the beginning of the week, since on Sundays and sometimes Mondays most stores are closed, including bakeries, butcher shops, hairdressers and some food stores. Large department stores or malls are open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. without noon interruption, and some remain open until 9:00 p.m. or 10:00 p.m. one night per week, usually Thursdays. Most small neighborhood specialty stores close during lunchtime, and are usually open on Sunday mornings.
American-style supermarkets, offering everything from clothing to extensive food departments, exist everywhere in France, including the different districts of Paris. Some of the major ones are Intermarché, Casino, Auchan, Leclerc, Lidl, and Carrefour. Most are closed on Sundays or Sunday afternoons.
Department stores
The Printemps, Galeries Lafayette, and Bon Marché carry everything from clothing to appliances to kids’ toys to groceries. They also have locations throughout the provinces. The Bazar de l'Hôtel de Ville (BHV), renowned principally for its immense choice of hardware and household furnishings and is the paradise of the bricoleur (DIYer) and arts-and-crafts hobbyists. For the equivalent of America’s Home Depot, try the Leroy Merlin, Castorama, or Bricorama.
Most of the large department stores have English-speaking hostesses and Shoppers' Aid services.
Clothing
Clothing sizes different in Europe than in the US, and vary from country to country within Europe. For more information on how to convert from US to European clothing sizes, check out: https://www.liveabout.com/clothing-size-conversion-charts-4123441.
« Les soldes » are national biannual sales on unsold seasonal merchandise. The French government determines the dates of these sale periods and sets guidelines that retailers must follow. (For example, discounted products must have already been in the store for at least one month.) France is somewhat distinctive for being one of the few European countries with such strictly-regulated sales.
The national “soldes d’hiver” (Winter Sales) start the second Wednesday in January, or the first Wednesday in January if the second falls after the 12th of the month.
The national “soldes d’été” (Summer Sales) start the last Wednesday in June, or the second to last Wednesday in June if the last Wednesday falls after the 28th.
Second-hand finds
Emmaüs France is a charitable organization similar to the Goodwill which runs a network of second hand charity shops throughout France.
For second-hand furniture, clothes, cars, etc. the website www.leboncoin.fr is extremely popular. You can also check :
Stationery and office supplies
See one of the many independent "papeteries" (stationery stores), Gibert (Paris), or most large grocery stores. There are also Office Depot stores in many cities.
Tabacs
These are cafés/corner stores that sell cigarettes, and other sundries. You can also buy public transportation tickets, stamps, telephone cards/minutes, and fiscal stamps.
Laundry
Invest in washable and permanent press clothing in the United States. Dry cleaning (pressing) averages: 20 euros for a suit, 19 euros for a coat, 9 euros for a short skirt.
Most families without washing machines and clothes dryers find it cheaper and easier to do laundry at the nearest laundromat. Self-service automatic laundromats (“laveries”) are found in cities; average price, 4-8 euros for an 8-10 kg machine load.
It is rare to have a clothes dryer in France. Buying an inexpensive drying rack will not only help cut down on costs, but will help preserve the condition of your clothes. For dress shirts, a stock of non-iron shirts is practical.
Electrical Equipment and Household Goods
Alternating current is generally used in France, at 50 cycles rather than 60 as in the United States (110 volts). This difference means that any appliance with a motor must be adjusted for speed, though heating units and irons will operate without alteration. France uses a 220-volt electrical system. Electric plugs for European outlets differ from those in America, but adaptors are easily obtained in French department stores. Specific appliances such as hairdryers, electric razors, and toasters may need voltage convertors instead of just an adaptor. An adaptor just allows the plugs to fit, but for some appliances you need to change the voltage to prevent “frying” your electronics. It can be more difficult to find voltage convertors than just simple adaptors in France, so it is recommended to bring one with you if needed.
Electric irons, hairdryers, etc. are readily available and it is not necessary to bring all of these with you from home. They may be purchased at lower prices at large stores such as la FNAC, Darty and Boulanger and also in hypermarkets (where they may be even cheaper if you choose distributors' private labels).
Pets
The laws on pet travel between the US and France can change from year to year. If you plan to bring your pet you should check the most up to date requirements at least several months in advance.
For additional information on pet travel, please consult:
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s webpage, “Take your pet from the United States to a foreign country”
The Embassy of France’s in the U.S. webpage, “Information for private individuals: Pets”
Veterans Affairs
A veteran wishing to apply for training benefits in Europe under the provisions of Chapter 33, Title 38, U.S. Code (formerly known as Public Law 550, 82nd Congress) will find information on eligibility criteria and the application procedure at the following websites:
For further assistance, see https://www.va.gov/contact-us/.
Grantee quotes
“There are are budget supermarkets in Paris if you need them (Aldi, Lidl, etc.) CityMapper is much better than Google Maps for public transportation in Paris.”
— 2022-2023 Fulbright Advanced Student“When purchasing goods and services, it is helpful to know these abbreviations: TTC = toutes taxes comprises; HT = hors taxe. ”
“In Paris, it is illegal for a taxi in the first position of the taxi stand to refuse your ride. Moreover, taxis in Paris are required by law to accept both cash and credit card, and they cannot refuse one type of payment or the other.”
— 2022-2023 Fulbright Advanced Student
“Schedule in time for yourself. When I first arrived, I made sure to do something for myself each day. I would visit monuments or museums or cafés to take a break from administrative things, such as searching for housing. After I started my position, I still made sure to treat myself- even if it was just a pain au chocolat. Do not push yourself to a breaking point. Try to maintain a healthy balance between your goals and enjoying life.”
— 2022-2023 Fulbright English Teaching Assistant
“Bring hard copies of everything when you come! Marriage certificate, birth certificates, transcripts for everyone, an international drivers license (from AAA), full vaccine records for kids, 3-4 passport photos already printed for everyone (e.g. from Walgreens), a letter certifying your income from your home institution if you have that. Everything!"
— 2022-2023 Fulbright Research Scholar
"Bathrooms are a fascinating study in social behavior in France. Never fear! Be daring and always carry 5 euro coins just in case. If necessary, order an espresso at a café, sip slowly, and use their toilettes if you gotta go."
— 2019-2020 Fulbright Research Scholar
"My host institution offered a special pre-orientation for entering international students which was not well-publicized. I would suggest that Fulbrighters enrolling in a graduate program ask their host institution if there are any resources specifically for international students and to be put in contact with the international student coordinator of the host institution. During this special pre-orientation event, my institution helped international students open a bank account, get acquainted with the administration of the institution, apply for a French social security number, find a local doctor, learn about on-campus resources, participate in intensive French courses, and even took us on a tour of the neighborhood."
— 2018-2019 Fulbright Advanced Student“Bringing your hound to France, though tremendously rewarding, can be rather trying... especially during the travel period. Luckily, France is a similarly developed, non-island country like most of the US so the requirements are more lax than other areas. Requirements and processes may change from year to year, but the basics that I followed were this: make sure your furred family member is micro-chipped (types of micro-chips vary, as well, so double check), rabies vaccines are a must (even though my pooch wasn't due for another shot for a few years, we needed to get one within so many days of your departure and supply proof) and a health certificate filled out by a veterinarian (these can be found online and you'll need one in the language of each country you're traveling to). Remember: requirements change. Please check with your local embassy, veterinarian (warning: not all are equipped to handle overseas travel), and check online.
Time on the plane and in the airport is difficult enough for us; it's worse for your dog. Important things to remember: if you can, book as short of a flight as possible and watch where your layovers are (i.e. other countries with different dog travel requirements). Crates are important-make sure that yours fits all of the size and travel restrictions! (Check online or with your vet-most pet stores sell a crate to fit these restrictions.) Read up on tips and tricks to make your dog's flight easier (for instance: tranquillizers are not recommended due to the differing effects of altitude, but there are some natural dog calming medications that are alright). Check to make sure you've also fulfilled the 'in the crate' requirements (food, water and how the water is distributed, absorbent mat, etc...). Finally, make sure to reserve a place for your pup on the plane in advance! (With dogs like my Asher, a ~84 lb or 38 kg creature, there are special pressure and temperature controlled areas for them in a separate cargo space. However, there are only so many places on a plane and each company can have different policies. Make sure to call and speak to them about the details.)”
— 2014-2015 Fulbright Advanced Student"It is often recommended to use a Lettre verte suivie (green envelope with tracking), available at La Poste, for all mailings to administrative agencies (CPAM, CAF, etc.). It's relatively cheap (just under 2 euros, a modest upcharge from a standard mailing), and anecdotally, it may reduce the chance of your paperwork getting lost in the mail."
— 2022-2023 Fulbright Advanced Student"Be persistent with any administrative organizations, especially CAF, CPAM, La Poste, etc. I have been sent messages meant for other people, had packages 'lost,' and other exciting adventures that have kept me on my toes. Keep copies, notes, and documentation of literally everything you do, and if someone sends you something, be sure to track it!"
—2017-2018 Fulbright ETA