CLIMATE
Coastal, continental, mountainous and Mediterrnean, the climate in France is temperate. France enjoys mild temperatures throughout the year: not too hot and not too cold, with a plentiful mix of rainfall and sunshine. Naturally, each region has its own particular climate: cooler and wetter to the north and west and warmer and drier in the Mediterranean. Although close to the Mediterranean, Toulouse weather is more oceanic than tropical. The hot season (June to August) sees temperatures of almost 40°C. However, during the winter months (December to February) temperatures in the evenings can drop as low as 2°C. More information on the weather, click here.
CURRENCY AND CREDIT CARD
The monetary unit in France is the euro (€). Bank notes are printed in values of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros and coins in values of 5, 10, 20, 50 cents and 1 and 2 euros. There is no limit regarding the maximum amount of money to be carried while for travelling.
Major credit and debit cards are wildly accepted at restaurants, hotels and in shops. You can get cash with your Visa, Mastercard, Maestro or Cirrus card at any ATM machines.
Magnetic-stripe cards work, however, should your credit card have chip, your will be asked to dial your PIN (Personal Identification Number).
To know the current exchange rates, visit: http://www.xe.com/en/currencyconverter/
CUSTOMS REGULATIONS
A tourist visa or a holiday visa is not necessary within the European Union.
For more information, please visit: http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/coming-to-france/
ELECTRICITY AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
The electric current in France is 220 volts AC in 50 cycles. Plugs and sockets may differ from those in parts of the world. We recommend you bring your adapters for electrical appliances, hotels and shops can supply them, but they are not commonly found. Adapters are necessary for laptops working on 110 volts.
FOREIGN EXCHANGE FACILITIES
You will find exchange offices called “Travelex” open 24/7 at Toulouse’s Airport (Blagnac) (arrival Hall C / departure Hall D) as well as offices within the city center, the latter are closed on Sundays. Ask your hotel reception for closest locations and opening hours.
HEALTH CARE
Your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) will enable you to access state provided healthcare in France at a reduced cost and sometimes for free. If you find yourself in a serious, life-threatening emergency, you should go to the accident and emergency (A&E) unit “les urgences” of the nearest hospital. You should be particularly careful if healthcare arrangements are made by a hotel or travel representative. Any costs incurred for private healthcare are non-refundable. You can search for health professionals in the area you are staying via the website www.ameli.fr (information in French only). In any case, you must pay the practitioner (doctor or dentist) directly. They will then fill out a treatment form (feuille de soins) and a prescription if necessary. Non-European Economic Area nationals are not covered in France, it is strongly recommended that non-EU citizens purchase commercial health insurance in their home country before arriving in France. Don’t forget your documents when preparing your trip.
IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS
The international dialing code for France is +33
Other important phone numbers you should write down:
• 15 – SAMU (Service d'Aide Médicale d'Urgence) the SAMU provides both ambulances and specialist medical teams. Only call SAMU for serious medical emergencies
• 18 – Fire brigade (Sapeurs Pompiers) can also be called in cases of medical emergencies, such as traffic and domestic accidents
• 17 – Police (commissariat de police or gendarmerie)
• 112 – Emergency call number valid throughout the EU
LANGUAGE
The vast majority of inhabitants of Toulouse have an intermediate level of fluency in English.
PASSPORT, VISA AND LETTERS OF INVITATION
Your papers should be in order before entering the country, should you need any documents for your entrance to the country, please contact university's administration.
POSTAL SERVICES
Post offices called “La Poste” are open from Monday to Friday 9:00 am – 6:30 pm and, on Saturday mornings from 9:00 am – 12:30 pm. They are closed on Sundays. You may buy your stamps and envelops. It is possible to buy stamps in newspaper kiosks, the opening hours therefore differ according to the store. Letters and postcards up to 20 grams cost 0.68 cts (within France), 0.83 cts (European zone and Switzerland) and 0.98 cts (International zone). Mailboxes are yellow and are located all over the city.
SHOPPING HOURS
In Toulouse, shops are open during the week from 10:00 am to 7:30 pm, many such as Pharmacies (Drugstores) close for lunch from 1:00pm – 3:00pm. Shops are closed on Sundays and a few on Mondays.
SMOKING POLICY
In France a smoking ban applies to all public spaces indoors but smoking is allowed in restaurant outdoor terraces.
TRANSPORT IN TOULOUSE
Taking a taxi could be expensive especially in the evening and they are often hard to order. City center is small and safe, we recommend your travel on foot, by bike or with Huber.
Toulouse public transports are efficient. Subway and buses are run by “Tisséo” company. The network includes 2 metro lines, tram lines and 81 bus services. Tisséo tickets are valid throughout the network. Metro network extends to 3 a.m. on weekends.
Should you arrive by plane, a shuttle links the airport to the city center and the rail station.
For more information, check-out our section on public transports.
TIPPING
A service charge is automatically included in French bills at hotels, restaurants and cafés. Tips are welcome in hotels and restaurants.