Christmas and New Years

Many restaurants close on the 24th and 25th of December and a number for the whole week between Christmas and the New Year. However, a few well known restaurants, like L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon are open on Christmas. The Opera Garnier and Opera Bastille have productions on Christmas eve and Christmas day and nearby cafes are open. All museums, except for the Jewish Museum are closed, but the Louvre and L’Orangerie are open December 24th. A few shops close for several days after Christmas, but most open the day after. If you arrive at the airport on Christmas day, there are cabs and the metro is running.

Other

May 1, May 8, July 14, November 1, and November 11 are French holidays. Check with your concierge to determine what’s closed.

The country code for France is 33.
The Paris area code is usually listed as (0)1.
To make a call within Paris, the 01 must be dialed,
but outside of Paris, drop the 0.

Clothing sales are regulated by French law and occur two times a year. Winter clothes go on sale for several weeks in mid to late January and summer clothes in late June. There are often lines of eager shoppers waiting outside popular stores on the early days of the sales.

On February 1, 2007, a non-smoking law passed in Paris banning smoking in workplaces, schools, airports, hospitals, and many other closed public places. In February 2008 the law also banned smoking in restaurants and cafes.

It’s not so easy to hail a cab in Paris as drivers often won’t pick up passengers unless they are waiting at designated cab stands. A small light on the roof indicates whether the cab is available. It’s particularly difficult to find a cab in rush hour so it’s wise to leave extra time. Most restaurants will phone for a taxi at the end of your meal.

Restaurants
A 15 percent service charge, required by French law, is included in restaurant checks in addition to the VAT tax. Often the check indicates service compris (tip included), but it’s not always itemized on the bill. There is no requirement to leave an extra tip, but it’s customary to leave 5 to 10% of the total.

Taxi Cabs
It’s customary to add 5% to the total.