General information and practical conversions

Currency, electrical voltage, units of measurement... useful day-to-day information for your stay in France.

Electricity

Electricity in France runs on a 220-volt, 50-hertz AC current. France also uses a Type E plug (round pin and receptacle with male grounding pin). If you bring electrical appliances, you might need a plug adapter. You may also require a transformer, although today, most major appliances have one built in. When in doubt, check with the manufacturer.

Money

Along with sixteen other countries in the European Union, France has been using the euro as its official currency since 2002 (except in New Caledonia, French Polynesia, and Wallis & Futuna, which still use the ‘Pacific franc,’ or CFP). Regarding other methods of payment, the Bank of France has a National Call Centre for Lost or Stolen Cheques, and offers advice on careful use of credit cards.

Lengths

1 pouce = 1 inch (in) = 2.54 centimetres.
1 pied = 1 foot (ft) = 30.48 centimetres.
1 verge = 1 yard (yd) = 0.9144 centimetres.
1 mille = 1 mile (mi) = 1.6093 kilometres.
1 kilomètre = 0.6214 miles.
1 mile marin = 1 nautical mile (in) = 1.852 kilometres.

Weights

1 once = 1 ounce (oz) = 28.3495 grams.
1 livre (UK) = 1 pound (lb) = 0.4536 kilograms.

Temperatures

According to the system of measurement, you can record temperature in degrees Celsius (°C) or in degrees Fahrenheit (°F). Here is the formula for moving between the two systems and some examples.

Conversion from Fahrenheit to Celsius: °C = 5/9 (°F -32)
Conversion from Celsius to Fahrenheit: °F = (9/5)°C + 32

°C -15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35°F 5 14 23 32 41 50 59 68 77 86 95## Time

List of time zones for France and its territories, sorted by time offsets from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC, London).

  • France Métropolitaine (Paris local time): +1.00
  • French Polynesia:
    • Tahiti / Society Islands: -10.00
    • Tuamotus Islands: -10.00
    • Tubuai Islands: -10.00
    • Marquesas Islands: -9.30
    • Gambier Isalnds: -9.00
  • Guadeloupe: -5.00
  • Martinique: -5.00
  • Saint-Barthélemy: -5.00
  • Saint-Martin: -5.00
  • French Guinea: -4.00
  • Saint-Pierre et Miquelon: -4.00
  • Mayotte: +3.00
  • La Réunion: +3.00
  • French Antartic:
    • Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean: +3.00
    • Crozet Islands: +3.00
    • Kerguelen Islands: +5.00
    • Saint-Paul and Amsterdam Islands: +5.00
  • New Caledonia: +11.00
  • Wallis and Futuna: +12.00

Map of World Time Zones

(External link)

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