PARIS CITY GUIDE
CLIMATE AND TEMPERATURE
Paris has an oceanic climate, affected by the North Atlantic Current. The summers tend to be warm and pleasant, winters tend to be cold but rarely the temperature falls below the freezing point. Rains falls throughout the year and sudden showers are not so rare.
Celsius, Average High and Low
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| 7 | 8 | 13 | 16 | 20 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 22 | 16 | 11 | 8 |
| 3 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 14 | 11 | 6 | 4 |
Fahrenheit, Average High and Low
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| 45 | 47 | 55 | 60 | 68 | 74 | 76 | 77 | 71 | 61 | 51 | 46 |
| 38 | 40 | 43 | 46 | 53 | 58 | 61 | 62 | 57 | 51 | 43 | 40 |
SAFETY AND HEALTH
Paris is, according to the statistics, one of the safest major metropolitan areas in Europe with low occurrences of violent crime. Pickpockets are common and you are advised to be especially careful around the main train stations, department stores, and other crowded locations.
If possible, please avoid walking the streets late at night, some areas especially known to be more than average dangerous is the Pigalle red light district and barbes. Areas around metro Les Halles, Chatelet, Gare du Nord and Stalingrad has been known to have many gangs and should be avoided late at night.
Traffic in Paris is quite aggressive and please be careful when driving or walking on trafficked streets. Numbers in case of emergency: Medical Emergencies: Dial 15, Fire: Dial 18, Police: Dial “17". The tap water in Paris is perfectly safe to drink.
TIME DIFFERENCE
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| -1 hour | +3 hours | 7 hours | -8 hours | -5 hours |
POPULATION
The city of Paris has a population of a little bit more than 2 million people but if one counts the whole metropolitan area, the population gets close to 12 million people, making Paris one of the most populated metropolitan areas in Europe. Paris is also know to be one of the most multicultural areas in Europe. Close to 20% of the total population was born outside France.
AREAS
Paris is located at the northern part of the Seine river and includes two island, the ile Saint Louis and ile de la Cite, which form the oldest part of the city. The city of Paris is divided into 20 different areas called municipal arrondissements.
CURRENCY AND FOREIGN EXCHANGE
The national currency in France is the Euro. Only major hotels, shops and restaurants accept U.S. dollars. There are 7 types of coins: 2 euro, 1 euro, 50 cents, 20 cents, 10 cents, 5 cents, 2 cents, and 1 cent. There are 7 types of bills: 500 euros, 200 euros, 100 euros, 50 euros, 20 euros, 10 euros, and 5 euros. Currency exchange can be made a banks, post offices, as well as exchange offices around the major tourist areas in Paris.
Tipping is not an absolute must at restaurants since a 15% service charge is included in the bill. Tips to taxi drivers (10-15% of the metered fare) is customary as well as small tips to people offering you various forms of services.
ELECTRICITY/VOLTAGE
Voltage: 220V, Frequency: 50Hz.