Worth knowing - Practical Guide
Health
No particular vaccinations are required for visitors to France. Medical care is widely
available and there are many modern hospitals of excellent quality on the Côte d'Azur.
Before leaving home, you are advised to take out medical insurance covering all medical
care dispensed abroad and repatriation if necessary.
Medical care
If you have to see a doctor, ask advice from your hotel concierge or the nearest pharmacy.
At night, or in emergencies, call : SOS Médecin (+33 (0)4 93 85 01 01), Médecins de
Garde (+33 (0)4 93 53 03 03) or Nice Médecins (+33 (0)4 93 52 42 42).
The various hospitals on the Riviera also have Emergency Units open day and night.
Pharmacies/Chemists
Most pharmacies are open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Saturday, and closed Sundays. At
night and on weekends, duty pharmacies stay open (the closest one will be indicated at the
entrance to all pharmacies).
Crime
The Côte d'Azur has a very low crime rate. Pickpockets and bag-snatchers do, however,
exist. These petty thieves hang around sightseeing areas and places frequented by tourists
such as stations, beaches and shopping malls. Leave your passport and personal documents
in a safe place or at your hotel to avoid any annoyance. The loss or theft of your
passport must be reported to the local police station, then to your embassy or consulate.
Road safety and highway networks
The state of French roads is satisfactory. You drive on the right. The French generally
drive rather fast, rather competitively. Make sure to give way to traffic on your right at
intersections (unless stated otherwise) : cars arriving from your right thus have
priority.
In towns, speed is generally limited to 50 km/hr (31 mph). On local or national roads,
authorized speeds range from 80 km/h (50 mph) to 110 km/h (70 mph). On highways, minimum
speed is 80 km/h (50 mph), maximum 130 km/h (81 mph).
Difficult Booking Periods for 2005 :
Useful addresses & phone Nos
Guide