Working in Paris France

Airport

Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport
One of the busiest airports in the world, Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport is located about 23km north-east of central Paris. Charles de Gaulle Airport, named after the former French Prime Minister, attracts close to 60 million travellers each year, but remains an efficient facility despite increasing visitor numbers year after year. Travellers to Charles de Gaulle Airport can experience more than just flying with the airport home to a huge amount of shopping opportunities to fill in time.

There are several public transport options to and from Charles de Gaulle Airport depending on your experience in the French capital. Shuttle buses, trains and taxis are the most common transport used by visitors to reach all parts of Paris. Air France operates regular shuttle buses that can be booked online or when at the airport. While it can be confusing for first-time visitors, Paris’ RER train service is the cheapest and often quickest way to reach your destination in the city. Taxis in Paris are expensive and be aware of hidden costs drivers often apply to unassuming visitors.

Paris Orly Airport
The French capital’s secondary airport, Paris Orly, is located about 14km south of central Paris. The airport is often utilised by low-cost carriers such as Ryanair and EasyJet. If booking a cheap fare make sure to check if it arrives at Paris Orly instead of Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport.

Like its bigger brother, Paris Orly has many public transport options for visitors travelling to and from the facility. Shuttle buses are run by Air France and local company, Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens (RATP). TGV high-speed trains are another option, but if this isn’t your preferred way to travel, a taxi stand is never too far away. Keep an eye on signage around the airport as it often includes English for visitors.

Railway Station

Paris has six important rail stations: Gare de l’Est, Gare du Nord, Gare de Lyon, Gare d’Austerlitz, Gare Saint-Lazare and Gare Montparnasse.

Gare de l’Est
Located in the 10th arrondissement, Gare de l’Est is one of the oldest stations in Paris. It provides high-speed and regional services, while also serving as a bus depot.

Gare du Nord
Located in the 10th arrondissement, Gare du Nord was opened in 1846 and handles around 190 million passengers each year. It provides services for trains to northern France and internationally to the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.

Gare de Lyon
Located in the 12th arrondissement, Gare de Lyon was opened in 1900 and is one of the busiest stations in Paris. It provides high-speed services to eastern France and internationally to Switzerland, Italy and Spain. It also has a metro station.

Gare d’Austerlitz
Located in the 13th arrondissement, Gare d’Austerlitz was opened in 1840 and handles about 30 million passengers each year. It provides several intercity and RER services, and is a metro station.

Gare Saint-Lazare
Located in the 8th arrondissement, Gare Saint-Lazare was opened in 1837 and handles about 100 million passengers each year, the second most of any station in Paris. It provides several intercity and regional services, and has a metro station.

Gare Montparnasse
Located in the 14th arrondissement, Gare Montparnasse was opened in 1840 before being completely rebuilt in 1969. It handles about 50 million passengers each year and services primarily TGV and intercity services.

Transportation

Paris has one of the most extensive metro and train services in Paris. These are known as the Metro and RER (Regional Express Network). The Metro consists of 16 lines and operates between 5am and 12.30am, with a train frequency of every few minutes. Information for English speakers is widely found throughout the city’s Metro stations. The RER consists of five lines and reaches the central and outer regions of Paris. This is also the service to use for access to Charles de Gaulle airport. Both the Metro and RER handle a huge number of passengers and can be very crowded.

Paris also has an extensive bus service for the harder to reach areas of the city. However, to properly appreciate the beauty of the city it is widely recommended to travel around by foot. Most hotels provide free maps to help visitors, while there are also many English-speaking walking tours available for tourists.

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Paris is high for anywhere in the world. Expats and tourists in the city will need to watch their wallet, but the harder you search the cheaper you will find the place to be. According to online cost of living database Numbeo (http://www.numbeo.com/), prices for typical items on current exchange rates (June 2013) are as follows:

Accommodation

Accommodation in Paris is generally very expensive, but it does vary for the high and low seasons. Paris is known for its luxurious hotels for high-end spenders. There is an abundance of choice in this category. However, for backpackers the options are spread reasonably thin. If you fit into this category it is best to save your funds for a trip to Paris. Don’t expect bang for your buck either, most of the cheaper hotels in Paris are very small.

A few options to consider include:

Budget
Hôtel De l’Europe Paris
The Modern Hotel
Hôtel Sunny

Mid-range
Hôtel St.-Jacques
Hôtel Beaubourg
Grand Hôtel des Balcons

High-end
Hôtel Ritz Paris
Hôtel Lutetia
Le Burgundy Paris

Shopping

Paris is one of the world’s top fashion centres. It offers a high-end shopping experience the equivalent of New York or Milan, but also a cheaper experience at the many markets located throughout the city.

The most popular shopping areas in Paris include Louvre-Tuileries and Faubourg Saint-Honoré, Paris Department Stores District – Boulevard Haussmann and The Marais. Make sure to visit Galeries Lafayette and Printemps when on Boulevard Haussmann. And ofcourse there is the Champs-Elysées… start at the Arc de Triomphe and wander down this amazing shopping street. Just beware of pick pockets.

The most famous flea market in Paris is Marché aux Puces de St-Ouen, which is located in the 18th arrondissement on the outskirts of the city.

Emergency

Emergency telephone numbers
Medical emergency 15
Police 17
Fire 18

Australian Embassy
4 Rue Jean Rey,
75015 Paris FRANCE
Telephone: (33 1) 4059 3300
Facsimile: (33 1) 4059 3315
E-mail: consular.paris@dfat.gov.au
Website: http://www.france.embassy.gov.au

Insurance and Healthcare

Health care in France, which is regarded as a universal health care system, provides care and financial protection to all registered citizens. A highly efficient and renowned system, the World Health Organisation has previously rated the health care in France as up there with the world’s best. The health care system in France is funded through contributions out of income from employed individuals in the country.

Most residents in the country qualify for France’s state health insurance, and this includes expats on a working holiday visa in the country. However, be aware that to qualify registration with CPAM (Caisse Primaire d’Assurance Malaide) must take place.

For people who do not qualify for the state service they must take out private insurance and there are plenty of options for this in France. Costs for private health treatment in France are comparable to those in Australia.

Despite a very high standard of health facilities in France, DFAT recommends all Australians travelling to the country take out comprehensive travel insurance to cover any overseas costs.