Before you travel

1 Prepare for Your Trip

2 Packing Checklist

3 Weather Forecast

4 What to Wear

5 Mobile Phones and SIM Cards

6 Power Plugs

7 How to Exchange Money

8 What You Should Know About Flying

9 Items You Cannot Bring into Europe

10 Online Check-in

11 Booking Airport Transfer to Your Hotel

Before heading to France, it's important to prepare well, since you won't want to miss a thing. Here's what you need to know and bring, so read this before your trip.

Language

The official language is French. French people speak very little English or other foreign languages, but staff at tourism-related establishments can usually communicate in English.

Seasons in France

France has 4 seasons, as follows:

Spring (le printemps), late March to June, temperatures around 10-18°C. Early spring is still quite cold for Thai travelers, while late spring becomes warmer. This is a popular season for tourists, as flowers bloom beautifully and the weather is pleasant for walking around.

Summer (l'ete), July to September, temperatures around 20-30°C. This season is lively and bright, with sunshine all day long, making daylight hours longer than other seasons. Great for photos with clear blue skies, and sunsets later than usual. Traveling in this season is great value since you can sightsee for longer each day. It's also high season for Europeans who tend to travel during summer, and the ideal time to visit Provence in southern France to see the famous lavender fields, which are at their most beautiful during this period.

Autumn (l'automne), late September to December, temperatures around 10-18°C. This is the season for viewing the beautiful changing colors of the leaves, with a romantic atmosphere. There may be occasional light rain, so it's best to bring a small foldable umbrella. The weather starts getting colder from October onward, so be sure to pack warm clothing well if traveling from October onward.

Winter (l'hiver), late December to March, temperatures around 2-5°C. The weather is very cold with snowfall, and nights are longer than days, with darkness falling earlier than usual. Be sure to pack full winter clothing. You can enjoy Christmas markets in town squares, with beautiful light decorations amid snow-covered houses — truly stunning.


Currency Exchange, Where to Exchange Money

The currency of France is the Euro. 1 Euro is approximately 40 THB (the exchange rate typically ranges from about 38-40 THB per year).

You can exchange Euros at any bank in Thailand, or at Super Rich currency exchange, located on the lowest floor of Suvarnabhumi Airport, on the same floor as the Airport Rail Link station (we recommend exchanging your Euros in Thailand in advance, as the rate is considerably better than exchanging in France).


Airlines Flying to France

There are several airlines that fly to France, including:
1. Thai Airways (direct flight) www.thaiairways.com
2. Air France (direct flight) www.airfrance.co.th
3. Finnair (transit in Helsinki) www.finnair.com
4. SWISS (transit in Zurich) www.swiss.com
5. Lufthansa (transit in Frankfurt) www.lufthansa.com
6. Austrian (transit in Vienna) www.austrian.com
7. Gulf Air (transit in Bahrain) www.gulfair.com
8. Emirates (transit in Dubai) www.emirates.com
9. Qatar Airways (transit in Doha) www.qatarairways.com
10. British Airways (transit in London) www.britishairways.com
11. Turkmenistan Airlines (transit in Ashgabat) www.flyturkmenistanairlines.eu
12. Ukraine International (transit in Kiev) www.flyuia.com
13. Turkish Airlines (transit in Istanbul) www.turkishairlines.com
14. Oman Air (transit in Muscat) www.omanair.com
15. Etihad (transit in Abu Dhabi) www.etihad.com
16. Aeroflot (transit in Moscow) www.aeroflot.ru/xx-en
17. Norwegian (transit in Oslo) www.norwegian.com/us/
18. Vietnam Airlines (transit in Ho Chi Minh City) www.vietnamairlines.com
19. Jet Airways (transit in Mumbai) www.jetairways.com

Power Plugs

France uses Type E and F plugs (two small round pins). We recommend bringing a universal adapter so you'll be covered anywhere in the world.



Prohibited Items

Items prohibited from entering France include illegal drugs, weapons, live plants, ivory, and more.

Emergency Contact Numbers

Royal Thai Embassy in Paris
Ambassade Royale de Thailande en France
Address: 8, rue Greuze 75116 Paris
Phone: 01 5626 5050
Fax: 01 5626 0445
Emergency numbers: 06 03 59 97 05 and 06 46 71 96 94
Consular enquiries: [email protected]
Other enquiries: [email protected]

Opening Hours: Monday-Friday
09:30 - 12:30
14:00 - 17:30
09:30 - 12:00 (Visa Department)
Closed: Saturday, Sunday and public holidays

How to Get to the Royal Thai Embassy in Paris
Metro Line 6 or 9: Trocadero, Exit 4: Avenue Georges Mandel, Bus Line 63

Website http://www.thaiembassy.fr/


Lyon (69 - Rhône)
Consulat Honoraire de Thaïlande a Lyon
40, rue du Plat 69002 LYON
Phone: 04 7837 1658
Email: [email protected]
Opening Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday
09:30 - 11:30 and 14:30 - 16:30
Honorary Consul: Comte Frederic de GANAY

Marseille
Consulat Honoraire de Thaïlande a Marseille (consular district covers Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur)

Immeuble World Trade Center
2, rue Henri BARBUSSE
13001 Marseille
Phone: 07 8367 1684
Email: [email protected] (by appointment only)
Honorary Consul: Monsieur Olivier VAN DE WINKEL