Basic Information

This page is designed to give the traveller visiting Normandy some basic information about the region and offers advices on how to have a worry free vacation.

Visiting Paris

American in Paris - Provides a Guide to Paris, a listing of over 300 hotels with reviews by people who stayed at them, photos and a Paris A-Z covering everything from airport to zoo, original articles and more.

Time

The time in France is GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) + 1 hour.

Currency

The Currency used in most of Europe is the Euro, recently the exchange rates have varied greatly - please be aware of the current rate when you travel.  Currency can be changed in Banks such as Credit Lyonnais, in some Tourist Offices, in some Post Offices, and at hotel reception desks, though make sure you check what the fee is as it can vary! A better way is simply to draw out cash from ATM Cash machines. There are several in Bayeux, and the exchange rate and fees are normally as low as you can find.  You will need to know your 4-digit pin code of course!

Shop and Business Opening Hours

Shops and Banks open at around 9.00am and usually close for two hours from 12.00am to 2.00pm. In the summer, many "tourist" type shops stay open to until 7.00pm or later. There are several hyper-markets around the ring road - Champion, Leclerc, Intermarché, Lidl and Ed, they are not often open on Sundays but don't usually close for lunch. Watch out for Monday closures in the town centre, some shops and banks are closed. On Saturday in Bayeux, it's worth a stroll up to Place St Patrice for the market of local foods, clothes and other goods.

Telephoning France

French telephone numbers have 10 digits, for Normandy the code is 02.  When calling from USA or UK dial 00 33, omit the first zero and dial the remaining 9 digits.

Calling Home

To call the United States from France dial 00 1, to the UK is 00 44 1.  There are ways of using Mobile/Cell phones in France and it's possible to use your Laptop or Notebook computer. But because of the voltage differences, and other technical differences, it's best to check this out with a specialist. There is only one internet café in the region that we know of, it's the Roosevelt Bar on Utah beach, but you can also go to the Post Office or the Tourist Office in Bayeux to check your e-mails (you will need to buy a card).