France (FR)

France is a unitary semi-presidential republic and the EU's most visited country, renowned for its world-class cuisine and wine, the iconic City of Light that is Paris, the French Riviera, iconic Alpine ski resorts, and a generous social state offering universal healthcare, extensive family benefits, and strong worker protections.

Capital: Paris

Region: Europe

Language: French

Currency: EUR (€)

Cost of living: Expensive (index 74)

Emergency: 112

Getting Around

Transport options for living in France.

Public Transport Overview

France has world-class public transport. The Paris Île-de-France region is served by the RATP (metro, RER, bus, tram) and SNCF Transilien. TGV high-speed trains connect all major cities. Regional TER trains serve each région. The Navigo pass covers all Paris-region transport for a single monthly fee.

Main operators:

SNCF (national railways)RATP (Paris metro, RER A/B, bus, tram)Île-de-France Mobilités (Paris region regulator)Keolis and Transdev (regional networks)FlixBus / BlaBlaCar Bus (intercity coach)

🎫 Transit Passes

Navigo Mois (Paris region) €90.80/month (from Jan 1 2026, all zones 1–5; was €88.80 in 2025)

Unlimited metro, RER, bus, tram, Transilien and Montmartre funicular across Île-de-France (Paris + inner and outer suburbs).

💡 Load onto a Navigo Easy or Navigo card. Some employers reimburse 50% (remboursement transport obligatoire).

Navigo Jour €8.65/day (zones 1–2)

One-day unlimited travel in chosen zones.

💡 Useful for occasional visitors.

Carte Avantage Jeune (SNCF) €49/year (ages 12–27)

30% off TGV INOUI, Intercités and TER tickets, capped fares on weekends.

💡 One of the best deals for young travellers.

Carte Avantage Adulte (SNCF) €49/year (ages 27–59)

30% off TGV INOUI, Intercités, with price caps.

💡 Pays back after 2–3 intercity trips.

Carte Avantage Senior (SNCF) €49/year (60+)

30% discount + capped fares.

💡 Frequent travellers: upgrade to Liberté (€399/year) for Business Première flexibility.

Pass Rail €49/month (summer 2025 programme; 2026 status TBC)

Unlimited TER and Intercités for under-27s during summer.

💡 Check sncf-connect.com for the 2026 edition.

Taxi & Rideshare

Taxis are metered. Paris starting fare ~€4.40 + €1.20/km (day). Use official taxi ranks or G7 / Taxi Bleu apps. Refusing short trips or fare negotiation is illegal — take note of the chauffeur's name and plate if you have issues.

Rideshare (Long-distance)

Uber, Bolt, Heetch, FREENOW operate in Paris and major cities. BlaBlaCar dominates intercity rideshare — Paris–Lyon from €15, Paris–Marseille from €25.

Cycling

Strong cycling infrastructure especially in Paris (Vélib'), Lyon (Vélo'v), Bordeaux, Strasbourg, Nantes. Vélib' Métropole in Paris: €3.10/day pass or €39/year subscription. Dedicated protected bike lanes (pistes cyclables) have expanded rapidly since 2020.

Intercity Trains

SNCF TGV INOUI high-speed trains: Paris–Lyon 1h55, Paris–Marseille 3h10, Paris–Bordeaux 2h04. Book on sncf-connect.com — prices rise close to departure. OUIGO is the low-cost TGV brand from €10. Eurostar connects Paris to London (2h20).

Driving

Péages (tolls) on autoroutes — Paris–Lyon ~€38 one way. Maximum speed limit: 130 km/h on autoroute (110 km/h in rain), 110 on dual carriageway, 80 on secondary roads, 50 in urban areas (often 30 in city centres since 2021). Crit'Air sticker required in low-emission zones (ZFE) of Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Lille, Strasbourg, Toulouse.

Airports

Major airports: Paris Charles-de-Gaulle (CDG), Paris Orly (ORY), Nice (NCE), Lyon Saint-Exupéry (LYS), Marseille Provence (MRS), Toulouse-Blagnac (TLS), Bordeaux (BOD). CDG to central Paris: RER B Paris Région Airports ticket €14 (2026) or Roissybus (€16.60). CDG Express (direct rail link) remains under development — no confirmed opening as of mid-2026.