2023 Rugby World Cup and Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games : consumer questions

Souvenir shop purchases

Hotels and restaurants

Taxis and VTC (chauffeur-driven car)

This article provides all the information you need on online purchases.

• If you live in France and purchase an item from a French company’s website, French consumer law applies.

Please note: Check that the trader is actually based in France. Just because the website’s domain name ends in “.fr” does not mean that the trader is French. Always read the legal notices and the terms and conditions of sale.

You can also check the trade and companies register.

• If you live in another European Union (EU) Member State and the trader is based in the same country, your domestic law applies. If you have any questions, contact a consumer protection organisation in your country.
• If you live in France and the trader is based in another country (EU or non-EU), French law may also apply if the trader’s business activity is France-oriented (i.e. the website has a French version, deliveries are made to France, customer service is available in France or in French, a French telephone number is given, etc.).

Tip : The terms and conditions of sale may stipulate the legislation of the trader’s country but this does not mean that you cannot rely on the rules in force in your country of residence if they provide more protection.

Please note that if the trader’s business activity is not France-oriented, your contract is governed by the legislation of the trader’s country.

Checking the integrity of an online seller

Before purchasing items online, check :

• whether the seller’s full contact details (name, postal address, telephone number, email address, VAT number, etc.) appear in the legal notices or in the terms and conditions of sale.
• whether the postal address is reliable. Enter the address given on the seller’s website into a search engine and click on the map to see photos of the street and determine whether the address is actually that of a company.
• the telephone number. If a number is given, call it and ask any questions you may have.
• the name or address of the website (URL). It is not a good sign if the website has a name or URL that bears no relation to the products being sold on the website.
• quality of spelling on the website. Steer clear if the content is written in poor French (spelling mistakes, convoluted turns of phrase, etc.).
• the means of payment available on the website.
• online reviews. Although they may not all be genuine, they provide you with an overall impression of the trader.

Beware of recommendations made by influencers !

Yes. The trader is entitled to decide on their delivery areas or lay down restrictions in their terms and conditions of sale.

Although unjustified geo-blocking is forbidden within the EU, there is no current requirement to offer goods and services with cross-border shipping at the same price for all countries.

You can browse all the languages on the seller’s website to see the prices set in the different countries. However, if you want to be charged the prices offered in a specific country, you must have your product delivered in that country and arrange the cross-border shipping to your home yourself.

Each country sets its own VAT rates so the price of your order may vary depending on the rate applying to your purchase.

Within the EU, consumers pay a price inclusive of taxes (including VAT). It is up to the trader to decide which VAT arrangements apply depending on the amount of distance sales made within the EU (less than €10,000 = VAT in the seller’s country; more than €10,000 = VAT in the country where the products are delivered). Tip: Dropshippers can apply for application of French VAT if their company is based in France.

Yes. If you purchase goods from a website based in a non-EU country such as the United Kingdom, for delivery in France, you will have to pay import VAT and potentially customs duties. The carrier usually requests payment of these expenses upon delivery and will bill you for the administrative charges for carrying out these customs procedures.

Tip : Import VAT and customs duties are not owed if :

• the value of your package is €150 or less (price exclusive of VAT, without cost of carriage and insurance if these are billed separately).
•  the seller based in a non-EU country has registered for the new VAT payment system called “IOSS” (Import One-Stop-Shop), and has paid the VAT using this system.

Yes. If you purchase goods from a website based in a non-EU country such as the United Kingdom, for delivery in France, you will have to pay import VAT and potentially customs duties. The carrier usually requests payment of these expenses upon delivery and will bill you for the administrative charges for carrying out these customs procedures.

Tip: Import VAT and customs duties are not owed if:

• the value of your package is €150 or less (price exclusive of VAT, without cost of carriage and insurance if these are billed separately).
• the seller based in a non-EU country has registered for the new VAT payment system called “IOSS” (Import One-Stop-Shop), and has paid the VAT using this system.

Dropshipping is the online sale of products by a seller which has no inventory: the seller receives the order payment, forwarding the order to the manufacturer which delivers it directly to the consumer. It is difficult to identify dropshipping websites. Although the practice is legal in France and is booming due, in particular, to social media influencers, there are sometimes unwelcome surprises such as very long delivery lead-times and customs duties.

Check :

• the online seller’s address in the website’s legal notices or in the terms and conditions of sale. If the address is for a building in central Paris, it is unlikely that the seller manages their inventory themself.
• the seller’s registration as a trader on an official trade register (quick search on the e-justice website).
• the terms and conditions of sale to find out to which country the products should be returned in the event of a defect or when exercising a right of withdrawal. This will give you a clue as to the product’s country of origin.
• the governing law set out in the terms and conditions of sale: this stipulation often indicates the country in which the seller is based.
• the delivery lead-time in the terms and conditions of sale. A long lead-time may suggest that you are on a dropshipper’s website.

You should receive your package on the date or within the lead-time stated by the seller unless you have jointly agreed to another date. If you have no information on the lead-time for delivery of your package, it should be delivered to you within 30 days at the latest.

Action in the event of a late delivery

Write to the seller (registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt or email with read receipt for which you should keep a copy) and demand delivery within a reasonable additional lead-time (8-10 days for example).

If you still have not received your order, cancel it and ask for a refund of the payment by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt or email with read receipt (always keep a copy of your requests). The seller is obliged to give you a refund as soon as reasonably possible.

Tip: If you have advised the seller in writing that you need to receive your order by a specific date (i.e. imperative delivery prior to the end of the Rugby World Cup or the Olympic Games), you can request immediate termination of the contract by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt in the event the order is not delivered by the agreed date.

The seller. They should either arrange another delivery at their expense or give you a refund. The seller can then take action against the carrier.

Please note that if you chose a different carrier to the one suggested by the seller or arranged the transportation yourself, you are liable for any incidents affecting your package. In this case, you should contact your chosen carrier.

Further information in the event of delivery issues in Europe.

Within the EU, you have a right of withdrawal concerning the majority of products purchased online. You have 14 days during which to change your mind.

Outside the EU, some countries provide for the right to change your mind within a period of up to 30 days, while others do not have such arrangements.

Please note that the following, among others, are not covered by the right of withdrawal:  accommodation services (seasonal rentals), carriage of goods, car rental, restaurants or leisure activities which must be provided by a given date or period (i.e. travel, tickets for the Olympic Games, airline and concert tickets, etc.). Further information on products not covered by a right of withdrawal.

Exercising the right of withdrawal

Return your order within 14 days to the address indicated by the trader or use the return label provided. In all cases, the items should be securely packaged. Taking photographs of the item and the package before sealing and shipping is recommended.

The seller is obliged to refund all the amounts you paid, including standard shipping costs (unless you chose a more expensive delivery method such as express delivery), within 14 days of your withdrawal. If you only return part of the order, you will be refunded the price of the returned goods.

Tip: The seller cannot give you a partial refund if you have only tried the item to check the size or that it works properly.

The cost of returns may be borne by consumers in the event of withdrawal. If large goods cannot be sent by post, the seller must advise you, before the contract is executed, of the approximate cost of reshipping. If you were not informed of the cost of return shipping, these costs are assumed by the trader.

In the EU, you have a legal compliance warranty of at least two years for all purchases in store or online from a professional seller. This means that you can ask the seller to repair or exchange the goods or, if this is not possible, to refund the amounts paid. Since 1 January 2022, this warranty has been extended to cover connected devices and digital content and services.

However, the term of the warranty and the conditions for exercising it may differ from one country to the other. Further information on warranties.

Non-EU countries may also have protective arrangements.

Example: The right to reject in the United Kingdom enables consumers, during the 30 days following delivery, to reject, in consideration of a refund, a product which is not of a satisfactory standard, is unfit for purpose or non-compliant with the description.

Identifying counterfeit products

• Check with the brand whether the seller is one of its authorised stockists and report any unofficial seller.
• Compare the prices applied with those of the brand’s official store. Be wary of prices that are too good to be true or offers of substantial reductions.
• Compare the brand’s logo with the one appearing on the relevant website.
• Carefully read the offers and terms and conditions on the website. If they are written in poor French, the website may be fake.
• Check whether the website has legal notices showing the seller’s full contact details and the terms and conditions of sale.
• If you enter the name of a well-known brand into a search engine, be wary of websites listed at the bottom of the page or not listed on the first page.

Find more pointers in our article on counterfeit products.

Refunds for orders in the event of any issues

If you have not received your order and the seller has not given you a refund, contact your bank as soon as possible to find out if you are entitled to a chargeback. Credit and debit card companies such as Visa and Mastercard offer these services to banks to protect their customers. Under certain conditions, banks can request a refund on behalf of their customers.

• Check the description of the second-hand product on offer. Do not hesitate to contact the seller.
• Look at the photos, and ask the seller for more if necessary. Compare them with other photos used on the Internet.
• Check the sale price : is it fixed or subject to auction? Compare the prices on different e-commerce platforms and websites for the same type of product. Factor in taxes and customs duties for purchases outside the EU.
• Read the terms and conditions of sale to understand the role of the second-hand sales platform : is it just a go-between for the buyer and seller? What support or protection services are on offer? What are the conditions for access to these services?
• Check the online platform’s administrative charges or commission.
• Pay with your bank card on a secure website (https + closed padlock icon), use secure payment services or protected systems which have now been introduced by certain classified ads websites.
• Ask the seller whether the package can be sent with tracked delivery and whether it is possible to take out insurance, especially if you are buying a valuable product.

Please note that if the seller is an individual, you have no right of withdrawal and potentially no warranty. Further information on online purchases of second-hand goods.

• First, contact the online seller in writing. Retain proof of your correspondence.
• If this effort proves unsuccessful, proceed as follows:

- If you live in France, you can receive assistance from a consumer’s association, whose contact information is available on the DGCCRF’s website. You can also report your problem with the trader on the SignalConso website.

- If you live in another EU Member State, Iceland or Norway, the European Consumer Centre for your country can help you. Visit the ECC Network website for its contact information.

- If you live in a non-EU country, contact your country’s embassy or consulate in France or report the dispute on the econsumer.gov website using its online form or contact members of the consumersinternational.org organisation.

As in all the other euro area countries, the legal tender in France is the euro. A euro is subdivided into a hundred cents. The symbol for the euro is: €

There are:

Note that in France, Bitcoin, and more generally cryptocurrency, is not recognised as an official currency.

Yes. Euro coins and banknotes are still accepted by merchants except when:

• the euro banknotes and/or coins are in poor condition
• they are counterfeit
• an excessive number of coins is used to pay (over 50 coins for a single transaction)
• the merchant is unable to give you change
• technical or security reasons prohibit it (e.g.: late-night stores, parking meters)

€10,000. This amount may be cash (banknotes, coins), cheques, traveller’s cheques, money orders, promissory notes, gold or prepaid cards. Amounts exceeding €10,000 must be declared to French customs (www.douane.gouv.fr).

Please be aware that travelling with cash has its risks: if it is lost or stolen, recovering it may prove difficult. Generally travel insurance does not cover lost cash.

There are four ways to acquire euros:

• Withdrawing euros from a cash machine using your bank card or international debit card. Be aware that a withdrawal limit may be set by your bank and additional fees may be charged.  
• Using a mobile application to acquire euros. This service is provided by some banking networks. To make a withdrawal, users must connect to their bank’s mobile application, enter the amount required, confirm the transaction by following a security procedure (e.g. a verification code sent by text), and enter the code received into the machine to complete the transaction. – Exchange your foreign currency for euros at a local bank or a bureau de change by showing some ID and account/bank card information. You will have to pay a currency conversion fee for this service.

Withdrawal limits may be set by the bureaux de change for security reasons. If a considerable amount of money is requested, the bureau de change may ask you to book an appointment and invoice you for the service.

All money changing transactions are recorded without delay on a slip, a copy of which is provided to the customer and another is kept by the money changer. This slip states the type of transaction carried out, the currency or currencies involved, the amounts exchanged and the rates applied. Slips are timestamped and numbered in chronological order.

Money changers keep a record of their transactions in a register.

• Cash-in-shop is a service offered by merchants to allow customers to withdraw/deposit cash from their account without having to make a purchase. Banks may set minimum and maximum limits for cash withdrawal/deposit.
• Cashback is a service provided by merchants to allow customers to withdraw cash that is then debited from their account in addition to a purchase made by bank card. For example, in addition to a €20 purchase you can request €30 in cash thanks to this service, and the merchant will subsequently charge €50 on your bank card.

Cashback is strictly controlled in France:

• Providing this service is optional for merchants, and so not all will offer it: it is not mandatory but rather is provided at the merchants’ initiative. 
• Merchants can only provide cashback if the customer specifically requests it before paying at the cash till.

• The minimum amount for a bank card purchase is €1.
• The maximum amount merchants can provide in cashback is €60.
• Merchants have the right to choose whether to provide this service or not. Before getting cashback, ask the merchant if there are fees for this service and, if applicable, their amount.

Note:

Cashback should not be confused with the practice of the same name, commonly employed in e-commerce and which involves offering consumers reductions in the form of refunds after the purchase of an item.

Merchants offering cashback or cash-in-shop services must indicate visibly, legibly and next to the payment terminals or points of sale whether this service is free or subject to a fee, and, if applicable, the related commissions and fees, inclusive of taxes.

Merchants will accept international bank cards for direct payment of any purchases.

• debit cards, credit cards or prepaid cards.

Merchants that do not accept bank cards or only specific ones must inform customers of this beforehand and in a clear manner with a mark, label or sign. If merchants accept bank cards, they have the right to also set certain conditions, such as minimum bank card payments of one euro.

Tip: Taxi drivers are required to accept card payments.

You must cancel the card immediately. To do this:

• contact the customer support of the relevant bank
• dial the number for cancelling cards listed on your bank’s website
• call the interbank hotline: 0892 705 705 (Rate: €0.35 per minute + call charge). This service is available around the clock, and forwards your call to your bank’s card cancellation centre.
• temporarily block your card from your online account

You must also report the loss of the card without delay if it was stolen.

Tips on how to avoid any inconveniences resulting from a loss or theft of your identity documents:

• do not keep your documents in your possession unless absolutely necessary
• keep a photocopy of the front and back of your documents separate from the originals or scan and send them to your email address. If the original documents are lost or stolen you can simply download copies online, making the process of replacing your documents easier.

If you (i.e. your bank account) are from a euro area country, no additional fees can be charged. Your bank must apply the same rates set for a withdrawal in your country of residence.

If you (i.e. your bank account) are not from a euro area country, additional fees will usually be charged. These fees may be indicated as a percentage and, in this case, there is usually also a minimum billing amount charged.

Note that if you withdraw money from an independent cash machine (a cash machine not linked to any bank), you may be charged usage fees by the provider. However, you should be informed of these fees prior to withdrawal with an onscreen message or a sticker on the machine for example. Be aware that the fees charged to a foreign customer cannot exceed those for a “national” withdrawal.

Useful tips

• Contact your bank for information: some banks charge no fees when you withdraw cash from a local partner bank.
• Paying by card may be better for your wallet than taking out euros because withdrawals incur fixed fees as well as usually a commission.
• When you withdraw money from a cash machine, a set commission is charged as well as a percentage of the amount withdrawn: in this respect, withdrawing a large sum in one go is recommended, if you can safely keep your money somewhere.

Yes. You can request your bank to send a transfer in euros to, for example, pay for accommodation or travel expenses.

If it is not a SEPA* transfer (a euro-denominated payment transaction available in the EU-27, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican City), currency conversion and transfer fees will be charged on the basis of the rates set forth in the account agreement.

No. Merchants are prohibited from charging customers additional fees based on the payment method used (e.g. cheque, bank card).
Any violation of this prohibition must be reported to the Directorate General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) on the Signal Conso platform.

However, merchants have the right to offer reductions to customers for using a specific payment method if they have been informed of this beforehand.  

If someone tries to give you an ink-stained bank note, do not take it. It was probably stolen and marked with an anti-theft device – an intelligent banknote neutralisation system (IBNS) – that is activated when perpetrators force open cash boxes that are found inside cash machines or a cash transport vehicle for example. This system leaves the notes unusable and worthless, reducing the risk of merchants, banks and other professionals regularly handling cash falling victim to this crime.

• First of all, contact the professional with whom you have the issue in writing (e.g. merchant, bank branch, bureau de change). Document your exchanges.
• If the issue is still unresolved following this initial step:

- if you live in France, you can receive assistance in resolving your issue from a consumer association. Their contact details can be found on the DGCCRF’s website.

You can also report any issues with a professional on the Signal Conso platform.

- if you live in an EU country that is not France, or in Iceland or Norway, you can receive assistance from the European Consumer Centre of your country. Its contact details are posted on the European Consumer Centres Network’s website.

- if you live outside the EU, contact your country’s embassy or consulate in France, or report your dispute on the econsumer.gov website by completing the online form or get in touch with members of the consumersinternational.org organisation.

The Rugby World Cup will be held in France from 8 September to 28 October 2023. Ticketing is already open. Only one official website is selling tickets for the matches or for the "packs". More information in this article on how to buy tickets for the Rugby World Cup 2023.

Rugby World Cup 2023 will take place in France, from 8 September to 28 October 2023. After our packs and single tickets sale phases, an official resale platform is now available to buy single match tickets. Please take into consideration that access to the competition venues will only be guaranteed with tickets bought through this official platform. You will find in the following Q&A all information about tickets for Rugby World Cup 2023.

As of now, the official resale platform will allow to buy single matches tickets for Rugby World Cup 2023.Official Hospitalities offers are available as well and can be found on the following website: https://hospitality2023.rugbyworldcup.com  

In order to guarantee your access to competition venues, tickets sale and resale must be conducted through official Rugby World Cup 2023 ticketing platforms.

The following site gives access to the competition’s single tickets offers through the official resale platform, the Official Hospitalities offers as well as the Official Travel offers, in order to access full packages, including match tickets.

No.

The sale of tickets and packages outside the official website is prohibited and constitutes an offence (article 313.6.2 of the French penal code).

It is also very risky. You might pay much more for a ticket than its face value, and you could be refused entry to the event if you purchased a fake ticket or an electronic ticket sold several times.

Do not hesitate to report this website on the platform of the French fraud control authority via SignalConso.

If you are a victim of a fraud or scam, file a preliminary complaint with the police : Masécurité.fr

Resale is possible via the France 2023 official resale platform. All information regarding resale and buying can be found here.

Pack offers including match tickets are available on our Official Travel website. An accommodation platform dedicated to ticket holders will soon become available as to make your accommodation reservations, with reasonable pricing and conditions.

• Official ticketing website for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games : tickets.paris2024.org
• A unique, fully digital and secure ticketing system has been set up: tickets for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games will only be sold on the Official Ticketing Website of the Paris 2024 Games (operated by the Paris 2024 Organising Committee) for worldwide spectators.
• The first phase of ticket sales for the Olympic Games began on 15 February via a draw (registration is now closed) and provides the chance to purchase tickets in packages of three sessions. The second phase will also take the form of a draw (registration from 15 March to 20 April) and covers ticket purchases in non-package format.
• Tailor-made packages : These allow you to choose tickets for three sessions of the sporting events. They are only available for the Olympic Games and cover all sports.

Tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies, and for certain sessions, will not be available during the phase of tailor-made package sales but will be sold during the second sales phase in May 2023.

Hospitality and travel packages : The hospitality package, put together by the Paris 2024 Organising Committee and its official supplier, consists of offerings which include guaranteed tickets for the majority of Olympic sporting events as well as access to services.

The Paris 2024 hospitality and travel packages will only be available from the following official and secure sources:

• The Official Paris 2024 Digital Hospitality Platform
• The Official Sub-Distributors Network

The ticketing website for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will officially open in autumn 2023 through the same Official Ticketing Website of the Paris 2024 Games.

For hospitality and travel packages, On Location will also be the sole official hospitality service provider for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

Further information will be provided during 2023.

• Only buy your tickets through the official channel :

• The Official Ticketing Website of the Paris 2024 Games (tickets.paris2024.org) is the sole seller of tickets for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This means that no other parties are authorised to sell tickets either from sales outlets or websites.

  Unauthorised sale or resale of tickets and packages by parties from sales outlets or websites outside the official channel is an offence under Article 313.6.2 of the French Penal Code.

  There are many risks attached to buying tickets or packages outside the official channel :

• Paying much more for a ticket than its face value
• Buying a fake ticket or an e-ticket that has been resold several times
• Being refused entry to the events

• I’ve found tickets for the Olympic Games on another website – is this legal ?

  No.

  The sale of tickets and packages outside the official website is forbidden and constitutes an offence under Article 313.6.2 of the French Penal Code.

  It is also very risky as you may be refused entry to the event if it is a fake ticket or an e-ticket that has been resold several times.

  You can report unofficial websites on the SignalConso fraud control website.

  If you have been a victim of fraud, file a pre-complaint with the police: www.pre-plainte-en-ligne.gouv.fr.

No.

The sale of tickets and packages outside the official website is forbidden and constitutes an offence under Article 313.6.2 of the French Penal Code.

It is also very risky as you may be refused entry to the event if it is a fake ticket or an e-ticket that has been resold several times.

You can report unofficial websites on the SignalConso fraud control website.

If you have been a victim of fraud, file a pre-complaint with the police: www.pre-plainte-en-ligne.gouv.fr.

• An official ticket exchange website will be available for ticketholders.
• This website will enable ticketholders who are unable to attend to resell their tickets and allow potential spectators who were unsuccessful in purchasing tickets to experience this special event.

If you are, or consider that you are, faced with a consumer issue (lack of information on prices, unfair clause, false advertising) with regard to a trader, you can report it with just a few clicks on the SignalConso website.

If you believe that you have been a victim of fraud or wish to report an unauthorised ticket reseller, file a pre-complaint with the police: www.pre-plainte-en-ligne.gouv.fr.

What types of accommodation are available ? How can you book them ? And what should you look out for when booking a hotel or other type of accommodation that seems suited to your needs ? This article has everything you need to know about booking accommodation in France.

For your stay during the Olympic and/or Paralympic Games in France, you have the option of booking :

• a room in a hotel
• entire self-catering accommodation (furnished house, apartment or studio) or a private room in one
• a campsite pitch, static caravan or bungalow tent
• a room in a bed and breakfast (B&B)
• a bed or room in a youth hostel

To find accommodation, you can contact the Paris Tourist Office, use a holiday rental agency or check out accommodation rental websites. 

If you choose to book through an online platform or a peer-to-peer website, be especially careful: the accommodation you see on the website may not correspond to reality.

Tip : Feel free to contact the hotel or the rental property owner directly to compare such aspects as price, terms of cancellation, room/property features and breakfast with what the booking platform offers. Platform service fees can be a substantial additional cost.

Before booking an apartment, room or static caravan for your stay in France, make sure that you have the following information : 

• The address, surface area, number of main rooms and other features of the accommodation (e.g. it is on a high floor with no elevator)
• Whether it contains a bathroom/WC
• Its condition
• The amenities it offers (e.g. fridge, oven, TV, bed sheets)
• The rental price
• What the price includes (e.g. breakfast, cleaning/housekeeping, bed linen)
• Whether animals are allowed

If you choose to rent self-catering accommodation (from an individual or an agency), a detailed description must be provided to you before the rental starts.

Tip : Hotel operators in France do not have the right to refuse accommodation to families with children (Articles L.225-1 to 225-4 of the French Penal Code). However, hotel operators may try to circumvent this stipulation by telling potential guests with families that the hotel is fully booked. If you have any doubts about why your booking request was rejected, you will be required to provide proof that the hotel operator acted in bad faith and, where appropriate, lodge a discrimination complaint.

No, the hotel star rating system varies from country to country. A three-star hotel in France may not meet the same criteria as a three-star hotel in Italy, Spain, Germany, etc.

In France, hotels can choose to be rated based on the criteria established by Atout France, the country’s tourism development agency. In this case, the number of stars is determined by the four categories below:

• The standard of amenities/facilities
• The quality of customer service
• Best environmental practices
• Best practices for catering for guests with disabilities

To check the rating of your accommodation, visit the Atout France website (in French only). 

Be sure that you do not confuse the rating of an accommodation with the stars given by other travellers in their online reviews.

Tip : Hotels can also have certification labels. For example, Tourisme & Handicap certification is given to hotels that provide a high standard of service meeting the specific needs of guests with disabilities, and the EU Ecolabel certifies that recipient hotels have implemented certain environmentally friendly measures.

The deposit (referred to as either dépôt de garantie or caution in French) is an amount of money that the owner of a rental property may ask you to pay before the rental starts to cover any damage that may occur during your stay.

While the owner can cash the deposit cheque, it must be returned to you after your departure if no damages or need for repairs were reported at the time of the departure inspection of the rental property.

It is important to note that if repairs are required based on the information contained in the arrival inspection report, and if their amount is greater than the deposit, you will have to pay the difference. Always ask for proof of the repairs made (such as an invoice from a tradesperson).

If you choose to rent an apartment in Paris or elsewhere in France, the rental property owner may require that you provide proof of insurance. In France, the most typical policy is comprehensive home insurance (assurance multirisque habitation), which covers you in the event of fire or water damage. You are generally responsible for the cost of any other type of damage that may occur during your stay (broken furniture and furnishings, lost or damaged items).

Contact your home insurance provider, for instance, to check if your policy can be extended to cover a holiday rental property. Additionally, look into any coverage that may be offered through your bank card if you are using this form of payment for your accommodation.

The tourist tax is a tax levied in some municipalities on holiday-makers. It is calculated per person (over the age of 18) and per night. The amount varies based on:

• the type of accommodation (e.g. hotel, self-catering, campsite)
• whether the accommodation has a rating

To check how much tourist tax you will owe, click here.

You may be asked to pay it before your stay but it is only owed if you complete your stay in a hotel or other type of accommodation in the municipality concerned. 

The price displayed is inclusive of tax. It includes applicable taxes and all booking-related services. Any applicable taxes to be paid by the consumer that are not included in the price should be displayed near it.

Important:

• Breakfast is not necessarily included in the price of a hotel room.
• For tourist rental properties, you may be charged a cleaning fee. Ask for a breakdown of such fees.
• The price of B&Bs includes, as a rule, the night’s stay, breakfast and housekeeping. Other guest meals may be available for an additional charge. 

If the hotel room or rental property does not match the advertised description (e.g. it has a view of a construction site instead of the Eiffel Tower or smells unpleasant), or if it does not contain the amenities stated in the rental contract, take photos of the discrepancies.

Then, get in touch with the owner in order to find an amicable solution. For instance, ask the owner to repair the appliance that is broken or to clean the rental property. If you booked your accommodation through an online platform, feel free to contact them and ask them to help you navigate the problem and report the condition of the accommodation.

If no solution can be found, ask the owner if they have another rental property that you may stay in under the same rental agreement. If this is impossible, ask for a price reduction, a voucher for a future stay or any other solution that would be satisfactory to you.

Tip : If the rental accommodation is unsafe or unsanitary (e.g. presence of cockroaches, loose electrical outlets, mould, windows that do not open), the city health department can be contacted.

If you are a non-French national, yes.

All foreign guests (over the age of 15, as children under 15 can be listed on the accompanying adult’s form) who are staying in a hotel, self-catering accommodation, B&B, campsite, etc., must complete and sign the police information form on their arrival. This form may be requested by the police and gendarmerie in the event of civil disorder or legal investigations/inquiries. The form must be retained by the hotel operator or lessor for six months. If you refuse to complete or sign the police information reform, the hotel operator or lessor reserves the right to refuse your stay at their property.

No.

First, it is important to know that you have no right of withdrawal when you book accommodation online. This means that you do not have a period of 14 days after the confirmation of your booking to change your mind.

If you cancel your booking, you will be subject to the terms of cancellation set by the hotel or in the rental agreement.

If your booking is non-refundable, even if your cancellation is due to circumstances beyond your control (such as an illness or the death of a loved one), you will not be automatically refunded. It is up to you to negotiate with the hotel operator or the rental property owner in order to obtain a refund or the postponement of your stay.

• First, contact the hotel operator or the rental property owner in writing. You may also contact the intermediary through which you found the accommodation (e.g. online booking platform, tourist office). Retain proof of your correspondence. 
• If this effort proves unsuccessful, proceed as follows:
  • If you live in France, you can receive assistance from a consumers’ association, whose contact information is available on the DGCCRF’s website. You can also report your problem with the hotel operator or the rental property owner on the SignalConso website.
  • If you live in another EU Member State, Iceland or Norway, the European Consumer Centre for your country can assist you. Visit the ECC Network website for its contact information.
  • If you live in a non-EU country, contact the organisation consumersinternational.org, or the embassy or consulate of your country in France.

This article provides all the information you need concerning your rights.

You are covered by Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 if you take off from an EU Member State, Iceland, Norway or Switzerland OR from a non-EU country with a European airline. If you take off from a non-EU country with a non-European airline, your rights are contingent on the rules laid down in the plane’s country of departure.

Flights within the EU or with a European airline

Before confirming your booking, check your choices as you are not entitled to a 14-day right of withdrawal during which to cancel a flight booked online.

• Compare offers (free meal included, fees for check-in online or at the airport, additional baggage allowance surcharges, seat reservation, etc.) between different airlines and between the chosen airline and the booking platform.
• Do not be swayed by reduced price offers or mention of the number of people consulting the same flight and the number of remaining seats.
• Check the date of the booked flight, your first names, surname and date of birth.
• Find out whether your luggage is included in the price of the ticket.
• If you book several separate flights, give yourself enough time for the connections.

Watch out for hidden fees on airline tickets! In theory, airlines, travel agencies and intermediaries that sell flights leaving from the EU must specify the final price (inclusive of all taxes) to be paid as from the start of the booking process. However, in practice, a number of hidden charges can inflate the price of an airline ticket. These include cancellation insurance, additional baggage allowance surcharges, check-in at the airport and choice of seat number.

Ask your airline; some companies only allow certain breeds or certain types of animals (such as guide dogs) on board.

Also ask about the conditions for transporting animals and the cost. Depending on its size and weight, your pet may be considered as excess baggage and will travel in a cage in the hold, or as additional carry-on baggage and can travel with you in the cabin in a carrier.

Pay attention to the time when you should arrive to check-in with your pet. If you fail to comply with the transport conditions, the airline may refuse boarding for your cat or dog.

Within the EU, a valid identity card or passport is required to enter and stay for a maximum of three months in a Member State. The airline may not allow you to board if you have an out-of-date identity card or passport.

In their general conditions of carriage, many airlines stipulate other documents to be presented for boarding such as family record booklets or parental authorisations to leave the territory for minors. Find out about this ahead of time!

If you are travelling from a non-EU country, you may need a visa. Further information here.

If your flight is still scheduled but you ask for your tickets to be cancelled as you cannot or no longer wish to travel (illness, death of a relative, etc.), your entitlement to a refund is entirely contingent on the conditions attached to your tickets.

If they cannot be amended or cancelled, refunds are not guaranteed.

Contact your carrier as soon as possible.

Tip: If you have taken out cancellation insurance, check whether the grounds for your cancellation are covered as each policy has its own specific conditions. Generally speaking, cancellation insurance covers events affecting you personally (health issue, loss of identity documents, cancellation of leave by the employer, etc.). It does not extend to restrictions on movement imposed by a government or the situation in the country of destination (political crisis, natural disasters, etc.).

A flight is considered as being late as from:

• two hours for flights up to 1,500 km.
• three hours for flights of more than 1,500 km within the EU and for other flights between 1,500 km and 3,500 km.
• four hours for flights of more than 3,500 km.

Tip : The delay is calculated upon the plane’s arrival and not its departure. A plane’s arrival time is determined by the opening of at least one of its doors.

If your flight takes off several hours late, you are entitled to free beverages and meals, at your carrier’s expense, and two phone calls, two faxes or two emails in the departure airport. If the delay is such that your flight cannot take off until the next day, you are also entitled to accommodation and transfers between the airport and the hotel. If these expenses are not settled by the airline, ask for a refund by presenting supporting documents.

If the flight is more than two hours late on arrival, you are entitled to financial compensation calculated based on the distance of the flight:

• €250 for flights of up to 1,500 km.
• €400 for flights of between 1,500 km and 3,500 km.
• €600 beyond 3,500 km provided the flight is at least four hours late (€300 for a delay of between three and four hours).

Please note that this compensation will not be paid if :

• you were informed that your flight would be delayed at least two weeks prior to departure.
• the airline is able to prove that the cancellation was due to extraordinary circumstances (volcanic eruptions, floods, civil war, earthquakes, etc.).

A cancelled flight is one that was initially scheduled but did not leave. Theoretically, the cancellation of a flight involves a change of flight number, unlike a delay.

If your flight is cancelled, you are entitled to beverages and meals, and accommodation if your flight only takes off the next day, and two phone calls, two faxes or two emails. If these expenses are not settled by the airline, ask for a refund by presenting supporting documents.

You are also entitled to choose between a refund of your ticket or another flight to your final destination under comparable conditions of carriage.

Lastly, you are entitled to compensation of :

•  250 for flights of up to 1,500 km.
•  400 for flights of between 1,500 km and 3,500 km.
• €600 beyond 3,500 km.

Please note that this compensation will not be paid if:

• you were informed that your flight would be delayed at least two weeks prior to departure.
• the airline is able to prove that the cancellation was due to extraordinary circumstances (volcanic eruptions, floods, civil war, earthquakes, etc.).
• the departure of the proposed replacement flight is brought forward by less than two hours or the arrival is delayed by less than four hours.

Overbooking is when passengers are unable to board the plane as the airline has sold more tickets than available seats.

If you are denied a seat on an overbooked flight and did not volunteer to postpone your journey, you are entitled to:

• choose between a replacement flight to your final destination and a refund of your ticket.
• meals, beverages, two phone calls, two faxes or two emails and, if necessary, accommodation and transfers between the airport and the hotel.  

If you have not been rerouted, you are entitled to compensation of between €125 and €600 depending on the distance of your flight.

Please note that if the airline refuses to board you on the grounds of health, safety or security or non-valid travel documents (presentation of a residency permit instead of an identity card), you are not entitled to assistance or compensation.

• Immediately inform the airport that your baggage is missing at the desk of your last carrier airline or at the airport’s “baggage” desk. The airline must provide you with a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) number which you should keep as you will be asked for it in order to process your claim.
• Keep all your travel documents: boarding passes, baggage check-in receipts, baggage label if you recover it.
• If you receive your baggage late, you have 21 days as from receiving it to send a written claim to the airline and to request a refund for necessity purchases upon presentation of invoices. Use the airline’s online form.
•  If you do not receive your baggage, you are entitled to claim a refund for your lost property and suitcase by presenting purchase invoices (up to around €1,500). If you do not have supporting documents, you may be offered compensation based on weight (approximately €20 per kilogramme).

Further information on baggage issues.

At the arrival airport, if you notice that your baggage has been damaged or destroyed during carriage, you can ask the carrier to refund the price of your damaged suitcase and property. To do so, write to the airline within seven days of receiving your suitcase and provide as much information as possible concerning the property damaged during carriage (photographs, purchase invoices, etc.).

The airline should compensate you up to approximately €1,500 per passenger (Montreal Convention).

Further information on baggage issues.

• First, contact the airline or booking platform with which you ordered your tickets in writing (email, online form, registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt).

Retain proof of your correspondence.

• If this effort proves unsuccessful, proceed as follows:

- If you live in France, you can receive assistance from a consumer’s association, whose contact information is available on the DGCCRF’s website. You can also report your problem with the company on the SignalConso website.

- If you live in another EU Member State, Iceland or Norway, the European Consumer Centre for your country can help you. Visit the ECC Network website for its contact information.

- If you live in a non-EU country, contact your country’s embassy or consulate in France or report the dispute on the econsumer.gov website using its online form or contact members of the consumersinternational.org organisation.

• There are no general regulations protecting passengers travelling from a non-EU country with a non-European airline.

  Theoretically, the legislation of the country from which the plane departs applies. Find out about this ahead of time!

• First, contact the airline in writing. Retain proof of your correspondence.
• If this effort proves unsuccessful, proceed as follows: contact your country’s embassy or consulate in France or members of the consumersinternational.org organisation.

If your flight to come to the 2024 Olympic or Paralympic Games was cancelled or delayed, or your baggage was not at the arrival airport, this article provides all the information you need concerning your rights.

Your flight left from an EU Member State, Iceland, Norway or Switzerland OR your flight left from a non-EU country but the airline was European.

Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 protects you in the event of cancellation, delayed flights or denied boarding. Find out about your rights and how to receive a refund for a cancelled or delayed flight from an airline.

A flight is considered as being late as from:

• two hours for flights of up to 1,500 km.
• three hours for flights of more than 1,500 km within the EU and for other flights between 1,500 km and 3,500 km.
• four hours for flights of more than 3,500 km.

Tip: The delay is calculated upon the plane’s arrival and not its departure. A plane’s arrival time is determined by the opening of at least one of its doors.

If your flight takes off several hours late, you are entitled to free beverages and meals, at your carrier’s expense, and two phone calls, two faxes or two emails in the departure airport.

If the delay is such that your flight cannot take off until the next day, you are also entitled to accommodation and transfers between the airport and the hotel.

If these expenses are not settled by the airline, ask for a refund by presenting supporting documents.

Compensation owed for delays depends on the distance of the flight and is:

• €250 for flights of up to 1,500 km.
• €400 for flights of between 1,500 km and 3,500 km.
• €600 beyond 3,500 km provided the flight is at least four hours late (€300 for a delay of between three and four hours).

Please note that this compensation will not be paid if:

• you were informed that your flight would be delayed at least two weeks prior to departure.
• the airline is able to prove that the cancellation was due to extraordinary circumstances (volcanic eruptions, floods, civil war, earthquakes, etc.).

A cancelled flight is one that was initially scheduled but did not leave. Theoretically, the cancellation of a flight involves a change of flight number, unlike a delay.

If your flight is cancelled, you are entitled to beverages and meals, and accommodation if your flight only takes off the next day, and two phone calls, two faxes or two emails. If these expenses are not settled by the airline, ask for a refund by presenting supporting documents.

You are also entitled to choose between a refund of your ticket or another flight to your final destination under comparable conditions of carriage.

Lastly, you are entitled to compensation of:

• €250 for flights of up to 1,500 km.
• €400 for flights of between 1,500 km and 3,500 km.
• €600 beyond 3,500 km provided the flight is at least four hours late (€300 for a delay of between three and four hours).

Please note that this compensation will not be paid if:

• you were informed that your flight would be delayed at least two weeks prior to departure.
• the airline is able to prove that the cancellation was due to extraordinary circumstances (volcanic eruptions, floods, civil war, earthquakes, etc.).
• the departure of the proposed replacement flight is brought forward by less than two hours or the arrival is delayed by less than four hours.

Overbooking is when passengers are unable to board the plane as the airline has sold more tickets than available seats.

In the event of overbooking, the airline must first find volunteers by asking the passengers whether they agree to postpone their journey.

If you volunteer, you are entitled to:

• a refund of your airline ticket and possibly payment of a return flight to your departure airport
• meals and beverages pending the replacement flight.
• payment of compensation negotiated with the airline.

If you did not volunteer and you were denied boarding, you are entitled to:

• choose between a replacement flight to your final destination and a refund of your ticket.
• meals, beverages, two phone calls, two faxes or two emails and, if necessary, accommodation and transfers between the airport and the hotel. 
• payment of compensation of €250 for flights of up to 1,500 km, €400 for flights of between 1,500 km and 3,500 km, and €600 beyond 3,500 km provided the flight is at least four hours late.

• First, contact the airline in writing. Retain proof of your correspondence.
• If this effort proves unsuccessful, proceed as follows:
  • If you live in France, you can receive assistance from a consumer’s association, whose contact information is available on the DGCCRF’s website. You can also report your problem with the company on the SignalConso website.
  • If you live in another EU Member State, Iceland or Norway, the European Consumer Centre for your country can help you. Visit the ECC Network website for its contact information.

• First, contact the airline in writing. Retain proof of your correspondence.
• If this effort proves unsuccessful, proceed as follows : contact the consumersinternational.org organisation or your country’s embassy or consulate in France.

• Check the bus departure and arrival points. Some stops may be outside bus stations.
• Choose your timetable wisely if you have to catch a flight or make it to an appointment, as you won't be entitled to any compensation if you're delayed by traffic jams.
• Your journey may include one or more connections. Check your ticket and ask the driver for assistance if necessary.

Be sure to bring your valid passport or identity card. Drivers do not carry out systematic checks on departure, but checks may be carried out during the journey by national authorities.

Please note! If your under-age child is traveling alone, with a single parent or with another adult, check whether an authorization to leave the country is required.

During breaks, don't miss the departure time. Drivers are not obliged to check that all passengers are present before departing.

Also keep an eye on your luggage as it is travelling under your responsibility.

If your bus journey is cancelled or delayed at departure by more than 2 hours, you can choose between :

• re-routing to your final destination at no extra cost and under comparable conditions;
• a ticket refund (and, if applicable, a free return to the original departure point).

If you were not given this choice, you are entitled to compensation equivalent to 50% of the ticket price AND a refund.

For journeys of more than 3 hours which are cancelled or delayed by at least 1.5 hours, you are entitled to free assistance, including:

• drinks, snacks or meals in reasonable quantities, depending on the waiting time;
• accommodation if necessary. This accommodation may be limited to 2 nights and to €80 per night. It is not due in the event of exceptional circumstances such as extreme weather conditions or natural disasters.

No. If your bus to the airport or station is late, you can't ask the bus company to reimburse you for your missed train or plane. The tickets were purchased separately, and the regulations governing these two modes of transport are different. You may be able to claim compensation in court if you can prove that the bus company was at fault.

Tip: allow sufficient time for connections between your different modes of transport.

You are responsible for your luggage. The carrier is only liable in the event of a bus accident.

Advice :

• Before departure, remember to take a photo of the contents of your suitcase.
• Avoid valuables in your luggage if you can’t keep it with you.
• Keep an eye on your luggage during stops.
• In the event of theft, lodge a complaint with the police, then file a complaint with the carrier, presenting invoices or receipts of the lost goods.

If your bus has had an accident, you are entitled to compensation for personal injury, death or loss of luggage.

No, disability or reduced mobility are not grounds for refusal to board. Nor can you be asked to pay a supplement for these reasons.

• However, there are two exceptions:
• If safety on board is not guaranteed;    If the vehicle or infrastructure (stops, coach stations, etc.) do not allow for safe and operationally feasible travel.

In this case, you may request that a person of your choice accompany you free of charge to alleviate any safety problems that might prevent the trip.

Yes, you are entitled to special assistance at bus stations and when getting on and off the bus. If necessary, a companion of your choice can travel with you free of charge.

For more information EU passenger rights for people with disabilities or reduced mobility - Your Europe (europa.eu)

First, contact the carrier in writing. Retain proof of your correspondence.    If this effort proves unsuccessful, proceed as follows:

- If you live in France, you can receive assistance from a consumers’ association, whose contact information is available on the DGCCRF’s website. You can also report your problem with the hotel operator or the rental property owner on the SignalConso platform.

- If you live in another EU Member State, Iceland or Norway, the European Consumer Centre for your country can assist you. Visit the ECC Network website for its contact information.

- If you live in a non-EU country, contact the embassy or consulate of your country in France or report your dispute on the website econsumer.gov, via the complaint form or contact the members of consumers international.org

If you're taking the ferry with your car, be sure to check the size limits, including roof boxes.

Please bring your valid passport or identity card.

If your minor child is traveling alone, with one of his parents or with another adult, you may need to obtain authorization to leave the country. Find out more. In practice, many carriers refuse to carry unaccompanied minors under 16.

Be careful if your trip includes stopovers! Check that you have the necessary papers for the entire journey and for the countries you will be crossing or visiting.

In the event of cancellation or a 90-minute delay at departure, you can choose between:

• re-routing to your final destination at no extra cost, under comparable conditions and as quickly as possible;
• A refund of your ticket (and, if applicable, a free return to your original point of departure).

In the event of a delay on arrival, you are entitled to compensation depending on the length of your trip and the time of delay on arrival.

For example, if your journey lasted less than 4 hours, you are entitled to compensation of 25% of the ticket price for a delay of more than 1 hour on arrival, and 50% for a delay of more than 2 hours.

For more information, please see our article Travelling by ship or ferry.

Compensation is not due if:

    The cancellation or delay was known before the ticket was purchased,
The cancellation or delay is due to the passenger's fault,
The carrier proves that the cancellation or delay is due to weather conditions compromising the safety of the journey or extraordinary circumstances (strike by port personnel, port closure, etc.).

If your trip is cancelled or delayed by more than 90 minutes, you are entitled to :

• meals and drinks in reasonable quantities, taking into account the waiting time,
• accommodation on board or ashore if necessary (with a limit of 3 nights and €80 per night) and transport to get there.

Please note! Accommodation is not due if the cancellation or delay is due to weather conditions compromising the safety of the trip or to extraordinary circumstances. And assistance is not due if the cancellation or delay was known before the ticket was purchased or is the fault of the passenger.

Your luggage on the ship remains your responsibility. You cannot claim compensation in the event of loss or theft.

If your ship has been involved in an accident, you are entitled to compensation in the event of personal injury, death, loss of luggage or damage to your vehicle.

Good to know: you (or your heirs) have direct recourse against the carrier's insurance provider in the event of death or injury.

If you are a passenger with a disability or reduced mobility, you are entitled to free assistance in port terminals and on board the ship.

Loss or damage to your mobility equipment entitles you to financial compensation.

• First, contact the carrier or the booking platform you have used to purchase your tickets in writing (e-mail, online form, registered letter…), within the two months of your travel. Retain proof of your correspondence. The carrier has 1 month to acknowledge receipt of your complaint and 2 months from the date of acknowledgement to respond. Retain proof of your correspondence.
• If this effort proves unsuccessful, proceed as follows:

- If you live in France, you can receive assistance from a consumers’ association, whose contact information is available on the DGCCRF’s website. You can also report your problem with the hotel operator or the rental property owner on the SignalConso platform.

- If you live in another EU Member State, Iceland or Norway, the European Consumer Centre for your country can assist you. Visit the ECC Network website for its contact information.

- If you live in a non-EU country, contact the embassy or consulate of your country in France or report your dispute on the website econsumer.gov, via the complaint form or contact the members of consumersinternational.org.

If you choose a package tour (the travel agency offers all the services for a set price) for your trip to France, here are the things to check before finalising your arrangements :

• The France-based travel agency must appear on the register kept by Atout France.
• The travel agency must inform you of :

• the main features of the trip (dates, destination, itinerary, number of nights’ stay, transportation, accommodation, meals, excursions, access for people with mobility issues, group size, language used)
• the organiser’s business name and address
• the full price including taxes and all fees
• the terms of payment
• the minimum number of participants for the trip   
• the conditions in force for passports and visas
• the conditions for terminating the contract
• mandatory and optional insurance   

• The travel agency must provide you with a copy or conformation of the contract; print it out and keep it for your records.
• The contract must stipulate :

• the main features of the trip (dates, destination, itinerary, number of nights’ stay, transportation, accommodation, meals, excursions, access for people with mobility issues, group size, language used)
• the organiser’s business name and address
• the full price including taxes and all fees
• the terms of payment
• the minimum number of participants for the trip   
• the conditions in force for passports and visas
• the conditions for terminating the contract
• mandatory and optional insurance  
• the traveller’s special requirements  
• the travel agency’s responsibility for due and proper provision of all the services  
• the name and contact details of the entity tasked with protection against insolvency and of the travel agency’s local representative
• wording about reporting any non-compliance  
• information for contacting unaccompanied minors  
• internal complaint processing procedures
• information on the traveller’s right to transfer their contract to another traveller  

• The prices set out in the contract can only be increased if there are express provisions in this respect.  
• Prices may only be increased to take account of the following changes: cost of transportation related to the price of fuel, fees and taxes (embarkation and disembarkation, tourist taxes), exchange rate.
• The travel agency must inform you of and explain the reasons for the increase at least 20 days prior to the start of the trip.  

• Refer to your contract for information on the conditions for modifying or cancelling the trip.
• If you took out trip cancellation insurance when paying for your trip, refer to the policy to check whether the insurance covers your circumstances.
• If the travel agency modifies the trip (dates, change of itinerary, significant price increase), you can terminate your contract free of charge and be refunded the amounts paid or agree to the proposed modification.
• If the travel agency cancels the trip, it will have to refund you all the amounts paid. In some cases you may be able to ask for compensation which is at least equal to the penalty you would have been required to pay had you cancelled the trip yourself.

• You can transfer your contract to a person meeting the same conditions as you. You should inform the travel agency at least seven days prior to the start of the trip.  

• If the services provided do not correspond to those you were sold, you should gather proof (testimonials, photos, brochures, etc.) and inform the travel agency as soon as possible. It should attempt to find a solution. Otherwise, you can also ask for a price reduction and damages.  
• If the issue significantly disrupts your trip, you can terminate your contract free of charge and ask for a price reduction and damages.
• If you experience serious problems, the travel agency should help you as soon as possible.  

If you are, or consider that you are, faced with a consumer issue (lack of information on prices, unfair clause, false advertising) with regard to a travel agency, you can report it with just a few clicks on the SignalConso website.

In certain cases you will need to apply for a visa to travel to and stay in France. You will need to check the following points :

• Verify whether you need a visa for your trip to France by providing certain information on the France-Visas website (https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en/web/france-visas/ai-je-besoin-d-un-visa), which is the official website for visas for France.

• For online administrative procedures, the best starting point is the official www.service-public.fr website.
• To get information on the procedures and file a visa application, visit the France-Visas website (https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en/web/france-visas/ma-demande-en-ligne), which is the official website for visas for France.

• Do not be misled by use of the “Marianne” logo or blue/white/red colours as certain fake websites may resemble official ones.
• Check the website’s address (URL) : French government URLs end with “.gouv.fr” or “.fr” and never with “.gouv.org”, “.gouv.com” or “-gouv.fr”. But be careful, a website address ending with “.fr” does not necessarily guarantee that it is an official website.  
• Before carrying out an administrative procedure, check whether this can be done on the www.service-public.fr website.  

If you are, or consider that you are, faced with a consumer issue on a website, you can report it with just a few clicks on the SignalConso website.

If you have a plan with an operator based in a Member State of the European Economic Area (EEA), i.e. the 27 Member States of the European Union (EU) and Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, you will not have to pay any extra charges for using your mobile phone when you travel from your home country to France. Your calls, text messages (SMS) and mobile data (web browsing, music and video streaming, etc.) are charged at domestic rates, i.e. the same price as calls and texts within your home country. You can make calls and send text messages from France to France or to another EEA country at no extra cost.

In your contract, your operator must stipulate the amount of mobile data authorised in roaming mode. This amount is usually less than you are entitled to in your home country. Mobile data is billed at the same price as in your home country provided your use is reasonable. If you exceed the amount set by your operator, you will most likely have to pay additional charges as set out in your contract.

Calls or text messages received in France: you will not be billed any extra charges for receiving calls or texts while roaming even if the person calling you is using a different service provider.  

Roaming does not extend to countries that are not members of the EEA. Outside the EU, roaming costs (especially for data) may be high. Check with your operator before you leave in order to avoid incurring prohibitive charges.

Source: Roaming: Using a mobile phone in the EU

For more information: https://www.europe-consommateurs.eu/paiements-vie-quotidienne/communiquer-en-europe.html (in French)

If you want to take out a phone plan in France, first check with your operator whether calls and texts to foreign countries are already covered by your plan. If this is not the case, follow the advice provided by the Directorate General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) :

• Beware of offers that are too good to be true : operators may offer reductions but you should be provided with information on the conditions for being granted them. For instance, an age-related reduction should be clearly specified on the website.

• Check that the mandatory information is available, such as the corporate name, address of the registered office and email address, telephone numbers, total cost of the service and any additional charges, terms of payment, whether there is a right of withdrawal and how this can be exercised, validity period for the offer and the proposed prices, and subscription start date.  

• You must be provided with the main information on a written medium or on any other durable medium following signature of the contract : confirmation of information previously given, information on the terms and conditions for the right of withdrawal, and the address and telephone number of the provider’s premises for the consumer to submit any claims. The telephone number must be a non-premium-rate number.

• When you sign the contract, you must be informed of the conditions attached to your commitment : in the summary of the order, the consumer must be able to change their choices and rectify any errors.

• You can use price comparison tools to compare offers. Some are offered free of charge by consumer protection associations or commercial companies.

If you are, or consider that you are, faced with a consumer issue with regard to a trader, you can report it with just a few clicks on the SignalConso website.

In France, the following numbers have premium rates and are not covered by roaming. Forewarned is forearmed!

• 10-digit numbers starting with 08 
• 4-digit numbers starting with 3 or 10 
• 6-digit numbers starting with 118 

When you call one of these numbers, you are told in the first ten seconds that the call is subject to a charge before billing actually starts.

You should contact your domestic operator for information on the price of calls to these numbers.

Beware ! Some so-called “special” numbers are free (i.e. “toll-free” numbers starting with 0 800 to 0 805) for French consumers but there may be charges for foreign users. Check the terms and conditions of your plan before calling these numbers.

Taxi drivers must hold a taxi driver licence (autorisation de stationnement, ADS) displayed on the vehicle. This licence is valid for a given geographic area in which the taxi is allowed to cruise for fares. The taxi must have the following special equipment:

• A ‘taxi’ light sign on the roof stating the name of the municipality where it can operate.
• A taximeter: a meter that calculates and displays the fare. The taximeter screen must be visible to passengers.
• A printer connected to the taximeter to produce a bill for passengers, indicating the fare to pay.
• A payment terminal that is functioning and visible to passengers, so that they can pay for their fare by card.

You can:

• hail a taxi on the street (that is cruising for fares)* or at a taxi rank which can be found in particular at train stations and airports; or
• book one by calling or using a smartphone app**.

* Please note that you can only board taxis that are outside the area where they can cruise for fares when you have booked them in advance; you cannot hail such a taxi in the street and they cannot sit at taxi ranks.

At train stations and airports, taxis can only wait for pre-booked customers up to an hour before picking them up; in the event of any flight or train delays, this time limit is accordingly extended.

** Consumers should particularly watch out for any companies appearing in search engine results with general taxi-related key words ("taxi", "taxis in Paris", "airport taxis" etc.), that do not have taxi driver licences.

The method of calculating fares is regulated by the French government and is carried out by the special equipment fitted in the vehicle (the taximeter). The meter calculates the fare based on the distance travelled and time elapsed; the fare is displayed at the end of the ride. Flat-rate fees are applied at the start of the ride and when arriving at certain airports – in this case the fare is known in advance. Any additional fees such as for luggage, another passenger (starting from the fifth passenger) or booking in advance (only applicable in Paris, Lyon, Nice, Cannes, Antibes and Toulouse) may be added to the distance/time meter fare. As regards booked taxis, in cities where there is an additional booking fee, it is acceptable for the taxi to start the counter before picking up the passenger so as to factor in the distance travelled to reach the pick-up point. 

Taxis must accept card payments whatever the price of the fare. When the fare is €25 or more, the customer should be given a summary bill prior to payment.

The regulated rate is not a mandatory once, and taxi drivers can at any time apply discounts to the fare.

You should always first seek an “amicable” settlement with the driver or the relevant customer service for the driver.

If this fails, you may lodge a complaint with the town hall of the municipality where the taxi is registered. For Parisian taxis, complaints should be filed with the Paris Police Prefecture either using the online simplified procedure form or through the Bureau des Taxis et des Transports Publics (Taxi & Public Transport Office), 36 rue des Morillons 75015 Paris.

A red sticker is affixed to the corner of the front and rear windscreen.

You can book a PHV by telephone or using a smartphone app. PHVs must always be booked in advance – you cannot hail one, and they cannot sit at taxi ranks. At train stations or airports, taxis can only wait for pre-booked customers up to an hour before picking them up (in the event of any flight or train delays, this time limit is accordingly extended).

The fare is set at the driver’s discretion. In practice, drivers are signed up to various platforms and adapt their fare to the platform used by the customer to make the booking. The fare may be given when booking a vehicle or calculated after the ride based on the journey time (duration of the service provided) and the distance travelled (kilometre-per-hour basis). Some platforms let the customer decide on the fare calculation method. When the fare is €25 or more, the consumer must receive a summary bill prior to payment. 

You should always first seek an “amicable” settlement with the driver or the relevant customer service for this driver (keep a copy of your complaint). 

If this fails, you can contact a consumer mediator chosen by the service provider (see the mediation factsheet – in French only), providing your contact details and some proof such as a registration number, a professional driver permit (displayed on the windscreen), a fare bill or a bank card receipt. For PHVs operating in Paris, you can also contact the Paris Police Prefecture using the online simplified procedure form (for taxis and PHVs).

  You can rent a vehicle either from a rental company or a dedicated website.

• Before renting, you must check the following factors: the conditions for providing the service (e.g. how long the customer has had their driving licence), the payment method, the methods for calculating the cost of the main service (factoring in the unit price and any applicable additional charges at train stations and airports), the ancillary services offered, the deposit amount and the conditions for its return, any advance payments required, insurance coverage and limitations included as part of the rental service (or offered as options), the arrangements for billing fuel costs, the inspection of the condition of vehicles in the presence of both parties (i.e. noting any and all damage to vehicles before handing them over to customers), the conditions for cancellation and the conditions for the late return of the vehicle or exceeding the mileage limit set out in the contract.
• Before entering into the contract, a free quote must be issued to you on a durable medium and include at the very least the date it was drawn up, the name and contact details of the rental company, the main features of the rental service offered (its term of validity, rental period, and the category of vehicle), the pick-up and drop-off points for the keys and the total cost, inclusive of all taxes, to pay before picking up the vehicle (with a detailed breakdown for each service). The quote must be a separate document from the general terms and conditions of hiring and the contract.

• If you did not take out the optional coverage and if you cause damage/loss to another individual, you will be covered by third-party liability insurance (always included in the rental fee) against any property damage or personal injury caused with no exceptions. However, this coverage does not apply to damage to the rented vehicle or any damage/loss that you may suffer.
• Otherwise, you will be covered by the optional insurance against any damage to the vehicle; you are liable to pay no more than the deductible (which is reduced).

You should always first seek an “amicable” settlement with the customer service of the rental company (keep a copy of your complaint); secondly, other out-of-court procedures or legal proceedings are possible. You can also contact the relevant consumer’s association of your département that can assist you in reaching an out-of-court settlement with the professional.

Stores are normally open from Monday to Saturday, with an opening hour range decided by the merchants but subject to specific rules laid down by prefectural and municipal decrees and pursuant to French labour law. Generally speaking, stores are not allowed to be open on Sundays with the exception of stores that have no employees, food retailers (e.g. bakeries, cheese shops, delicatessens), hotels, cafes and restaurants, and stores located in tourist areas and inside train stations or commercial districts.

Merchants must always clearly and legibly inform you of the price of a product or service prior to entering into a sales contract. Prices must be denominated in euros and include all taxes. Consumers must also be able to find out the prices of items without asking anyone, and should be informed of any additional fees or prices for an element or service required to make use of the product or service offered that may not be included in the base price. In addition, if the total price cannot be determined in advance, the seller must inform you of the calculation method adopted and any additional fees.

• Goods

The price of a product must be provided through labelling on the product or on a price card in close proximity so that there is no confusion over which product corresponds to the card. For pre-packaged products such as food items and certain hygiene and cleaning products, consumers must also be informed of the overall price and the price per unit of measurement (per kilogramme or litre). 

• Services

The list of all services offered by an establishment and their respective prices must be provided on a single document located in the customer service area. This list must be easily readable from the area where you are being served by the merchant. If the price of the service exceeds €25 (taxes included), the merchant must give you a bill; for services costing less than €25 (taxes included), a bill is not required but must be provided if you request one.

In France, the price of a product or service is paid inclusive of taxes: the price net of tax plus value-added tax (VAT). The standard VAT rate is 20%, but reduced rates of 10% (e.g. accommodation, transport, food and catering), 5.5% (e.g. essential goods, gas contracts) and 2.1% (reimbursed medicine and press publications) may be applied depending on the type of purchase.

Certain travellers may also be eligible for a VAT exemption subject to certain conditions: retail purchases of over €100 – made for tourism purposes, over no more than three days and from the same shop in the same town (stores identified with the same intra-Community VAT number) – are eligible for a tax refund if:

• you live in a non-European Union Member State or third country
• you are staying in France for less than six months
• you are at least 16 years old

Sellers must provide you with a VAT refund form bearing the PABLO logo and a barcode. VAT will either be immediately deducted at purchase by the seller or reimbursed by the merchant when you leave the EU. Please note that administrative fees may be imposed and that not all sellers offer a VAT refund service (visit douane.gouv.fr[1] for more information).

Unlike for online purchases, you do not have the right of withdrawal for in-store purchases. You therefore cannot demand a refund, a credit note or an exchange once the sale has been made. Some stores will nevertheless agree to such requests as a gesture of goodwill.

In addition, if the sale can be deemed an off-premises sale, you have the right of withdrawal for 14 days from the day after the signing of the service agreement or from the day after the item is received. Any purchases made immediately following solicitation by the seller outside their store in a place where they do not usually carry out their business (e.g. where you are staying, on the street or in a shopping area – see the footnote for more information on off-premises sales).[1] Any purchases made at trade fairs or shows are outright and do not entitle you to the right of withdrawal.

Prior to any sale, sellers must inform you of any legal guarantees and commercial warranties in place and the procedure for exercising them.

For any in-store purchases, the legal guarantee of conformity applies in the event that the good is not consistent with its claimed use and the merchant-seller’s description. Under the guarantee, you can request the repair or exchange of an item, and if neither of these options is available, you can request a full refund of the amount paid. The guarantee is for a two-year term starting on the date of the provision of the good, whether it is new or second hand. You will not be required to provide proof of any failure to comply for two years for brand-new products and one year for second-hand goods. This guarantee applies for any purchase within the EU (see the footnote for more information on guarantees and warranties).[1]

Your purchases are also covered by the guarantee for latent and hidden defects that were present at the time of sale which make the product unfit for use within five years of its sale. You must be able to provide proof of the defect within two years of discovering it, and you may receive a full or partial refund of the purchase price.

Merchants can also offer a commercial warranty that they set freely and is included along with legal guarantees. This warranty may be offered free of charge or in exchange for a fee, and an agreement setting out its term and scope must be provided to you when the item is supplied. Merchants are required to refund the price of the good purchased, replace or repair it, and/or offer any other service related to it.

For promotions, you must be informed of the lowest price applied in the 30 days preceding the price cut. Merchants are free to choose how to present the price reduction (e.g. crossed-out price, a reduction as an absolute value or a percentage).

Sales are promotions subject to specific rules. These are the only promotional periods during which merchants have the right to sell their inventory at a loss (i.e. reselling below the actual purchase price). Sales are supported with or preceded by advertising and are held for two four-week periods, with the start and end date and times legally established. Sales also entail an announcement of the price reduction subject to the availability of remaining inventory. Provisions on the obligation to provide the reference price are also applicable to sales.

Products purchased during promotions or sales are still covered by legal guarantees of conformity for latent defects.

In France, only service providers with special accreditation can provide breakdown services on motorways and dual carriageways equipped with an emergency call system. 

This means that if you break down on a motorway or dual carriageway, you must call a breakdown mechanic from an emergency call station.

The mechanic should arrive at your location within thirty minutes of your call.

For minor breakdowns and, if the conditions of personal safety and that of other persons permit, the mechanic will carry out the repairs at the roadside.

If roadside repairs cannot be done, the mechanic will tow your broken down vehicle.

Your vehicle will be towed to the breakdown truck’s garage or, at your request, to a location no more than five kilometres away from the closest motorway or dual carriageway exit.

1/ Prices are regulated

A fixed price (for 2022, between €138.01 and €255.98 inclusive of taxes) is set for the breakdown service.

It varies depending on the day and time, whether or not the car is towed and the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle in question. You can find the relevant price and consult the applicable order on the French government’s official website: www.service-public.fr

The fixed price includes:

• the call-out fee for the breakdown truck
• roadside repairs or towing the vehicle to the repair garage or, at the consumer’s request, to a location no more than five kilometres away from the closest motorway or dual carriageway exit

It does not include:

• the price of any parts for roadside repairs
• the price of any additional services that you may request such as storage fees

2/ Breakdown mechanics must display their prices

Breakdown mechanics who offer vehicle breakdown or towing services must display their prices (hourly rates and prices both inclusive of taxes) for the various fixed-price services offered at the entrance to their garage, visible and able to be read from outside the premises and in the customer reception area.

First try to contact your insurance company or the assistance service of your vehicle’s manufacturer, dealer or hire company if such a service exists. Some contracts may provide for breakdown/towing assistance or even for having your vehicle taken to a partner garage. Refer to the terms and conditions of your car insurance for further information.

If you do not have this type of coverage and your vehicle cannot be repaired at the roadside, you may have to have it towed to a repairer’s garage. Companies which offer breakdown and towing services must display the prices inclusive of taxes for these operations and their conditions of application in the breakdown truck’s cab. You should compare these prices against the amount billed to you.  

A number of rules have to be complied with when invoicing vehicle storage fees, in particular by a garage owner.

1. Displaying prices:

The garage owner must display the prices inclusive of taxes of their services in clear view of customers.

2. Service contract:

The garage owner can only bill such fees to you if there is a binding service contract (for repairs).

When there is no service contract:

• storage is assumed to be free of charge
• the garage owner can only claim storage fees if they have provided you with a bailment agreement stipulating that the storage will be charged for and the price is set out clearly in this agreement or displayed prominently

You have had your vehicle towed to a garage or you brought it there yourself.

1/ Check the prices (hourly rates and prices both inclusive of taxes for the fixed-price services) which must be displayed in the garage:

• at the entrance to the garage, visible and able to be read from outside the premises
• in the customer reception area

2/ Ask the garage for a quote

A quote is not mandatory for vehicle repairs but it is advisable to ask for a repair order or an estimate. This gives you an idea of the nature of the problem so that you can compare the various services.

If you have asked for one, the garage owner is required to provide one to you. It may be called a quote, contract, commercial proposal, repair order or something else. No matter the name of the document, once it has been signed by the buyer and seller, it becomes a commitment to purchase.

The quote may either be issued free of charge or for a fee. In the latter case, the garage owner must inform you of this beforehand. Otherwise, you are entitled to refuse this service.

3/ Make sure the garage owner gives you an invoice following the repair work

The service provider must give you a hard copy or paperless version of an invoice (usually called a bill).

Following the repair work, the garage owner must provide the customer with an invoice inclusive of taxes for any amount over €25. The invoice is drawn up in two copies with the original being given to the customer.

Check your mandatory bill carefully. It should contain the following information:

• The date
• The name and address of the garage and those of the customer
• The vehicle’s mileage
• A detailed breakdown of each service, i.e. the price of the parts or the quantity of products used
• A description of the parts used (new, second-hand or standard replacement, etc.)
• The total amount to pay exclusive and inclusive of taxes

Please note: it is important to compare your bill against the quote or repair order.

If non-requested repairs or parts have been billed, you can challenge the invoice.  

4/ What information does the garage owner have to provide you with concerning the spare parts ?

The garage owner must:

• inform the customer whether the spare parts used are new or second-hand
• inform the customer whether the part is a “standard replacement” with the French abbreviations “ES”, “STD” or even the word “consigne”

With regard to other regulatory definitions (origin, with equivalent quality, adaptable, reuse, Parts originating from the Circular Economy or their French acronym “PIEC”), they are not bound to specify the exact nature of each part.

The garage owner must provide you with a timeframe for providing the service. If they fail to do so, they have thirty days to make the repairs.  

The garage owner has a performance obligation arising, in particular, from their contractual liability (Article 1231-1 of the Civil Code). This obligation was dismissed before being upheld by case law.

Subject to appraisal by the courts, a vehicle entrusted to a garage owner must be in perfect working order when it is returned to its owner.

The garage owner is also liable for damage caused (such theft, deterioration) whilst the vehicle was in their care (Articles 1927 et seq. of the Civil Code). However, should you notice damage, you are responsible for providing proof that it is attributable to the garage owner. 

You refuse to pay the entire amount of your bill following a dispute and the repairer refuses to return your vehicle. Are they entitled to do so?

In the event of a problem following the repair work and if an amicable agreement cannot be reached with respect to the amount being claimed by the garage owner, Article 2286 of the Civil Code entitles them to keep the vehicle until full payment of the debt they deem payable. In France, this is known as a lien (droit de retention).

You are obliged to pay to recover your vehicle even in the event of a dispute. Make your payment but write out your reservations on the invoice and on its copy.

8.1 You live in France

If you live in France, below are the various out-of-court and legal procedures available to you to settle the dispute.

1. Contact the garage owner

First, contact the garage owner in writing, by email, using their online form or by registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt to explain the purpose of your claim. Make sure you attach all relevant documents (contracts, email exchanges, confirmation of reservation, etc.). Always keep a copy of your claim letter and proof of sending.

If this initial approach is unsuccessful, check in the terms and conditions of sale in the contract or on the garage owner’s website whether they have an in-house redress channel such as customer services.

You can also report your problem with the garage owner on the Signal Conso website where you can contact the trader in order to reach an out-of-court settlement. In addition, your report may allow the company to rectify its practices and the departments of the Directorate General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) to familiarise themselves with all the exchanges that took place and take account of them in their investigations.

2. Refer the case to a mediator

If you receive no reply from the garage owner or a negative response, you can appeal to a consumer mediator.

The mediator is a third party tasked with helping the relevant parties reach an out-of-court agreement. Their services are free of charge and confidential.

All traders in France must designate a mediator and inform consumers thereof by providing, on their website or in their documents, the name and contact details of the mediator with jurisdiction for the disputes they are involved in.

For further information on mediation.

Failure to designate a mediator is an administrative violation and you can report it on the DGCCRF’s Signal Conso website.  

3. Get help from a court conciliator

If there is no designated mediator, or if the latter is unable to help you settle the dispute, you can refer the case to a court conciliator. After having heard both you and the garage owner, the conciliator will put forward a solution to bring an end to the disagreement. Conciliation is free of charge.

To refer a case directly to a conciliator, consult the French conciliators’ website or contact your town hall to find out about the competent conciliator and their working hours.

For further information on conciliation visit:

• the Ministry of Justice’s website
• the French conciliators’ website

4. Refer the case to the courts

If all your attempts for an out-of-court settlement are unsuccessful, you can refer the case to the competent Court of Justice. 

Your application to the Court of Justice must include as many documents as possible with a full file containing all your exchanges with the garage owner (quotes, invoices, letters, contracts, etc.).

Find further information on referrals to the Court of Justice on the service-public.fr website. 

Please note that there are fees for having the decision served by a court enforcement officer (formerly “bailiff”). However, when submitting your application, you can request that these fees be attributed to the opposite party.

For these procedures, you can get assistance or obtain information from:

• a legal aid centre
• the legal aid hotline on 3039
• a consumer association (if you are a member)
• your legal protection, which may be either subject to a specific contract or connected to your insurance policy. Find further information on the service-public.fr website
• or a lawyer

8.2 You live in another EU Member State or in Iceland or Norway

To attempt to settle the dispute out of court, contact the garage owner in writing to set out the purpose of your claim. Explain the problem and send a file with all relevant documents (contracts, email exchanges, etc.). Always keep a copy of your claim letter and proof of sending.

In the event of difficulties and/or should the dispute continue, your country’s European Consumer Centre (ECC) can help you:

• by informing you of your rights
• by providing legal advice and by helping you free of charge with disputes with a garage owner based in another EU Member State, in Iceland or in Norway
• by pushing for mediation

Consult the ECC Network’s website to find the contact details of the ECC in your country of residence.

8.3 You live outside the EU

To attempt to settle the dispute out of court, contact the garage owner in writing to set out the purpose of your claim. Explain the problem and send a file with all relevant documents (contracts, email exchanges, etc.). Always keep a copy of your claim letter and proof of sending.

In the event of difficulties and/or should the dispute continue, you can:

• contact your country’s embassy or consulate in France
• report your dispute on the econsumer.gov website using its online form
• contact members of the consumersinternational.org organisation

Before going into a restaurant or sitting down on the patio you must be informed of the following minimum information:

• the menu/menu of the day available, with the prices – inclusive of all taxes – and whether drinks are included indicated;
• whether there is a discount menu on weekdays or for lunch, specifying the days and times when it is available;
• the names and prices – inclusive of all taxes – of the five most popular wines or beverages at the establishment (e.g. fruit juice, mineral water, carbonated drinks, coffee);
• the lunch and dinner times.

This information must therefore be displayed visibly and legibly outside the restaurant.

This information should be clearly displayed for the entirety of service and at least from 11:30am for lunch and 6:00pm for dinner.

Inside the restaurant, menus identical to the one posted outside must be available to customers.

If a menu is only available at a certain time, this must be clearly stated on the menu. In addition, it must also be specified on the menu whether drinks are included.

Dishes appearing on the menu must be available to customers. A dish being unavailable at the start of service is considered unusual, while at the end of service it is possible for dishes to run out.

Yes, the price must be given in euros, inclusive of all taxes.

The price you pay after the meal must be the same as the one displayed.

In restaurants, the price of the meal must include the cover charge, i.e. an amount the customer pays for every service customarily provided during a meal – bread, plain water (served in a jug), spices, seasonings, condiments, tableware, glassware and napkins.

It also includes a service charge, which must be specified on the menu or bill with the wording “service included” (prix service compris).

The “service included” line must be followed by the percentage set to cover this service.

Restaurant owners cannot refuse customers entry to an establishment on discriminatory grounds (religion, race, health status, customs, etc.) or if they are with children. To find out what you can do when faced with discrimination: https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F19448?lang=en

Tip: Children’s menus included on the menu list are for children only: the age limit should accordingly be stated on the menu.

The restaurant may impose a cover charge for each child, even if they are not eating or drinking, but only if the cost is indicated on the menu.

For hygiene reasons, pets must not in theory have access to areas where food is prepared, processed or stored.

However, as long as hygiene requirements are met, restaurant owners are free to decide whether pets can enter the dining areas, but they are not obligated to allow them.

They can nevertheless ask that you keep your pets on a leash.

On the Alim’confiance website (www.alim-confiance.gouv.fr), you can consult the findings from official health inspections conducted along the entire food chain.

The inspections seek to assess the cleanliness of establishments producing, processing and providing food products (e.g. restaurants, butcher’s shops, supermarkets, slaughterhouses, agri-food establishments).

These inspections are carried out by officers from the veterinary departments of the relevant Département Directorate for Citizen/Consumer Protection (DDPP).

The findings published on the Alim’confiance website are available to the public and can be consulted up to a year after the inspection date.

The date of the most recent inspection and the level of hygiene identified during this inspection are given for every establishment.

The level of hygiene is graded on a four-level scale:

• Very satisfactory if the establishment is compliant or only non-compliant in minor areas.
• Satisfactory if the authorities have given a simple warning to the establishment (letter reminding the recipient of the regulations so as to improve their practices), but have not imposed any penalties.
• Requires improvement if the authorities have given the establishment notice to comply with the health regulations within a set time frame on pain of penalty (a subsequent inspection will be conducted to ensure that corrective measures were taken).
• Requires urgent corrective action if the establishment could potentially endanger the health of consumers. The authorities have imposed a penalty (e.g. closure of the establishment).

Is any signage required at the front of establishments?

No, but signage in the form of placards provided by DDPP after inspection can be attached to the front of restaurants and catering and food retail establishments.

Example of a placard

There are many platforms offering delivery services for prepared meals, but they do not all operate in the same way.

Some merely act as an intermediary between the restaurant, rider and you, while others are also responsible for the delivery service. There are also platforms that cater and deliver food.

For further information and to find out what exactly you can do in the event of an issue regarding the delivery or the quality of the food, be sure to read the general terms and conditions of sale online before placing your order.

Be aware that in all cases you must have been informed of the price of the food ordered and the delivery fees before placing your order.

Be aware that the restaurant must give you, in written form, information on allergenic ingredients in the dishes and beverages served.

This information may be provided:

• on the restaurant’s menu;
• on signage, such as a board on the counter; or
• in an allergy fact file that you can request from the wait staff.

For menus of the day or if you are unable to find this information in written form, feel free to ask a waiter and to mention any food allergies you have.

Specific terms and labels may be presented at the front of establishments, in advertisements or on the menu that relate to:

• the origin of products (e.g. régional (regional produce), fermier (farm produce), the Label Rouge sign of quality assurance, AOP (Protected Designation of Origin), BIO (organic));
• type of production (e.g. maison (homemade), du chef (chef-prepared), artisanal (artisanal));
• the type of product (e.g. shoulder of ham).

These descriptors such as the name (e.g. foie gras) and the origin of products must reflect the dishes and beverages actually served.

This logo indicates “homemade” dishes.

In the catering industry, the use of “homemade” reflects the expertise required in the cooking profession, meaning that the dish you will eat was cooked at the premises using unprocessed foods, barring certain exceptions permitted by law.

If the dish you were served does not reflect how it was described (e.g. containing surimi instead of crab meat), you can ask the staff to serve you a meal as described on the menu.

If the dish is not warm or cooked enough, or the wine is corked, you can ask the restaurant staff to give you another of the same dish or beverage.

However, if you are unhappy with the meal you ordered because it is not to your taste, you cannot demand restaurant staff to give you another one. If they refuse to do so, you will have to pay even if you did not eat the meal.

Restaurants and cafés must clearly inform you – either on the menu or on signage – that as a customer you are entitled to ask for free tap water.

This cold or lukewarm tap water constitutes a beverage, and therefore you do not have to order bottled still water, wine or any other bottled beverage or drink by the glass.

Restaurants do not necessarily provide information about the origin of all the products you are served.

Only some products must have their origins specified.

These include any meats served in restaurants.

This is required for all meats: beef, sheep meat, pork and poultry.

The origin must be displayed visibly and legibly on menu or any other material.

The wine menu must also state the provenance of wine, whether it is sold by the bottle, carafe or glass. This is done with the Protected Designation of Origin (AOP) or the Protected Geographical Indication (IGP) labels – for wines of a certain quality – and reference to the country of origin for wines without geographical indications (e.g. wine of France/wine of Spain/wine of Australia).

Note : Restaurants may choose to provide information on the origin of non-meat products.

In this case, the information must be accurate, reflecting the dishes and beverages actually served.

All restaurant and café owners must ensure that, for the entire service, dishes and beverages on the menus are available to order.

In this respect, if you order just a coffee, for example, they have to provide a legitimate reason to refuse you service.

However, they may refuse you service with legitimate reason by contending that the meal service has begun and priority goes to diners for any available tables.

Note that legitimacy of the grounds for refusing service is assessed on a case-by-case basis by the courts.

Restaurant and café owners have the right to refuse non-paying customers access to the toilets on their premises.

In restaurants, before you are asked to pay the bill (addition or note in French) you must be given a written note summarising:

• the name and contact details of the trader;
• the price of each service rendered (inclusive of all taxes and service charge);
• the total amount to pay.

In cafés, just like in restaurants, giving customers a written note is only required for amounts of €25 or more, inclusive of all taxes, for any service rendered in the establishment.

However, the trader is required to give you a note – even for amounts below €25 – if you ask for one.

The term doggy bag refers to taking away any food or drink left over from a restaurant meal in a container (tub, box or bottle).

In France, if you want to take away what you have paid for but were unable to eat or drink at the establishment, restaurant and café staff must:

• provide you with a reusable or recyclable container to take away. Be aware that you may have to pay an additional charge for the container provided, but only if the price of the container is given on the menu;
• allow you to put the leftovers in a reusable or recyclable container that you have brought.

Note : They may not allow you to use your container if it is clearly dirty or unsuitable.

Tip : You cannot ask for a doggy bag if you have ordered dishes or beverages included in an all-you-can-eat or buffet service.

Restaurant, bistro and café owners must comply with hygiene regulations in relation to their establishment and the food and drink they serve.

1. Regardless of whether the symptoms persist, you are advised to see a doctor.
2. It is important that you gather the following information, because the doctor or the inspection departments will ask you for it:

• the name and contact details of the restaurant;
• the date and time of the meal;
• the number of diners at the table during the restaurant meal;
• if several diners are ill – a list of the ill diners with their age, symptoms and the date and time of the onset of these symptoms;
• a rundown of the meals eaten by each ill diner in the last five days;
• a rundown of the meals eaten by a representative number of diners who are not ill.

3. Do not hesitate to file a report with the authorities:

• The Inspector Doctor of the Ile-de-France Regional Health Agency (if the restaurant is in the Greater Paris region)

Telephone: Refer to the Ile-de-France Regional Health Agency

Email: Refer to the Ile-de-France Regional Health Agency

Or 

• The Food Safety Department of the relevant Département Directorate for Citizen/Consumer Protection (DDPP) where the restaurant is located

Find the contact details for the relevant DDPP at: https://www.economie.gouv.fr/dgccrf/coordonnees-des-DDPP-et-DDETSPP (in French only)

• First of all, contact the restaurant owner or the trader with which you have an issue (cafe owner, food delivery platform, etc.) in writing. Keep proof of your correspondence.

If this initial step is unsuccessful:

• If you live in France, you can receive assistance with your case from a consumer organisation. Their contact details are available on the website of the Directorate General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF).

You can also report your issue with a trader on the Signal Conso platform (in French only).

• If you live in another EU country than France – or in Iceland or Norway – the European Consumer Centre of your country can assist you. Visit the European Consumer Centres Network website for the relevant contact details.
• If you live outside the EU, contact the consumersinternational.org organisation or the embassy or consulate of your country in France.

You have not received your e-ticket for a rugby match or the Olympic event you chose ? Your hotel does not match the advert on the booking site ? Your flight has been cancelled by the airline ? In this article you will find the steps to follow to settle your dispute and useful contact details.

If you live in France, you will find below the various amicable and legal procedures available to you to settle your dispute.

Contact the trader

First of all, contact the trader in writing, by email, via their online form or by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt, to explain the subject of your complaint. Don't forget to attach all the relevant documents (contracts, email exchanges, booking confirmation, etc.). Always keep a copy of your letter of complaint and the proof of sending it.

If this first step is unsuccessful, check in the terms and conditions of sale or on the trader's website for an internal appeal procedure such as a consumer service (service consommateurs), for example.

You can also report your problem on the SignalConso platform (in french). This platform offers you the possibility to contact the trader in order to find an amicable solution. In addition, your report may enable the tader to correct its practices and the services of the Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) to be aware of all the exchanges and to consider them for their investigations.

Call on an alternative dispute resolution body (médiateur)

If you receive no or a negative response from the trader, you can call on a consumer mediator.

The mediator is a third party whose task is to help the parties concerned to reach an amicable agreement. It is free of charge and subject to confidentiality rules.

All traders in France are obliged to have a mediator and to inform consumers on their website or contractual documents by giving the name and contact details of the mediator responsible for disputes concerning them.

More information on consumer mediation in France.

Failure to appoint a mediator constitutes an administrative failure that you can report on the SignalConso plattform. 

Get help from a court conciliator

If there is no appointed mediator, or if the mediator cannot help you resolve your dispute, you can call on a conciliateur de justice. After hearing both parties (you and the trader), the conciliator will propose a solution to settle your dispute. Conciliation is free.

To contact a conciliator directly, consult the site des conciliateurs de France or contact your town hall to find out which conciliator is responsible and when he or she is available.

More information on conciliation is available in French on

• the Ministry of Justice website
• the site of the conciliators of France

Take the case to court

If all your attempts at amicable settlement fail, you can take your case to the competent court, the tribunal judiciaire . 

Your application to the court should be as well-documented as possible, with a complete file containing all your exchanges with the trader (estimates, invoices, letters, contracts, etc.).

For more information on taking a case to court, visit the service-public.fr website.

Please note that there is a fee for having the decision served by a judicial commissioner (commissaire de justice) (formerly a "bailiff" huissier de justice). But you can ask, at the stage of your application, for these to be charged to the opposing party.

For these procedures, you can be accompanied and obtain information from

• a legal access centre (In French),
• the single phone number for access to law 3039,
• (if you are a member) a consumers’ association, whose contact information is available on the DGCCRF’s website.  
• your legal protection insurance, either under a specific contract or linked to your insurance policy. For more information visit the service-public.fr website,
• or a lawyer.

To try to settle the dispute amicably, contact the trader in writing to explain the subject of your complaint. Give details of your problem and attach a file with all the relevant documents (contracts, e-mail exchanges, etc.). Always keep a copy of your letter of complaint and the proof of sending it.

In case of difficulty and/or persistence of the dispute, the European Consumer Centre in your country of residence can help you:

• By informing you about your rights;
• By giving you legal advice and free assistance in the event of a dispute with a trader established in another Member state of the European Union (EU), Iceland or Norway;
• By facilitating mediation.

Visit the ECC Network website for its contact information

To try to settle the dispute amicably, contact the trader in writing to explain the subject of your complaint. Give details of your problem and attach a file with all the relevant documents (contracts, e-mail exchanges, etc.). Always keep a copy of your letter of complaint and the proof of sending it.

In case of difficulty and/or persistence of the dispute,

• contact the embassy or consulate of your country in France
• report your dispute on the website econsumer.gov, via the complaint form  
• contact the members of consumersinternational.org