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Contacts: Cybercafes (www.cybercafes.com) lists more than 4,000 Internet cafés worldwide. Hotspot Zone (cnet.jiwire.com) lists the Wi-Fi zones throughout France (for Paris, search the region “Ile de France”).

PHONES

The good news is that you can now make a direct-dial telephone call from virtually any point on earth. The bad news? You may pay dearly for the convenience. Calling from a hotel is almost always the most expensive option; hotels usually add huge surcharges to all calls, particularly international ones. In some countries you can phone from call centers or even the post office. Calling cards usually keep costs to a minimum, but only if you purchase them locally. And then there are mobile phones (below), which are sometimes more prevalent—particularly in the developing world—than landlines; as expensive as mobile phone calls can be, they are still usually a much cheaper option than calling from your hotel.

The country code for France is 33. The first two digits of French numbers are a prefix determined by zone: Paris and Ile-de-France, 01; the northwest, 02; the northeast, 03; the southeast, 04; and the southwest, 05. Numbers that begin with 06 are for mobile phones (and are notoriously expensive). Pay close attention to the numbers beginning with 08; 08 followed by 00 is a toll-free number but 08–36 numbers can be costly, usually €0.34 per minute but sometimes €1 and up.

Note that when dialing France from abroad, drop the initial 0 from the number. For instance, to call a telephone number in Paris from the United States, dial 011–33 plus the phone number minus the initial 0 (phone numbers in this book are listed with the full 10 digits, which you use to make local calls).

Calling Within France

The French are very fond of their mobile phones (portables) meaning that telephone booths are more scarce than ever. Look for public phones in airports, post offices, train stations, on the street, and subway stations. You can use your own credit card, but keep in mind that you will be charged a €20 minimum, and you’ll have 30 days after the first call to use up the credit. Or pick up a discounted calling card (carte téléphonique) at newsstands, cafés with a TABAC sign, or post offices. There are two types of cards: one can be used on any phone, the other has a microchip (puce) that works only on public phones (les cabines). Insert your card and follow directions on the screen (it should give you the option to read in English). Or dial the toll-free number on the back of the card, enter the identification number from the back of the card, and follow the instructions in English.

Calling Outside France

To make a direct international call out of France, dial 00, then the country code (1 for the United States), the area code, and number.

Telephone rates have decreased recently in France because the French Telecom monopoly finally has some competition. As in most countries, the priciest calls are between 8 AM and 7 PM; you can expect to pay €0.26 per minute for a call to the United States, Canada, or some of the closer European countries such as Great Britain, Belgium, Italy, and Germany. Rates are slashed in half when you make that same call between 7 PM and 8 AM, at just €0.12 per minute. To call home with the help of international directory assistance costs a hefty €3 per call; if this doesn’t dissuade you, dial 118–700 and a bilingual operator will come on the line and ask which country you are calling. Hotels tack on hefty fees for even local calls, plus a surcharge for international calls, so steer clear of the phone in your room unless you’re using an international phone card (télécarte international), which you can find at the same places as a local calling card. The cards cost about €12 for 50 units or €20 for 120 units.

Access Codes: AT&T Direct (08–00–99–00–11, 800/222–0300 for information). MCI WorldPhone (08–00–99–00–19, 800/444–4444 for information). Sprint International Access (08–00–99–00–87, 800/793–1153 for information).

Mobile Phones

If you have a multiband