DUTY-FREE SHOPPING
Overview
According to thereligionfaqs, the following articles may be imported into France duty-free when entering from non-EU countries:
200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos or 250 grams of tobacco;
1 liter of spirits (alcohol content over 22%) or 2 liters of alcoholic beverages and spirits (alcohol content up to 22%);
4 l of wine;
16 l of beer;
250 grams of caviar;
2 kg of fish;
1 kg of animal products;
Medicines for the personal use of travelers;
Gifts / other goods up to a total value of € 430 (air and sea travel) or € 300 (travel by train / car); Children under 15 years of age generally € 150.
Tobacco products and spirits may only be imported by people aged 17 and over.
Import regulations
Travelers who bring meat and milk products into the EU from outside the European Union must register them. The regulation does not apply to the import of animal products from the EU countries as well as from Andorra, Liechtenstein, Norway, San Marino and Switzerland. Anyone who does not register these products must expect fines or criminal penalties.
Prohibited imports
An amount of gold over 500 g must be declared.
There is a general import ban on live poultry, meat and meat products from third countries (with the exception of the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland).
Import / export to the EU
The movement of goods within the EU is unrestricted for travelers, provided that the goods are intended for personal use and not for resale. In addition, the goods must not have been bought in duty-free shops. Proof of personal needs can be requested from travelers. Member States have the right to impose excise duties on spirits or tobacco products when these products are not intended for personal use.
The following maximum quantities apply to personal requirements:
800 cigarettes (people aged 17 and over);
400 cigarillos (people aged 17+);
200 cigars (people 17+);
1 kg of tobacco (people aged 17 and over);
10 liters of high-proof alcoholic beverages (people aged 17 and over);
20 liters of fortified wine (e.g. port or sherry) (people aged 17 and over);
90 liters of wine (including a maximum of 60 liters of sparkling wine) (people aged 17 and over);
110 liters of beer (people aged 17+);
Perfumes and eau de toilette: No restrictions if it can be shown that the amount is for personal consumption.
Medicines: amount according to personal needs during the trip.
Other goods: The movement of goods within the EU is unrestricted for travelers. However, gold alloys and gold plating in the unprocessed state or as a semi-finished product and fuel are excluded from this. Fuel may only be imported from an EC member state exempt from mineral oil tax if it is in the vehicle’s tank or in a reserve container carried with it. A fuel quantity of up to 10 liters in the reserve tank will not be rejected.
If additional quantities of these goods are carried, z. B. a wedding an event with which a bulk purchase could be justified.
Note: There are, however, certain exceptions to the regulation of the unrestricted movement of goods. They particularly concern the purchase of new vehicles and purchases for commercial purposes. (For more information on taxes on motor vehicles, see the European Commission’s guide “Buying goods and services in the internal market”).
EU
Duty-free sales at airports and shipping ports have been abolished for travel within the EU. Only travelers who leave the EU can shop cheaply in the duty-free shop. When importing goods into an EU country that were bought in duty-free shops in another EU country, the same travel allowances and the same travel allowance apply as when entering from non-EU countries.
MONEY
Currency
1 euro = 100 cents. Currency abbreviation: €, EUR (ISO code). There are banknotes in the values 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros, coins in the nominal amounts 1 and 2 euros, as well as 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents.
Credit cards
MasterCard and Visa are both accepted and widely used. American Express and Diners Club are less widely accepted. Details from the issuer of the credit card in question. Credit cards are accepted in numerous shops, hotels, supermarkets and restaurants. Merchants often display a minimum amount for credit card purchases on the notice board.
ATMs
ec / Maestro card / Sparcard
With the ec / Maestro card and pin number, cash in the local currency can be withdrawn from ATMs in banks and post offices. In many European countries it is also possible to pay with the ec / Maestro card in shops. Cards with the Cirrus or Maestro symbol are accepted in Europe and worldwide. Further information from banks and credit institutes. The same applies to the German Sparcard, the successor to the postal savings book as a means of procuring currency in other European countries. Cash can be withdrawn from European ATMs with the plus logo using a Sparcard and PIN number.
Attention: Travelers who pay with their bank card abroad and want to withdraw money should find out about the possibilities of using their card from their bank before starting their journey.
Bank opening times
Not uniform: 8.30 a.m. to 4 p.m., also 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Some banks are closed on Mondays and / or open until 12 noon on Saturdays. On the day before a public holiday, the banks close at 12 noon, in rare cases they remain closed temporarily or for the whole of the following day.
Foreign exchange regulations
For travelers inside and outside the EU, there are no restrictions on the import or export of national and foreign currencies, but there is an obligation to declare cash from the equivalent of € 10,000 (including travelers checks, other currencies or checks made out to third parties). The declaration must be registered with French customs at least five days before the trip, violations can result in very high fines.
Currency Exchange
Some hotels are allowed to change money. Credit Mutuel and Credit Agricole (comparable to the German savings banks) have relatively long opening times. According to the law, hotels and shops are generally not allowed to accept foreign currencies. However, there are exchange offices such. Sometimes in department stores, at train stations, airports and near places of interest.