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    Wednesday
    21Oct2009

    What to do about French speeding tickets?

    DateWednesday, October 21, 2009 at 10:54PM

    Hertz sent me a bill for releasing my info to 'authorities' for what seems like a slew of speeding tickets. Now, will France track me down? And is there a website I can check on my status? - "Hoosier"

    Hi Hoosier,

    Is the bill is for the tickets themselves, or for Hertz giving the cops your info?  I don't think France will track you down (although if you ever want to rent a car in France again or move here, I would get those tickets cleared up). Hertz probably has your credit card details if you rented a car with them, so I'm guessing they'll charge your card for the fee you owe them. As for a website...check your status on what? Your Hertz bill or your driving record? I'm guessing no on both, but maybe someone else here could help.  - Heather

    The bill was from Hertz for providing the authorites with my info, and i was billed 5 times, for 5 different dates, so i assumed the traffic police wanted me for 5 separate incidents.  The fee each time was somewhere around 20 euros.

    And i do want to clear up the tickets.  I don't know how, because i havent received them yet.  I dont want to get stopped at customs and locked up, because I do want to return to France. - "Hoosier"

    AuthorHeather | CommentPost a Comment | | Print ArticlePrint Article |
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    Sunday
    18Oct2009

    Does Everything Close in Paris on Christmas Week?

    DateSunday, October 18, 2009 at 11:41AM

    Will be staying in Paris from December 18-26.  Have an apartment with kitchen.  I'm assuming everything is closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, so am planning to cook and eat with my family on those days.  Other than that, what's open during that week on non-Christmas days?  Do places like the Louvre, shops, restaurants, bakeries, etc. stay open till the 25th, or do businesses shut down for the week?  Please advise. Thanks. Diana W.

    This is a common question from first time visitors to Paris. Although the French have many jours feriées, and December 25 is one of them, it's important to remember that this is the capital of France, with 12 million residents in the city and suburbs, not to mention the perpetually large number of international business travelers and tourists.

    So the short answer is "no", everything won't be closed. Even on Christmas and New Year's Day it is possible to find shops, restaurants, cinemas and museums open in Paris. Read this article I wrote last year in the Secrets of Paris website, What's Open on Christmas and New Year's Day in Paris.

    When in doubt, always call ahead. Reservations are always a good idea, but especially during the holidays when fewer places are open.

    AuthorHeather | Comment1 Comment | | Print ArticlePrint Article |
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