From: owner-travel-advisories Subject: NEW TRAVEL INFO -- Monaco Newsgroups: wstd.travel.advisories Date: Wed, 20 Aug 1997 16:32:35 GMT Organization: The World @ Software Tool & Die Xref: world wstd.travel.advisories:1441 Path: world!bzs Message-ID: <970820163235_76702.1202_CHN53-1@CompuServe.COM> Precedence: bulk Sender: bzs@world.std.com (daemons) Distribution: wstd Approved: usenet@world.std.com Lines: 131 STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - Monaco ============================================================ France and Monaco - Consular Information Sheet August 19, 1997 Country Description: France is a developed and stable democracy. Monaco is a developed constitutional monarchy. Entry Requirements: For information on entry requirements for France, travelers may contact the Embassy of France at 4101 Reservoir Road, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20007, tel. (202) 944-6000, or the nearest French consulate in Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, San Francisco or San Juan. For information on entry requirements to Monaco, travelers may contact the Consulate General of Monaco at 565 - 5th Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017, tel. (212) 759-5227. Medical Facilities: Medical care is widely available. U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the United States. Travelers have found that in some cases, supplemental medical insurance with specific overseas coverage, including coverage for medical evacuation to the United States, has proven useful. Further information on health matters can be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's international travelers hotline on (404) 332-4559 or by visiting CDC's Internet home page at http://www.cdc.gov. Crime Information: France and Monaco both have relatively low rates of violent crime. Crimes involving larceny are common. Pickpocketing, theft of unattended baggage and theft from rental cars or vehicles with non-local license plates are daily occurrences. Criminals frequent tourist attractions such as museums, monuments, restaurants, hotels and beaches, trains, train stations, airports and subways. Americans in France and Monaco should be particularly alert to pickpockets in train stations and subways. Travelers should carry limited cash and credit cards, leaving extra cash, credit cards, passports and personal documents at home or in a hotel safe. The loss or theft of a U.S. passport overseas should be reported immediately to the local police and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. U.S. citizens can refer to the Department of State's pamphlet "A Safe Trip Abroad" which provides useful information on guarding valuables and protecting personal security while traveling abroad. The pamphlet is available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. Drug Penalties: U.S. citizens are subject to the laws of the country in which they are traveling. In France, the penalties for possession, use, and dealing in illegal drugs are very strict. Convicted offenders can expect a significant jail sentence and a heavy customs fine; failure to pay can result in upwards of an additional two years imprisonment. Traffic Safety/Road Conditions: Roads in France are generally comparable to those in the United States. However, traffic engineering and driving habits pose special dangers. Generally, lane markings and sign placements are not as clear as in the U.S. Drivers should be prepared to make last minute maneuvers, as most French drivers do. French drivers usually drive more aggressively and faster than Americans. This can result in extreme speed differentials on the freeways, where the nominal speed limit is 81 m.p.h. for cars and 55 m.p.h. for trucks. One particularity of the French traffic code is that of the right of way -- drivers entering intersections from the right have priority over those on the left (unless specifically indicated otherwise), even when entering relatively large boulevards from relatively small side streets. Dual Nationality: U.S. citizens who are considered to have acquired French citizenship may be subject to compulsory military service and other aspects of French law while in France. Those who might be affected can inquire at a French embassy or consulate regarding their status. In some instances, dual nationality may hamper U.S. government efforts to provide protection abroad. Terrorist Activities: Violent civil disorder is relatively rare in France. Infrequently, however, labor protests or other routine demonstrations deteriorate into violent confrontations between demonstrators and police. For this reason, Americans are advised to avoid street demonstrations. In recent years, France has been the scene of closely-targeted political assassinations and random bombings. No U.S. citizens have been killed and only one has been injured. The bombings have resulted in an increased police presence at places where the public congregates. All passengers on subways and trains are urged to be aware of their surroundings and report any unattended packages to the nearest authority. The Basque Separatist Party (ETA) and the National Front for the Liberation of Corsica (FLNC) continue to operate in the south of France, and they occasionally bomb local government institutions, banks, travel agencies, etc. Registration and Embassy/Consulate Locations: U.S. citizens may register at the Consular Section in the U.S. Embassy or at one of the two consulates and obtain updated information on travel and security in France. For assistance and registration in Monaco, U.S. citizens may contact the U.S. Consulate in Marseille or the U.S. Consular Agent in Nice. The U.S. Embassy in Paris is located at 2 Avenue Gabriel, tel. (33) 1-42-12-22-22, fax (33) 1-42-66-97-83. The Consular Section is located two blocks away at 2 Rue St. Florentin, fax (33) 1-42-61-61-40. The U.S. Consulate in Marseille is located at 12 Boulevard Paul Peytral, tel. (33) 4-91-54-92-00, fax (33) 4-91-55-09-47. The U.S. Consulate in Strasbourg is located at 15 Avenue d'Alsace, tel. (33) 3-88-35-31-04, fax (33) 3-88-24-06-95. There is a Consular Agent in Nice at 31 Rue du Marechal Joffre, tel. (33) 4-93-88-89-55, fax (33) 4-93-87-07-38. No. 97-133 This replaces the Consular Information Sheet for France and Monaco dated February 8, 1996, to update the information on terrorist activities and to add a section on traffic safety/road conditions. ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- ----- The "travel-advisories@stolaf.edu" mailing list is the official Internet and BITNET distribution point for the U.S. State Department Travel Warnings and Consular Information Sheets. To unsubscribe, send a message containing the word "unsubscribe" to: travel-advisories-request@stolaf.edu Archives of past "travel-advisories" postings are available at the URL: "http://www.stolaf.edu/network/travel-advisories.html" or via Gopher: gopher.stolaf.edu, Internet Resources/US-State-Department-Travel-Advisories