During your stay in France, you should strive to adapt to the French way of life and respect its customs; this can only help you integrate better.

You may be stopped by the police for an identification check, to see whether they are in order. So you should always have your identity papers on you (passport, resident's permit, student's card) to prove your identity and that you are not staying in France illegally.

We recommend having photocopies of these documents on you rather than the original copies, because it is a lengthy process renewing them if you lose them.

Smoking is banned in public places. You may well be fined if you ignore this ban.

When travelling, you should always buy a ticket. Ticket checks are frequent on buses and trains. You will be fined if you are travelling without a ticket.

There are restrictions on using mobile phones in certain places. You may be asked to turn your mobile off. If you want to use your mobile to make a call on a train, you should leave the passenger compartment and make your call in the area provided for the purpose.