All U.S. and Canadian citizens, including infants, need a valid passport to enter France. Visas are not required for American and Canadian visitors staying in France for up to 90 days. For more information, contact your nearest French Consulate.

It is mandatory in France to carry some form of identification at all times. If you lose your passport, the nearest U.S. Consulate will issue Americans a limited-validity replacement if travel is imminent, or a full-validity passport if further travel is not within two weeks. When in France, please carry a photocopy of your passport separately from your passport. The copy will facilitate issuance of a replacement ($75 fee for adults, $85 for children).

The American Embassy in Paris is located at:
2, Avenue Gabriel
Telephone:  01 43 12 22 22.

The Passport Section is located nearby at:
4, Avenue Gabriel
(open 9 am to noon, Monday through Friday).

There are other Consular Offices in Bordeaux, Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Rennes, Strasbourg and Toulouse that provide assistance to American citizens.

Cultural Crossroads Tours of France at a Glance

• Gardens and Gastronomy in France
  

  This “colorful and tasty” program has been designed especially for Cultural Crossroads travelers who are particularly interested in discovering the secrets of French cuisine and some of the most interesting gardens including many private gardens not normally opened to the public. Cultural Crossroads travelers will enjoy a cooking demonstration by a well-known Chef, wine and olive oil tastings, and a private visit to a Renaissance castle which is now a private residence. We also visit a workshop that creates Provencal fabrics, a glass blowing museum, the impressive estate and winery of Val Joanis, and a class with a perfume expert in her laboratory in one of the most famous perfume factories of Grasse. Of course, every day will include local French cuisine.

• Treasures of Art in the Loire Chateaux Country
  

  Amboise will be our home for 6 nights, a perfect location in the heart of the Loire Valley, which is often referred to as the center of the French “Art de Vivre” because of its long tradition of elegant chateaux and delicious food. Cultural Crossroads travelers will follow our expert study leader, from castle to castle from the Middle Ages through the Renaissance to the 18th and 19th century, we will discover treasures of art, exceptional parks and gardens, arts and crafts of the region and enter the fascinating history of the châteaux country.