Police: 17

Fire: 18

Medical emergency: 15

Hospital : 02 47 47 47 47 (foreign language assistance GB)

Loss of Creditcard (F/GB) : 0 892 705 705 (€0.337/min)

SOS (Crisis line in English) : 01 46 21 46 46 (3.00/11.00 p.m.)

24h/24 / automobile Breakdown service: 02 47 20 30 40

Usual opening times: 09.00/12.00 - 14.00/19.00

but often open all day in city centres as well as hypermarkets. Closed on Sundays and public holidays except for food outlets which are open in the morning.

Usual opening times: 08.30/12.30 - 13.30/17.30

but all day opening in city centres from Tuesday to Saturday (some rare branches are also open on Monday). Commission on foregn exchange varies from one bank to another. Some Post Offices do exchange transactions.

08/05, 14/07, 15/08 and 11/11.

These are as follows: two weeks in February, two at Easter (staggered according to three geographical zones) and, at a national level, two months from the end of June to the beginning of September, 10 days at All Saints and two weeks at Christmas.

Opening Hours

Mon-Fri 07:00-12:00 14:00-19:30

Sat 07:00 to 19:30

Brico Depot are part of the Kingfisher Group so expect it to be similar in concept to the Depot stores in the UK.

Bricomarché is a fairly typical do-it-yourself store like The Depot but being French has some agricultural tendencies.

Point P is a professional builder's merchants. They will deliver for a fee.

Opening Hours

Mon-Fri 09:30-12:00 14:00-18:30

Sat 09:30-12:00 14:00-18:30

Lapeyre are more specialised, focusing on kitchens and bathrooms, doors, staircases can be made to measure as well as exterior fittings such as shutters, gates and railings.