Citizens of all EU countries are entitled to take advantage of French health services under the same terms as residents as long as they have the correct documentation. British citizens need form E111, available from post offices. All non-EU citizens have to pay for most medical attention and are strongly advised to take out some form of medical insurance.Under the French health system, every hospital visit, doctor's consultation, prescribed medicine and even ambulance call-out incurs a charge, which you have to pay upfront. EU citizens carrying the correct documents are entitled to a refund (usually between 70 and 100 percent) of any medical and dental expenses they incur, providing the doctor is government registered (a médecin conventionné). This can still leave a hefty shortfall, however, especially after a stay in hospital. No inoculations are required for France. The worst that's likely to happen to you is a case of sunburn or an upset stomach from eating too much rich food. Though the bottled variety is widely available, tap water is perfectly safe to drink. For minor complaints go to a pharmacie, signalled by an illuminated green cross. You'll find at least one in every small town and even some villages. They keep normal shop hours (roughly 9am–noon & 3–6pm), though some stay open late and, in larger towns, at least one (known as the pharmacie de garde) is open 24 hours according to a rota; details are displayed in all pharmacy windows. For anything more serious you can get the name of a doctor from a pharmacy, local police station, tourist office or your hotel. Alternatively, look under "Médecins" in the Yellow Pages of the phone directory. The average consultation fee is between €20 and €25. You'll be given a Feuille de Soins (Statement of Treatment) for later insurance claims. Any prescriptions will be fulfilled by the pharmacy and must be paid for; little price stickers (vignettes) from each medicine will be stuck on another Feuille de Soins. In serious emergencies you will always be admitted to the nearest general hospital (Centre Hospitalier). Phone numbers and addresses are given in the Guide for all the main cities. The national number for calling an ambulance is 15.
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