xil I. SEASON. PASSPORTS. CUSTOM HOUSE.
high class, dines at the table d'hote, visits the theatres, drives in
the parks and environs, and finally indulges in suppers St la carte,
he must be prepared to spend 30-40 fr. a day or upwards. Those,
however, who visit Paris for the sake of its monuments, its galleries,
its collections, and not for its pleasures, will have little difficulty,
with the aid of the information in the Handbook, in limiting their
expenditure to 15-20 fr. a day.
Sbason. Spring and autumn are the best seasons for a visit to
Paris, the former perhaps deserving the preference as having fewer
rainy days. The long days of summer are in some respects admir¬
ably adapted for sight-seeing; but the heat is often excessive, and
the absence after June of a large proportion of the ordinary resi¬
dents deprives the city of one of its most characteristic features.
Passports are now dispensed with in France, but they are often
useful in proving the traveller's identity, procuring admission to
museums on days when they are not open to the public, obtaining
delivery of registered letters, etc.
Among the principal passport-agents in London are: Buss, 4 Adelaide
Street, Strand (charge is., including agent's fee); C. Smith and Son, 23 Craven
Street, Charing Cross (inclusive fee 4».)-, Thomas Cook and Son, Ludgate
Circus (fee 3s. Sd.); and Henry Blacklock and Co. (Bradshaw's Guides,
fee 5s.).
Custom House. In order to prevent the risk of unpleasant de¬
tention at the 'douane' or custom-house, travellers are strongly re-
ciommended to avoid carrying with them any articles that are not
absolutely necessary. Cigars, tobacco, and matches are chiefly sought
for by the custom-house officers. The duty on cigars amounts to
about 138., on tobacco to 6-10s. per lb. Articles liable to duty
should always be 'declared'. Books and newspapers occasionally
give rise to suspicion and may in certain cases be confiscated. —
The octroi is a duty on comestibles levied at the entrance of Paris
and other large towns, but travellers' luggage is usually passed on
a simple declaration that it contains none.
II. Railways.+
The faTes per English mile are approximately: 1st cl. 18 c,
2nd cl. 12 c, 3rd cl. 8 c, to which a tax of ten per cent on each
ticket costing more than 10 fr. is added. Return - tickets (Billets
t Railway - station, la gare (also Vembarcadirc); booking-office, le
guichet or bureau; first, second, or third class ticket, un billet de premiere,
de seconde, de troisieme classe; to take a ticket, prendre tin billet; to
register the luggage, /aire enregistrer les bagaget; luggage-ticket, bulletin
de bagage; waiting-room, salle d'atlenle; refreshment-room, le buffet (third
class, la buvette); cloak-room, la consigne; platform, le quai, le trottoir;
carriage, le wagon; compartment, le compartiment, le coupi; smoking com¬
partment, fumeurs; ladies' compartment, dames seules; guard, conducteur;
porter, facteur; to enter the carriage, monter en wagon; take your seats!
en voilure! to alight, descendre; to change carriages, changer de voiture;
express train to Calais, le train express pour Calais, Vexpress de Calais.
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