The railway network of France, which stretches 31,840 kilometres (19,784 mi) is the most extensive in Western Europe. It is operated by the SNCF, and high-speed trains include the Thalys, the Eurostar and TGV, which travels at 320 km/h (200 mph) in commercial use. The Eurostar, along with the Eurotunnel Shuttle, connects with the United Kingdom through the Channel Tunnel. Rail connections exist to all other neighbouring countries in Europe, except Andorra. Intra-urban connections are also well developed with both underground services and tramway services complementing bus services.

There is approximately 893,300 kilometres (555,070 mi) of serviceable roadway in France. The Paris region is enveloped with the most dense network of roads and highways that connect it with virtually all parts of the country. French roads also handle substantial international traffic, connecting with cities in neighboring Belgium, Spain, Andorra, Monaco, Switzerland, Germany and Italy. There is no annual registration fee or road tax; however, motorway usage is through tolls except in the vicinity of large communes. The new car market is dominated by domestic brands such as Renault (27% of cars sold in France in 2003), Peugeot (20.1%) and Citroën (13.5%).Over 70% of new cars sold in 2004 had diesel engines, far more than contained petrol or LPG engines. France possesses the world’s tallest road bridge: the Millau Viaduct, and has built many important bridges such as the Pont de Normandie.

Shopping in France can be a real feast for the senses. From the bustle of French food markets where you can buy fresh, local, seasonal home produce including vegetables, fruits, meats, jams, breads and pastries to the aroma of roasting chickens, cherries in season and powerfully pungent yet delicious and appetising cheeses.

In addition to gourmet foods and culinary treats, France is also famous for its huge hypermarkets such as Auchan, Carrefour and Leclerc. The size of football pitches and situated in Centre Commercials on the edge of towns, these enormous French hypermarkets stock thousands upon thousands of products from electrical and white goods, clothing, household items, food and of course fine wines and beers. With many items cheaper than in the UK it is possible to make considerable savings when shopping in France.

French bread

While French bread tastes delicious, it is made with little or no preservatives and can therefore go stale quite quickly particularly during the summer months. One tip to preserve freshness is to use a bread bag or to wrap the bread in a tea towel. French bread is best bought from a boulangerie. Look out for those boulangeries which appear busy or where there are queues. Be prepared to pay a little more for your French bread here than you would in a supermarket.

Water

Although generally ok, tap water in France is rarely drunk with most French people preferring to drink eau de source for everyday use. Cheap and palatable, eau de source is mostly bought in 1.5L bottles. Well known brands such as Badoit, Evian and Perrier come under the banner of eau minerale naturelle and are often considerably cheaper to buy than in the UK.

Cheese

As you would expect in a country that has at least 365 cheeses to its name, French supermarkets sell a wide selection of cheese and they will often have samples for you to try. If you adore cheese, then perhaps a better option would be to visit a French specialist cheese shop called a fromagerie.

French food markets

Your first stop to buy fresh fruits and vegetables should be a French food market. Open for business from around 8am and closing around noon most French towns will have a market taking place on Saturday. Generally seasonal, lots of produce for sale is local and regional with fruits, vegetables and meat direct from local specialist suppliers and farmers. Best buys from French food markets include seasonal vegetables and huge bundles of smoked garlic for a fraction of what they would cost in the UK.

Fresh seafood straight off the boat

The pretty town of Boulogne-sur-Mer also happens to be France’s largest fishing port. For fresh seafood and shellfish straight off the boat pay a visit to the harbour – Quai Gambetta. Here you can buy the day’s catch of fish, lobster, crab and mussels from a variety of shops in the fish market or direct off the fishing boats. Another excellent place to shop and eat seafood is Aux Pecheurs D’Etaples situated on the Grand rue in the centre of Boulogne. A highly praised restaurant and fishmonger, Aux Pecheurs D’Etaples is run by a local fishing co-operative.

Wine, beer and spirits

France’s hypermarkets are second to none when it to comes to price and selection of wine, beer and spirits. In most French hypermarkets a huge area of floor space is dedicated to just aisles upon aisles stacked high with international and local beers, wine and champagne. Top tip: two trolleys are better than one if you plan on doing a major shop at a French hypermarket and don’t forget to have plenty of change as French trolleys require a one Euro coin.

Take your own shopping bags to France

Taking your own reusable shopping bags to France will ensure that you won’t have any nasty surprises when you arrive at the till with several heavy laden trolleys. Due to concerns over the impact of non-biodegradable plastic bags on the environment, supermarkets and shops in France have either phased out plastic bags at the checkout or are in the process of doing so. Instead, many French supermarkets and shops now give you the option of buying a reusable bag or brown paper bags and boxes.