Free since 2006, Paris's 400 public toilets are available in every part of the capital. These sanisettes, designed by Patrick Jouin, are mostly open from 6am to 10pm, except for 150 of them on main roads, which are available 24/24.
Paris has more than 400 public toilets, called sanisettes, located on the public footpaths around Paris. They are free to use and all have disabled access. Many of the sanisettes are open 24hours a day, others are open between 6am- 1am. They are automatically cleaned after each usage.
Public bathrooms
You can find them all over the streets of Paris, particularly in the touristy areas such as the first and fourth district. In general, there is one or two next to every big landmark of Paris, such as the Eiffel Tower, the Cathedral Notre-Dame, the Louvre Museum…
There are free toilets on all floors of the Tower (1st, 2nd and the top) as well as on the parvis. There are baby changing facilities on all floors (parvis, 1st, 2nd) apart from the top of the...
Although, it should be noted that the data is perhaps not 100% reliable as almost every single toilet you're likely to encounter in say France or Spain will allow you to flush your toilet paper.
France, Portugal, Italy, Japan, Argentina, Venezuela, and Spain: Instead of toilet paper, people from these countries (most of them from Europe) usually have a bidet in their washrooms. A bidet like a toilet, but also includes a spout that streams water like a water fountain to rinse you clean.
Free since 2006, Paris's 400 public toilets are available in every part of the capital. These sanisettes, designed by Patrick Jouin, are mostly open from 6am to 10pm, except for 150 of them on main roads, which are available 24/24. Please note: all these toilets are accessible to people with disabilities.
Public toilets in France are just like any in Europe. They are usually free and generally well-maintained. Typically, only a universally recognized symbol will indicate which to use. Unisex toilets (toilettes unisexes) are still rare in France but slowly appearing in Paris and other large cities.
Known as elephant feet toilets, Turkish toilets or squatting toilets, this is a sight which many of us dread in Paris. Although they are not as common as they once were, you will still find them in older buildings. In fact one of the basketball venues I played had were only equipped with this kind of toilet.
Parisian street style involves mostly denim and people are surprised when they learn that French women aren't just wearing trousers and dresses all day. Jeans are the main staple of their capsule wardrobe.
2 – Using the Toilet in a French Café
If it's a big and busy Parisian café, just get in and open your eyes for a staircase – toilets are often located one floor down or one floor up. Don't ask anything and just go. If you are in an extremely touristy area though, toilets may be for patrons only.
Yes, tap water in Paris is perfectly safe to drink and is readily available wherever you go, even at public water fountains. As long as taps aren't labeled eau non potable—meaning “not for drinking” in French—everything else is potable. In fact, drinking water from the fountains of Paris has been encouraged.
Tipping is not considered etiquette by French people in French restaurants, but if you enjoyed your meal, it's nice to leave 5 - 10%. If you really enjoyed the meal, or plan on returning to the restaurant and want the wait staff to like you, 15% is a generous tip.
In almost every district of Paris, you can find city showers with single cabins, and you can shower for free.
Of course, white toilet paper is available in France (it's also cheaper), it's just much less common. It has been suggested that the use of synthetically dyed papers can cause some unpleasant health issues, such as UTI's and fungal infections.
Many restrooms are pay-only and sometimes manned by an attendant who will charge you to enter. Make sure to keep small change on you and have a variety of coins. Sometimes there is an attendant, but other times there will be a machine that requires exact change.
Squat toilets are generally non-existent in Northern and Western Europe. France and Italy are an exception and have some squat toilets remaining in old buildings and public toilets because they used to be the norm there in the early 20th century.
People kiss, hug, hold, cuddle in the streets. As long as there is no nudity involved (and even that may be debatable in some places) or other illegal elements, there is no issue with public display of affection in France.
Tipping is not required in France (although there are a few exceptions). You don't need to tip French waitstaff because they get a living wage and benefits. It is NOT considered rude to tip in France. There is no standard percentage for tips in France.
Mistake #10: Being easy prey for pickpockets and purse-snatchers. Your odds of being robbed or mugged in Paris are fairly low. In the Métro, one estimate puts the assault rate at 1 in 365,000 passengers, or about 6,000 muggings compared to more than two billion underground rides each year.
Its popularity spread from France to all across Europe and other parts of the world, except for America. Part of the reason is that bidets got a bad reputation. Americans first saw them in World War II in European brothels, so, many associated them with sex work.
Indeed, French building codes require this separation. The location of French toilets is tied to a number of cultural issues, especially public vs. private space and concepts of clean vs. dirty.