Europe
France
Paris was a major centre of 18th- and 19th-century watchmaking and remains the home of Cartier (founded 1847) and a strong jewellery-watchmaking culture. Besançon, in eastern France, was historically the country's industrial watchmaking capital and still hosts the Musée du Temps and the official French chronometer-certification mark, the "viper's head."
Capital
Paris
Currency
Euro (EUR)
VAT / Tax
French VAT (TVA) is 20%. Non-EU residents can claim a refund via the PABLO export-validation kiosks at French airports.
Signature Brands
- Cartier
- Bell & Ross
- Pequignet
Traveler Note
Cartier's historic boutique at 13 Rue de la Paix in Paris remains the brand's symbolic home. The Musée du Temps in Besançon documents centuries of French timekeeping.