Re: [Leica] Film, Cameras, Customs & France

[csocolow <csocolow@microserve.net>]

COLBYG@ULV.EDU wrote:
> 
> Greetings,
> 
>         I shall be traveling to France for a 7-week stay with my family, in
> April. The plan is to ship ahead my 4X5 field camera to an address in Paris,
> and to carry on my M6, lenses, and other 35mm equipment and unexposed film.
>         With no experience and a head full of rumors and tall tales regarding
> U.S. and French Customs, airport X-ray machines and carry-on size and weight
> limitations, I could use some heads-up advice from the LUG.
>         I had planned to register my serial-numbered equipment with U.S.
> Customs, and I have ideas about how to avoid airport x-rays, but anything that
> comes to mind from the well-traveled and well-prepared LUGers would be much
> appreciated. The best way to ship equipment, how much film is allowed, is the
> U.S. serial number registration useful for French customs, and hosts of other
> questions come to mind.
>         Thanks, in advance, from an inveterate list-lurker.
> 
> -Gary S. Colby

Gary,

A couple things. As has been mentioned before on the LUG, don't check
any film with your baggage. Carry it all on due to the new high-powered
x-ray machines. Keep all hand-checked film out of containers in clear
plastic bags and ask for hand inspection. I've never had problems having
it hand inspected when I indicate that I have 1600 or faster film. In
fact, keep a roll or two with each bag of your film just to show that
you have fast film.

I have all my equipment registered with U.S. Customs well before check
in and I keep that info in my neckpouch with my passport and birth
certificate. I don't know of any reason the French customs would need to
know serial numbers.

One thing you definitely want to keep in mind when photographing in
Paris with a view camera is the use of a tripod. The French bureaucracy
assumes that someone using a tripod is a professional and using a view
camera even for amateur purposes will draw officialdom down on you so
fast you won't know what hit you. Ask my assistant. We were able to
obtain a permit to use a tripod on the grounds of the Luxembourg Palace
(Jardin du Luxembourg) but it took an hour or so and a very helpful
woman in the appropriate office. Other places, such as around Notre Dame
or Place des Vosges we were flagged. And it would have taken a week or
two until we got permits. Still other places such as Czar Alexandre
Bridge we had no problems. Kind of depends where you are but be
forewarned. Basically, they're protecting the marketability of the
national heritage by requiring pros to register and perhaps pay usage
fees. I, on the other hand, using my Leicas, shot all the stock I wanted
and had no problems because they associate 35mm cameras with tourism.

Thanks to Tom Abrahamsson I have to recommend visiting La Chambre
Claire, a great photographic bookstore on Rue St. Sulpice in the 6th
Arrondisement. That whole area is very photogenic, particularly the
plaza in front of the church of the same name. Also consider the 10th in
and around the Canal St. Martin. I've also started to explore the 11th
as well. It lies just to the east of Place de la Bastille. Blvd.
Beaumarchais is in that area and Maison du Leica is there with a
facsimile check from Cartier-Bresson from one of his earlier purchases.

One of my favorite little restaurants is around the corner from the
Pantheon on Rue St. Jacques in the 5th Arrondisement. It's called
Perraudin and is frequented by students, faculty and neighborhood types
as well as a few enlightened travellers. They have great onion tart and
desserts as well as confit du canard, a duck leg preserved in its own
fat and roasted to perfection.

Also, check out the Maison du Photographie Européenne which is on the
right bank near the City Hall (Hotel du Ville).

If you're going to be arriving in Paris on a Sunday or Monday and
staying at least a week you should consider the orange card for the
metro. You'll need to bring a photo to paste onto the ID card. They run
from 12:01 a.m. Monday morning to 11:59 p.m. Sunday night so it's not
worth buying them late in the week. Make sure if you buy one on Sunday
that it's for the following week. They're great cause you can use them
on all the subways and busses within the city environs.

Any other questions email me privately.
- -- 
Carl Socolow

http://members.tripod.com/SocPhoto/