Organize your stay Congo Brazzaville
Money Congo Brazzaville
The official currency is the CFA franc. The parity between the euro and the CFA franc is fixed. It should be noted, however, that this is not the same CFA franc (and therefore the coins and bills differ) as that used in West Africa.
1 € = 655.957 FCFA. For those who know it well, the old franc makes things easier and brings back memories, since 1 centime is equal to 1 FCFA. Banknotes are distributed as follows: 500 FCFA, 1,000 FCFA, 2,000 FCFA, 5,000 FCFA, 10,000 FCFA. Followed by coins of 10, 25, 50, 100 and 500 FCFA. The bills and coins are sometimes in very poor condition: don't worry, they're still valid!
Budget & Tips Congo Brazzaville
A basic fact: the Congo is not a cheap destination. As in most sub-Saharan African countries, air travel is expensive, and there are substantial visa fees for long-term stays. Car rental is much more expensive than in France, especially as the use of a driver is often essential, which adds to the cost. Catering offers something for every budget, from grilled meats with manioc at 1,000 FCFA to a 10,000 FCFA dish in a traditional restaurant. In Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire, finding a room for less than 10,000 FCFA is quite a feat; at the other end of the spectrum, comfortable or international hotels offer rooms for 100,000 FCFA and often more. On the other hand, public transport such as minibuses or collective cabs, the "cent-cent", are very inexpensive; cabs, which can be found everywhere, are also fairly affordable, except for long journeys, where you'll have to negotiate hard.
Passport and visas Congo Brazzaville
All passports issued in France are now biometric. They include your photo, fingerprints and a secure chip. To obtain your passport, go to the town hall with a tax stamp, proof of address, proof of identity and two passport photos. The passport is issued in around three weeks. It is valid for ten years. Children require a personal passport (valid for five years). To travel to the Congo, your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after your return date, and contain at least two blank pages for the visa.
In addition to your passport, you'll need a visa, which must be requested from the Congolese embassy in Paris before your departure. No visa is issued on the spot. Application and payment must be made online (ambacongofr.org). There are 15-day and 90-day visas, with processing times of 7 days for the normal procedure and 3 days for the express procedure.
Tip. Before you leave, photocopy all the documents you'll be taking with you. Take one copy of each document with you and leave the other with someone in France. In the event of loss or theft, this will make it much easier to renew them with the consular authorities. You can also keep copies on the official website (www.service-public.fr). Simply create an account and scan all your identity papers and other important documents into the confidential area.
Driver's license Congo Brazzaville
The French driver's license is recognized in Congo, so you'll have no trouble renting a car without a driver, even if we recommend the second option, given the state of the roads and the sometimes brusque driving style of the Congolese.
Health Congo Brazzaville
Before departure. As in the majority of sub-Saharan African countries, departure is accompanied by medical preparation, as most of the so-called tropical diseases against which we have no immunity can sometimes lead to serious complications. So it's best to think about this before you leave, and contact a doctor if necessary to plan preventive treatments.
During your stay. It's always best to eat cooked food: raw meats and badly washed salads often contain bacteria. Apart from mosquitoes and flies, you're unlikely to come into contact with insects, snakes and other tropical bugs. Only very adventurous stays can present a certain risk, for example, sleeping under the stars or in the bush. Given the high ambient humidity, even the smallest wound (including a scratched mosquito pimple) will quickly become infected: take along a liquid antiseptic (not cream) to dry the wound. Small wipes or a disinfectant hand solution are still the most practical way to wash your hands.
After your trip. When you return from your trip, any persistent diarrhoea or unexplained fever should, as a matter of conscience, be reported, as most tropical diseases, if identified in time, are benign and can be effectively treated.
Water. In many countries, and particularly in this one, water is a traveller's main enemy. Statistically, one out of every two travellers is affected by turista within the first 48 hours, and 80% of travel-related illnesses are directly attributable to contaminated water. While turista is fortunately often benign, diarrhea contracted in high-risk areas can also conceal amoebae, giardia, bacteria or viruses, which can be vectors of serious illnesses (typhoid, cholera, for example). The utmost caution is therefore called for. It's not enough to avoid drinking tap water: ice cubes, food washed with impure water or brushing your teeth with tap water - even in a 4-star hotel - are all vectors of contamination. Prevention is therefore better than cure: capped water bottles are available everywhere, just make sure they arrive uncapped on the table, as some clever people don't hesitate to fill the bottle with tap water! Boil water (coffee and tea are "safe" drinks), avoid eating raw vegetables or unpeeled fruit (follow the motto: "washed, peeled, boiled or rejected!"), and banish ice cubes. If you have to go somewhere where bottles are not available, buy disinfectant tablets. Nothing could be simpler: one tablet in your flask or liter bottle and you're ready to brush your teeth, drink a little water in the middle of the night or even wash your fruit. Several products are available: Micropur Forte DCCNa® - the only product on the market that purifies water quickly, eliminates bacteria, viruses, giardia and amoebae, and keeps the water drinkable, Aquatabs® or Hydroclonazone® (the least expensive, but the chlorine taste is very pronounced and only the bacteria are eliminated). For adventurers, a water filter is essential to filter out muddy water. Katadyn® filters meet the needs of these adventurers with several models, including the famous bottle filter, which provides instant drinking water without pumping, and also eliminates viruses.
Advice. For advice before your trip, don't hesitate to consult your doctor. You can also contact the Institut Pasteur medical center's travel medicine society (www. pasteur.fr/fr/sante/centre-medical) or visit the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs website under "Conseils aux voyageurs" (www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/voyageurs). In the event of illness or a serious problem during your trip, consult a pharmacist and then a doctor as soon as possible. Contact the French consulate. They'll be happy to help you and provide you with a list of French-speaking doctors. In the event of a serious problem, the consulate will also inform the family and decide on repatriation. To find out about emergency services and establishments that meet international standards, visit www.diplomatie.gouv.fr and www.pasteur.fr.
Mandatory vaccination Congo Brazzaville
Vaccination against yellow fever is compulsory. Vaccination against typhoid fever, tetanus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B and meningitis is highly recommended. If your last DTP booster vaccination was more than five years ago, it is advisable to have yourself re-vaccinated. Travelers are also advised to take anti-malarial treatment before, during and after their stay in the Congo.
Security Congo Brazzaville
Once troubled by armed clashes since the 1990s, the Pool department has become calmer since the signing of a ceasefire in December 2017. It is now possible to travel there via the RN1 to Pointe-Noire and the bypass between Mindouli and PK 45, north of Brazzaville.
In the north of the country, travel along the southern border of the Central African Republic, in a 30 km-wide zone, is not permitted. As in the south of the country, travel close to the borders with Cabinda (Angola) and the Democratic Republic of Congo is inadvisable, as these are areas of insecurity linked to numerous trafficking operations. As a general rule, avoid land borders with Congo's neighbors.
Time difference Congo Brazzaville
The official time is GMT + 1. Below the equator, there are virtually no seasonal variations in sunshine: the sun rises at 6 a.m. and sets at around 6 p.m. all year round. If there's one country where the expression "the world belongs to those who get up early" takes on its full meaning, it's the Congo. Activities start early in the morning, at around 7:30 a.m., and the towns are empty by sunset. For example, schools open their doors at 7 a.m. to start classes at 7.30 a.m.
Spoken languages Congo Brazzaville
The official language is French, but two vernacular languages are enshrined in the constitution: Lingala and Kituba. In simple terms, Lingala is the language of the north and of official communications, while Kituba, also known as Munukutuba, is the language of the south. Lari can be considered the country's third local language. It is spoken mainly in the Pool department and in Brazzaville's southern districts. Other minority languages are spoken by the country's various ethnic groups.
Communication Congo Brazzaville
Since May 2012, the Congo has had access to high-speed Internet since the country was connected to the West African Coast Submarine Cable (WAFS), piloted by South Africa and implemented by Alcatel-Lucent Submarine Networks. In practice, outside certain areas of Pointe-Noire and Brazzaville, bandwidth is still very unpredictable. It's possible to download files, check e-mail, surf the net or connect to social networks, but video playback is sometimes more complicated. Of course, it's not instantaneous, but with a little patience, you'll get through ! Telephone operators, who are very active in the country, offer a good Internet connection, especially 3G, accessible from any local chip (you just need to activate the option by typing in a code, which varies according to the operator) and financially attractive. MTN (the most stable 3G), followed by Airtel, share the Internet market. There are also pre-paid cards available from Yatoo, an access provider with a rather fast connection (by Congolese standards, of course).
Electricity and measurements Congo Brazzaville
No adapter is needed if you come from a European country, as the voltage used is 220 volts. However, power surges and other variations fully justify the purchase before departure of a small fused plug made by Belkin, for example, which will protect your nomadic equipment from lightning surges. For weights and measures, we use the metric system. We speak in meters and grams.
Luggage Congo Brazzaville
In the Congo, it's hot, even very hot at certain times of the year. Light clothing, preferably light-colored cotton, is therefore highly recommended. Despite the heat, it is essential to cover forearms, feet and legs at the end of the day to avoid insect bites. This is particularly true outside cities and near wetlands. At dawn, temperatures rise rapidly: an enveloping, humidity-laden heat where the simple act of getting out of a cab will shower you outright. On the other hand, in the dry season, it's noticeably cooler, sometimes cold with a light drizzle in certain regions such as Mayombe and Pointe-Noire - a bit like summer in Normandy: a light jacket for the day and a little wool for the night are therefore not superfluous. For business meetings, a suit and tie is mandatory for both men and women. As you will soon discover, the Congolese dress elegantly and remain sensitive to their interlocutors' appearances: they set great store by "cleanliness", which is not just hygiene, but care as a requirement of elegance. On the other hand, for more casual occasions, shorts, Bermuda shorts, T-shirts, etc. are tolerated, but avoid dirty or sloppy outfits. Don't forget to take mosquito repellent adapted to the tropical zone, sun cream, a hat, sunglasses, a flashlight or headlamp (made indispensable by the continual power cuts), a knife, maps (even if you can find them in the big bookshops in Brazzaville or Pointe-Noire) and antibacterial hand lotion.
