Les Toilettes

Public restrooms in France are exceptionally rare.. I don't know why. (same goes for drinking fountains; I've yet to see one).  Even in heavy-traffic areas like train stations, finding the bathroom is like a finding the hidden tomb inside the pyramids.  And when you do come across one, you'll probably have to pay 0,30- 0,50 € to use it.  If it's free, don't expect to find toilet paper, so if you're doing a lot of traveling, carry a roll with you.  It takes a while to get use to how to flush-- buttons and pulley-things instead of, well, a normal flusher.  There's also the possibility that there won't be a seat and the bathroom will look like this:

I had read about their existence but had never actually used one...