Using the telephone might work a little different in France than in your home country. Our guide will give you all the information on making calls without paying too much money.
Public phone booths: The network of public phone booths (operated by France Telecom) is very large in France, although it's been reduced as most people are using mobile phones. Nearly all public phones only accept telephone cards (no coins). You can buy a card in many places, such as newspaper and tobacco kiosks, exchange offices, post offices, etc.
In many phones you can use a credit card (such as Visa or MasterCard). This costs more than France Telecom phone card (or a card from another provider), but is useful for a quick call. In most public telephone boxes, you can be called back at the number displayed.
Other publicly accessible phones: Many bars, restaurants and hotels offer phone access. There is surcharge on the normal rate so the calls are more expensive, but they usually operate with coins. There are also many small calling shops, where you can make calls and pay afterwards. These often offer good deals, especially for international calls.
Private fixed lines: Your fixed line will be provided by Orange - this does not mean you have to use make your calls through them. There are several telecom companies providing (combinations of) home telephone, internet and tv services. Prices vary and depend on the package you choose.
All French numbers are 10-digits and start with '0'. Below is a list of prefixes and what they mean (rates correct as of 1/5/04):
To make an international call from France, dial:
'00' + country code + destination number.
For calling to France: France’s country code is +33, which is always followed up by an area code depending on the city you’re calling to.
When calling from France to another country: Charges for international calls can be heavy in France, so it is worth investigating the different plans on offer. The cheapest solution is to use International Prepaid Calling Cards with your normal fixed phone. You can find more information on this subject in our chapter on prepaid international SIM cards.
If you need to find a number, use one of the following online directories (annuaires):
The general emergency number is 112. For specific services call:
Calling these numbers from a fixed line is free of charge.