French telephone
numbers have ten digits, each one beginning with a two-digit prefix
for one of the five telephone areas. To place a call between any
two points in France, simply dial the 10-digit number. To help you
know the location of the number you are calling, here are the areas
and their prefixes:
Île-de-France
(Paris area) 01
Northwest France 02
Northeast France 03
Southeast France and Corsica 04
Southwest France 05
Local directory assistance may be accessed by dialing 12. Toll-free
numbers (numéro vert) begin with the digits 08.00, often
grouped as 0.800.
Using Public
Phones
Public telephones are nearly all equipped for the TéléCarte,
an embedded-chip smart card. Since few public phones accept coins,
we recommend that visitors obtain and carry a phone card for use
in emergencies. They are available in tobacco shops, post offices,
offices of France Télécom, and from newsagents. Some
credit cards can also be used (Visa, Mastercard/Eurocard).
Public telephones
can be found in métro and train stations, in airports, and
on TGV and EuroStar trains, although the latter only accept Visa,
Mastercard, and Eurocard. Coin-operated phones are sometimes found
in in bars and restaurants. Note that emergency numbers and directory
information services can be dialed without a card or coins.
International
Calls
To call abroad from France first dial 00, then the country code,
then the telephone number. Here are a few country codes: Australia
61, United Kingdom 44, Ireland 353, United States 1, Brazil 55,
Canada 1, China 86, Germany 49, Israel 972, Italy 39, Japan 81,
Mexico 52, Portugal 351, Spain 34, Sweden 46, Switzerland 41. To
reach an international operator, dial 00.33.12, then the country
code.
Incoming international
calls must not include the zero digit of the prefix. For example,
the telephone number of the Paris Office of Tourism is 01.49.52.53.54.
To dial this Paris number from London, dial 00.33.1.49.52.53.54.
To dial the same number from Marseille, dial 01.49.52.53.54. From
the United States, dial 011.33.1.49.52.53.54.
Telephone
Rates
Free rate information is available at 08.00.06.19.19. When placing
calls from your hotel, it is advised to ask for rates at the reception
desk to avoid misunderstandings. As elsewhere, hotels usually add
a surcharge to phone rates.
