After last week’s newsletter about my ill-fated attempt to use Paris’s bikeshare program, Vélib’, I received a number of letters from readers on the topic of obtaining a French phone number for use while traveling. (If you missed it, not having access to one at the time posed a bit of an issue when it came to taking out a bike.) I figured this would be a good time to give the topic a little attention.
I realized it had come as a surprise to some people that I don’t have a French number, considering that I travel to France somewhat frequently. Part of this has to do with my personal travel philosophy, which involves being on my phone as little as possible when I’m exploring a new city or country. Because of this, I usually only purchase a very limited data-only eSIM while traveling, and keep the data turned off unless I need to call an Uber or something. (They’re usually cheaper than eSIM cards that come with phone and texting capabilities as well.) It allows me to stay present in the moment, and have a bit of a screentime cleanse. It also challenges me to ask people questions and talk to locals, instead of looking everything up for myself.
Another reason I typically go data-only is because, well, I don’t usually have a need for a French number! Europeans often prefer WhatsApp to texting, most restaurants and museums allow you to reserve tables or buy tickets online, and it’s rare that I encounter the need to actually make a telephone call for any reason. (Though I’ll admit, as a millennial I do maintain my generation’s irrational fear of speaking on the phone, and prefer to do everything online anyway.) In fact, many practical apps don’t even require data or wifi to use abroad—you can download entire cities on Google Maps for getting directions, and you can also download entire languages on Google Translate, if you find yourself at a loss for words. In a pinch, programs like Google Voice can also be used for simple tasks like calling to make a restaurant reservation.
However, if you do want to access a French phone number while traveling, it’s quite easy. You can pop into any Orange store in France and purchase a physical SIM card, which you can slot into your existing phone. (Though newer iPhones like mine no longer have this capability.) Orange even allows you to keep the same French phone number as long as you register online and top it off at least once every six months, a useful option for frequent travelers.
You can also purchase an eSIM in-store or online, either through Orange or through sites like Airalo or Ubigi. A lot of smaller phone and tech stores around France also sell SIM cards. Personally, I’d recommend getting one with at least 3 GB of data for a week-long trip, since it’s overall cheaper to pay a few dollars extra up front than to have to buy a whole new SIM card if you hit your data limit.
A lot of people find it easier to use a travel plan through their phone provider, which typically includes texting, calling, and data, but this tends to be much more expensive. Whenever I fly into a new country, if I forget to turn my data off before I land, I get a notice from Verizon that I’ve been charged $12 for 24 hours of access to my travel plan, which automatically renews each day as long as the data stays on. That $12 a day adds up pretty quick—meanwhile, I could get a SIM card that lasts the whole week for less than that.
I’ve also seen more comprehensive options available through hors forfait programs, a term which refers to eSIM packages that are not part of a contracted phone plan. You can get one through Orange, SFR, or Bouygues, and they come with large data, calling, and texting allowances. The one catch is that you’ll need to link your purchase to a bank account with an IBAN number, which American banks do not use. Global digital banks like Wise, Revolut, and N26 offer these, as do traditional French banks.
To purchase an actual French phone plan through a provider like Orange, they may require you to have an account with a brick and mortar French bank like BNP Paribas or Crédit Agricole, rather than a digital bank like N26. I occasionally have horror flashbacks to the aggravating process I went through setting up a BNP account many years ago, and wish anyone going this route courage more so than luck.
Have I missed any tips, tricks, or workarounds? Call our hotline to let me know—just kidding. As always, you can shoot me an email at [email protected].
