France: 4 Best Prepaid SIM Cards Buying Guide (2022)

France – known for the Eiffel Tower, food & culture.

It is also known for its considerable influence over the world, like many French-speaking African nations.

France is the largest country in the European Union and the second-largest in Europe (or actually the largest when overseas departments are included – French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte & Réunion).

Most will probably visit Paris when visiting the country. Others want to see the Alps. While many prefer to enjoy the beaches.

France has a lot to offer – too many to list here (but there are plenty of full-time travel bloggers who can give you amazing travel tips).

What I can offer you, however, is the most in-depth guide to French SIM cards (in English, at least).

But having such a guide is necessary because you have more than ten different SIM cards to choose from when in France.

But why should you even consider a French SIM card? That is because international roaming can be expensive.

While French SIM cards are not the cheapest in Europe, the mobile data rates are low, and the prices are much lower than international roaming rates.

So, how much do SIM cards cost in France?

You can get a French SIM card for 2.99 EUR (3.40 EUR) or 14.90 EUR (16.80 USD) from Orange or 10 EUR (11.30 USD) from SFR, Bouygues Telecom & Free Mobile in their stores. Tourist SIM cards are also available at Relay stores, tobacco stores & various airports, including Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG).

Those prices are not too bad, right? At least you are not in New Caledonia, where SIM cards cost at least 30 USD 🤐 (check out my SIM card price look-up tool for comparisons).

In this guide, I will go over everything you need to know about buying a SIM card in France. Let's get started, shall we?

Original publication: 26th of January 2022. Last updated: 18th of September 2022.

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Table of Contents

Can You Buy a SIM Card in France?

Anyone living in or visiting France can buy a French SIM card from Orange, SFR, Bouygues Telecom, Free Mobile & many MVNO with no restrictions.

You do have to comply with the SIM card registration regulations.

Moreover, you need a phone that supports the frequencies used in the country (preferably all of them to have the most optimal experience while in France).

Furthermore, you need to have a SIM-lock-free device.

Where Can You Buy a SIM Card in France?

You can get a French SIM card in Orange, SFR, Bouygues Telecom & Free Mobile stores. Resellers, like kiosks and tobacco stores, also sell SIM cards (especially for the tourist SIM cards and the MVNOs). They are also available at several airports, including Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG).

You can buy a French SIM card in the following airports (in Relay stores):

• Beauvais – Beauvais-Tillé Airport (BVA)
• Biarritz – Biarritz Pays Basque Airport (BIQ)
• Bordeaux – Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport (BOD)
• Lille – Lille Airport (LIL)
• Lyon – Lyon-Saint-Exupéry Airport (LYS)
• Marseille – Marseille Provence Airport (MRS)
• Mulhouse – EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg (MLH/BSL/EAP)
• Nantes – Nantes Atlantique Airport (NTE)
• Nice – Nice Côte d'Azur Airport (NCE)
• Paris – Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)
• Paris – Paris Orly Airport (ORY)
• Strasbourg – Strasbourg Airport (SXB)
• Toulon – Toulon-Hyères Airport (TLN)
• Toulouse – Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (TLS)

You can expect to pay the following for French SIM cards:

• Orange France: 2.99 EUR & 14.90 EUR
• SFR France: 9.99 EUR
• Bouygues Telecom: 10 EUR
• Free Mobile France: 10 EUR
• MVNOs (like Lycamobile France): being added later

The following mobile operators also have SIM cards targetting tourists:

• Orange France: 14.99 EUR (Mobicarte Vacances), 29.99 EUR (Mobicarte Vacances Monde) & 39.90 EUR (Orange Holiday)
• SFR France: around 40 EUR (at airports)
• Bouygues Telecom: 39.90 EUR (Bouygues Telecom My European SIM)

For up-to-date EUR:your currency (let's say GBP) exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.

Can You Use Your Phone in France?

France uses GSM technology for mobile communications. CDMA phones will not work in France. If your phone has a SIM card slot, then it supports GSMA (99% of the phones do support GSM nowadays).

Traditional European frequencies are used in France, which are mostly used in ITU Regions 1 and 3 (Africa, Asia (including the Middle East), Europe & Oceania).

The Americas (North-, Central– & South America + the Caribbean – ITU Region 2) use American frequencies, which differ from the European ones.

If you bought your phone in Africa, Asia, Europe, or Oceania (ITU regions 1 and 3), you should not experience any issues with using your phone in France.

If you purchased your phone in the Americas (ITU Region 2) and have a low/medium-end device (without Tri-Band or Quad-Band) support, then there is a possibility you cannot use your phone when in France or can only use slower networks (3G or 2G).

If you have a medium/high-end device with Tri-Band or Quad-Band support, you can use your phone in France (to some extent) – also on 4G/LTE and 5G NR.

Mobile Operators, Networks & Frequencies in France

France has four mobile operator and various Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs – being added later) offering prepaid services:

• Orange France
• SFR France (Société Française du Radiotéléphone)
• Bouygues Telecom
• Free Mobile France

The following frequencies are used in France:

• 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHz
• 3G: 900 MHz & 2100 MHz
• 4G/LTE: 700 MHz (Band 28), 800 MHz (Band 20), 900 MHz (Band 8), 1800 MHz (Band 3), 2100 MHz (Band 1) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)
• 5G NR: 700 MHz (n28), 2100 MHz (n1) & 3500 MHz (n78)

You can learn more about frequencies in the video below.

To check whether your phone will work in France, check out this page by Will My Phone Work (may be outdated or inaccurate at times).

Again, make sure your phone is unlocked. Otherwise, you will not be able to use any SIM card except the one from your home operator (meaning you have to roam internationally or buy another unlocked phone that does support the frequencies listed above).

If you want to learn how international roaming works, this guide explains it in-depth. If you wonder why it is often so expensive to roam, this article explains the hidden reason they do not want you to know.

VoLTE & VoWiFi in France

Both VoLTE (Voice over LTE (4G) – also known as HD Voice) and VoWiFi (Voice over WiFi – also known as WiFi calling) are available in France. All mobile operators in France offer VoLTE, but not VoWiFi.

This means that your phone does not have to downgrade to 2G or 3G when making a call in France (unlike mobile operators that do not support VoLTE).

The following mobile operators offer VoLTE and VoWiFi in France:

• Orange France
• SFR France
• Bouygues Telecom

The following mobile operators offer VoLTE only in France:

• Free Mobile France

VoWiFi is, as the name implies, calling on a WiFi connection as opposed to on a cellular network.

Free Mobile announced that it wants to finally (bring) VoWiFi to its customers.

However, it is unknown how long it will take before the feature is available.

Free Mobile France will be years behind its competitors because it believed (its) customers did not want/would not use VoWiFi.

5G NR in France

Commercial 5G NR has been available in France since December 2020. It is available on the Orange, SFR, Bouygues Telecom & Free Mobile networks. SFR and Free Mobile allow prepaid customers to use 5G NR – Orange and Bouygues Telecom do not. MVNOs do not have 5G NR access yet.

Best SIM Card in France

Best eSIM in France

Orange France, Bouygues Telecom & Free Mobile France offer eSIMs to prepaid customers.

SFR France does not offer eSIMs to prepaid customers.

Bouygues Telecom only offers eSIM for its My European SIM tourist SIM (card) – this may also apply to Orange's tourist SIM cards.

Note that the French mobile operator require your identification (ID for EU/EEA travelers and passport for anyone else) for eSIMs and physical SIM cards (will be discussed later).

However, you can get travel eSIMs from Airalo, Holafly & Nomad.

Airalo has the Bonbon Mobile eSIMs:

You have these four options:

1. France/Bonbon Mobile 1 GB eSIM for 7 days
2. France/Bonbon Mobile 3 GB eSIM for 30 days – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
3. France/Bonbon Mobile 5 GB eSIM for 30 days
4. France/Bonbon Mobile 10 GB eSIM for 30 days – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers

For Airalo eSIMs, the links above will automatically get you the Phone Travel Wiz exclusive offers available – a code is not necessary.

For an in-depth analysis of the France Bonbon Mobile eSIMs (covering pros and cons as well), check out my France eSIMs Compared guide.

Or you can get France eSIMs from Nomad.

Use code ADU123 for the best deals available when getting Nomad eSIMs (on the site or their apps) and get 3 USD off (even on top of current promotions)!

For an in-depth analysis of the Nomad France eSIMs (covering pros and cons as well), check out my France eSIMs Compared guide.

Finally, you can get France eSIMs from Holafly if you prefer unlimited data plans and do not mind paying a bit more for this advantage:

• France unlimited data eSIM for 5 days
• France unlimited data eSIM for 10 days
• France unlimited data eSIM for 15 days
• France unlimited data eSIM for 20 days
• France unlimited data eSIM for 30 days
• France unlimited data eSIM for 60 days
• France unlimited data eSIM for 90 days

Use code PHONETRAVELWIZ for exclusive deals when getting Holafly eSIMs, AND get an additional 5% off!

For an in-depth analysis of the Holafly France eSIMs (covering pros and cons as well), check out my France eSIMs Compared guide.

With these eSIMs, you can skip France' SIM card registration scheme entirely and use it immediately upon arriving in France!

TIP: check out my Best France eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison of several eSIMs for France

If you plan on visiting other neighboring European nations, consider the Eurolink eSIM (six variants: 1 GB/7 days, 3 GB/30 days – very popular with PTW readers, 5 GB/30 days – most popular with PTW readers, 10 GB/30 days, 50 GB/90 days & 100 GB/180 days) in France and these other countries:

• Check out my Airalo Eurolink eSIM review (tested in Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Hungary, Greece, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia & Spain)

Holafly and Nomad also have eSIMs covering all of the European Union (and more).

But honestly, the Eurolink eSIM is superior (but you can consider the Holafly Europe eSIM if you want unlimited data in 30+ countries – just do not forget about code PHONETRAVELWIZ if you go with Holafly).

TIP: Check out my eSIM lookup tool for an overview of local mobile operators offering eSIMs to prepaid customers and travel eSIMs I use and love (for eSIMs in France and eSIMs worldwide) and my Best France eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison of several eSIMs for France.

Best International/Travel SIM Card for France

If you want to buy the best international/travel SIM card for France, I recommend going with SimCorner's Europe SIM cards that covers Europe (mainly the European Union) and parts Asia, Central America & South America – all in one SIM card.

You have these four options:

1. Europe Travel SIM card with 7 GB for 30 days (includes calls)
2. Europe & UK Travel SIM card with 12 GB for 30 days (includes calls, SMS & data use in Asia, Central America & South America)
3. UK and Europe Travel SIM card with 100 GB for 30 days (includes calls and SMS)
4. Europe Data SIM card with 12 GB for 60 days (includes data use in Asia, Central America & South America)

• Check out my SimCorner Europe Travel SIM cards review (12 GB & 100 GB SIM cards – tested in Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Hungary, Greece, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia & Spain)

The SimCorner Europe SIM cards can be used in France and the following other countries:

Use discount code PHONETRAVELWIZ for extra savings!

SIM Card Registration in France

SIM card registration with your passport information is required in France. It will be done at the point of purchase.

EU Roaming in France

France is part of the European Union (EU).

Since June 2017, those with EU/EEA (European Economic Area) SIM cards can roam for free in other EU/EEA nations, including France.

This means that, in the majority of cases, you do not need to purchase a French SIM card if you already have an EU/EEA SIM card because you can roam without additional costs.

However, conditions do apply. Mobile operators in some countries may impose a roaming Fair Use Policy (FUP).

In countries where local mobile data rates are extremely low (such as in the Baltics and the Nordics), mobile operators may still charge you for roaming in the EU/EEA.

Be sure to head over to the international roaming page to learn whether your mobile operator offers free roaming while in France or if restrictions apply.

Roaming in the EU with French SIM Cards

France and the French mobile operators have largely adopted the roam like at home regulations principles early on.

However, some plans have an EU/EEA roaming cap. But some mobile operators prohibit you from roaming (for) free.

These mobile operators are SFR France (only free voice and SMS roaming – no free data roaming) and Bouygues Telecom (no free roaming unless you get its tourist SIM card).

At least Orange France and Free Mobile France allow for proper EU/EEA roaming.

But remember – the standard Fair Use Policy applies where you should not be roaming over 50% of the time over a four-month period.

If you do so, EU roaming rates will apply. You are then better off buying local prepaid SIM cards in other EU nations.

Using French SIM Cards in French Guiana (Guyane), Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, Réunion, St Martin & St Barts

French Guiana (Guyane – not Guyana), Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Martin & Saint Barthélemy are French Overseas Departments (Départements et Régions d'Outre-mer – DROM), making them fully part of France.

Officially, Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin are Overseas Communities (Collectivités d’Outre-mer – COM), but I will call them DROM for the purpose of this section for simplification).

They have exactly the same status as mainland France's regions and departments, like the Seine Department covering Paris.

As a result, you can use your French SIM card, and any other EU/EEA SIM card, in those departments as if you were in Metropolitan France.

If you, for some thoughtless reason, claim those departments are not part of France, a French(wo)man will smack you with a bauguette 🥖🤪.

When looking at the EU/EEA country lists of the French mobile operators, they do not list French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Martin & Saint Barthélemy separately because… well… they are part of France.

And the same counts for some other EU/EEA mobile operators.

I do list them separately in my lists for completeness.

But… some EU/EEA mobile operators do not mention any of these departments in their lists.

That may be because, just like the French mobile operators, they see the departments as just France, or they conveniently is unknownenly forget they are part of France, and thus part of the EU/EEA.

So, what about French Polynesia, New Caledonia & Wallis and Futuna?

Those are overseas collectivities and not part of the EU/EEA.

Thus, you cannot roam for free there.

I understand I have simplified this section significantly and use the wrong terms for some regions – that was intentional (and may look foolish to the educated). There are whole Wikipedia pages, other articles & YouTube videos explaining France's situation in-depth. Me trying to explain it in full has no significance to this guide and just makes the page longer than it already is (and perhaps complexer than it should be). What matters is that you can use your French, EU & EEA SIM cards as if you were at home in French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Martin & Saint Barthélemy.

France Mobile Speeds, Mobile Internet Prices & Insights

Currency in France

France uses the Euro with the symbol EUR (which will be used throughout this guide).

However, prices are often listed as just €. For example, 25 EUR = €25.

For reference, below are some exchange rates between EUR and USD (US Dollars):

• 1 EUR = 1.15 USD
• 10 EUR = 10.75 USD
• 100 EUR = 107.50 USD

For up-to-date EUR:your currency (let's say GBP – (British) Pound (Sterling)) exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.

If your credit/debit card charges you foreign exchange fees, get yourself a Wise Borderless Account and Debit Card.

Their fees are MUCH lower than banks, and credit card companies charge you (and Wise is transparent about their fees, unlike banks).

I have saved literal THOUSANDS of Euros, my main currency, when using Wise abroad when traveling compared to my debit and credit cards. Open a Wise account FREE!

French Prepaid SIM Cards

Below, I will guide you through Orange France, SFR France, Bouygues Telecom, Free Mobile France & many MVNOs that will be added later, and go through:

• Background information
• Mobile coverage
• SIM card types, prices & availability
• Recharge / top-up information
• Combo plans, data plans & special packs (such as social media packs)

With that being said, let’s see what France has to offer to us.

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Orange France

Orange France, just Orange, is the largest mobile operator in France.

It is also the mobile operator with the best network performance.

Orange, as a company, is active in other countries in Africa, the Caribbean, Europe & the Middle East.

Orange uses the following frequencies:

• 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHz
• 3G: 900 MHz & 2100 MHz
• 4G/LTE: 700 MHz (Band 28), 800 MHz (Band 20), 1800 MHz (Band 3), 2100 MHz (Band 1) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)
• 5G NR: 2100 MHz (n1) & 3500 MHz (n78) – not for prepaid customers (yet)
• VoLTE: Yes
• VoWiFi: Yes

This is what you will learn about Orange:

* Coverage
* How to Get an Orange SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods + Balance Check
* Plans & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings

Coverage – Orange France

Orange has the best coverage throughout France.

This was also confirmed by Opensignal.

It also has the best 5G NR reach with Bouygues Telecom and Free Mobile France, but 5G NR is not available to prepaid customers (yet), so it is irrelevant.

Below is Orange's 3G coverage map:

Here we have Orange's 4G/LTE coverage map:

Then we have the 5G NR coverage map of Orange (which is irrelevant for prepaid customers for now):

Lastly, we have an Orange coverage map with all technologies combined (3G, 4G/LTE & 5G NR):

Here we have a coverage map produced by Speedtest:

SIM Card Price – Orange France

You can buy an Orange SIM card for 2.99 EUR with unlimited local minutes and unlimited local SMS between 21:00 and 0:00 (Mobicarte Mini) or for 14.90 EUR with 10 GB for 30 days (SIM Prépayée Prêt-à-Surfer – a data-only SIM card ¹) in Orange stores. Orange Toursts SIM cards are also sold at airports, including Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport.

¹ officially, this SIM card is not for smartphone use. If the salesperson asks you for what device you need it for, which they usually do not do because they cannot be bothered, tell them it is for a tablet or laptop with 4G/LTE connectivity

Short-term visitors and tourists can also get the Orange Tourist SIM cards – Mobicarte Vacances, Mobicarte Vacances Monde & Orange Holiday.

These SIM cards are available at Orange stores, but also from Relay stores (mostly at airports, like Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG), or busy subway/train stations, like Paris Gare du Nord) or some tobacco stores.

The following Orange tourist SIM cards are available:

Price	SIM Card	Data	Local/EU Minutes	International Minutes	Local/EU SMS 1	Validity
14.99 EUR	Mobicarte Vacances	100 MB	120 minutes	N/A	Unlimited	14 days
29.99 EUR	Mobicarte Vacances Monde	10 GB 2	N/A	N/A	Unlimited	14 days
39.99 EUR	Orange Holiday	20 GB	Unlimited	120 minutes	Unlimited	31 days

¹ for calls/SMS within and to other EU/EEA member states and back to France (NOT from France to other EU/EEA member states)
² for worldwide use, although the data allowance may be less in some countries (50 MB, 1 GB, or 5 GB)

Below is an overview of all Orange SIM cards:

Price	SIM Card	Data	Local/EU Minutes 1	International Minutes	Local/EU SMS 1	Validity
2.99 EUR	Mobicarte Mini	N/A	Unlimited 2	N/A	Unlimited 2	6 months
14.90 EUR	SIM Prépayée Prêt-à-Surfer 3	10 GB	N/A	N/A	N/A	1 month
14.99 EUR	Mobicarte Vacances	100 MB	120 minutes	N/A	Unlimited 1	14 days
29.99 EUR	Mobicarte Vacances Monde	10 GB 4	N/A	N/A	Unlimited	14 days
39.99 EUR	Orange Holiday	20 GB	Unlimited	120 minutes	Unlimited	31 days

¹ for calls/SMS within and to other EU/EEA member states and back to France (NOT from France to other EU/EEA member states)
² for between 21:00 and 00:00
³ officially, this SIM card is not for smartphone use. If the salesperson asks you for what device you need it for, which they usually do not do because they cannot be bothered, tell them it is for a tablet or laptop with 4G/LTE connectivity
⁴ for worldwide use, although the data allowance may be less in some countries (50 MB, 1 GB, or 5 GB)

You have to make a call 225 to activate your Orange SIM card.

It is also possible to get an Orange eSIM for the same price as a regular SIM card.

To use an Orange eSIM, you need to have one of the following devices:

Note that Orange offers VoLTE (Voice over LTE (4G)) if your phone supports it and if you have enabled it in the settings.

Oh, you can also use VoWiFi (Voice over WiFi).

Call 225 to hear your Orange phone number.

Orange SIM cards get deactivated if there has been no activity for 6 months (no top-up for 6 months or no activity for 6 months).

Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Orange France

Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Orange France

Orange has four data-featured top-ups that act as plans:

• Max Top-Ups/Plans (combo)
• Orange Holiday Top-Ups/Plans (combo for tourist SIM cards)
• Internet Mobile Top-Ups/Plans (as the name implies)
• Les Recharges Prêt-à-Surfer (data for data-only SIM card)

Click on the links above to jump to the plan you are interested in.

Max Top-Ups/Plans – Orange France

The Max Top-Ups/Plans are combo plans/top-ups with data (without 5G NR access), minutes & SMS.

The following Max Top-Ups are available:

Price	Data	Local/EU Minutes 1	Local/EU SMS 1	Active Validity	Passive Validity
5 EUR	20 MB	120 minutes	Unlimited	7 days	1 month
10 EUR	500 MB	Unlimited	Unlimited	10 days	6 months
20 EUR	2 GB	Unlimited	Unlimited	31 days	6 months
30 EUR	10 GB	Unlimited	Unlimited	31 days	6 months

¹ for calls/SMS within and to other EU/EEA member states and back to France (NOT from France to other EU/EEA member states)

Orange Holiday Top-Ups/Plans – Orange France

The Orange Holiday Top-Ups/Plans are combo plans/top-ups with data (without 5G NR access), minutes & SMS for the Mobicarte Vacances Monde & Orange Holiday tourist SIM cards.

The following Orange Holiday Top-Ups are available:

Price	Data	Local/International Minutes	Local/International SMS	Active Validity	Passive Validity
20 EUR	5 GB	60 minutes	500 SMS	14 days	6 months
40 EUR	20 GB	60 minutes	1000 SMS	31 days	6 months

Internet Mobile Top-Ups/Plans – Orange France

The Internet Mobile Top-Ups/Plans are data plans/top-ups (without 5G NR access).

The following Internet Mobile are available:

Price	Data	Active Validity	Passive Validity
5 EUR	1 GB	7 days	1 month
10 EUR	5 GB	14 days	6 months
25 EUR	20 GB	1 month	6 months
40 EUR	80 GB	1 month	6 months

Les Recharges Prêt-à-Surfer Top-Ups/Plans – Orange France

The Les Recharges Prêt-à-Surfer Top-Ups/Plans are data plans/top-ups (without 5G NR access) for the Prêt-à-Surfer data-only SIM card.

The following Les Recharges Prêt-à-Surfer Top-Ups are available:

Price	Data	Active Validity	Passive Validity
10 EUR	5 GB	14 days	12 months
25 EUR	15 GB	1 month	12 months
40 EUR	35 GB	1 month	12 months

EU Roaming – Orange France

You can use your Orange allowances in the following EU/EEA member states without paying roaming fees:

As Orange does not have dedicated EU/EEA roaming allowances, you can use your full allowance without restrictions in other EU/EEA member states.

APN/Internet Settings – Orange France

• Name: Orange France
• APN: orange OR orange.fr

Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.

Jump back to the Table of Contents.

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SFR France (Société Française du Radiotéléphone)

SFR France (Société française du radiotéléphone), just SFR, is the second-largest mobile operator in France.

SFR is also active in Belgium, the Caribbean (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Barthélemy & Saint Martin), Luxembourg, Mayotte & Réunion.

SFR uses the following frequencies:

• 2G: 900 MHz & 1800 MHz
• 3G: 900 MHz & 2100 MHz
• 4G/LTE: 700 MHz (Band 28), 800 MHz (Band 20), 1800 MHz (Band 3), 2100 MHz (Band 1) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)
• 5G NR: 2100 MHz (n1) & 3500 MHz (n78)
• VoLTE: Yes
• VoWiFi: Yes

This is what you will learn about SFR:

* Coverage
* How to Get an SFR SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods + Balance Check
* Plans & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings

Coverage – SFR France

SFR has, together with Orange France and Bouygues Telecom, the best 4G/LTE availability in France.

4G/LTE is available anywhere in populated areas.

Below is SFR's 3G coverage map:

Here we have SFR's 4G/LTE coverage map:

Finally, the SFR 5G NR coverage map:

Here we have a map of SFR's 3G, 4G/LTE & 5G NR networks combined:

At last, we have a combined coverage map produced by Speedtest:

SIM Card Price – SFR France

You can buy an SFR SIM card, called Carte Prépayée SFR, for 9.99 EUR with 5 EUR credit and 50 MB for 30 days in SFR stores. SFR SIM cards are also sold at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) at higher prices.

Back in 2015, the SFR SIM card at the airport cost 40 EUR and gave you 2 GB of data and some other perks I forgot about 💀.

In 2018, you got 5 GB, 60 local/international minutes, and some local/international SMS for 14 days, costing 35 EUR.

In 2022, I assume the price and benefits changed again, but I do not know what it is. You can let me know though.

Moving on… Call 963 to activate your SFR SIM card.

While SFR has eSIMs, they are (currently) not offered to prepaid customers.

Therefore, if you wish to use an eSIM, you can go with the France (Bonbon Mobile) eSIM from Airalo (1 GB/7 days, 3 GB/30 days – very popular with PTW readers, 5 GB/30 days & 10 GB/30 days – most popular with PTW readers).

For Airalo eSIMs, the links above will automatically get you the Phone Travel Wiz exclusive offers available – a code is not necessary.

• Check out my Airalo eSIM reviews

Or get the France eSIMs from Nomad.

Use code ADU123 for the best deals available when getting Nomad eSIMs (on the site or their apps) and get 3 USD off (even on top of current promotions)!

• Check out my Nomad eSIM reviews

If you prefer unlimited data plans instead, get one of the France eSIMs from Holafly (unlimited/5 days, unlimited/10 days, unlimited/15 days, unlimited/20 days, unlimited/30 days, unlimited/60 days & unlimited/90 days).

Use code PHONETRAVELWIZ for exclusive deals when getting Holafly eSIMs, AND get an additional 5% off!

• Check out my Holafly eSIM reviews

Or get the Eurolink eSIMs covering France and 35+ other European countries (1 GB/7 days, 3 GB/30 days, 5 GB/30 days, 10 GB/30 days, 50 GB/90 days & 100 GB/180 days – read my Eurolink review too).

The Eurolink eSIM is loved by Phone Travel Wiz readers (the 3 GB, 5 GB & 10 GB variants are chosen the most).

TIP: check out my Best France eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison of several eSIMs for France

Note that SFR offers VoLTE (Voice over LTE (4G)) if your phone supports it and if you have enabled it in the settings.

Oh, you can also use VoWiFi (Voice over WiFi).

Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – SFR France

Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – SFR France

SFR has three data-featured plans:

• Monde (World) Plans (combo)
• Illimité (Unlimited) Plans (combo)
• Internet Plans (as the name implies)

All SFR plans can be activated by texting the Activation Code to 987.

Click on the links above to jump to the plan you are interested in.

Monde (World) Plans – SFR France

The Monde (World) Plans are combo bundles with data (without 5G NR access) and minutes.

Text the Activation Code to 987 to activate Monde Plans:

Price	Data	Local/International Minutes	Validity	Activation Code
5 EUR	300 MB	50 minutes	5 days	MONDE5
10 EUR	500 MB	100 minutes	15 days	MONDE10
20 EUR	4 GB	200 minutes	30 days	MONDE20

Illimité (Unlimited) Plans – SFR France

The Illimité (Unlimited) Plans are combo bundles with data (with 5G NR access), minutes & SMS.

Text the Activation Code to 987 to activate Illimité plans:

Price	Data	Local/EU Minutes 1	Local/EU SMS 1	Validity	Activation Code
5 EUR	2 GB	60 minutes	Unlimited	7 days	ILLI5
10 EUR	10 GB	Unlimited	Unlimited	10 days	ILLI10
20 EUR	50 GB	Unlimited	Unlimited	30 days	ILLI20
30 EUR	80 GB	Unlimited	Unlimited	30 days	ILLI30
40 EUR	100 GB 2	Unlimited	Unlimited	30 days	ILLI40

¹ for calls/SMS within and to other EU/EEA member states and back to France (NOT from France to other EU/EEA member states)
² 5G NR access

Internet Plans – SFR France

The Internet Plans are, as the name implies, data bundles (without 5G NR access).

Text the Activation Code to 987 to activate Internet Plans:

Price	Data	Validity	Activation Code
5 EUR	300 MB	5 days	WEB5
10 EUR	2 GB	8 days	WEB10
25 EUR	20 GB	30 days	WEB25
35 EUR	70 GB	30 days	WEB35

EU Roaming – SFR France

You can use your SFR call and SMS allowances (NO free data roaming) in the following EU/EEA member states without paying roaming fees:

As SFR does not have dedicated EU/EEA call and SMS roaming allowances, you can use your full allowance without restrictions in other EU/EEA member states.

APN/Internet Settings – SFR France

• Name: SFR webphone
• APN: sl2sfr

Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.

Jump back to the Table of Contents.

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Bouygues Telecom

Bouygues Telecom is the third-largest mobile operator in France.

It currently has the best 5G NR network performance (but not the fastest speeds – that title belongs to Orange France).

But… you cannot use it anyway as a prepaid customer (yet) 😖.

Bouygues Telecom uses the following frequencies:

• 2G: 900 MHz
• 3G: 900 MHz & 2100 MHz
• 4G/LTE: 700 MHz (Band 28), 800 MHz (Band 20), 900 MHz (Band 8), 1800 MHz (Band 3), 2100 MHz (Band 1) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)
• 5G NR: 2100 MHz (n1) & 3500 MHz (n78) – not for prepaid customers (yet)
• VoLTE: Yes
• VoWiFi: Yes

This is what you will learn about Bouygues Telecom:

* Coverage
* How to Get a Bouygues Telecom SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods + Balance Check
* Plans & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings

Coverage – Bouygues Telecom

Bouygues Telecom has, together with Orange France and SFR France, the best 4G/LTE availability in France.

4G/LTE is available anywhere in populated areas.

Below is Bouygues Telecom's 3G coverage map:

Here we have Bouygues Telecom's 4G/LTE coverage map:

Finally, the Bouygues Telecom 5G NR coverage map (which is not applicable to prepaid customers… yet):

Here we have a map of Bouygues Telecom's 3G, 4G/LTE & 5G NR networks combined:

At last, we have a combined coverage map produced by Speedtest:

SIM Card Price – Bouygues Telecom

You can buy a Bouygues Telecom SIM card, called Carte XL, for 10 EUR with 4 EUR credit in Bouygues Telecom stores. Bouygues Telecom tourist SIM card, the My European SIM, is also sold at Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG).

The Bouygues Telecom My European SIM card costs 39.90 EUR with 20 GB, unlimited local/EU minutes, unlimited local/EU SMS, 25 EUR international call credit to French Overseas Departments for 30 days.

The eligible French Overseas Departments are French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, Réunion, Saint Barthélemy & Saint Martin.

Moreover, unlike the Bouygues Telecom Carte XL SIM card, the My Europe SIM can be used in the EU/EEA for data roaming instead of only voice and text roaming.

Oh yeah, you have to call 654 to activate your Bouygues Telecom SIM card.

Furthermore, the My Europe SIM is also available as an eSIM (the regular Bouygues Telecom Carte XL is not).

To use a Bouygues Telecom My Europe eSIM, you need to have one of the following devices:

Therefore, if you wish to use an eSIM, you can go with the France (Bonbon Mobile) eSIM from Airalo (1 GB/7 days, 3 GB/30 days – very popular with PTW readers, 5 GB/30 days & 10 GB/30 days – most popular with PTW readers).

For Airalo eSIMs, the links above will automatically get you the Phone Travel Wiz exclusive offers available – a code is not necessary.

• Check out my Airalo eSIM reviews

Or get the France eSIMs from Nomad.

Use code ADU123 for the best deals available when getting Nomad eSIMs (on the site or their apps) and get 3 USD off (even on top of current promotions)!

• Check out my Nomad eSIM reviews

If you prefer unlimited data plans instead, get one of the France eSIMs from Holafly (unlimited/5 days, unlimited/10 days, unlimited/15 days, unlimited/20 days, unlimited/30 days, unlimited/60 days & unlimited/90 days).

Use code PHONETRAVELWIZ for exclusive deals when getting Holafly eSIMs, AND get an additional 5% off!

• Check out my Holafly eSIM reviews

Or get the Eurolink eSIMs covering France and 35+ other European countries (1 GB/7 days, 3 GB/30 days – very popular with PTW readers, 5 GB/30 days – most popular with PTW readers, 10 GB/30 days, 50 GB/90 days & 100 GB/180 days – read my Eurolink review too).

The Eurolink eSIM is loved by Phone Travel Wiz readers (the 3 GB, 5 GB & 10 GB variants are chosen the most).

TIP: check out my Best France eSIMs Compared guide for an in-depth comparison of several eSIMs for France

Note that Bouygues Telecom offers VoLTE (Voice over LTE (4G)) if your phone supports it and if you have enabled it in the settings.

Oh, you can also use VoWiFi (Voice over WiFi).

Bouygues Telecom SIM cards get deactivated if there has been no activity for 12 months (no top-up for 12 months or no activity for 12 months).

This also applies to the My Europe SIM card after the initial plan expires after 30 days – it can be repurchased, or another plan can be added to the SIM card.

Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Bouygues Telecom

Bouygues Telecom top-up vouchers are sold in Bouygues Telecom stores, grocery stores, corner shops & electronics shops throughout France.

The following (online) top-ups are available:

Top-Up	Validity
5 EUR	1 month
10 EUR	2 months
20 EUR	3 months
40 EUR	6 months

You can top up your Bouygues Telecom SIM card online with (international/EU) debit and credit cards or on the Espace Client (Bouygues Telecom) app (Android/iOS).

Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Bouygues Telecom

Bouygues Telecom has only one data-featured plan: Cartes Prépayées XL pour des Communications en Illimité (XL Prepaid Cards for Unlimited Communications). It is a combo plan with data (without 5G NR access), minutes & SMS.

Note that Bouygues Telecom does not allow for free EU/EEA roaming for prepaid customers (the tourist SIM card does allow for EU roaming).

You may want to consider the Bouygues Telecom My European SIM (e)SIM (card) for EU/EEA roaming (or another mobile operator).

The My European SIM does provide better value than the most expensive Cartes Prépayées XL pour des Communications en Illimité plan.

Anyway, the following Cartes Prépayées XL pour des Communications en Illimité are available:

Price	Data	Local Minutes	International Credit	Local SMS	Validity
5 EUR	500 MB	Unlimited	3 EUR	Unlimited	3 days
10 EUR	1 GB	Unlimited	5 EUR	Unlimited	10 days
20 EUR	2 GB	Unlimited	10 EUR	Unlimited	1 month
40 EUR	5 GB	Unlimited	25 EUR	Unlimited	2 months

EU Roaming – Bouygues Telecom

You can use your Bouygues Telecom My European SIM card (tourist SIM card) in the following EU/EEA member states without paying roaming fees:

As the Bouygues Telecom My European SIM card does not have dedicated EU/EEA roaming allowances, you can use your full allowance without restrictions in other EU/EEA member states.

APN/Internet Settings – Bouygues Telecom

• Name: Bouygues Telecom
• APN: mmsbouygtel.com

Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.

Jump back to the Table of Contents.

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Free Mobile France

Free Mobile France, just Free Mobile, is the smallest mobile operator in France.

However, it is the cheapest option out there (of the Big Four).

Free Mobile basically singlehandedly managed to drop telecommunication prices in France by around half due to its pricing strategy (19.99 EUR for the most expensive plan).

Not only has that plan remained at 19.99 EUR since 2013 (based on the founder's tweet from that time), it has also added more features to that plan.

It went from 20 GB of data included to 210 GB nowadays – and much more.

Moreover, it may have been the first mobile operator to allow free 4G/LTE access, but it certainly was the first allowing 5G NR access for free and to prepaid customers too.

If you understand French, this tweet is apparently funny – but my French is a bit too basic to laugh at it 🥲.

Anyway, while Free Mobile is the cheapest, its coverage still lacks behind the competitors (will be discussed later), so does its speed (including 5G NR).

But you will not have any issues with Free Mobile in most cases.

Free Mobile uses the following frequencies:

• 2G: N/A – never had it
• 3G: 900 MHz & 2100 MHz
• 4G/LTE: 700 MHz (Band 28), 1800 MHz (Band 3) & 2600 MHz (Band 7)
• 5G NR: 700 MHz (n28) & 3500 MHz (n78)
• VoLTE: Yes
• VoWiFi: No – being worked on (since late 2021)

This is what you will learn about Free Mobile:

* Coverage
* How to Get a Free Mobile SIM Card & SIM Card Price
* Topping Up Options & Methods + Balance Check
* Plans & Packages
* APN/Internet Settings

Coverage – Free Mobile France

Free Mobile has the worst coverage in France.

However, it still has extensive coverage throughout the country.

Below is Free Mobile's 3G coverage map:

Here we have Free Mobile's 4G/LTE coverage map:

Finally, the Free Mobile 5G NR coverage map:

Here we have a map of Free Mobile's 3G, 4G/LTE & 5G NR networks combined:

At last, we have a combined coverage map produced by Speedtest:

SIM Card Price – Free Mobile France

You can buy a Free Mobile SIM card for 10 EUR at Free machines in Free Mobile stores.

Although some call the Free machines vending machines, they look like the image below – not the typical vending machine I think of when I hear the word vending machine.

The machines are in French, but they display easy-to-understand graphics.

You may ask a staff member to help you out… but they usually do not want to.

I will make a video on using the machine when I revisit France 🇫🇷🥳.

Unlike the other mobile operators of the Big Four, Free Mobile SIM cards are activated instantly upon purchase (no wait needed), and you do not need to call or send an SMS to activate it on the network either.

It is also possible to get a Free Mobile eSIM for the same price as a regular SIM card.

Note that Free Mobile offers VoLTE (Voice over LTE (4G)) if your phone supports it and if you have enabled it in the settings but no VoWiFi (Voice over WiFi) yet.

After years delay, compared to its competitors, Free Mobile announced that it wants to finally (bring) VoWiFi to its customers.

However, it is unknown how long it will take before the feature is available.

Top-Up, Recharge & Balance Check – Free Mobile France

Free Mobile top-ups are sold at Free machines in Free Mobile stores, kiosks & electronics shops throughout France.

To top-up your Free Mobile SIM card, follow the instructions given on the Free machine.

You can also recharge online with (international/EU) debit and credit cards.

You can also top up and check your balance on the Free Mobile – Mon Compte (Free Mobile – My Account) app (Android/iOS).

Packages, Plans, Bundles & Offers – Free Mobile France

Free Mobile has only one data-featured plan: Forfait Mobile Free. It is a combo plan with data (without 5G NR access), minutes & SMS.

It acts as prepaid and postpaid plans, depending on what type of SIM card you chose when you bought it at the Free Machine.

And make sure to select forfait sans engagement (non-binding agreement/contract) on the machine!

You can activate a plan on a Free Machine, online, or on the Free Mobile – Mon Compte app:

Price	Plan	Data	EU/EEA Data	Local/EU Minutes 1	Local/EU SMS 1	Validity
2 EUR	Forfait €2	50 MB	Shared with data allowance	120 minutes	Unlimited	1 month
10.99 EUR	Série Free 80 Go	80 GB	8 GB	Unlimited	Unlimited	1 month
19.99 EUR	Forfait Free 5G	210 GB 2	25 GB 3	Unlimited	Unlimited	1 month

¹ for calls/SMS within and to other EU/EEA member states and back to France (NOT from France to other EU/EEA member states)
² 5G NR access
³ besides EU/EEA roaming, it can also be used in Australia, Canada, Israel, New Zealand, South Africa & the United States

EU Roaming – Free Mobile France

You can use your Free Mobile allowances in the following EU/EEA member states without paying roaming fees:

Be aware that, in some cases, the EU/EEA roaming allowance is lower than the domestic allowances.

APN/Internet Settings – Free Mobile France

• Name: Free
• APN: free

Note: leave anything not mentioned above untouched.

Jump back to the Table of Contents.

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The Preferred Way to Stay Connected When Traveling in France

Getting a SIM card from Orange or Free Mobile would do you well when considering a French SIM card.