Buy French Sim Card In Us
Traveling to France soon? Don't get fooled by slow overseas data plan, buy a local prepaid sim card in France, the best way to avoid high roaming charges. This is your guide for buying a prepaid sim card in France with up to date prices as per March 2023, the best 4G/5G network in France, where to buy a sim card for traveling in France, info about EU roaming and even info about international and e-sim cards for France.
buy french sim card in us
As I am on a journey to travel to every country in the world I get to see a lot of countries and that is how I already wrote more than 200 articles about sim cards for tourists: USA, New York, Miami, Thailand, Hong Kong, Malaysia, South Africa, Egypt, UK, Germany, Spain, Poland, Rome, Amsterdam, London, Frankfurt, Dubai, Cameroon, Pakistan, etc.
High roaming charges can easily be avoided by getting a local prepaid sim card with data or an e-sim card. These are much cheaper ways to stay connected than slow overseas data plans. Prepaid sim cards for tourists or e-sim cards for France are very affordable.
Traveltomtom recommends a Bouygues Telecom sim card for France. They have a great sim card deal and one of the best 4G/5G network in France. They also have an e-sim card version that can be ordered directly online for $39.90 USD and it gives you 30 GB data in France and the rest of Europe.
The award for the cheapest sim card deal and the best 4G/5G network coverage in France actually goes to Free Mobile. However, multiple Traveltomtom readers have reported to keep on receiving recurring charges on their credit card from Free Mobile after their holiday to France. Therefore Traveltomtom has decided to NOT recommend a Free Mobile sim card for France anymore.
If you are traveling onwards to Europe after visiting France then you might want to look into buying an international sim card with global coverage. In my comparison of the best international sim cards in 2023 you can find the best ones on the market.
Especially one option stands out for France and that is Bouygues Telecom tourist sim card for France with 30 GB data in France and Europe for $39.90 USD. Click on the link to order it directly and get it send to your home address or click here to buy this Bouygues Telecom tourist sim card deal as an e-sim card.
Without a doubt the easiest way to get internet on your phone when traveling to France in 2023 is an e-sim card. You arrange everything online in just a couple minutes. You receive a QR code after ordering, apply the settings, follow the instructions and voila, done! Check out the following e-sim card deals for France:
The above e-sim cards are data-only and only valid in France, but check out the following amazing international e-sim cards that also allowing calling and texting and that are valid in more than 70 countries including France:
E-sim cards are not compatible with all types of phones and some people just prefer a physical sim card. For those people I recommend buying a physical sim card for France online. For $39.90 you get 30 GB data including unlimited texting and calling all over Europe. Click here to order this France sim card directly online or find more info in the link.
All prepaid sim cards in France include free EU roaming. That means if you buy a sim card in Paris and then travel to Frankfurt in Germany you can use your France sim card for calling, texting and data without any extra charges. Find more info and tips in my guide for buying a local prepaid sim card in Europe or go directly to my list of the best sim cards for traveling in Europe in 2023.
The easiest and fastest place to buy a France sim card is of course on arrival at the international airport. Paris has two international airports. Are you landing at Charles de Gaulle then check out my complete guide for buying a sim card for France at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. May you land Paris Orly Airport don't worry there are also sim card shops there, but I don't have a specific guide for it yet.
Any other major international airport has France sim card kiosks. You can buy a sim card at Nice and Marseille airport also according to the internet. Great thing about buying a sim card for France at the airport is that they will speak English, in the city center that will sometimes be an issue!
Every city in France has uncountable phone stores located across the city center that sell prepaid sim cards for tourists. Simply go to Google Maps and type in one of the 4 mobile internet operators and see where is the nearest store to you. But keep in mind that English is NOT very well spoken in France, not even in 2023, so expect language barriers.
Orange France lures costumers by claimed to have the best prepaid sim card package deals for France. Well, nice try Orange, but you are NOT! Let's forget quickly about the first two prepaid sim card deals and check out the other 2:
At Bouygues Telecom they actually have a designated prepaid sim card for tourists. They were also very helpful at their store and explained me everything about the Bouygues Telecom tourist prepaid sim card:
You can use this France sim card all over Europe and therefore it is an amazing option for tourists traveling to Europe. However, this (e)-sim card needs to be activated in France first before you can use it in the rest of Europe. For more info check out the Bouygues Telecom website.
As SFR prepaid sim cards do NOT allow free EU roaming these sim cards are good for traveling in France, but useless for traveling in Europe. Although 5G compatible compared to Bouygues Telecom, Free Mobile and Orange the sim card plans of SFR are only worth if you only travel in France. For more info check the SFR website.
*After a lot of complaints from my readers I decided to write a note for those willing to go ahead and buy a FREE Mobile sim card. Many people have been reporting that after buying a FREE Mobile prepaid sim card in France they are having recurring charges from FREE Mobile on their credit cards.
Apparently they lure people into signing a yearly contract and getting out of that seems to be very difficult / not possible. After many complaints from readers I decided therefore NOT to recommend a FREE Mobile prepaid sim cards anymore for traveling in France or Europe.
After comparing the best prepaid sim cards in France we can come to the conclusion that FREE Mobile has the best prepaid sim card deal and the best 4G/5G network coverage in France, so normally it would be an easy conclusion! However...
However, if you have very limited time for traveling to France you don't want to waste your time finding a Free Mobile store. For those people I recommend buying a sim card for France online. Get yourself an international travel sim card with coverage in France. These pre-activated sim card will be send to your home address before your trip. Check out the following France sim card deals:
Also another last reminder that you can order an e-sim card for traveling in France. There is Airalo and SimOptions that both provide e-sim cards for France. You arrange everything online within just a couple minutes and you keep your own phone number.
A choice of free standard shipping (tracking included) which can take 6-9 business days or $5.50 for Standard 5-7 business day shipping. Customers who opt for express shipping will be charged a $9.95 shipping fee. Depending on the shipping option, your Europe travel sim card should arrive within 2-7 business days.
SimCorner has an extensive range of travel sim cards, featuring different data options to suit every traveler. Customers can browse our range of sim cards for Europe travel by country, simplifying your shopping experience.
For travelers visiting multiple European countries, our Europe and UK sim card (12GB) provides additional flexibility, giving users internet access in over 70 countries. Setting up your sim card is also quick and easy, ensuring you get up and running for your trip in no time.
SimCorner is America's favourite one-stop shop for all your international SIM card needs. At Sim Corner we sell Travel SIM cards & eSIM cards for the hottest destinations such as Europe SIM, UK, Australia New Zealand and Asia at unbeatable prices! Get your prepaid sims direct to your door or office in New York, Los Angeles, and throughout United States of America
We got a FREE Sim card in Paris and trying to cancel it has been a nightmare. So far we have paid for two extra months of service and it looks like we will have to pay a third month. If you get one of these, get it cancelled in person before you leave France.
Orange France sells prepaid cards for visitors at an exorbitant price. On top of that, you are required to register your sim card within 4 to 5 days on their web site. The problem is that their web application does not work. We asked the staff in the Orange shop where we bought the air time to help us and also they were unable to register the sim card. Without registering, Orange cuts the service without compensating your outstanding credit. When we requested a refund on the purchase of air time but the shop replied that they do not do refunds.
Reading some of the comments, even the absurd ones. I have been to France 6 times in the past for 2-4 weeks each. I used Orange Holiday Prepaid card 5 of 6 times and Bouygues once, so here are my views.
We have a 14 day European sojourn scheduled with 3 days in Wales, UK (wedding) via Manchester, 3 days in Paris, 1 day in Barcelona and 2 in Ibiza, then return to Manchester to fly back. What sims card would you recommend?
Hi Tamara,Thanks for reading and your feedback. It can get very complicated when it comes to SIM cards, but I think this site should be helpful for Free Mobile: Also, we wrote this article that is more European wide when it comes to buying SIM Cards: -a-sim-card-in-europe.html
Traveler's Tip: Along with getting a local SIM card, purchasing a Paris city pass can be a smart way to enhance your trip to France. Take a look at our article about the Best City Pass for Paris to compare prices and included activities and make the most of your vacation. 041b061a72