How to Call the USA from France: Codes, Plans and Costs
To call the USA from France, dial 00 (the French international prefix), then 1 (the US country code), then the 10-digit US number. On a mobile phone, type +1 and the 10 digits instead; the + replaces the 00 and works from both French and US SIM cards.
A Chicago number written as (312) 555-0198 is therefore 00 1 312 555 0198 from a French landline or hotel phone, and +1 312 555 0198 from any mobile.
Step by step
- Find the full US number. It has a 3-digit area code and a 7-digit local number. If you only have 7 digits, ask for the area code.
- Dial the exit code. From a French landline, that is 00. On a mobile, press and hold 0 until a + appears.
- Dial 1. This is the country code for the US (and Canada).
- Dial the 10 digits. No extra 0 or 1 in front of the area code.
- Wait a few seconds. International calls can take longer to start ringing than domestic ones.
Saving every US contact in your phone in the +1 format before you leave saves you from retyping anything in France.
Mistakes that break calls on this route
- Dialing 011. That is the US exit code. In France it is 00, and 011 will not connect.
- Adding a French 0. French numbers start with 0 when dialed inside France, so people sometimes add a 0 out of habit. A US number never needs one.
- Dialing 001 and then another 1. 00 plus 1 is already the full prefix. Typing 00 1 1 312... adds an extra digit and the call fails.
- Calling a US 1-800 number. Many US toll-free numbers do not accept calls from outside North America. Our guide to calling US toll-free numbers from abroad explains how to find the direct line.
- Calling a US business at French lunchtime. At 1 pm in Paris it is 7 am in New York. The section on time zones below has the full picture.
French plans that already include calls to the US
If you live in France or have a French SIM, check your plan before paying for anything else. Some French mobile plans include calls to US numbers.
The clearest example is Free Mobile. Its main plan, the Forfait Free 5G+, costs €19.99 a month (€9.99 for Freebox Pop customers) with no commitment, and includes unlimited calls from mainland France to mobiles in the United States, Canada, Alaska and Hawaii, plus landlines in 100 destinations, as of October 2026 (Free Mobile plan page). If you are on one of Free's cheaper plans, check its own plan page rather than assuming the same inclusion.
Orange, SFR and Bouygues Telecom change their ranges often, and whether calls to the US are included depends on the exact plan and options you have. We could not confirm a current Orange, SFR or Bouygues plan that includes them, so check yours: open your plan's "communications vers l'international" section in your account app, or ask in store, before assuming a call to the US is included. If it is not, a call to the US from a French SIM is charged at the operator's international rate.
One trap for other Europeans: if your SIM is from another EU country, EU roaming rules let you use it in France much as you would at home. Those rules cover calls to EU numbers. A call to a US number falls outside those rules, so you pay whatever your home operator charges for calls outside the EU. Our wider guide to calling the US from Europe covers the other EU countries.
Buying a French SIM? Bring your passport
Prepaid SIM cards in France are sold in operator stores, supermarkets, newsagents and tobacco shops (bureaux de tabac). Anyone can buy one, but Orange states that activating a prepaid SIM requires an identity document, such as an ID card, passport or residence permit, and that this has applied since 2016 (Orange guide). Carry your passport when you buy one.
Before you buy, check two things on the packaging or with the seller:
- Does the offer include international calls, or only calls within France? Many cheap prepaid offers cover only French numbers.
- Is there a separate rate for the US? If the answer is a high per-minute price, a travel eSIM for data plus an internet calling service may cost less.
Travel eSIMs bought online usually give you data only, with no French phone number. That is fine for WhatsApp and browser calls, but the regular phone app will not dial out on them.
The week each autumn when Paris is closer to New York
France and the US both change their clocks, but not on the same day. Europe moves its clocks on the last Sunday of March and October. The US moves on the second Sunday of March and the first Sunday of November. For a week or two each year, the usual gap shrinks by an hour.
| US time zone | Usual gap (France ahead) | 25 Oct to 1 Nov 2026 | 14 to 28 Mar 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern (New York, Boston) | 6 hours | 5 hours | 5 hours |
| Central (Chicago, Houston) | 7 hours | 6 hours | 6 hours |
| Mountain (Denver) | 8 hours | 7 hours | 7 hours |
| Pacific (Los Angeles, San Francisco) | 9 hours | 8 hours | 8 hours |
| Hawaii (no daylight saving) | 12 hours in summer, 11 in winter | 11 hours | 11 hours |
Arizona mostly keeps the same clock all year, so it is 9 hours behind France in the European summer and 8 hours behind in winter.
The practical rule: call the US East Coast from France between about 3 pm and 11 pm, which is 9 am to 5 pm in New York for most of the year. West Coast offices open at 6 pm Paris time. If you need a US bank or card issuer, see our guide to calling your bank from abroad.
What a 10-minute call to the US costs from France
Prices were checked on each company's own site in October 2026, in the currency the company charges.
| Option | What 10 minutes to the US costs | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Free Mobile Forfait Free 5G+ (French SIM) | Included for US mobiles | Residents who call the US often |
| US Verizon SIM with TravelPass | $12 for the day (Verizon) | Travelers who also need mobile data that day |
| US Verizon SIM over WiFi calling | No extra charge to US numbers (Verizon) | Calls home from hotel WiFi |
| WhatsApp or FaceTime | Free over WiFi | Family who use the same app |
| BoraPhone in a browser | From $0.40 | Landlines, banks, airlines, no US SIM |
| Hotel room phone | Set by the hotel; ask first | Emergencies only |
If you are visiting from the US, WiFi calling on your own phone is hard to beat for calling US numbers, provided you switch it on before you leave. Our guide to avoiding roaming charges on calls shows the airplane-mode setup that stops your phone roaming by accident.
BoraPhone suits the cases WiFi calling does not cover: a data-only eSIM, a laptop with no phone, a US number you have given up, or a French SIM with no US calls included. You call real US landlines and mobiles from Chrome, Safari, Edge or Firefox, with no app or SIM. Calls to the US start from $0.04 a minute at the time of writing (October 2026), and the dialer shows the exact rate for the number before you call. You top up from $5, billing is per minute rounded up to the next full minute, and failed calls are refunded. The first call is free when you sign up with an email address.
Hotels, cafés and WiFi in France
Most French hotels and many cafés offer free WiFi, and it is usually good enough for voice calls. For a long call, sit close to the router, or use mobile data if the hotel network is crowded in the evening.
Hotel room phones can dial the US with 00 1 and the number, usually after a digit for an outside line, but the hotel sets the rate. Street payphones have largely disappeared from France, so do not plan around finding one.
Frequently asked questions
Is the US country code 011 or 1?
The US country code is 1. 011 is the exit code used to call out of the US. From France you dial 00 (or + on a mobile), then 1, then the 10-digit number.
How do I call the USA from abroad?
Dial the exit code of the country you are in, then 1, then the area code and number. In France the exit code is 00. On any mobile, the + sign replaces the exit code, so +1 and the 10 digits works from almost anywhere.
How do I dial a +33 number?
+33 is the code for France. French numbers have 10 digits starting with 0, such as 06 12 34 56 78. In international format you drop that first 0: from the US you dial 011 33 6 12 34 56 78, and from a mobile you can type +33 6 12 34 56 78.
Can I call the US from France for free?
Yes, in some cases. App-to-app calls on WhatsApp or FaceTime are free over WiFi. Verizon says WiFi calls back to US numbers carry no extra charge, and Free Mobile's Forfait Free 5G+ includes calls to US mobiles. Calls to US landlines from most other French plans are charged.
Should I buy a French SIM for a short trip?
For a trip of a week or two, usually not. A data eSIM plus WiFi calling or a browser calling service covers most needs, and you avoid the ID check. A French SIM makes more sense if you need a French number for local bookings or are staying for months.
Written by
Serpius DentoSerpius works with communication and customer relations at BoraPhone. With hands-on experience helping users navigate international calling, he writes practical guides based on real conversations with customers worldwide.
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