Telephone & Internet in France

France Télécom is the dominant national supplier of landline telephone lines, cellular telephone, Internet packages and TV. 

English-speaking Service

France Télécom/Orange has an English-speaking customer service helpline open Monday to Friday 09:00-17:00:

• Calling from France - Tel: 0800 364 775
• Calling from outside France - Tel: +33 1 55 78 60 56

Getting Connected: Telephone

To have a domestic landline telephone installed, connected or reconnected, apply at the local France Télécom office or Freecall: 1014. 

• To find a local agency use the search box and enter France Télécom under "Quoi, Qui" and the name of the nearest main town under "Ou" in the French Yellow Pages: Pages Jaunes 

When requesting a line installation or connection the following are required:

• Proof of identification
• Proof of address: a recent electricity bill, a tax bill or a rental contract

France Télécom has a separate business line division, the Agences Professionnels. A business registration number (SIREN) is required when applying to prove that the business exists legally. Freecall: 1016.

If a property has a line installed, the account can be transferred to the name of the new occupant; re-connection can be arranged.

Bills (factures) include VAT (TVA) at 19,6%, and are sent every two months. They can be paid by direct debit, in cash at a post office, by cheque or TIP (Titre Interbancaire de Paiement) or online.

Registration for online payments requires the France Télécom client number printed at the top of an invoice, and a RIB from the back or ATM. Payments can be made monthly or bi-monthly by credit card.

• For information on paying online (facture sur la net): Click here (in French)
• Interactive map to find address and contacts of local France Télécom agency: Click here

Second home in France

A landline telephone service in a second property or holiday home (residence secondaire) can be made temporarily dormant in times of absence provided that subscribed services for both properties (principal residence and second home) are supplied by France Télécom. This allows the subscriber to only pay for the service while the second property is occupied.

• To deactivate or reactivate the service call giving instructions at least 24 hours before departure/arrival
  Tel: 1014 
• Further information (in French): Click here then on "caracteristiques detaillees"

Getting Connected: Internet

• See this AngloINFO INFOrmation Page: Getting an Internet Connection in France & Service Providers

Handy Numbers

Telephone Directories

Every year the Yellow Pages (Pages Jaunes) directory of businesses and the White Pages (Pages Blanches) directory of private numbers are issued by the post office. In most regions these phone books are delivered to the door. The directories are organised alphabetically by town/village name. Find the appropriate town first, and then look for the name or service in that town.

Online directories

• Use the Yellow Pages to find businesses and services: Pages Jaunes 
• To find private numbers or addresses use the Pages Blanches 

Further Information

• AngloINFO INFOrmation Page Getting an Internet Connection in France & Service Providers
• UK Telecom has a comprehensive booklet on French telephone and Internet (in English) available for download: Click here