France eSIM 2026: Phone and Data Guide for Travelers from the US and Canada

Published November 12, 2026

In France you use your phone for the Métro and TGV tickets, museum time slots at the Louvre or Orsay, Uber or Bolt, and maps along the back roads of Provence. Your US or Canadian plan works there for a daily fee. This guide compares that fee with a France or Europe eSIM and covers what is different in France. As of November 2026.

The short version

• Verizon and AT&T charge $12 per day, Rogers and Telus CAD 18, Bell CAD 16. A week in Paris costs $84 or CAD 112 to 126 per phone.
• T-Mobile's Experience plans include some high-speed data abroad; Essentials customers need a paid International Pass for data.
• Monaco is not in the EU. Many Europe plans, ours included, do not cover it: check before a Riviera day trip.
• Emergency number: 112 (also 15 for medical help, 17 for police, 18 for fire).

France eSIM or Europe eSIM?

Staying in France? A France plan gives you the most data for the money. Combining Paris with London, Brussels, Amsterdam, Switzerland or Italy? A Europe plan covers the whole route on one eSIM, including the Eurostar to London. Current MonoEsim prices:

Read more: eSIM for Europe 2026: A Guide for Travelers from the US and Canada

The Monaco and border trap

Along the Riviera between Nice and Menton your phone can switch to a Monaco network without you noticing. Monaco is not part of the EU and not in our Europe plans, so the eSIM may not work there, and your home carrier may start a pass. Near Monaco, set the network selection to manual and pick a French network, or add a Monaco plan for a day in Monte Carlo. Near Switzerland the issue does not arise with a Europe plan, which covers it.

Coverage in France

• Paris: good 4G and 5G above ground and in most Métro and RER stations.
• TGV: coverage drops in tunnels and on some high-speed sections; download what you need before boarding.
• Rural Provence, the Dordogne, the Pyrenees and the Alps: expect gaps on small roads and hiking trails.

Can I buy a French SIM?

Orange, SFR, Bouygues Telecom and Free sell prepaid SIM cards in stores, supermarkets and tabacs; you register them with your passport. They make sense for long stays. For a vacation, the eSIM saves the store visit and keeps your home number on the phone. US iPhones since the iPhone 14 have no SIM tray, so a physical card is not an option for them.

How much data do you need?

• One week in Paris: 3–5 GB.
• Two weeks with a road trip through Provence or the Loire: 8–15 GB.
• Remote work, daily video calls or a hotspot: 20 GB or more.

Install the SNCF Connect and RATP apps (or Bonjour RATP) at home and save tickets offline. Museum QR codes load faster from a screenshot than over a crowded network.

Setting up

• Install the eSIM at home on Wi-Fi; leave the line off until you land at CDG, Orly or Nice.
• Turn off data roaming for your home line.
• After landing, choose the eSIM for data and turn on data roaming for it only. The plan usually starts with the first connection in a covered country, unless the plan says otherwise.

Entry

France is in the Schengen area: the EU's Entry/Exit System registers your fingerprints and photo at the first Schengen border since 10 April 2026. ETIAS is not in operation and has no start date, so there is nothing to apply for today. The UK requires its own ETA if you continue to London.

Get the app

Your eSIMs, the data you have left and top-ups – all in the app.

Scan the QR code with your phone to open Google Play.