eSIM for France
Covered by our Europe plan, from $10.00.
What the network is actually like
Coverage is strong nationwide, and France rolled out 5G widely in urban areas. The TGV has proper trackside coverage on the main lines, which isn't true of every European high-speed network. Mountain valleys in the Alps and Pyrenees are the usual dead spots.
Networks: Orange, Bouygues Telecom, Free
How much data you'll need
A long weekend in Paris sits inside 5GB for maps and messaging. Two weeks on the trains or in a car is nearer 10, and almost all of the difference is navigation.
City guides
Where the signal actually drops, and how to get around.
Where people go
Paris
The Métro has patchy signal below Line 4. Everything else is fine.
Lyon
The food city. Two rivers, two hills, far fewer queues.
Marseille
Rough-edged and worth it. Boats to the Calanques leave early.
Bordeaux
Flat, walkable, and surrounded by the obvious reason to visit.
What's on
Timings are month-level, because most of these move year to year.
Bastille Day
14 July
Nationwide
Fireworks and firefighters’ balls. Paris is packed; smaller towns are better.
Tour de France
July
Route changes annually
Roadside coverage collapses when a few thousand people gather on one mountain.
Fête de la Musique
21 June
Nationwide
Every street corner becomes a venue for one night.