Which plan fits a France trip
There is no France-only plan here. Every plan on this page is a bundle: the Europe plan covers France and 29 other countries, and the Global 75 and Global 170 plans reach further. Your data allowance is shared across every country on the list, so one eSIM, installed once, covers the whole trip. Pick by trip:
- A week in Paris: the 7 day Europe plan with 1.5 GB a day covers maps, the Metro, museum and restaurant bookings, messaging and photos. Take the 7 day unlimited plan if you make video calls or work from a caf茅.
- Paris and London on the Eurostar: the Europe plan. The United Kingdom is on its list, so the eSIM keeps working when you arrive at St Pancras.
- France by train with its neighbors: the Europe plan covers Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, Spain and Germany too, so Paris to Brussels, Amsterdam, Geneva, Milan or Barcelona runs on one eSIM.
- Two weeks from Paris to Provence and the Riviera: the 15 day Europe plan, daily or unlimited.
- The Riviera with a day in Monaco: Monaco is not on the Europe list. The Global 170 plan covers France and Monaco together. On the Europe plan, see Monaco and the Riviera below.
- A month or longer: the 30 day Europe plan with 1.5 GB a day. Unlimited plans run up to 15 days.
On the daily plans, speed drops sharply once the day's 1.5 GB is used and comes back when the allowance resets. See fixed, daily or unlimited for how each type behaves.
Paris: the Metro, museums and getting around
Paris is where most trips start, and where your phone does the most work:
- The Metro and RER: mobile service has been extended through much of the network, so you can check connections underground. Download an offline map of the city anyway for the gaps.
- Museums and monuments: the big ones, such as the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and Versailles, sell timed tickets online, often days ahead. Keep the tickets on your phone, saved offline, so a weak signal in a queue does not matter.
- Taxis and rides: ride-hailing apps and taxi apps work across Paris. Your eSIM means you can book one from the airport or the station without hunting for Wi-Fi.
- Day trips: Versailles, Giverny and Disneyland Paris are within an hour or so by train, and covered all the way.
By train: TGV, Eurostar and the neighbors
The eSIM works on trains wherever the line has signal. Coverage is good along the TGV lines, with short drops in tunnels and in some rural stretches. On the Eurostar, download your ticket and anything you need before you board, in case the signal drops on the way. Many TGV and Eurostar trains have onboard Wi-Fi, but it is often slow, and your own data lets you check platforms, connections and delays without it.
Strikes are frequent in France, especially on the railways and at airports, and they are announced a few days ahead. Check strikes in France this week before you book or travel, and keep your data on: SNCF and the airlines text or email changes.
Coverage across France
Coverage is strong in Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux, Nice and the other large cities, and along the motorways and the main rail lines. Where it changes:
- Normandy: the D-Day beaches, the American Cemetery and Mont-Saint-Michel are covered around the towns and visitor sites; country lanes between them are thinner. Download a map before a self-drive day.
- The Loire Valley: the ch芒teaux and towns are covered; signal can drop on the bike paths and small roads between them.
- Provence and the Riviera: good in Nice, Cannes, Avignon and Aix; thinner in the hill villages and the Verdon Gorge.
- The Alps and the Pyrenees: ski resorts such as Chamonix are well covered in town and on the main slopes; high trails and deep valleys have gaps.
- Corsica: good in the towns and on the coast, thinner in the mountains of the interior.
Before a hike, a drive through the countryside or a day in the mountains, download offline maps and save your bookings to the phone.
Monaco and the Riviera
Monaco is not on the Europe plan's country list and has its own mobile operator. Along the coast near Monaco, from Menton to Nice, a phone can pick up a Monaco network even while you are still in France.
- On the Europe plan, data stops working on that network. Choose a French network by hand in your phone's settings (on iPhone, Settings, then Cellular, then your eSIM, then Network Selection), and it comes back.
- On the Global 170 plan, it keeps working on either side, and a day in Monaco costs nothing extra.
Arriving at the airport
Install the eSIM at home on Wi-Fi a day or two before you fly. When you land, turn on data roaming for the eSIM line only and keep it off on your usual SIM. You can then check the RER or bus into Paris, book a taxi or message your hotel from the arrivals hall. Our arrival guides cover Paris Charles de Gaulle and Paris Orly: the free Wi-Fi, the terminals and where to buy a SIM after arrivals.
How much data do you need?
Most visitors use about 1 GB a day for maps, the Metro, messaging, photos and booking trains and museum slots. Video calls, streaming and sharing your connection with a laptop push that up quickly. For a long stay with remote work, look at the unlimited plans.
eSIM or roaming?
Most US carriers charge a daily fee for each day you use your phone in France, or limit what is included: see will my phone work in Europe? and our guides to AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile. Travelers from Canada, the UK and Australia usually pay roaming fees too. If your phone plan is from an EU country, roaming in France is generally charged at home rates for normal use, so you may not need a travel eSIM at all. More in travel eSIM vs international roaming.
Before you go
