How to Call France from the US

To call France from the US, dial 011 + 33 + 9-digit French number — dropping the leading 0 from the French number.

Paris example: French national number 01 42 68 53 00 → US dial string 011 33 1 42 68 53 00.

French mobile example: 06 12 34 56 78 → 011 33 6 12 34 56 78.

The 011 is the US international exit code; 33 is France’s country code assigned by the ITU. On a smartphone, the + symbol replaces 011 — so +33 1 42 68 53 00 dials from any US mobile.

How to dial France from the US

The formula has three parts:

1. 011 — the US international exit code. Every US international call starts here. On a smartphone keypad, long-press 0 to enter + as a shortcut.
2. 33 — France’s ITU country code. This is fixed for all French numbers regardless of region or type.
3. The French number without its leading 0. All French national numbers begin with 0 — that 0 is a domestic trunk prefix. Drop it when dialing internationally.

Full pattern: 011 33 [French number minus leading 0]

Device	Format
US landline	011 33 X XX XX XX XX
US mobile	011 33 X XX XX XX XX or +33 X XX XX XX XX
VoIP softphone (DialPhone, etc.)	+33 X XX XX XX XX

Saving contacts in +33 format means the number works without changes whether you’re calling from your desk, mobile, or while roaming abroad.

French area codes by region

ARCEP — the French telecom regulator — organizes French geographic numbers by a single-digit zone prefix (1–5), followed by an 8-digit subscriber number, giving 10 digits total in national format.

Zone prefix	Region	Example city
1	Paris and Île-de-France	Paris
2	Northwestern France	Rouen, Rennes, Caen
3	Northeastern France	Strasbourg, Lille, Nancy
4	Southeastern France	Lyon, Marseille, Nice
5	Southwestern France	Bordeaux, Toulouse
6 or 7	Mobile numbers	(nationwide)
8	Service / corporate / toll-free	(nationwide)
9	Non-geographic VoIP	(nationwide)

From the US, all zones follow the same dialing pattern: 011 33 + zone digit + 8 subscriber digits.

Paris example: 01 42 68 53 00 → drop the leading 0 → 011 33 1 42 68 53 00.

Lyon example: 04 72 10 20 30 → 011 33 4 72 10 20 30.

How French numbering works

France uses a 10-digit national numbering plan set by ARCEP (Autorité de Régulation des Communications Électroniques, des Postes et de la Distribution de la Presse).

Every French number is formatted as 0X XX XX XX XX domestically — one leading 0 (trunk prefix), one zone digit, and eight subscriber digits.

When you call internationally, you replace the leading 0 with the international access sequence: 011 33 from the US, or +33 in E.164 notation.

French landlines use zone digits 1–5 (geographic). Mobiles use 6 or 7. Non-geographic services use 8 (toll-free, premium rate, corporate) and 9 (VoIP). The total digit count is always 10 nationally, which means you always dial exactly 9 digits after the country code from the US.

Time zones: CET and CEST

France operates on a single time zone nationwide (including metropolitan France — overseas territories differ):

• CET (Central European Time) — UTC+1, active from late October to late March
• CEST (Central European Summer Time) — UTC+2, active from late March to late October

The EU shifts clocks on the last Sunday in March (spring forward one hour) and the last Sunday in October (fall back one hour).

US time zone	Offset during CET (winter)	Offset during CEST (summer)
Eastern (ET)	+6 hours	+6 hours*
Central (CT)	+7 hours	+7 hours*
Mountain (MT)	+8 hours	+8 hours*
Pacific (PT)	+9 hours	+9 hours*

*Note: US and EU DST transitions fall on different dates, so during transition weeks the offset can briefly differ by ±1 hour.

A practical rule: if it is 9 AM Eastern, it is 3 PM in France — well within business hours. If it is 4 PM Pacific, it is 1 AM in France. Standard French business hours are roughly 9 AM to 6 PM CET, with a protected lunch break from noon to 2 PM.

US to France calling costs

Costs break into three buckets depending on how you place the call:

Standard US carrier rates (no plan): Rates to French landlines run from roughly $0.04 to $2.00 per minute depending on carrier and tier. Mobile destinations are typically higher — $0.10 to $0.30 per minute on major carriers without an add-on.

Carrier international add-on packages: Most major US carriers offer monthly international plans ranging from $10 to $15 per month. These reduce per-minute rates significantly and are cost-effective if you call France more than a few times a month.

VoIP business phone (DialPhone): DialPhone routes calls over the internet with flat per-minute rates to France that are consistently lower than carrier add-on plans. For US businesses with recurring France calling needs — sales calls, vendor coordination, fashion/luxury industry contacts — a DialPhone business phone plan eliminates surprise per-minute charges.

See DialPhone pricing for current international per-minute rates and plan options, including a free trial.

Calling French mobile vs landline numbers

From the US, the dialing format is identical for French mobiles and landlines — both follow 011 33 + number without leading 0. The key differences are prefix recognition and cost.

Identifying mobile vs landline:

• Zone prefix 6 or 7 = mobile
• Zone prefix 1–5 = geographic landline
• Zone prefix 8 = service number (toll-free, premium rate, corporate)
• Zone prefix 9 = non-geographic VoIP line

French mobile numbers in national format look like 06 12 34 56 78 (10 digits including the leading 0). You cannot tell mobile from landline by digit count alone — both are 10 digits nationally. You tell them apart by the zone digit.

Cost difference: Calls to French mobile numbers (06/07 prefix) typically cost more per minute than calls to French landlines from US carriers. VoIP providers like DialPhone offer differentiated rates; check current rates at dialphone.com/pricing.

SMS to France and business use cases

Sending a text to France from the US: Use +33 format followed by the French mobile number without the leading 0. For example, to text 06 12 34 56 78, send to +33 6 12 34 56 78. Most US carriers support international SMS; rates are typically $0.05–$0.25 per message without an international plan.

Business context: The US–France business corridor is substantial — fashion, luxury goods, aerospace, financial services, and tech partnerships all drive regular communication between the two countries.

For teams handling inbound French client calls or outbound prospecting into France, a DialPhone virtual number with a French local DID lets your US-based team present a French caller ID to recipients — reducing call answer rates lost to unfamiliar international numbers.

STIR/SHAKEN attestation on DialPhone-originated calls provides the same anti-spoofing credential for outbound France calls that US enterprise callers expect — see STIR/SHAKEN for how call authentication works when routing across international carriers.

If you regularly receive calls from France, a DialPhone AI receptionist can handle after-hours French-language inquiries using timezone-aware routing — ensuring Paris-based contacts during their business day reach a live response even when your US team is offline.

For number management background — including porting an existing French number to a US-based VoIP system — see the number porting guide.

FAQ

Calling France FAQ

What is the country code for France? +

France's country code is +33. From a US landline or mobile, you reach it by dialing the US exit code 011 first, making the full prefix 011 33.

From a smartphone you can substitute the + symbol for 011 and dial +33 directly — the handset resolves the exit code automatically.

Do I drop the leading 0 when calling France from the US? +

Yes. French national numbers are written with a leading 0 — for example 01 42 68 53 00 in Paris or 06 12 34 56 78 for a mobile. That 0 is the French trunk prefix used only for domestic calls inside France.

When dialing from the US, replace the entire leading 0 with 011 33. So 01 42 68 53 00 becomes 011 33 1 42 68 53 00. Leaving the 0 in place is the most common reason a US-to-France call fails.

How do I call a French mobile number from the US? +

French mobile numbers start with 06 or 07 in national format. Drop the leading 0 and dial 011 33 6 (or 7) followed by the remaining 8 digits.

Example: 06 12 34 56 78 → 011 33 6 12 34 56 78. Mobile rates from the US are typically higher than landline rates, so consider a VoIP plan if you call French mobiles frequently.

What time zone is France in? +

France observes Central European Time (CET), which is UTC+1 in winter and Central European Summer Time (CEST, UTC+2) during daylight saving. That puts France 6 hours ahead of US Eastern Time and 9 hours ahead of US Pacific Time during standard time.

The EU shifts clocks on the last Sunday in March (spring forward) and the last Sunday in October (fall back). Note that US and EU DST transitions happen on different dates, so the offset can briefly be ±1 hour different during transition weeks.

How much does it cost to call France from the US? +

Without an international plan, major US carrier per-minute rates to French landlines run roughly $0.04–$2.00 depending on carrier tier. French mobile numbers cost more — often $0.10–$0.30 per minute on standard plans.

Carrier international add-on packages ($10–$15/month) bring rates down significantly. VoIP providers like DialPhone typically offer the lowest flat per-minute rates with no monthly minimum, making them cost-effective for businesses that call France regularly.

Can I send a text (SMS) to a French number from the US? +

Yes. Text France the same way you would dial: use +33 followed by the French mobile number without the leading 0. Most US carriers support international SMS; rates vary from $0.05 to $0.25 per message without a plan.

If you need two-way SMS for business — for example communicating with French clients or partners — a VoIP business phone plan with international SMS coverage handles this cleanly from a single US or virtual French number.

What is a French 09 number? +

Numbers starting with 09 in France are non-geographic VoIP numbers assigned by ARCEP, the French telecommunications regulator. They are not tied to a physical location.

From the US, you dial them the same way as any French number: 011 33 9 followed by the remaining 8 digits. Rates vary — treat them as landline equivalent for pricing purposes, though some carriers price them differently.

How do I call France for free from the US? +

Free calling to France from the US is possible when both parties use the same app over Wi-Fi or mobile data — WhatsApp, FaceTime, Google Meet, and Zoom all support free app-to-app audio.

For calls to a regular French phone number (not an app user), VoIP plans offer the lowest cost but are not technically free. DialPhone's business phone plans include per-minute international rates that are among the lowest available for France destinations.

Related guides

• How to call the UK from the US — same exit-code logic, UK-specific area codes
• Number porting guide — move your existing number to VoIP
• STIR/SHAKEN explained — call authentication for international routes
• DialPhone business phone — international calling plans
• DialPhone pricing — current France per-minute rates
• Free trial — test international calling before committing