How do you get a mobile phone number in France in 2026?

Buy prepaid from Free, Orange, SFR, or Bouygues at airport Relay-style counters, operator shops, or authorised partner stores. Passport or EU photo ID is enough for prepaid registration; you do not need a Carte Vitale first. Free Prépayé asks you to register identity details within fifteen days of purchase or the line is cut. Orange Holiday-style tourist products publish a similar identity upload window measured in days from first use.

Keep the plastic sleeve, ICCID, and receipt. Register exactly as the seller and operator instruct, then top up through the operator app or partner shop. Keep the number even if you later switch to a monthly forfait, because banks and authorities may already have it on file: Paperwork after moving. Coverage is strong in Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, Toulouse, and Nice; test rural and mountain stretches before you cancel roaming backups.

Postpaid forfaits with large data buckets usually need a French billing address and a stronger KYC file than prepaid. Many operators also want a RIB for direct debit: Open a bank account. Finish the lease and address proof first so the contract does not bounce: How to rent a home.

Home fibre from Free, Orange, SFR, or Bouygues is a separate contract after you have an address: Utilities, internet and transport. Stay rights still sit above the SIM brand for long-term life: Validate long-stay visa or Apply for a residence permit.