By Best prepaid SIM cards in France in October 2026
There is no single "best SIM card in France" for everyone. Orange Holiday Europe is the safest pick for strong coverage and EU roaming; SFR, Bouygues Telecom and MVNOs like Lebara or Lycamobile come out cheaper if you mainly need data.
Prepaid SIM in France: the short answer
- Cheapest entry point of the 13 offers compared here: SFR Unlimited Prepaid 10 GB at €4.99 for 31 days.
- Best data per euro among them: Lycamobile 350GB at €11.99 (about €0.03 per GB).
- Easiest for tourists: Orange Holiday 20GB at €24.99 — 14 days, EU roaming, airport pickup.
- No contract, no credit check and no French bank account required.
- Bring ID. A passport is enough; a French address is only needed for postpaid plans.
Across the 13 prepaid offers compared on this page in October 2026, the cheapest entry point is SFR's Unlimited Prepaid 10 GB at €4.99 for 31 days. The best data-per-euro deal is Lycamobile's 350GB pack at €11.99.
Prices and allowances below come from each operator's public rate card, checked in October 2026.
*French overseas territories. A selection of prepaid offers, not exhaustive, chosen by our editorial team across the five providers covered on this page. Prices include all taxes. Listing is free for providers; Selectra earns a commission from the providers it partners with. Checked in October 2026
Calling abroad frequently? Read our guides on how to call France from the UK or from the USA.
Orange Holiday Europe SIM card
The Orange Holiday Europe SIM is the most popular tourist SIM card in France. Packs run up to 500 GB of 4G/5G data, with unlimited calls and texts within Europe plus international minutes. If your phone takes an eSIM, Orange sells a digital alternative through Orange Travel, covered in our Orange eSIM for France guide.
Orange is one of France's largest mobile providers and offers excellent nationwide coverage, which makes it the safe default outside big cities.
Short trips, first‑time visitors, travellers who want easy activation at the airport and the most reliable coverage across France and the EU.
All Orange Holiday Europe packs available at the time of writing, ranked by data allowance. The 100GB, 200GB and 500GB packs are shown at their current promotional rate (list prices €68.99, €89.99 and €169.99), so check the operator's page before ordering. Prices include all taxes. Listing is free for providers; Selectra earns a commission from the providers it partners with. Checked in October 2026
The packs above all include unlimited calls and texts across Europe. If you only need mobile internet — because you call over WhatsApp, or keep your home number on a second SIM — Orange sells a cheaper data-only range:
- →€15.99 — 10 GB over 14 days;
- →€22.99 — 20 GB;
- →€42.99 — 50 GB;
- →€16.99 — unlimited data for 5 days, a short-stay option the calls-and-texts range does not have.
That 5-day unlimited pack is usually the best value for a long weekend.
SFR prepaid SIM cards
SFR sells prepaid SIM cards under the "SFR Discover" label. It is the best pick if you are already in France and want a huge data allowance at a low price.
Unlike Orange or Bouygues Telecom, SFR does not sell classic "tourist SIM" packs in English aimed at visitors. Two ways to get one:
- →Order online: delivery in around 2–3 days within France;
- →Buy in store: SFR shops, Relay outlets or supermarkets.
The starter kit is an SFR Discover prepaid SIM with 30-day validity, and it is physical only for now (eSIM is announced as "coming soon").
Once the first 30 days are over, SFR Discover top-ups extend your line. They also prolong the validity of your number for several months, as long as you keep recharging.
People already in France and heavy data users on a budget, travellers who want lots of GB and unlimited calls for one month without a contract.
All SFR Discover prepaid packs available at the time of writing, ranked by data allowance. Prices include all taxes. Listing is free for providers; Selectra earns a commission from the providers it partners with. Checked in October 2026
SFR's former European Travel SIM is no longer available. The Illimité 10 GB prepaid pack is now the best alternative for tourists looking for short-term connectivity in France and across Europe.
Bouygues Telecom: My European eSIM
Bouygues Telecom offers short-term pay-as-you-go eSIM plans for visitors, with data from 15 GB to 120 GB valid across Europe.
These virtual SIMs are bought online or in stores and activated instantly by scanning a QR code. That suits anyone who wants data in France on an eSIM-compatible phone without handling a physical card.
They are built for short stays or temporary relocation, not as long-term subscriptions.
eSIM‑compatible phones, visitors who want instant online activation, travellers moving around several EU countries with one data plan.
All Bouygues Telecom My European eSIM packs available at the time of writing, ranked by data allowance. Prices include all taxes. Listing is free for providers; Selectra earns a commission from the providers it partners with. Checked in October 2026
Prepaid SIM cards from MVNOs (La Poste Mobile, Lebara, Lycamobile)
MVNOs like La Poste Mobile, Lebara and Lycamobile offer flexible pay-as-you-go SIM cards that are ideal for short stays in France. They pair large data allowances with cheap international calls and no long-term contract, which suits tourists, students and new expats.
Lycamobile has the best data-per-euro ratio among the MVNO offers compared on this page in October 2026, from €0.03 per GB. Its range runs from 150GB at €7.99 to 350GB at €11.99, all sold as eSIM with unlimited calls/SMS in France.
MVNOs rent capacity from the four network operators, so the coverage you actually get is that of the host network. The French public service portal explains how to compare the real network quality of Orange, SFR, Bouygues Telecom and Free on the regulator's independent maps.
You can buy these SIM cards online or in La Poste, Relay and Fnac stores. Activation is straightforward, usually done on the operator's website or through customer service.
Staying longer? Compare them against classic monthly contracts in our guide to mobile plan options in France.
Budget‑conscious tourists, students and short‑term expats who mainly need cheap data and international calls without a long‑term contract.
A selection of MVNO prepaid offers, not exhaustive, grouped by provider. Prices include all taxes. Listing is free for providers; Selectra earns a commission from the providers it partners with. Checked in October 2026
Does Free have pay-as-you-go SIM card offers?
Yes — Free mobile sells prepaid plans under the Free Prépayé brand. But there is a catch most visitors hit.
These offers are exclusively available to residents of mainland France, or to people with a stable link to mainland France: French nationals living abroad, or expatriates with a permanent address in France.
If you qualify, the steps are short:
- →Buy a Free SIM card in a Free store or a partner retail outlet;
- →Pick a prepaid pack, such as the Pass Free S: 10 GB plus unlimited calls/SMS for €4.99, valid 30 days.
Moving to France for several months? Free's postpaid plans are usually a better deal than topping up a prepaid line.
Your French prepaid SIM will still work in most European countries, and you can normally buy credit through a partner provider to use on your French line.
For long trips across countries outside the EU, an international SIM card — from a company such as Flexiroam — is often the better investment.
What is a prepaid SIM card?
A prepaid SIM card (carte SIM prépayée) lets you pay upfront for a fixed amount of data, calls and texts, instead of signing a monthly contract.
There is no credit check, no bank account required and no commitment (engagement). You simply top up (recharge) once your credit or validity period runs out.
That makes it different from a postpaid plan (forfait), which bills you monthly and usually expects a French bank account or proof of address. Prepaid suits tourists, short stays, students and new arrivals who want a working French number fast.
You keep your number if you switch later. ARCEP, the French telecoms regulator, requires operators to honour number portability from a prepaid card to a forfait, and the other way round — a right written into article L44 of the French postal and electronic communications code.
Your line expires if you stop topping up. One clock runs on your remaining credit, a second on the number itself.
Orange states on its Mobicarte page that a line stays active between one and six months depending on the top-up, then is suspended and finally terminated — number lost.
Durations vary widely between operators. Check the terms before leaving a French number dormant for a season.
Most operators sell prepaid as a physical SIM. A few — such as Bouygues Telecom's My European plans above — also sell a prepaid eSIM, activated by scanning a QR code.
| Criterion | Physical SIM | eSIM |
|---|---|---|
| Where you get it | Airport, shop or tobacconist on arrival | Online, QR code by email |
| Connected when? | After you find a shop and swap the card | The moment you land |
| Payment | Cash accepted | Card only |
| Phone required | Any unlocked phone | eSIM-compatible model |
| Your home SIM | Must be removed | Stays in the phone |
Informational comparison, not a ranking of offers. Checked in October 2026
The practical rule for a short trip: physical SIM if you buy on arrival and pay cash, eSIM if your phone supports one and you would rather land already connected.
- ✓No contract or credit check — you only pay for what you top up;
- ✓Works within minutes of activation, once you insert the SIM or scan the eSIM QR code;
- ✓Comes with a real French mobile number, useful for banks, deliveries and 2FA codes;
- ✓Data, calls and texts expire after a set validity period — commonly 14 to 31 days — unless you recharge.
Truly "unlimited" data is rare on prepaid SIMs: operators cap even their biggest packs at a few hundred GB (see the table above). For genuinely high or unlimited data long-term, a postpaid plan is the better fit, and our English-speaking advisors compare those for you for free.
Where to buy a French prepaid SIM card?
Getting a SIM card in France is quick. You need three things:
- ✓An unlocked phone;
- ✓A valid ID, such as your passport;
- ✓Sometimes a French address — only for long-term or postpaid plans.
Most French operators now sell both physical SIMs and eSIMs. Whichever you pick, French rules entitle you to a contract summary before you commit, so ask for it if the seller skips it.
You can find prepaid SIM cards almost everywhere:
Buying online is the only option that gets you a French number before you land: no airport queue, no language barrier at the counter.
Order an SFR Discover prepaid pack, an Orange Holiday SIM or a Bouygues Telecom European eSIM directly, then activate it on arrival.
For international travel eSIMs with instant activation, Holafly, Airalo, Ubigi and Saily are popular alternatives to French operators.
📱 Need a data-only eSIM for France? Read our dedicated guides:
- Saily eSIM for France: plans and review in 2026
- Holafly eSIM for France: unlimited data plans, prices & review
- Airalo eSIM for France: all plans compared, prices and review (2026)
Already decided? Buy direct from Saily, Holafly or Airalo — the QR code reaches your inbox in minutes, with no physical SIM to collect.
Saily is one of the very few international eSIM providers to offer a US phone number add-on — a persistent +1 number at €0.89/month, paired with any Saily data plan. Useful for 2FA codes, privacy, or US-only services without carrying a second SIM.
How to activate and top up your French pay‑as‑you‑go SIM
Once you insert your SIM, you can start calling and using data immediately after activation (which is often automatic). You’ll then need to add credit (recharge) to keep using your line.
How to recharge your credit:
- →Buy top-up vouchers in tobacconists or supermarkets (ask for your provider's credit: "Recharge Orange / SFR / Bouygues…").
- →Follow the instructions on the receipt or card: usually you call a short number and enter the code.
- →You can also top up online via your provider’s website or app.
To check your remaining credit, call the free number given by your operator or wait for their automatic SMS alert when it runs low. Keep in mind that credit validity varies by provider (often 30 or 31 days).
A data-only eSIM skips the top-up routine entirely: buy the pack online, scan the QR code, then add data from the app instead of hunting for a voucher in a tabac. Compare the eSIM data packs for France.
Frequently Asked Questions about prepaid SIM cards in France
What is a prepaid SIM card? Read more Close
A prepaid SIM card lets you pay upfront for a set amount of data, calls and texts with no contract and no credit check, then top up again once your credit or validity period runs out.
What is the best prepaid SIM card in France? Read more Close
There is no single best prepaid SIM card in France, but Orange Holiday Europe is a safe choice for tourists, while SFR, Bouygues and MVNOs like Lebara or Lycamobile often offer cheaper high-data prepaid plans.
Where can I buy a prepaid SIM card for France? Read more Close
Yes — you can buy a pay-as-you-go SIM card for France at airport kiosks, Orange, SFR, Bouygues or Free shops, FNAC or Darty, tobacconists and supermarkets, or directly on French providers' websites, often with 5–20 GB of data included.
Which pay-as-you-go SIM providers operate in France? Read more Close
The main pay-as-you-go SIM providers in France are Orange, SFR, Bouygues Telecom and Free, plus MVNOs such as La Poste Mobile, Lebara and Lycamobile that offer flexible pay-as-you-go plans.
Will my French prepaid SIM card work in other European countries? Read more Close
If your prepaid plan includes EU roaming, you can use your French prepaid SIM card to call, text and use data in other EU and EEA countries at domestic rates for short stays.
Is there an unlimited data SIM card in France? Read more Close
Truly unlimited data is rare on prepaid SIMs in France — operators cap even their largest packs instead. For genuinely high or unlimited data long-term, a postpaid mobile plan is usually the better fit.
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