By Key emergency numbers
- 112 for any life-threatening emergency anywhere in France or the EU (free, English-speaking) ;
- 15 for SAMU, the medical emergency and ambulance service ;
- 17 for the police or gendarmerie ;
- 18 for the fire brigade (pompiers), who also handle road accidents and chemical incidents ;
- 114 for deaf and hard-of-hearing callers, by SMS, fax or video relay.
112: The European Emergency Number
112 is the single emergency number for the entire European Union. In France, calls to 112 are routed to the nearest dispatch centre and answered by operators trained to take the call in English or French, and to redirect you to SAMU, the police or the fire brigade as needed.
112 has three properties that make it the safest number to dial when you are not sure what to say in French:
- It is free of charge from any phone, including a payphone ;
- It works on a locked or out-of-credit mobile, even without a SIM card in most countries ;
- It works across the EU with the same three digits, so you do not need to remember a different number when you travel.
If you are in immediate danger and your French is uncertain, dial 112 first. The operator will route the call and stay on the line while help is dispatched.
French National Emergency Numbers
France keeps its historic three-digit emergency numbers alongside 112. They are all free, work from any phone, and connect you to specialists rather than to a generalist operator. If you already know which service you need, dialling the dedicated number can save valuable time.
| Number | Service | When to call |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | SAMU | Medical emergencies, ambulance, life-threatening illness or injury |
| 17 | Police / Gendarmerie | Crime in progress, theft, assault, road incident with disputes |
| 18 | Pompiers (fire brigade) | Fire, gas leak, road accident, chemical incident, person trapped |
| 112 | European emergency | Any of the above when in doubt, especially if you need an English-speaking operator |
| 114 | Deaf / hard-of-hearing | Reach 15, 17, 18 or 112 by SMS, fax, real-time text or video relay (LSF) |
In rural areas, the pompiers (18) often arrive faster than SAMU and are equally trained for medical first response. If you cannot tell whether the situation is medical or fire-related, the 112 dispatcher will pick the right team for you.
Specialised Helplines
France runs a network of dedicated hotlines for specific situations. Most are free, anonymous and confidential, but very few have systematic English-speaking staff: if your French is limited, ask the operator slowly for an interpreter or call 112 for any life-threatening situation.
Vulnerable People and Social Emergencies
- 115 — SAMU Social, free 24/7 line for homeless people or anyone needing emergency shelter ;
- 119 — Allô Enfance en danger, the national child-protection line for reporting abuse or neglect ;
- 116 000 — European missing-children hotline, free across the EU ;
- 0 800 235 236 — 3977 short number for elder abuse and vulnerable-adult mistreatment, Mon–Fri 9 am–7 pm.
Domestic Violence and Mental Health
- 3919 — Violences Femmes Info, free, anonymous and confidential, available 24/7. The number does not appear on phone bills, which matters when calling from a shared household ;
- 17 — call the police directly if you or someone else is in immediate physical danger ;
- 114 — silent SMS alert, useful when you cannot speak out loud ;
- 3114 — French national suicide-prevention line, free and 24/7. Note that 3114 is the French equivalent of the UK's 116 123: in France, dial 3114, not 116 123.
Sea Rescue
- 196 — CROSS sea rescue, the number to dial from land if you witness or are involved in a maritime incident ;
- VHF Channel 16 — the dedicated frequency for distress calls from a boat at sea, monitored by CROSS centres along every French coast.
Out-of-Hours Health
- 32 37 — locate the nearest pharmacie de garde (on-duty pharmacy) at night, on Sundays and on public holidays. Charged at €0.35 per minute ;
- 15 or 112 — for a dental emergency outside surgery hours, France has no nationwide SOS Dentaire equivalent. Call SAMU, who will direct you to the on-call dentist (chirurgien-dentiste de garde) for your département.
What to Say When You Call
French dispatchers expect a short, structured statement. The faster you give them the right facts, the faster help arrives. Whether you call in English (on 112) or in French, prepare to provide:
- Your exact location: street name and number, town, département, and any landmark. On a road, give the road number (A6, N20, D7) and the direction of travel ;
- Your name and the number you are calling from, in case the line drops ;
- What happened: accident, fire, illness, assault, missing person ;
- The number of people involved and their condition (conscious, breathing, bleeding) ;
- Any specific risks: weapons, gas leak, fire spreading, road blocked ;
- Whether you need an English-speaking operator: say "I need English, please" — on 112 the operator will switch language or fetch a colleague.
Stay on the line until the dispatcher tells you to hang up. If you can, keep the phone free for a callback while waiting for the emergency services to arrive.
Calling French Emergency Numbers from Abroad
Short emergency numbers (15, 17, 18, 112, 114, 115, 119, 196) only work inside France. They are not routable from a foreign mobile network or a fixed line outside France. If you need to alert French emergency services from abroad — for example to report a missing relative — dial the local 112 in the country you are calling from: every EU country routes 112 to its own emergency services, who can then liaise with their French counterparts.
For longer national hotlines such as 3919, 3114 or 32 37, dialling them from abroad is generally not possible either, since they rely on the French numbering plan. From outside France, prefer one of the geographic alternatives:
- For French nationals abroad in distress, contact the nearest French embassy or consulate ;
- For UK nationals, the British Embassy in Paris is reachable on +33 1 44 51 31 00 ;
- For US nationals, the U.S. Embassy in Paris is reachable on +33 1 43 12 22 22 ;
- For Canadian nationals, the Canadian Embassy in Paris is reachable on +33 1 44 43 29 00 ;
- For Australian nationals, the Australian Embassy in Paris is reachable on +33 1 40 59 33 00.
For a deeper look at international dialling rules, see our companion guide on calling French numbers from abroad.
Ongoing English-language support
Once the immediate emergency is over, you may need follow-up support in English: insurance claim, healthcare paperwork, mental-health follow-up, housing. See our directory of English-speaking helplines in France for verified non-emergency numbers covering Ameli, SOS Help, embassies and consumer services.