How to Call France from the US?

Phoning France from the US on a landline involves a dialing sequence that includes the US exit code (011), French country code (33), area code, and landline number. 

1. Dial the US Exit Code: The exit code for the United States is ‘011’. It tells your telephone service provider that you’re making an international call. If you’re calling France from a US cell phone, enter ‘+’ to replace the US exit code.

2. Enter France’s Country Code: After the exit code, dial 33, which is the country code for France. It connects you to the French phone network.

3. Dial the Local Area Code: Enter the local area code of your intended call destination. Area codes for landlines are typically two digits, i.e., 01, 02, 03, 04, and 05. When calling internationally, you omit ‘0’ from the area code.

4. Enter the Local Phone Number: In France, the local Phone number is generally 9 digits long. Finally, dial the landline number of the person or business you are trying to reach.

The French phone number format for calling the Landline number consists of 11 digits, including the country code. For example, if you are making a call to Paris from the US, the number format will be: 

011 33 1 xxxx, Here, ‘1’ is the area code for Paris.

Area codes represent the city, region, or part of the state, helping to route your calls to the intended destination. As mentioned above, France has a two-digit area code. Below are some of the French popular area codes:
 

When calling a mobile phone in France from the US, you’ll replace the local area code with the mobile phone’s code, starting with ‘06’ or ‘07.’ Note that you have to omit the initial zero when calling internationally.

Step one: Enter 011, the US exit code. If you are dialing from a mobile, replace it with the ‘+’ symbol.
 

Step two: Dial 33, France’s country code.
 

Step three: Dial the French mobile code -  ‘06’ or ‘07.’ Exclude the initial ‘0’ as we are making an international call.
 

Step four: Enter the mobile number of your desired recipient.

French mobile numbers consist of 9 digits, including the mobile code. Unlike landline numbers, they don’t contain area codes. Area codes are replaced by mobile prefixes. An example of dialing France from the USA on a mobile is 011 33 6 12345678. Here, ‘6’ is the phone prefix.

Before phoning France from the US, consider time zone differences to avoid inconvenient call hours for both parties. Furthermore, confirm your call destination’s area code to ensure your call reaches your desired recipients accurately.

The proper dialing format is very important for calls to reach their desired destination. The correct format includes the US exit code, followed by France's country and area code, and the subscriber’s number. 

France’s different cities/regions have a unique area code, which is essential when dialing France from the US. You must enter the exact area code of your desired region, or it can lead to disconnection. 

France and the US operate in different time zones with significant time differences, 5–11 hours between them. So, consider the time zone difference to eliminate unanswered calls. 

There is a difference between mobile and landline formats when calling France from the USA. The mobile number includes the mobile prefixes, while the landline number contains the area code. So, understand both formats while dialing France. 

While the US spans six time zones, metropolitan France operates under a single standard time zone: Central European Time (CET). Before calling France from the US, understanding the time zone differences is crucial. It ensures you call the recipient at their convenient time. Moreover, it also increases the chances of your call-pick-up.

• CET and Eastern Standard Time (EST) 

  Difference: France is 6 hours ahead of EST. 

  Example: When it's 9 AM in New York (EST), it's 3 PM in Paris (CET).

   

• CET and Central Standard Time (CST) 

  Difference: France is 7 hours ahead of CST. 

  Example: When it's 9 AM in Chicago (CST), it's 4 PM in Paris (CET).

   

• CET and Mountain Standard Time (MST) 

  Difference: France is 8 hours ahead of MST. 

  Example: When it's 9 AM in Denver (MST), it's 5 PM in Paris (CET).

   

• CET and Pacific Standard Time (PST) 

  Difference: France is 9 hours ahead of PST. 

  Example: When it's 9 AM in Los Angeles (PST), it's 6 PM in Paris (CET).

   

• CET and Alaska Standard Time (AKST) 

  Difference: France is 10 hours ahead of AKST. 

  Example: When it's 9 AM in Anchorage (AKST), it's 7 PM in Paris (CET).

   

• CET and Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time (HAST) 

  Difference: France is 11 hours ahead of HAST. 

  Example: When it's 9 AM in Honolulu (HAST), it's 8 PM in Paris (CET).

France is 6–12 hours ahead of the USA. The best time to call France during business hours is 10 AM-4 PM. Below are the list of appropriate times to call from the US considering different time zones: 

The cost of making calls to France from the US largely depends on your service provider, with rates reaching up to $4 per minute for traditional carriers. For frequent callers, this can be highly costly. However, you can significantly reduce these expenses by utilizing virtual phone numbers to call France from the US. You can get a virtual France phone number from the United States on Calilio. You will no longer have to use your US phone number to make calls to France. A virtual France number allows you to connect the country from the US at the local rates.

Calling France from the USA is easy once you’re familiar with the various phone codes and prefixes relevant to France and the US. The key lies in following the correct sequence of dialing these numbers. It’s important to note that international calls often come with higher charges.

Calilio offers you a cost-efficient way to call from the US to France. Making calls with a virtual France phone number on our business phone system reduces your call costs as you are charged at local rates. Moreover, our virtual phone numbers come with extensive features such as voicemail to email, call routing, and conference calling, streamlining international communication. 

You can call France from the US by using the international dialing format: 011 + 33 + Area Code + Local Number.

Dial 011 (US exit code), then 33 (France's country code), followed by the French area code (minus the ‘0’) and the phone number.

Dial France’s exit code (00), then the US country code (1), followed by the US area code and phone number.

To Call Marseille from the US, dial the US exit code (011), France country code (33), followed by the area code of Marseille (4) and the eight-digit receiver’s number.

To phone France from the USA for free, you can use internet-based applications like WhatsApp, Messenger, and Skype, which allow you to make calls via the Internet or Wi-Fi. 

Yes, area codes are needed to dial France from the US on a landline number. They help route the calls to the destined city.