How to Call France From the US - Cheapest Options 2026 | +33

March 18, 2026 2 min read BubblyPhone Team

Call France from the US for $0.01/min. Complete guide with +33 country code, French area codes, and cheapest calling options compared.

How to Dial France From the US

France uses the country code +33. French phone numbers are 10 digits locally, starting with 0. Drop the leading 0 when calling from the US.

Dialling Format

From a US phone: 011 + 33 + 9-digit number (without leading 0)

From a mobile with + dialling: +33 + 9-digit number (without leading 0)

All French numbers are 10 digits locally (0X XX XX XX XX). When calling from the US, drop the first 0 to get 9 digits.

Example Calls

French Area Codes

France uses a simple geographic numbering system:

Cost Comparison: Calling France

Best Time to Call France

France is in Central European Time (CET, UTC+1), same as Germany. Summer time is CEST (UTC+2).

6 hours ahead of ET: 9 AM in New York = 3 PM in Paris

9 hours ahead of PT: 9 AM in LA = 6 PM in Paris

Business hours: 9 AM - 6 PM CET (3 AM - 12 PM ET)

Best overlap: 10 AM - 12 PM ET catches French afternoon (4-6 PM)

The French take lunch seriously — typically 12 PM to 2 PM. Avoid calling businesses during this window.

Tips for Calling France

Long lunch breaks: French businesses often close for lunch from 12-2 PM. Call in the morning or after 2 PM local time.

August vacations: Many French businesses close or reduce hours in August. Plan accordingly.

WhatsApp is common: WhatsApp is widely used in France. For personal calls, try WhatsApp first.

Overseas territories: French territories like Martinique (+596), Guadeloupe (+590), and Réunion (+262) have separate country codes — do not use +33 for these.

Formal phone etiquette: Start with "Bonjour" when calling. Even basic French courtesy goes a long way.

Summary

To call France from the US, dial 011 + 33 + 9-digit number (without leading 0). BubblyPhone offers $0.01/min rates. France is 6 hours ahead of ET. Avoid calling during lunch (12-2 PM French time) and the month of August.