Quick answer: +33 is France. Every French number has 9 digits after +33. Mobiles start with 6 or 7. French numbers are written with a leading 0: drop it. Example:
+33 6 12 34 56 78.
How to dial France
| Calling from | Dial |
|---|---|
| Any mobile phone | +33 + 9 digits |
| US or Canada landline | 011 33 + 9 digits |
| UK, Belgium or Switzerland landline | 00 33 + 9 digits |
| Australia landline | 0011 33 + 9 digits |
The French write numbers as five pairs with a leading 0, like 01 23 45 67 89. That 0 is only for calls inside France. From abroad, leave it out: 01 23 45 67 89 becomes +33 1 23 45 67 89.
Mobile and landline numbers
Mobiles start with 06 or 07, so +33 6 or +33 7 from abroad.
Landlines have no city area codes. The first digit after the 0 shows the region: 01 is Paris and Île-de-France, 02 the northwest, 03 the northeast, 04 the southeast including Corsica, and 05 the southwest. Everyone dials all 10 digits, even for a call next door.
Numbers starting 09 are internet-box landlines that can be anywhere in France, and 08 numbers are freephone or special-rate service lines.
Codes that get mixed up with +33
+32 is Belgium and +34 is Spain. Monaco has had its own code, +377, since 1996.
Time difference
France is on CET (UTC+1) in winter and CEST (UTC+2) in summer. It changes clocks on the last Sundays of March and October, the same dates as the rest of the EU and the UK.
| Where you are | Your clocks on summer time | Your clocks on standard time |
|---|---|---|
| US East Coast or Montreal | France is 6h ahead | |
| US West Coast or Vancouver | France is 9h ahead | |
| UK | France is 1h ahead all year | |
| Sydney | France is 10h behind | France is 8h behind |
North America changes its clocks on different dates, so for two or three weeks in March and about a week around the start of November, France is an hour closer. Sydney changes its clocks in early April and early October, so for a few weeks around those dates the gap is 9 hours. A 9 AM call from New York or Montreal reaches Paris at 3 PM.
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FAQ
How do I call Réunion, Guadeloupe or Martinique?
They have their own country codes, not +33. Drop the 0 and put the code in front: a Réunion number written 0262 12 34 56 becomes +262 262 12 34 56. Guadeloupe is +590, Martinique +596 and French Guiana +594.
Can I call a French 08 number from abroad?
Often not. Freephone 0800 numbers and other 08 service numbers are mostly set up for callers in France. Look for the company's regular number starting 01 to 05 or 09.