Country guide
How to Call France from the US
Whether you are calling family in Paris, coordinating with a French business, checking on a student spending a semester in Lyon, or staying close to French-speaking friends, reaching a French number from the US is straightforward once you know two things. This guide covers the +33 country code, the leading-zero rule, what the regional first digit tells you, the time difference, and the cheapest reliable way to call a French landline or mobile straight from your browser.
France's country code and the leading-zero rule
France's country calling code is +33. From a US phone you dial it as 011 + 33 + the French number. From a browser-based service like Phonecall you simply enter + 33 and the number, the 011 exit code is added for you, so the same number works whether you are at home, traveling, or abroad.
French numbers are written nationally as ten digits beginning with 0, for example 01 42 68 53 00. When you call from outside France you drop that leading 0 and keep the nine digits that follow, so the example becomes +33 1 42 68 53 00. The 0 is an internal trunk prefix; the +33 country code takes its place. Leaving the 0 in is the most common reason a call to France fails to connect.
- Paris and Ile-de-France landline: +33 1 XX XX XX XX
- Regional landlines: 2 northwest, 3 northeast, 4 southeast, 5 southwest
- French mobile: +33 6 XX XX XX XX or +33 7 XX XX XX XX
What the first digit of a French number means
After the country code, a French number has nine digits, and the very first one tells you what you are calling. For landlines the first digit is geographic: 1 is Paris and the surrounding Ile-de-France region, 2 covers the northwest, 3 the northeast, 4 the southeast including Lyon and Marseille, and 5 the southwest including Bordeaux and Toulouse. So a number starting +33 4 is a southeastern landline, and +33 1 is unmistakably Paris.
Mobile numbers begin with 6 or 7, these are not tied to any region, so a +33 6 or +33 7 number could belong to someone anywhere in France or to a French SIM carried abroad. The dialing format is identical regardless of the first digit: +33, then the nine digits with the national leading 0 already removed. French numbers are conventionally spoken and written in two-digit pairs, but you can type them with or without spaces.
Time difference between the US and France
France is on Central European Time (UTC+1) in winter and Central European Summer Time (UTC+2) from late March to late October. Relative to US Eastern Time, France is about 6 hours ahead, when it is 8 AM in New York, it is 2 PM in Paris. France and the US shift their clocks on slightly different dates, so the gap briefly changes by an hour each spring and autumn.
For scheduling, morning in the US works best. A 9 AM to 11 AM Eastern call reaches France in mid-to-late afternoon, comfortable for both business and family. By US lunchtime it is already evening in France, and after about 4 PM Eastern it is past 10 PM there. If you are calling a French student or relative, aim for your morning to catch their afternoon and avoid the late-night window.
See live per-minute rates
How to call France from your browser, step by step
1. Open Phonecall
Go to phonecall.app in Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Edge on any laptop, desktop, or phone. There is nothing to download and no SIM involved.
2. Sign in and allow your microphone
Create an account with email or Google, then allow microphone access when the browser asks.
3. Enter the number as +33 with no leading 0
Type + 33, then the French number with its leading 0 removed, nine digits in total. Spaces are fine and are stripped automatically.
4. Check the rate and press call
The per-minute rate to that French number appears before the call connects. Press call; the person answers on their normal landline or mobile.
Frequently asked questions
What is the country code for France?
France's country code is 33. From the US you dial 011 + 33 + the French number on a regular phone, or simply + 33 and the number from a browser-based service like Phonecall.
Do I drop the 0 when calling a French number from the US?
Yes. French numbers are written nationally with a leading 0, which is an internal trunk prefix. When you call from abroad, the +33 country code replaces it, so 01 42 68 53 00 becomes +33 1 42 68 53 00, nine digits after the country code.
What does the first digit of a French number mean?
For landlines the first digit is geographic: 1 is Paris and Ile-de-France, 2 the northwest, 3 the northeast, 4 the southeast, and 5 the southwest. Numbers starting with 6 or 7 are mobiles and are not tied to a region.
What is the time difference between the US and France?
France is about 6 hours ahead of US Eastern Time. Calling in your morning, roughly 9 AM to 11 AM Eastern, reaches France in mid-to-late afternoon, the most comfortable window for both business and family calls.
Calling French landlines vs mobiles
Whether you are reaching a Paris landline starting with 1, a regional number in Lyon or Bordeaux, or a French mobile beginning with 6 or 7, the rule is constant: +33, drop the leading 0, keep the nine digits. Phonecall bills per second with no monthly fee and no minimum top-up, shows the exact rate before you dial, and gives every new account one free 60-second call so you can confirm a French number works before spending anything.