France is one of Europe's most self-contained telecom markets: callers there still read meaning into the first two digits of a number, distinguishing a Parisian 01 from a Lyonnais 04 or an operator-neutral 09 at a glance. For a business selling into the French market, that makes the choice of prefix a positioning decision, not just a technical one. Temptera provisions French DIDs across these ranges and hands the traffic to your SIP trunk, PBX, or contact-centre platform, so a company in Berlin, Toronto, or Casablanca can answer French customers on a number they instinctively trust.

France numbering plan: prefixes and formats

France uses a closed ten-digit numbering plan. Domestically every number is dialled with all ten digits, starting with a leading zero; internationally the zero is dropped, so a subscriber dials +33 followed by nine digits. There are no variable-length numbers to worry about — routing tables and CRM formats can safely assume nine digits after the country code.

  • 01 to 05 — geographic ranges. The country is divided into five zones: 01 covers Paris and the Île-de-France, 02 the north-west (Nantes, Rennes), 03 the north-east (Lille, Strasbourg), 04 the south-east (Lyon, Marseille), and 05 the south-west (Bordeaux, Toulouse).
  • 06 and 07 — mobile ranges, reserved for mobile services across metropolitan France.
  • 08 — special services, including the freephone ranges beginning 0800 known in France as numéros verts, alongside other value-added service numbers.
  • 09 — non-geographic numbers, the range most closely associated with VoIP and internet-based telephony. A 09 number carries no regional signal, which suits national helplines and online-first brands.

Numbers are conventionally written in five pairs of digits (for example 01 XX XX XX XX), a formatting habit worth respecting in signatures, invoices, and IVR prompts aimed at French customers.

Who regulates numbering in France

Numbering in France is governed by ARCEP, the Autorité de régulation des communications électroniques, des postes et de la distribution de la presse. ARCEP maintains the national numbering plan itself: it defines what each prefix class means, decides how ranges such as 01–05, 08, and 09 may be used, and allocates number blocks to licensed operators, who then assign individual numbers to end users.

Beyond block allocation, ARCEP attaches usage conditions to the ranges it administers — including rules on who may hold particular number types and what identification an operator must collect from the subscriber. Operators carrying French numbers are accountable to ARCEP for how their allocations are used, which is why the verification step on a French order is not optional paperwork but a condition of keeping the number in service.

Documents and verification for France numbers

Because ARCEP holds operators responsible for their French allocations, expect the order flow for a +33 number to ask for more than an email address. The document classes that apply in France typically include a government-issued identity document for the named contact, evidence of an address — which for geographic 01–05 ranges may need to correspond to the relevant numbering zone — and, for corporate subscribers, French registration references such as a SIREN or SIRET number or a Kbis extract.

Not every range demands every class: a nationwide 09 number is generally documented differently from a Paris 01 or a freephone 0800. The precise checklist for the range you select is shown at order time, before any commitment, so you can gather the paperwork once and clear verification in a single pass.

What businesses use France numbers for

French buyers are notably reluctant to answer or return calls to foreign-looking numbers, which makes a local identity on the +33 plan a practical requirement rather than a nicety in several scenarios:

  • E-commerce and marketplace sellers shipping into France can publish a French contact number for order queries and returns, meeting customer-service expectations that French consumers — and French marketplaces — hold vendors to.
  • Francophone contact centres abroad. Outsourcers in Morocco, Tunisia, and other French-speaking markets that serve French clients can present a Paris 01 or national 09 number to callers, keeping the customer experience domestic while agents sit offshore.
  • Regional credibility for B2B sales. A software vendor courting aerospace suppliers around Toulouse, or logistics firms around Lyon, can answer on the 05 or 04 prefix those prospects dial every day, rather than a foreign country code that invites screening.

How to get a France number

  1. Browse Temptera's France inventory and pick your range: Paris 01, one of the four regional geographic prefixes, a nationwide 09, or a freephone 0800.
  2. Check the document checklist displayed for that specific range — France's requirements differ between geographic, non-geographic, and freephone numbers.
  3. Submit the requested proofs, such as an identity document, a French service address, or company references like a SIREN number or Kbis extract.
  4. Place the order and wait for carrier-side verification to clear; the +33 number activates once the documentation is approved.
  5. Direct the number's inbound traffic to your SIP trunk or PBX, then dial it from a French line to confirm end-to-end routing.

Nearby coverage: UK virtual numbers · Germany virtual numbers · Spain virtual numbers · Italy virtual numbers · see all countries. For background, read what a virtual phone number is, how number regulations and KYC work, or explore DID numbers and SIP trunking.

Frequently asked questions

What does a French virtual number look like in international format?

Every French number is +33 followed by exactly nine digits. Domestically the same number is written with ten digits starting with a zero — the zero is dropped after the country code. So a Paris number written locally as 01 XX XX XX XX becomes +33 1 XX XX XX XX internationally. Because the plan is closed and fixed-length, you can validate French numbers in your CRM with a simple nine-digits-after-+33 rule.

Do I need a French company to get a +33 number?

Not for every range. France distinguishes between number classes, and the documentation ARCEP-governed operators must collect varies with the prefix. Corporate references such as a SIREN or Kbis extract are one document class; identity and address proofs are others. Some ranges are open to foreign businesses with appropriate documentation, while others carry stricter conditions. The exact checklist for the range you choose appears at order time.

What is the difference between a 01–05 number and a 09 number?

Prefixes 01 through 05 are geographic: 01 signals Paris and Île-de-France, 02 the north-west, 03 the north-east, 04 the south-east, and 05 the south-west, and French callers read that regional identity instantly. The 09 range is non-geographic and is the prefix most associated with internet-based telephony in France. Choose 01–05 for local presence in a specific zone, 09 for a national footprint with no regional signal.

Can I get a Paris 01 number if my business has no office in Paris?

Geographic French ranges have historically been tied to an address connection with the corresponding numbering zone, and address evidence is one of the document classes an order for a 01 number may trigger. Whether your situation qualifies depends on the current conditions attached to that range, which Temptera displays at order time. If the zone linkage is a problem, a non-geographic 09 number reaches all of France without it.

Are French freephone numbers available, and how do they work?

France's freephone numbers — the numéros verts beginning 0800 within the 08 special-services range — are the standard choice for customer-care lines aimed at French consumers, who recognise the vert branding immediately. Like other +33 ranges they carry their own documentation conditions under ARCEP's plan. Current availability and the applicable requirements for freephone ranges are shown at order time, and inbound calls route to your SIP infrastructure like any other DID.

Get a France virtual number

Temptera provides France virtual numbers over SIP with instant provisioning and pay-as-you-go pricing — no minimums or lock-ins. Route-specific rates appear once you create an account. See all country coverage, read about DID numbers, or talk to sales.