How to see a doctor in France as a traveler

1. First question: is it an emergency?

Before anything else, decide whether the situation is urgent. In France, two numbers cover medical emergencies:

• 15 — the SAMU, the French medical emergency service. A medical dispatcher answers, assesses the situation and sends the appropriate response.
• 112 — the European emergency number. It works from any phone, including foreign mobiles; the European Commission notes that operators in many countries can take the call in English, though no French official source confirms it for France.

Call one of these numbers for chest pain, difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, severe bleeding, a suspected stroke, a serious accident, a severe allergic reaction, or any situation where someone's life may be in danger. Both numbers are free.

If you are deaf or hard of hearing, 114 is the emergency number accessible by text and video.

For a situation that is not life-threatening — a fever, a sore throat, a stomach bug, a rash, a sprain, a persistent cough — the emergency department (urgences) of a hospital is not the right place. Waiting times can be long, and emergency departments are organised to prioritise serious cases. The rest of this guide covers what to do instead.

2. How the French healthcare system works for visitors

France has a universal public health insurance system for its residents, financed through social contributions. As a visitor, you are not part of that system, but that does not prevent you from being treated. The key points to understand:

You can consult a doctor without being registered. Any doctor practising in France can see a visitor. There is no requirement to be attached to a family doctor or to hold a French health card. You simply pay for the consultation.

Doctors in France are registered with the Ordre des médecins. This is the French Medical Council. Every doctor legally practising in France — general practitioners and specialists alike — is registered there and holds a unique identifier (the RPPS number). This applies whether they consult in a practice, in a hospital or by video.

You pay at the time of the consultation. French patients are usually reimbursed afterwards by their health insurance. As a visitor, you pay the doctor directly and, depending on your situation, claim the cost back from your own insurer or national scheme (see section 6). Fees are generally displayed in the practice or shown before booking.

General practitioners are the entry point. In France, the médecin généraliste (general practitioner) handles most everyday problems and refers patients to specialists when necessary. For a traveler, a general practitioner is almost always the right first contact.

Pharmacies are more than shops. French pharmacists are trained healthcare professionals who can advise on minor ailments and sell a range of medicines without a prescription. For many minor issues, a pharmacy is a sensible first stop (see section 5).

3. The different ways to consult a doctor

Several options exist, depending on where you are, how quickly you need to be seen, and your language needs.

At a doctor's practice (cabinet médical)

General practitioners work in private practices throughout France. Many now take appointments through online booking platforms, and some accept walk-in patients at set hours. In tourist areas during high season, appointments can be scarce; it is worth asking your hotel reception or accommodation host, who often know which practices nearby accept visitors.

At a duty medical centre (maison médicale de garde)

Outside normal practice hours — evenings, nights, weekends and public holidays — many towns run a maison médicale de garde, a duty medical centre staffed by general practitioners. They are intended for problems that cannot wait until the next working day but do not require the emergency department. Access is usually arranged by calling 15 first, so that the dispatcher can direct you.

At a hospital emergency department (urgences)

For serious or urgent problems, or when directed there by the SAMU. Public hospitals in France treat everyone, including foreign visitors, but expect to be asked for identity and insurance details and to receive an invoice afterwards.

By video teleconsultation

Teleconsultation — a video consultation with a doctor — is legal and regulated in France. It is well suited to travelers: no need to find a practice, travel across an unfamiliar city, or wait in a room. The doctor assesses the situation, gives advice and, where appropriate and at their own discretion, may issue a prescription that you can take to any pharmacy in France.

Teleconsultation is appropriate for many everyday problems (infections, digestive issues, skin problems, mild injuries, renewal of usual treatment, questions about a symptom), but not for emergencies, and a doctor may decide that an in-person examination is necessary.

Platforms exist that connect international visitors with doctors registered in France for video consultations; DotKtor is one of them, with a booking interface available in five languages, the consultation itself being subject to medical availability. See the note at the end of this guide.

Asking a pharmacist first

For minor ailments — a cold, mild allergies, sunburn, insect bites, minor digestive upset, travel sickness — a pharmacist can often advise and provide over-the-counter treatment directly. If the pharmacist considers that a doctor should be consulted, they will say so.

4. Language: what to expect

French doctors' language skills vary widely and cannot be assumed in advance. In large cities and tourist regions, some practitioners state on booking platforms or at their practice which languages they speak; whether such a doctor is available at a given time depends on medical availability.

Practical suggestions:

• Prepare a short written summary of your symptoms, current medication and allergies, with a translation into French if you can.
• Bring any relevant medical documents (a list of your treatments, a recent report) — a doctor can often read medical English even without speaking it fluently.
• On the European number (112), the European Commission notes that operators in many countries can take the call in English — no French official source confirms it for France.
• Some teleconsultation services display the languages each doctor has declared; a consultation with a given doctor remains subject to medical availability.

5. Pharmacies and prescriptions in France

Finding a pharmacy. Pharmacies are identified by a green cross sign. They are numerous, including in small towns. Opening hours vary; many close for lunch and on Sundays.

Duty pharmacies (pharmacies de garde). At night, on Sundays and public holidays, a rota system ensures that at least one pharmacy in each area is open or reachable. The name and address of the duty pharmacy are displayed on the door of every closed pharmacy, and can also be obtained from the local police station (commissariat) or by calling 3237 (a paid information service, in French).

Prescription-only medicines. Many medicines that are freely available in other countries require a prescription in France, and vice versa. Antibiotics, for example, are always prescription-only. Whether a prescription is issued is decided solely by the doctor, based on the consultation.

Foreign prescriptions. A prescription issued by a doctor in another EU country is in principle recognised in France under EU rules, provided it contains the required information; in practice, the pharmacist checks it and may decline if it is incomplete or if the medicine is not marketed in France. Prescriptions from outside the EU are generally not accepted, which is one of the most common reasons travelers need to see a doctor in France: to obtain a French prescription for a treatment they normally take.

A French prescription is valid anywhere in France. Once you have a prescription from a doctor registered in France, whether obtained in person or by video, you can take it to any pharmacy in the country.

6. Costs and travel insurance

Visitors from the EU, EEA and Switzerland. With a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or, for visitors from the United Kingdom, a GHIC, you can be reimbursed for necessary care on the same terms as French residents. Show the card to the doctor or hospital. Reimbursement generally happens after your return, through your home institution, on presentation of the French documents.

Visitors from outside the EU. You pay the full cost and claim from your travel insurance, if you have one. Check your policy before you travel: many policies cover medical consultations abroad, but some require you to call the insurer before seeking care, or to use specific providers.

What to keep, whatever your situation:

• The feuille de soins (treatment form) or the invoice given by the doctor, with the doctor's name, RPPS number and the date.
• Pharmacy receipts, with the medicines listed.
• Any prescription, even after use.
• For a hospital visit, the discharge document and the invoice.

Insurers almost always require these documents, and a detailed, dated invoice with the doctor's identification is what makes a claim succeed. Video consultation services typically provide such a document by email.

Sector 1 and sector 2. In France, doctors are classified in tariff sectors. Sector 1 doctors apply the regulated tariff; sector 2 doctors may set higher fees. This mainly affects reimbursement for French patients, but it explains why consultation fees can differ between doctors. Fees must be displayed or communicated before the consultation.

7. A few situations, and what to do

You have a fever and a sore throat in a city you don't know. Ask a pharmacist first. If they advise seeing a doctor, or if symptoms persist, book a consultation — in person or by video.

You have forgotten your usual medication at home. You will generally need a French prescription. A general practitioner, in person or by video, can assess whether to renew the treatment. Bring the box, the name of the medicine or a photo of your usual prescription.

A child in your family is unwell. Same principles apply; general practitioners in France see children. For a baby or an infant with high fever, call 15 for advice.

You have had a minor accident — a cut, a sprain, a fall. If bleeding is under control and the person can move normally, a pharmacist or a general practitioner can assess. Suspected fracture, head injury or heavy bleeding: emergency department, via 15 or 112.

It is 11 pm and you feel unwell but it is not an emergency. Call 15: the dispatcher can direct you to the duty medical centre or advise. Video teleconsultation may also be available at that hour, subject to medical availability.

Consulting a doctor by video while in France

If you are staying in France and would prefer to consult from where you are, DotKtor connects international visitors with independent doctors registered in France for video consultations. The interface is available in English, French, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese; the consultation is subject to medical availability, and the fee is shown before booking.

Book a video consultation

Local information pages, city by city:

• Nice
• Paris
• Cannes
• Marseille
• Lyon
• Antibes

Frequently asked questions

Can I see a doctor in France without health insurance?

Yes. Any doctor practising in France can see you; you pay the consultation fee directly. Insurance only affects whether and how you are reimbursed afterwards.

Do I need a French social security number or a carte Vitale?

No. These are for residents. Visitors are treated as private patients and pay at the time of the consultation.

Is a video consultation with a French doctor recognised?

Yes. Teleconsultation is regulated in France and is carried out by doctors registered with the Ordre des médecins. A prescription issued after a video consultation, at the doctor's discretion, is valid in any French pharmacy.

Can I get antibiotics without a prescription?

No. Antibiotics are prescription-only in France. A pharmacist cannot sell them without a prescription from a doctor.

Will my prescription from home be accepted?

Prescriptions from EU countries are in principle recognised, subject to the pharmacist's checks. Prescriptions from outside the EU are generally not. In that case, a consultation with a doctor in France is needed to obtain a French prescription.

How do I find the nearest open pharmacy at night or on a Sunday?

Look at the door of any closed pharmacy: the duty pharmacy for the area is displayed there. Alternatively, ask at the police station or call 3237.

What if I don't speak French?

Prepare a written summary of your symptoms and medication. On the 112 line, the European Commission notes that operators in many countries can take calls in English; no French official source confirms it for France. Some practices and teleconsultation services indicate the languages their doctors have declared; a consultation in a given language is subject to medical availability.

What documents will my insurer ask for?

A dated invoice or feuille de soins with the doctor's name and identification number, pharmacy receipts, and any prescription. Keep everything.