Do French emergency numbers work in the UK?
European-wide emergency numbers work in several countries
The 112 emergency number can be dialled from a number of countries in the world
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Reader Question: Can we ring the French police using 17 from the UK? If so, do we need to add the French calling code?
There are several French-specific emergency numbers that do not work if called from outside of the country.
These include 15 (healthcare access number), 17 (police), 18 (pompiers), etc, all of which must be dialled from within France.
These cannot be reached outside of the country either on a mobile (French or otherwise) or non-French landline.
If you are using a UK mobile phone inside of France (for example you are on holiday or at your second home) dialling these emergency numbers should work without you having to add the French call code, especially if you have a smartphone connected to a French internet service.
Call European emergency number
One useful alternative is to call ‘112’, the Europe-wide emergency number.
This allows you to speak to an operator in your native language, regardless of where you are, who can liaise with local services.
It can be dialled in most European countries including France and the UK, regardless of the origin of your mobile device, and in some cases, even if you have no phone signal, credit, mobile data or even SIM card inside the phone.
Read more: Emergency numbers in France and other helpful numbers
The number works in several other countries in Asia and Africa.
Try to look for local numbers
Depending on what you need to call these services for, there may be non-emergency local numbers you can dial.
For example, local police and gendarmerie stations have a local number that is available to call during business hours, that can put you in touch with local officers.
These can be found via an internet search and are sometimes listed on mairie websites.
To call these from outside of France, you will need to add the French call code (0033 or +33).
If for example your second home has been the victim of a burglary and you need to file a report, contacting the local station as opposed to the national emergency number may be more helpful.
Local police forces may also be able to help with smaller local situations, such as checking in on a vulnerable person you are concerned about not hearing from.
Remember, emergency numbers are reserved for emergencies, so do not use them for issues that would not be deemed urgent.
