Quick Answer
To call France from Portugal, dial 00 33 followed by the 9-digit French number (drop the leading 0). On a mobile phone, you can use +33 instead. Sayfone offers calls to France at $0.30/min directly from your browser.
$0.30
Per minute
+33
Country code
HD
Call quality
Landline rate
$0.30/min
Mobile rate
$0.30/min
Same per-minute Sayfone rate for landline and mobile.
Average call quality
France is home to approximately 600,000 Portuguese-born residents, making it the largest Portuguese diaspora community. Whether you're staying in touch with family in Paris, Lyon, or Marseille, here's how to connect quickly.
Steps at a glance
Sources
Country code and dialing format reference
International dialing code standard
DIALING GUIDE
Follow these steps to correctly dial any French landline or mobile number from Portugal. The dialing format is the same whether you're calling from a Portuguese landline or mobile.
From a Portuguese landline, dial 00. From a mobile phone, you can press and hold 0 to get the + symbol, which replaces the exit code automatically.
00 or +
Enter 33, which is the international country code for France. This routes your call to the French telephone network.
00 33 or +33
French numbers are 10 digits domestically and always start with a 0. When dialing internationally, drop that leading 0 and enter the remaining 9 digits. For example, a Paris landline 01 23 45 67 89 becomes 1 23 45 67 89 after dropping the 0.
00 33 1 23 45 67 89
Your complete dialed number should look like 00 33 X XX XX XX XX (where X represents the 9-digit French number). Press call and you'll be connected.
00 33 6 12 34 56 78 (mobile) or +33 4 91 23 45 67 (Marseille landline)
Dialing format reference
+33
Use these patterns when entering a full international number to +33.
Mobile
+33 6 XX XX XX XX or +33 7 XX XX XX XX
Landline
+33 X XX XX XX XX (X = 1–5 geographic zone)
Major city area codes
Sources
French number format and leading-zero rule
Authoritative source on French numbering plan
Portugal IDD code confirmation
IMPORTANT RULES
Before you dial, keep these key rules in mind to ensure your call connects successfully every time.
French phone numbers are written domestically with a leading 0 (e.g., 01 XX XX XX XX). When calling from Portugal, you must remove this leading 0 and replace it with the country code +33. Dialing the 0 after +33 will result in a failed call.
French mobile numbers begin with 06 or 07 domestically. Internationally, after dropping the 0, they appear as +33 6 XX XX XX XX or +33 7 XX XX XX XX. Both prefixes are used interchangeably by all major French carriers (Orange, SFR, Bouygues, Free).
French landlines use geographic zone codes 01 through 05: 01 for Paris/Île-de-France, 02 for the Northwest, 03 for the Northeast, 04 for the Southeast (Lyon, Marseille, Nice), and 05 for the Southwest (Toulouse, Bordeaux). Since January 2023, geographic numbers are portable, so a number starting with 01 may belong to someone who moved to another region.
French toll-free numbers starting with 0800–0805 (numéros verts) and premium-rate numbers starting with 08 generally cannot be reached from outside France. If you need to reach a French customer service line, check whether they publish an alternative international number.
Portugal uses the standard European exit code 00 for international calls. On mobile phones, you can use the + symbol instead, which is universally recognized. Both methods work identically for reaching France.
TIMING & TIPS
France is only 1 hour ahead of Portugal, making it easy to find convenient calling windows. Here are practical timing tips and etiquette pointers for your calls.
Both countries observe daylight saving time (summer time) on the same schedule, so the 1-hour difference stays consistent year-round.
Morning Calls
8:00 AM PT → 9:00 AM FR
Great for catching people at the start of the day
Afternoon Calls
2:00 PM PT → 3:00 PM FR
Ideal for business and personal calls
Evening Calls
8:00 PM PT → 9:00 PM FR
Good for family and personal catch-ups
Sources
Time zone difference confirmation
Lisbon-to-Paris time offset
TROUBLESHOOTING
If your call to France isn't connecting, check these common problems and their solutions.
The most common cause is forgetting to drop the leading 0 from the French number. Domestically, French numbers start with 0 (e.g., 01 23 45 67 89), but internationally you must omit it and dial +33 1 23 45 67 89 instead.
French toll-free numbers (0800–0805) typically only work from within France. Look for an alternative international contact number on the company's website, or try their email or online chat support.
This can happen with traditional carrier-routed international calls. If you experience poor quality, try calling via Sayfone in your browser — it routes calls over optimized internet connections, which often provides clearer audio.
Standard international calls from a Portuguese mobile carrier can be expensive. Check your carrier's international rate before dialing. For predictable pricing, Sayfone offers calls to France at $0.30/min with no hidden fees.
Double-check you have the correct 9-digit number (after removing the leading 0). French numbers are always 9 digits after the country code. If the number is shorter or longer, it may be incomplete or incorrectly formatted.
Sources
Common international dialing issues
Savings
Adjust the tools below to compare Sayfone with typical retail pricing for calls to France. Start with one call, then layer on monthly volume to see the bigger picture.
How to use these tools
Set duration and country. See Sayfone vs. an illustrative retail rate for the same call.
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220
min / month
~$14.70/min
~$11.10/min
~$6.60/min
~$1.50/min
$0.300/min
Annual saving vs. AT&T
Based on 220 min/month
Before you go
Open the full Portugal to France guide, check rates, or browse other how-to guides from Portugal.
Portugal to France calling guide
Per-minute rates, savings calculator, and what to expect on this route.
What it costs to call France
See Sayfone’s per-minute rate for France and how it compares before you dial.
Route guides from Portugal
Other how-to guides from Portugal
FAQ
Answers to the most common questions about dialing France from Portugal, including codes, costs, and timing.
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