Emergencies and safety in France — who to call

15, 17, 18 — the three classic numbers

France retains separate emergency numbers from before EU harmonisation: 15 for SAMU (Service d'Aide Médicale Urgente — medical emergencies, dispatched ambulances), 17 for Police or Gendarmerie, 18 for sapeurs-pompiers (fire and rescue, also handles many medical emergencies). All three are free from any phone.

The 112 European number is also active and reaches the appropriate dispatch in your area. For most newcomers, 112 is the simplest single number to remember; for medical situations specifically, 15 (SAMU) routes directly to a doctor or paramedic for triage. The pompiers are also strong on medical response — their fire stations include trained paramedics who often arrive faster than SAMU ambulances in cities.

114 — emergency SMS for deaf and hard-of-hearing

France runs a dedicated emergency-text-and-video number — 114 — for deaf, hard-of-hearing, or speech-impaired callers, and for hearing callers in situations where speaking is unsafe (domestic violence, hostage). Send an SMS or video call via the official "114" app; trained operators dispatch SAMU, police, or pompiers as needed.

The hearing-loss / speech-loss line is staffed 24/7 with trained interpreters in French Sign Language (LSF) for video calls, plus written support. Useful for anyone who cannot or should not speak during the emergency.

Medical advice and the 116 117 line

For non-urgent medical situations during the day, contact your médecin traitant (registered GP) for a same-day or next-day appointment. Most run online booking via Doctolib, Maiia, or KelDoc. Same-week routine appointments are typical.

Outside surgery hours, the 116 117 line (the "permanence des soins ambulatoires" — PDSA) handles non-life-threatening medical situations after 20:00 weekdays, all weekend, and on holidays. Operators can dispatch an on-call doctor (médecin de garde), direct you to the nearest open clinic, or escalate to SAMU if needed. Free from any phone.

For non-urgent psychological support, the 3114 (Numéro National de Prévention du Suicide) is the official French suicide-prevention line — free 24/7 anonymous counselling.

Urgences (ER) vs médecin de garde

French urgences (hospital emergency rooms) are for genuine emergencies — chest pain, severe injuries, suspected stroke, severe abdominal pain. Wait times for non-urgent cases at urgences regularly run 4–8 hours; the system genuinely prefers you go through 116 117 or your GP first if the situation is not life-threatening.

Médecin de garde (on-call doctor) and the SOS Médecins service handle home visits and after-hours general care. SOS Médecins covers most major French cities — call 3624 from anywhere in France for the nearest team. The home visit costs €60–80, fully reimbursed by Sécurité Sociale plus mutuelle.

Reporting scams and cybercrime

Common French fraud vectors: SMS phishing impersonating banks ("Votre conseiller Société Générale..."), fake delivery notifications (Chronopost, Mondial Relay), Vinted-style fake-buyer scams, fake-CPF (formation personnelle) calls, and "rebound" investment scams. Real banks and government agencies never ask for passwords, never call asking for codes, and never instruct you to "make a verification transfer".

For after-the-fact reports, file a plainte at any commissariat (city) or gendarmerie (rural) — or via the THESEE online portal for many cybercrime types. The Pharos platform (internet-signalement.gouv.fr) reports illegal online content. Reporting fast often allows banks to recover funds within hours.

Home break-in: what to do in the first hour

• Do not enter the property if anyone might still be inside. Call 17 from outside.
• Once safe, photograph everything before moving anything — both insurance and police want the original scene.
• List what is missing, including serial numbers for electronics. Receipts speed up insurance claims.
• File a plainte at any commissariat or gendarmerie (you can also start the process via pre-plainte-en-ligne.gouv.fr). You will receive a numéro de plainte — keep it.
• Contact your assurance habitation within the contractual deadline (typically 2–5 business days). Most policies have a strict notification deadline.
• If keys were taken, change the locks. Most landlords or syndics handle lock changes within 24 hours.

Power, gas, and water emergencies

Power cut: contact Enedis (the national distribution operator) — 09 726 750 + your département number for outage reporting (e.g. 09 726 750 75 for Paris). Most have 24-hour outage lines. Find your local number on the Enedis website or on your last EDF / Engie / Total Direct Énergie bill.

Gas leak (smell of gas): leave the property immediately, do not switch anything electrical on or off, and call GRDF's 24-hour emergency line on 0 800 47 33 33 (free) from outside. Do not re-enter until utility staff clear the property.

Water emergency: contact your local water utility (Veolia, Suez, Eaux de Paris depending on location). Numbers are on your bill or at the water-supplier website for your address.

Natural emergencies: floods, storms, and the FR-Alert system

France faces several natural-emergency surfaces: river floods (Seine, Rhône, southwestern France in autumn–spring), storms and high winds (Atlantic and Channel coasts, esp. winter), wildfires (Mediterranean south in summer), and avalanches in the Alps and Pyrenees in winter. Météo-France issues colour-coded alerts (jaune, orange, rouge) for severe weather.

FR-Alert is the national wireless-emergency-alert system, launched in 2022. It auto-broadcasts urgent warnings to phones in affected areas (cell broadcast, no app required, no opt-in). Ne pas ignorer if your phone alarms — read the message and follow instructions.

For after-the-fact help, the gouvernement.fr website coordinates information; the local préfecture handles ground response. The mairie (town hall) opens emergency shelters in major events. Insurance claims for natural disasters run through the catastrophe naturelle framework — a special government decree triggers your home insurance to cover events that would otherwise be excluded.