getting a French mobile phone when property is just a holiday home

[REMF]

Hello

I am not sure if this has been asked before, but I want to get a French mobile phone. I don't want to mess around trying to get a number/sim card. I don't want a PAYG really. I just want to have a cheap monthly phone contract for which I need some ID. 

So what I need to know is what ID will do? I know I need proof of address but all our bills come to our address in the UK. Obviously they have the French address on them. Will these be enough for ID, does anyone know?

So has anyone done this and if so what was their experience. Was hoping we could bipass the requirement by getting one from Orange, as we have a landline with them, but no...

[Loiseau]

Have you thought of using your U.K. phone signed up with one of the few providers that still does EU roaming?

I purchased my phone outright, and just pay about £6 a month to GiffGaff for my U.K. service, which includes quite a bit of use abroad. You need to look into how much you can use, and whether it's suitable for you, of course. The only time I ever seemed to have overstepped the mark was when I had to urgently download some parking apps while in Antwerp. I realised later that I should have done that while on the hotel WiFi.

[menthe]

As I see it, the only problem with your suggestion, Loiseau, is this:

If it's a UK number, you'd always have to dial by using +44.  I have come across many instances where people with UK phones have had their numbers challenged in hospitals, doctors' surgeries, utilities companies etc. 

I am told that the phone owners would then be asked, have you a French phone whose number we could use?

My part-time Aussie neighbours have a mobile that they get some gadget for from Orange.  When I next see them, I shall ask them what this device is.  Apparently, it gives them internet access for the amount of time they pay for on the gadget.

OTOH, you could buy a phone with dual SIM function and you could then use the same phone with a SIM for the UK and one for France.

 

[NormanH]

Free have a cheap 2€ deal which gives you SMS and calls, so it's useful for  receiving things such as confirmation codes from the bank but almost no data so no use for Internet access. Why not pop into one of their shops when you are over and ask them? We have one in our local shopping centre . https://www.free.fr/boutiques/