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How to Get WiFi in Paris for Your Holidays
23 July 2024
pocket wifi
Joseph Philipson
The world’s most popular tourist destination needs no introduction. Still, from the Eiffel Tower to the Louvre, it pays to ensure you’re connected while visiting Paris and France.
Mobile data coverage in The City of Light is good. Here’s how to get WiFi in Paris, the different internet connection options for tourists, and the pros and cons of each. We know that Hippocketwifi offers the best value for your money, but here’s everything you need to know so you can see for yourself.
The Best Ways of Getting WiFi in Paris
Getting WiFi in Paris or simply internet access depends mainly on your browsing needs, budget, and how long you’ll stay. Consider the following factors when choosing the
best WiFi option for your trip: your data usage, the number of devices you need to connect, the areas you’ll visit, and your budget.
You can connect with pocket WiFi, a prepaid SIM card for tourists, eSIM cards, international data roaming, or the various free WiFi networks around the city.
Pocket WiFi
Pocket WiFi is a reliable and convenient way to stay connected while traveling. This is a pocket-sized WiFi router or mobile hotspot that can connect multiple Wi-Fi-enabled devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and computers.
The device connects to a mobile data network like your phone, but it’s armed with a better antenna. It provides a better and faster data connection and the ability to connect several devices to the internet simultaneously.
Popular pocket WiFi providers in Paris and France include Hippocketwifi, TravelWiFi, Rentnconnect, and My Webspot. You can choose a solution just for Paris and France or get pocket WiFi across Europe for bigger trips.
Pros
With a dedicated device, you and several others (or several devices) can enjoy fast and reliable internet connections. The device works within Paris and in rural destinations around the city, such as Chevreuse, Giverny, Fontainebleau, or Versailles.
Typically, pocket WiFi is a cost-effective solution. It’s often cheaper than international data roaming plans and many prepaid SIM and eSIM options.
Cons
The downside of pocket WiFi is that you have an extra device to carry and keep charged. Fortunately, a pocket WiFi router is usually smaller than a smartphone. The battery will last for most of the day, with power-saving settings extending its battery life.
Cost
The cost of pocket WiFi makes it very affordable.
With prices starting at €3.90 per day, with free shipping in Europe, Hippocketwifi offers the best value for money. For those traveling to other European countries after Paris, there are also Europe-wide options.
TravelWiFi charges between €6.24 and €8.03 per day (daily data limits between 1GB and 10GB) for a two-week trip.
Rentnconnect’s unlimited 5G mobile hotspot costs €9.99 per day and costs €16 to ship to France.
MyWebspot charges €9.50 per day for a 15-day trip. An unlimited high-speed option is available for an extra €2.90 per day.
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SIM Cards
A SIM is a tiny card in your phone that allows you to make calls, send messages, and access a data network. It is associated with your phone number and your network provider.
By buying a prepaid SIM card for France, you can get better data and call deals than an international data roaming plan.
There are 4 main network operators in France that offer prepaid SIM cards for travelers and tourists: Orange, SFR, Bouygues Télécom, and Free Mobile.
Pros
A SIM card is a reliable solution for solo travelers, offering better data and call deals than international data roaming plans. It can be easily purchased from network operator stores, online, or at convenience stores and kiosks.
Cons
Since a SIM card will use your smartphone’s antenna, the connection is usually weaker and slower than that provided by a pocket WiFi router.
The connection is just for the device with the SIM card. While you can tether other devices to your smartphone, this tends to slow the smartphone and its connection while draining your battery significantly.
Cost
Bouygues Télécom offers 500MB over 3 days for €5 and 5GB over 60 days for €40.
Orange offers 5GB over 14 days for €10 up to 35GB over 1 month for €40.
SFR’s prepaid SIM cards can be topped up with 300MB of data over 5 days for €5 or 30GB of data over 30 days for €35.
eSIM
While SIM cards are replaceable, an eSIM is a virtual SIM card. It is built into more modern smartphones and allows users to buy and configure an eSIM without inserting or removing cards.
Travelers can buy eSIM cards and configure them for their trip to Paris before they even get to the country. They can buy them online and set them up by following the network provider’s solutions or simply scanning a QR code.
Popular eSIM providers for Paris and France include Orange, Holafly, and Airalo.
Pros
An eSIM is a convenient solution for phones compatible with this technology.
Cons
Much like a SIM card, the eSIM uses your phone as the primary connection to the mobile data network. These connections will still be slower and less reliable than those of pocket WiFi devices.
Cost
Airalo offers the Bonbon Mobile range of eSIM solutions, starting at $4.50 for 1GB over 7 days and going up to $36 for 20GB across 30 days.
Orange offers the Holiday France eSIM range. These start at €4.99 for 1GB over 7 days up to €49.99 for 100GB over 28 days.
Holafly offers an unlimited eSIM connection in France for $6 a day.
Data Roaming International Plan
Suppose you don’t set up any other way to get WiFi in Paris. In that case, you can always rely on your domestic network carrier’s international data roaming plan.
While this isn’t recommended for several reasons that we’ll get into, it is a solution if you forget to sort anything else out.
Through agreements with partner networks, your domestic network carrier will provide you with internet access while in France.
Pros
The main and only advantage to an international data roaming plan is that you can set it up quite easily by contacting your usual network carrier.
Cons
International data roaming plans are typically slower because they use partner networks.
They’re also famously expensive, especially if you don’t plan ahead. Unplanned international data roaming plans often come with horrible fees that users are largely unaware of.
Cost
The cost depends on your network carrier, and if you don’t contract anything before you arrive in Paris, you’ll be charged what your carrier wants to charge you.
We’ve heard horror stories of users being charged thousands upon their return from an otherwise lovely trip to Paris.
Use Free WiFi
With over 300 public WiFi hotspots in the city, you’ll never left without somewhere to get WiFi in Paris. These hotspots are often located in public places like parks, libraries, and cafes. They usually require you to sign up or log in with your email or social media account to access the internet.
Pros
Free WiFi can be helpful if you have no other data connection.
Cons
Free WiFi networks are more vulnerable to cyber attacks and scams than any other internet connection. When connecting to free WiFi networks, you must ensure that your devices are protected through antivirus software and a VPN and check that the network is legitimate. Never connect to an unknown WiFi network.
Cost
These networks are free to access, but some have terms and conditions or require that you give the host your email address or sign up for a mailing list.
Local cafés, restaurants, and other businesses may offer free WiFi to paying customers, but you’ll have to buy a coffee, drink, or snack. In some cases, the cost won’t be worth it.
How to Choose the Best WiFi Option for Your Paris Trip
By most measures, pocket WiFi offers the fastest, most reliable, and best-priced solution for getting internet access in Paris and around France.
However, since every visitor and tourist is different, what works for one person mightn’t work for another.
Think carefully about the following considerations when choosing how to get WiFi in Paris or rent a pocket WiFi for France.
Rental Duration
Pocket WiFi isn’t necessarily feasible for very short trips, as you need to get and return your device. In this case, you’ll need a service that will send the device to somewhere you can easily collect and return it through the mail.
Connectivity
Poor connectivity can render any internet connection seemingly worthless. With so much to see and do around Paris and the surrounding Île-de-France region, you’ll want to choose an internet connection type that works even in areas with low signal strength.
Again, pocket WiFi is best suited for these kinds of trips and excursions.
Data Limit
Every solution offers either limited data or unlimited data. Think about how much data you typically use and check this by looking at your phone’s settings.
You won’t want to run out of data at an inopportune time, but you also want to avoid paying a fortune for data you’ll never use.
Usage
Lastly, how you use the internet will determine which solution is best for you. For users in groups or with several devices requiring a high-speed and stable connection, most pocket WiFi devices support up to 10 devices connected simultaneously.
The connection type (4G or 5G) is also worth considering. 4G is typically fast enough for your average internet user. Still, business users may prefer a 5G connection as it’s much faster and better suited for video calls and sending and receiving large files.
