Health care during your stay
If you are a resident of one of the EEA Member states (European Economic Area composed of the EU, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein), you should always be in possession of your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) in case of unforeseen need for medical care. If you are resident of a country outside the EEA, before coming to France, get in touch with your local health insurance and check whether a supplementary insurance might be needed. Check also your credit cards you are using to pay for your stay, if health care can be covered. Please be aware that you might need to advance doctor’s fees. Find in this article information if you need to be treated in France during the 2024 Olympics.
If you carry medicines with you when you travel, the quantity carried must not exceed a personal use and correspond to the duration of treatment provided for in the medical prescription (or 3 months maximum).
More information on the French customs website
You will recognise a pharmacy by a green cross, illuminated during opening hours.
A prescription for medicines or medical devices issued in another Member state of the EEA must be recognised in France. The medicines or medical devices prescribed may be delivered to you on condition that they are authorised for sale and available in France.
More information:
Yes, you can freely buy any product that doesn’t require a prescription provided by a doctor from a pharmacy. Don’t hesitate to ask the pharmacist for advice.
However, beware of falsified medicines on the Internet and especially if they sell you drugs for which you normally need to show a prescription! Buying counterfeits is not only illegal, but could also be dangerous in the case of medical products. Such falsified medicine might contain too much, too little or no active ingredient or even harmful ingredients.
A common, EU-wide logo allows the identification of legal online pharmacies.
For more information: Buying medicines online | European Medicines Agency (europa.eu)
Throughout the EU, in case of emergency you can call 112.
Further emergency numbers on the website service-public.fr
If it is not an absolute emergency, you can reach a doctor or pharmacy on call at all times. The local town hall or gendarmerie can give you further information.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Innovation Council and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Executive Agency (EISMEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
