Emergency Healthcare in France Explained: What to do & What to Expect
This post is part of my Healthcare in France for Expats series. If you found it helpful, check out my other articles and more to make navigating the system a little easier. Check back often—I’m adding new guides regularly to make French healthcare a little less confusing!
It’s your first time in France and you’ve come down with a sudden illness, or had an accident, or a late-night health scare, and you’re not really sure what to do or where to turn. The system you’ll rely on may look very different from what you’re used to in the United States. France’s emergency healthcare network is highly centralized, medically driven, and surprisingly efficient, with services designed to bring care to you as quickly as possible.
Instead of a single 911-style number, France uses several emergency hotlines, each connecting you directly to specialized responders. The most important is 15, the number for SAMU (Service d’Aide Médicale Urgente), where trained medical professionals, including physicians, triage each call and decide the best course of action. Depending on your situation, they may send a mobile emergency doctor, dispatch firefighters (who frequently handle medical calls), or guide you through immediate steps over the phone until help arrives.
For urgent but non-life-threatening situations, SOS Médecins offers something uniquely French: 24/7 house-call doctors who treat you at home, often within hours of contacting them. And if you need to go directly to a hospital, France’s public and private emergency departments operate on a strict triage system, prioritizing the most serious cases, not arrival time. But something that is universal, be prepared to wait, depending on the emergency room you go to.
Throughout the process, costs remain low by U.S. standards, thanks to universal health coverage and transparent pricing. For Americans living in or visiting France, understanding how these services fit together can make a stressful moment far more manageable. This guide breaks down the essential numbers, services, costs, and what to expect, so you can feel confident navigating France’s emergency healthcare system.
Table of Contents
Emergency Numbers in France: What They Mean and When to Use Them
Understanding France’s emergency numbers is essential for knowing who to call and how to get help quickly when something unexpected happens. Unlike the one-number system in the United States, France uses several dedicated hotlines, each connecting you to a specific type of emergency responder. The good news is that even if you are unsure of which number to choose, all services are well-coordinated and will make sure the right team is sent.
15: SAMU (Service d’Aide Médicale Urgente)
SAMU is France’s dedicated medical emergency hotline, staffed by trained operators and hospital-based physicians. When you call 15, you’re immediately connected to a medical dispatcher who evaluates your situation in real time. Unlike in the U.S. where a 911 operator may not be medically trained, SAMU’s system ensures that a doctor can decide what type of service you need.
SAMU is the number to call for life-threatening emergencies, including difficulty breathing, chest pain, sudden severe illness, major injuries, or any situation where you’re unsure but feel urgent care is needed.
18: Fire Brigade (Pompiers)
The Pompiers are firefighters, but in France they also respond to a significant number of medical emergencies. Their services often overlap with SAMU because they’re equipped to handle cardiac arrest, trauma (falls, accidents, injuries), fires and smoke inhalation, road accidents, rescues (water, mountain, confined spaces).
The Pompiers are trained in emergency first aid and arrive quickly, especially in rural areas or situations involving accidents. In many cases, SAMU coordinates with the Pompiers, sending them to stabilize the patient while SAMU determines the next steps.
Call 18 when you witness an accident, see a fire, or someone is seriously injured. If you’re unsure whether the situation is medical or accident-related, either 15 or 18 will get you help and they will coordinate between themselves.
112: EU-Wide Emergency Number
112 is the universal emergency number throughout the European Union. It connects you to a multilingual operator who can dispatch local services (SAMU, Pompiers, police) depending on the situation.
112 is particularly useful for travelers or tourists, anyone who doesn’t speak French, mobile phone emergencies (even if you have no signal on your carrier), or when you’re unsure which number to use.
Operators for 112 can almost always handle calls in English, making it the safest choice for non–French speakers in a panic.
How Operators Triage Calls
Emergency call triage in France is highly structured and medically focused. When you call, be prepared for fast, direct questions. The operator’s goal is to assess severity and determine which team should respond.
Questions they typically ask:
“Quelle est l’adresse?” What is the address?: The first question is always location. They need to know where to send help before anything else. They will also ask any identifying markers for the address, building number, floor, if there is an interphone, an elevator, etc.
“Que se passe-t-il?” What is happening?: A brief description of why you are calling.
Age of the person: Important for determining risk level.
Symptoms and timeline: When did it start? Is the person breathing? Conscious? Bleeding? In severe pain?
Existing medical conditions or medications: Especially relevant for heart disease, diabetes, allergies, pregnancy.
Your name and phone number: So they can call back if the line drops or they need more information.
What triage looks like
A trained operator listens and types notes into a centralized system. A supervising doctor will then be connected and you can elaborate on the situation in detail. The doctor will decide what unit to dispatch, if necessary: SMUR, Pompiers, ambulance. They will most likely stay on the line to guide you through CPR, first aid, or steps to stabilize the situation.
What to expect
Operators speak quickly and directly, don’t take it as brusque. They may switch between French and English if needed. They don’t hang up until they have everything needed and help is dispatched while you’re still on the line.
What is the SAMU and what to expect
SAMU (Service d’Aide Médicale Urgente) is France’s dedicated medical dispatch and emergency coordination service. Unlike general emergency call centers, SAMU is operated directly out of hospitals and staffed by trained dispatchers working alongside hospital-based emergency physicians. When you call 15, you’re connected to someone who can immediately assess your situation with real medical expertise. A doctor reviews the information in real time and determines the safest and most appropriate next step, whether that means sending a team, advising you to go to a hospital, or offering medical guidance you can follow at home.
How SAMU Responds to Your Call
SAMU tailors its response to the severity of the situation rather than automatically sending an ambulance. Depending on what the doctor determines during your call, SAMU may:
Send a médecin SMUR : this is a mobile emergency medical unit staffed by a doctor, nurse, and specialized equipment. This is essentially an emergency room on wheels and is deployed for the most critical situations.
Coordinate ambulance services : SAMU manages public and private ambulances to ensure the closest and most appropriate vehicle is dispatched.
Provide medical instructions over the phone : In many cases, SAMU can safely resolve the situation by giving detailed advice, such as how to monitor symptoms, what steps to take next, or when to seek in-person care.
Differences From U.S. 911
For Americans, SAMU’s approach may feel quite different from the familiar 911 model. In France, calls are evaluated by a doctor, not just a dispatcher. This medical triage means emergencies are assessed more precisely and quickly. Not every emergency leads to an ambulance being sent. If a doctor determines the situation can be safely managed at home or handled by a GP or urgent care service instead, they will guide you accordingly.
On-scene medical care can be more advanced. When SAMU sends a SMUR team, the level of medical intervention available at your home or the scene can be comparable to hospital-level emergency treatment. This system often feels more controlled, medically driven, and efficient, especially for situations that require a doctor’s judgment rather than an automatic dispatch and trip to the hospital.
Firefighters Respond to More Medical Calls in France
In France, les pompiers (firefighters) play a major role in emergency medical response. Unlike in the U.S., where emergency medical services are often separate from fire departments, les pompiers are systematically integrated into the medical emergency system. They respond to a large percentage of medical calls, especially trauma, accidents, home injuries, fainting spells, cardiac issues, and urgent assistance for vulnerable individuals. In many departments, les pompiers are trained as both firefighters and emergency medical responders, making them a key part of daily public health interventions.
There are three main types of pompiers in France: Sauper-Pompiers Professionels, the full-time, career firefighters. Sauper-Pompiers Volontaires, trained volunteer firefighters who make up about 70-80% of the force. Pompiers Militaires, these are firefighter units that are attached to the military, notably in Paris (BSPP) and Marseille (BMPM). All of these firefighters are trained to respond to both fire and medical emergencies.
The training a firefighter can receive different levels of medical training. There’s PSE1 (Premiers Secours en équipe 1) which is your basic first aid responder training. PSE2 (Premiers Secours en équipe 2) is advanced first aid, trauma care, oxygen therapy, and defibrillation. Emergency Vehicle Driver training is what it sounds like, this is for the ambulance-style response units (VSAV, véhicule de secours et d’assistance aux victimes). These are not paramedics that we understand in the American sense, the more advanced medical acts are reserved for physicians (usually from the SAMU), but they do provide vital pre-hospital care and stabilization at the scene.
SOS Médecin
SOS Médecins is a nationwide network of licensed physicians who provide 24/7 urgent medical care through home visits. Founded in France in the 1960s, it fills a critical gap between primary care and hospital emergency rooms. The service is most commonly used when a situation feels urgent but does not require an ER visit, especially during nights, weekends, and public holidays when most doctors’ offices are closed. SOS Médecins operates independently but is fully integrated into the French healthcare system. The doctors who come to your home are fully qualified physicians, often general practitioners with experience in emergency and urgent care.
When You Might call SOS Médecin
SOS Médecins is appropriate for urgent but non-life-threatening situations such as high fever (especially in children), infections (ear, throat, respiratory, urinary), gastrointestinal illness, sudden illness or worsening symptoms, minor injuries (sprains, cuts not requiring stitches), pain requiring medical evaluation, situations where travel to a clinic or ER is difficult.
It’s also the go-to option when your regular GP isn’t available, particularly outside normal office hours. Many families in France rely on SOS Médecins instead of going to the emergency room for issues that don’t require hospital-level care.
What to Expect when SOS Médecin is called
When you call SOS Médecins, your request is logged by a dispatcher and a doctor is assigned based on availability and location. Depending on where you live and how busy the service is, a doctor typically arrives within 1 to 3 hours. During the visit, the doctor comes equipped with portable medical tools, allowing them to take vital signs, examine injuries or infections, perform basic diagnostic assessments.
At the end of the visit, the doctor can issue prescriptions (including antibiotics or pain medication), provide medical certificates or sick notes, advise follow-up care with your GP or a specialist, or recommend hospital care if your condition worsens.
What to Expect in terms of Cost for a Visit from SOS Médecin
SOS Médecins charges standardized national fees, which vary depending on time of day (day vs. night), weekend or public holiday visits, and travel distance in some cases. While exact prices can change, fees are far lower than emergency room visits in many countries. Most of the cost is reimbursed by Sécurité Sociale, and the remaining balance is often covered partially or fully by a mutuelle (top-up health insurance).
For Americans, the comparison is striking, SOS Médecins is similar in purpose to urgent care centers in the U.S. But unlike U.S. urgent care, a call to the SOS Médecin is a house call, the doctor comes to you. There are no surprise bills with costs that are predictable and largely reimbursed. This makes SOS Médecins one of the most practical and underused services for expats navigating urgent health concerns in France.
Here’s an approximate look at the pricing for when SOS Médecin makes a house call:
| Time / Situation | Approximate Cost |
|---|---|
| Daytime visit (8 :00 – 20 :00) | ~€36.50 – €40 € |
| Weekend (Saturday after 12 :00 / Sunday / Holiday) | ~€56.50 – €60 € |
| Evening (20 :00 – 00 :00) / Early morning (06 :00 – 08 :00) | ~€72.50 – €76 € |
| Night visit (00 :00 – 06 :00) | ~€86 € |
| Additional for children (0–6 years) | +€5 (may apply) |
Prices shown above reflect the base rates, the total you pay at the time of the visit may be higher if your doctor performs extra medical acts or procedures. SOS Médecins doctors are sector-1 conventionné, meaning they follow regulated fees with no extra surprise charges beyond official tariff schedules (unless specific procedures are performed).
If you’re an American visiting France and need emergency medical care, you’ll typically pay upfront and submit a claim to your U.S. health insurance or travel medical insurance after the fact. French hospitals, SOS Médecins, and emergency services provide official, itemized invoices (factures) and medical documentation, which are usually sufficient for reimbursement claims.
Coverage depends entirely on your individual policy. Some U.S. health plans offer limited out-of-network international benefits, while travel insurance plans often cover emergency care abroad more comprehensively. You’ll want to make sure to keep all receipts, medical reports, and proof of payment, and check your insurer’s requirements for submitting claims once you return home.
Hospitals and Urgent Care Options in France
France offers multiple options for urgent and emergency medical care and understanding the differences can help you choose the right option, and avoid unnecessary stress or long waits. From hospital emergency rooms to after-hours clinics, care is organized by medical need, not convenience or insurance status.
Emergency Rooms (Urgences)
Emergency rooms in France (les urgences) are located in both public hospitals and private clinics. They are open 24/7 and treat everything from life-threatening emergencies to serious but non-urgent conditions when no other care is available. You can arrive by ambulance, with the Pompiers, or walk in on your own. Unlike in the U.S., registration and insurance questions are not handled first. Medical evaluation always takes priority.
The APHP (Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris) is the network of public hospitals throughout Paris that offer a variety of services. They are locations through out Paris and the surrounding suburbs. Within this network, there are a total of 25 emergency services, 17 for adults and 8 for children. You can find a full list on their website, which is in French.
How it Works
French ERs use a strict medical triage system, meaning patients are seen based on the severity of their condition, not the order in which they arrive. Upon arrival, a nurse assesses your symptoms, vital signs, and risk level and assigns a priority code.
This means that someone who arrives later may be seen sooner, minor issues may wait longer, life-threatening cases are treated immediately. This can be frustrating if you’re stable, but it’s a sign the system is working as designed.
Typical Wait Times
Wait times vary widely depending on time of day (nights and weekends are busiest), location (urban vs. rural), severity of your condition
For non-urgent issues, waits of several hours are common. For serious emergencies, care begins quickly.
Private vs. Public Hospitals
Public hospitals form the backbone of the French healthcare system. They handle the majority of emergency care, are fully integrated with SAMU and Pompiers, and costs are highly regulated and largely reimbursed through Sécurité Sociale. Public hospitals are often busy but are the most comprehensive option for complex or severe emergencies.
Private hospitals and clinics may have more modern facilities or shorter waits and some operate emergency departments (urgences privées) that often specialize in specific areas (orthopedics, maternity, surgery). Private facilities may charge slightly higher fees, but many are still conventionné, meaning prices are regulated.
How Coverage Works
Sécurité Sociale covers emergency care in both public and most private hospitals. A mutuelle typically covers remaining costs. Visitors or uninsured patients pay upfront but receive the same care. Emergency treatment is never denied based on insurance status.
Specialized Emergency Services
Pediatric Emergency Rooms
Many hospitals, especially larger ones, have dedicated pediatric ERs staffed by doctors trained specifically in child and infant care. These are commonly used for high fevers, respiratory distress, injuries, infant concerns that can’t wait for a GP. Parents are often directed here rather than a general ER. You can call 15 before heading out if you are unsure if you should head to the ER or not.
Maternity and Labor Emergencies (Urgences Maternité)
Pregnancy-related emergencies are handled through maternity emergency units, not general ERs. These include labor, bleeding, reduced fetal movement, pregnancy complications. You can go directly to the maternity unit of your hospital, even without an appointment.
Psychiatric Emergencies
Psychiatric emergencies are taken seriously and are often managed through hospital psychiatric emergency units. Most ERs are equipped with on-call psychiatric teams and they coordinate with SAMU and mental health services where care focuses on immediate safety and stabilization.
Non-Hospital Urgent Care Clinics (Maisons Médicales de Garde)
Maisons Médicales de Garde are after-hours medical clinics designed to reduce ER overcrowding. They are usually open evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays, are located near hospitals or medical centers and are staffed by general practitioners. They are ideal for infections, fever, minor injuries or sudden illness that can’t wait until your GP opens.
These clinics are not emergency rooms, but they offer a reliable alternative when you need medical care outside normal office hours, often with much shorter wait times than the ER.
Here’s a recap of numbers to keep on hand whether you’re an immigrant living in France or visiting for any period of time.
| Number | Service | When to Use It | English Support |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | SAMU (Medical Emergency Service) | Life-threatening medical emergencies (chest pain, stroke symptoms, severe breathing issues); medical advice. | Limited, but operators may try to assist |
| 18 | Pompiers (Fire Brigade) | Accidents, trauma, fires, serious injuries, unconsciousness. | Limited |
| 17 | Police | Crime, assault, immediate danger, safety emergencies. | Limited |
| 112 | EU Emergency Number | Any emergency if unsure which number to call; works across the EU. | Often English-speaking operators available |
| 114 | Emergency SMS / Fax Service | Emergencies for deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals (SMS, fax, app). | French only |
| 116, 117 | Médecin de Garde (On-Call Doctor) | Urgent medical issues when GP is unavailable (nights/weekends). | French |
| SOS Médecins📞 3624 | 24/7 Doctor House Calls | Urgent but non-life-threatening issues; home visits. | Some English-speaking doctors (varies by area) |
| 3114 | Suicide Prevention Hotline | Emotional distress, suicidal thoughts, mental health crisis. | French (English may be available in some cases) |
| 3919 | Domestic Violence Support Line | Victims or witnesses of domestic or partner violence. | French; limited English |
Important information to keep in mind:
All emergency numbers are free and work from mobile phones, including foreign SIM cards.
If you don’t speak French, calling 112 is often your best first option, as it is designed for international use.
Emergency responders are highly coordinated, if you call the “wrong” number, your call will be transferred.
You do not need to be insured or registered in France to receive emergency care.
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