2023 Rugby World Cup and Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games : consumer questions

This article provides all the information you need on online purchases.

• If you live in France and purchase an item from a French company’s website, French consumer law applies.

Please note: Check that the trader is actually based in France. Just because the website’s domain name ends in “.fr” does not mean that the trader is French. Always read the legal notices and the terms and conditions of sale.

You can also check the trade and companies register.

• If you live in another European Union (EU) Member State and the trader is based in the same country, your domestic law applies. If you have any questions, contact a consumer protection organisation in your country.
• If you live in France and the trader is based in another country (EU or non-EU), French law may also apply if the trader’s business activity is France-oriented (i.e. the website has a French version, deliveries are made to France, customer service is available in France or in French, a French telephone number is given, etc.).

Tip : The terms and conditions of sale may stipulate the legislation of the trader’s country but this does not mean that you cannot rely on the rules in force in your country of residence if they provide more protection.

Please note that if the trader’s business activity is not France-oriented, your contract is governed by the legislation of the trader’s country.

Checking the integrity of an online seller

Before purchasing items online, check :

• whether the seller’s full contact details (name, postal address, telephone number, email address, VAT number, etc.) appear in the legal notices or in the terms and conditions of sale.
• whether the postal address is reliable. Enter the address given on the seller’s website into a search engine and click on the map to see photos of the street and determine whether the address is actually that of a company.
• the telephone number. If a number is given, call it and ask any questions you may have.
• the name or address of the website (URL). It is not a good sign if the website has a name or URL that bears no relation to the products being sold on the website.
• quality of spelling on the website. Steer clear if the content is written in poor French (spelling mistakes, convoluted turns of phrase, etc.).
• the means of payment available on the website.
• online reviews. Although they may not all be genuine, they provide you with an overall impression of the trader.

Beware of recommendations made by influencers !

Yes. The trader is entitled to decide on their delivery areas or lay down restrictions in their terms and conditions of sale.

Although unjustified geo-blocking is forbidden within the EU, there is no current requirement to offer goods and services with cross-border shipping at the same price for all countries.

You can browse all the languages on the seller’s website to see the prices set in the different countries. However, if you want to be charged the prices offered in a specific country, you must have your product delivered in that country and arrange the cross-border shipping to your home yourself.

Each country sets its own VAT rates so the price of your order may vary depending on the rate applying to your purchase.

Within the EU, consumers pay a price inclusive of taxes (including VAT). It is up to the trader to decide which VAT arrangements apply depending on the amount of distance sales made within the EU (less than €10,000 = VAT in the seller’s country; more than €10,000 = VAT in the country where the products are delivered). Tip: Dropshippers can apply for application of French VAT if their company is based in France.

Yes. If you purchase goods from a website based in a non-EU country such as the United Kingdom, for delivery in France, you will have to pay import VAT and potentially customs duties. The carrier usually requests payment of these expenses upon delivery and will bill you for the administrative charges for carrying out these customs procedures.

Tip : Import VAT and customs duties are not owed if :

• the value of your package is €150 or less (price exclusive of VAT, without cost of carriage and insurance if these are billed separately).
•  the seller based in a non-EU country has registered for the new VAT payment system called “IOSS” (Import One-Stop-Shop), and has paid the VAT using this system.

Yes. If you purchase goods from a website based in a non-EU country such as the United Kingdom, for delivery in France, you will have to pay import VAT and potentially customs duties. The carrier usually requests payment of these expenses upon delivery and will bill you for the administrative charges for carrying out these customs procedures.

Tip: Import VAT and customs duties are not owed if:

• the value of your package is €150 or less (price exclusive of VAT, without cost of carriage and insurance if these are billed separately).
• the seller based in a non-EU country has registered for the new VAT payment system called “IOSS” (Import One-Stop-Shop), and has paid the VAT using this system.

Dropshipping is the online sale of products by a seller which has no inventory: the seller receives the order payment, forwarding the order to the manufacturer which delivers it directly to the consumer. It is difficult to identify dropshipping websites. Although the practice is legal in France and is booming due, in particular, to social media influencers, there are sometimes unwelcome surprises such as very long delivery lead-times and customs duties.

Check :

• the online seller’s address in the website’s legal notices or in the terms and conditions of sale. If the address is for a building in central Paris, it is unlikely that the seller manages their inventory themself.
• the seller’s registration as a trader on an official trade register (quick search on the e-justice website).
• the terms and conditions of sale to find out to which country the products should be returned in the event of a defect or when exercising a right of withdrawal. This will give you a clue as to the product’s country of origin.
• the governing law set out in the terms and conditions of sale: this stipulation often indicates the country in which the seller is based.
• the delivery lead-time in the terms and conditions of sale. A long lead-time may suggest that you are on a dropshipper’s website.

You should receive your package on the date or within the lead-time stated by the seller unless you have jointly agreed to another date. If you have no information on the lead-time for delivery of your package, it should be delivered to you within 30 days at the latest.

Action in the event of a late delivery

Write to the seller (registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt or email with read receipt for which you should keep a copy) and demand delivery within a reasonable additional lead-time (8-10 days for example).

If you still have not received your order, cancel it and ask for a refund of the payment by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt or email with read receipt (always keep a copy of your requests). The seller is obliged to give you a refund as soon as reasonably possible.

Tip: If you have advised the seller in writing that you need to receive your order by a specific date (i.e. imperative delivery prior to the end of the Rugby World Cup or the Olympic Games), you can request immediate termination of the contract by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt in the event the order is not delivered by the agreed date.

The seller. They should either arrange another delivery at their expense or give you a refund. The seller can then take action against the carrier.

Please note that if you chose a different carrier to the one suggested by the seller or arranged the transportation yourself, you are liable for any incidents affecting your package. In this case, you should contact your chosen carrier.

Further information in the event of delivery issues in Europe.

Within the EU, you have a right of withdrawal concerning the majority of products purchased online. You have 14 days during which to change your mind.

Outside the EU, some countries provide for the right to change your mind within a period of up to 30 days, while others do not have such arrangements.

Please note that the following, among others, are not covered by the right of withdrawal:  accommodation services (seasonal rentals), carriage of goods, car rental, restaurants or leisure activities which must be provided by a given date or period (i.e. travel, tickets for the Olympic Games, airline and concert tickets, etc.). Further information on products not covered by a right of withdrawal.

Exercising the right of withdrawal

Return your order within 14 days to the address indicated by the trader or use the return label provided. In all cases, the items should be securely packaged. Taking photographs of the item and the package before sealing and shipping is recommended.

The seller is obliged to refund all the amounts you paid, including standard shipping costs (unless you chose a more expensive delivery method such as express delivery), within 14 days of your withdrawal. If you only return part of the order, you will be refunded the price of the returned goods.

Tip: The seller cannot give you a partial refund if you have only tried the item to check the size or that it works properly.

The cost of returns may be borne by consumers in the event of withdrawal. If large goods cannot be sent by post, the seller must advise you, before the contract is executed, of the approximate cost of reshipping. If you were not informed of the cost of return shipping, these costs are assumed by the trader.

In the EU, you have a legal compliance warranty of at least two years for all purchases in store or online from a professional seller. This means that you can ask the seller to repair or exchange the goods or, if this is not possible, to refund the amounts paid. Since 1 January 2022, this warranty has been extended to cover connected devices and digital content and services.

However, the term of the warranty and the conditions for exercising it may differ from one country to the other. Further information on warranties.

Non-EU countries may also have protective arrangements.

Example: The right to reject in the United Kingdom enables consumers, during the 30 days following delivery, to reject, in consideration of a refund, a product which is not of a satisfactory standard, is unfit for purpose or non-compliant with the description.

Identifying counterfeit products

• Check with the brand whether the seller is one of its authorised stockists and report any unofficial seller.
• Compare the prices applied with those of the brand’s official store. Be wary of prices that are too good to be true or offers of substantial reductions.
• Compare the brand’s logo with the one appearing on the relevant website.
• Carefully read the offers and terms and conditions on the website. If they are written in poor French, the website may be fake.
• Check whether the website has legal notices showing the seller’s full contact details and the terms and conditions of sale.
• If you enter the name of a well-known brand into a search engine, be wary of websites listed at the bottom of the page or not listed on the first page.

Find more pointers in our article on counterfeit products.

Refunds for orders in the event of any issues

If you have not received your order and the seller has not given you a refund, contact your bank as soon as possible to find out if you are entitled to a chargeback. Credit and debit card companies such as Visa and Mastercard offer these services to banks to protect their customers. Under certain conditions, banks can request a refund on behalf of their customers.

• Check the description of the second-hand product on offer. Do not hesitate to contact the seller.
• Look at the photos, and ask the seller for more if necessary. Compare them with other photos used on the Internet.
• Check the sale price : is it fixed or subject to auction? Compare the prices on different e-commerce platforms and websites for the same type of product. Factor in taxes and customs duties for purchases outside the EU.
• Read the terms and conditions of sale to understand the role of the second-hand sales platform : is it just a go-between for the buyer and seller? What support or protection services are on offer? What are the conditions for access to these services?
• Check the online platform’s administrative charges or commission.
• Pay with your bank card on a secure website (https + closed padlock icon), use secure payment services or protected systems which have now been introduced by certain classified ads websites.
• Ask the seller whether the package can be sent with tracked delivery and whether it is possible to take out insurance, especially if you are buying a valuable product.

Please note that if the seller is an individual, you have no right of withdrawal and potentially no warranty. Further information on online purchases of second-hand goods.

• First, contact the online seller in writing. Retain proof of your correspondence.
• If this effort proves unsuccessful, proceed as follows:

- If you live in France, you can receive assistance from a consumer’s association, whose contact information is available on the DGCCRF’s website. You can also report your problem with the trader on the SignalConso website.

- If you live in another EU Member State, Iceland or Norway, the European Consumer Centre for your country can help you. Visit the ECC Network website for its contact information.

- If you live in a non-EU country, contact your country’s embassy or consulate in France or report the dispute on the econsumer.gov website using its online form or contact members of the consumersinternational.org organisation.

The Rugby World Cup will be held in France from 8 September to 28 October 2023. Ticketing is already open. Only one official website is selling tickets for the matches or for the "packs". More information in this article on how to buy tickets for the Rugby World Cup 2023.

Rugby World Cup 2023 will take place in France, from 8 September to 28 October 2023. After our packs and single tickets sale phases, an official resale platform is now available to buy single match tickets. Please take into consideration that access to the competition venues will only be guaranteed with tickets bought through this official platform. You will find in the following Q&A all information about tickets for Rugby World Cup 2023.

As of now, the official resale platform will allow to buy single matches tickets for Rugby World Cup 2023.Official Hospitalities offers are available as well and can be found on the following website: https://hospitality2023.rugbyworldcup.com  

In order to guarantee your access to competition venues, tickets sale and resale must be conducted through official Rugby World Cup 2023 ticketing platforms.

The following site gives access to the competition’s single tickets offers through the official resale platform, the Official Hospitalities offers as well as the Official Travel offers, in order to access full packages, including match tickets.

No.

The sale of tickets and packages outside the official website is prohibited and constitutes an offence (article 313.6.2 of the French penal code).

It is also very risky. You might pay much more for a ticket than its face value, and you could be refused entry to the event if you purchased a fake ticket or an electronic ticket sold several times.

Do not hesitate to report this website on the platform of the French fraud control authority via SignalConso.

If you are a victim of a fraud or scam, file a preliminary complaint with the police : Masécurité.fr

Resale is possible via the France 2023 official resale platform. All information regarding resale and buying can be found here.

Pack offers including match tickets are available on our Official Travel website. An accommodation platform dedicated to ticket holders will soon become available as to make your accommodation reservations, with reasonable pricing and conditions.

• Official ticketing website for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games : tickets.paris2024.org
• A unique, fully digital and secure ticketing system has been set up: tickets for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games will only be sold on the Official Ticketing Website of the Paris 2024 Games (operated by the Paris 2024 Organising Committee) for worldwide spectators.
• The first phase of ticket sales for the Olympic Games began on 15 February via a draw (registration is now closed) and provides the chance to purchase tickets in packages of three sessions. The second phase will also take the form of a draw (registration from 15 March to 20 April) and covers ticket purchases in non-package format.
• Tailor-made packages : These allow you to choose tickets for three sessions of the sporting events. They are only available for the Olympic Games and cover all sports.

Tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies, and for certain sessions, will not be available during the phase of tailor-made package sales but will be sold during the second sales phase in May 2023.

Hospitality and travel packages : The hospitality package, put together by the Paris 2024 Organising Committee and its official supplier, consists of offerings which include guaranteed tickets for the majority of Olympic sporting events as well as access to services.

The Paris 2024 hospitality and travel packages will only be available from the following official and secure sources:

• The Official Paris 2024 Digital Hospitality Platform
• The Official Sub-Distributors Network

The ticketing website for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games will officially open in autumn 2023 through the same Official Ticketing Website of the Paris 2024 Games.

For hospitality and travel packages, On Location will also be the sole official hospitality service provider for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

Further information will be provided during 2023.

• Only buy your tickets through the official channel :

• The Official Ticketing Website of the Paris 2024 Games (tickets.paris2024.org) is the sole seller of tickets for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This means that no other parties are authorised to sell tickets either from sales outlets or websites.

  Unauthorised sale or resale of tickets and packages by parties from sales outlets or websites outside the official channel is an offence under Article 313.6.2 of the French Penal Code.

  There are many risks attached to buying tickets or packages outside the official channel :

• Paying much more for a ticket than its face value
• Buying a fake ticket or an e-ticket that has been resold several times
• Being refused entry to the events

• I’ve found tickets for the Olympic Games on another website – is this legal ?

  No.

  The sale of tickets and packages outside the official website is forbidden and constitutes an offence under Article 313.6.2 of the French Penal Code.

  It is also very risky as you may be refused entry to the event if it is a fake ticket or an e-ticket that has been resold several times.

  You can report unofficial websites on the SignalConso fraud control website.

  If you have been a victim of fraud, file a pre-complaint with the police: www.pre-plainte-en-ligne.gouv.fr.

No.

The sale of tickets and packages outside the official website is forbidden and constitutes an offence under Article 313.6.2 of the French Penal Code.

It is also very risky as you may be refused entry to the event if it is a fake ticket or an e-ticket that has been resold several times.

You can report unofficial websites on the SignalConso fraud control website.

If you have been a victim of fraud, file a pre-complaint with the police: www.pre-plainte-en-ligne.gouv.fr.

• An official ticket exchange website will be available for ticketholders.
• This website will enable ticketholders who are unable to attend to resell their tickets and allow potential spectators who were unsuccessful in purchasing tickets to experience this special event.

If you are, or consider that you are, faced with a consumer issue (lack of information on prices, unfair clause, false advertising) with regard to a trader, you can report it with just a few clicks on the SignalConso website.

If you believe that you have been a victim of fraud or wish to report an unauthorised ticket reseller, file a pre-complaint with the police: www.pre-plainte-en-ligne.gouv.fr.

What types of accommodation are available ? How can you book them ? And what should you look out for when booking a hotel or other type of accommodation that seems suited to your needs ? This article has everything you need to know about booking accommodation in France.

For your stay during the Olympic and/or Paralympic Games in France, you have the option of booking :

• a room in a hotel
• entire self-catering accommodation (furnished house, apartment or studio) or a private room in one
• a campsite pitch, static caravan or bungalow tent
• a room in a bed and breakfast (B&B)
• a bed or room in a youth hostel

To find accommodation, you can contact the Paris Tourist Office, use a holiday rental agency or check out accommodation rental websites. 

If you choose to book through an online platform or a peer-to-peer website, be especially careful: the accommodation you see on the website may not correspond to reality.

Tip : Feel free to contact the hotel or the rental property owner directly to compare such aspects as price, terms of cancellation, room/property features and breakfast with what the booking platform offers. Platform service fees can be a substantial additional cost.

Before booking an apartment, room or static caravan for your stay in France, make sure that you have the following information : 

• The address, surface area, number of main rooms and other features of the accommodation (e.g. it is on a high floor with no elevator)
• Whether it contains a bathroom/WC
• Its condition
• The amenities it offers (e.g. fridge, oven, TV, bed sheets)
• The rental price
• What the price includes (e.g. breakfast, cleaning/housekeeping, bed linen)
• Whether animals are allowed

If you choose to rent self-catering accommodation (from an individual or an agency), a detailed description must be provided to you before the rental starts.

Tip : Hotel operators in France do not have the right to refuse accommodation to families with children (Articles L.225-1 to 225-4 of the French Penal Code). However, hotel operators may try to circumvent this stipulation by telling potential guests with families that the hotel is fully booked. If you have any doubts about why your booking request was rejected, you will be required to provide proof that the hotel operator acted in bad faith and, where appropriate, lodge a discrimination complaint.

No, the hotel star rating system varies from country to country. A three-star hotel in France may not meet the same criteria as a three-star hotel in Italy, Spain, Germany, etc.

In France, hotels can choose to be rated based on the criteria established by Atout France, the country’s tourism development agency. In this case, the number of stars is determined by the four categories below:

• The standard of amenities/facilities
• The quality of customer service
• Best environmental practices
• Best practices for catering for guests with disabilities

To check the rating of your accommodation, visit the Atout France website (in French only). 

Be sure that you do not confuse the rating of an accommodation with the stars given by other travellers in their online reviews.

Tip : Hotels can also have certification labels. For example, Tourisme & Handicap certification is given to hotels that provide a high standard of service meeting the specific needs of guests with disabilities, and the EU Ecolabel certifies that recipient hotels have implemented certain environmentally friendly measures.

The deposit (referred to as either dépôt de garantie or caution in French) is an amount of money that the owner of a rental property may ask you to pay before the rental starts to cover any damage that may occur during your stay.

While the owner can cash the deposit cheque, it must be returned to you after your departure if no damages or need for repairs were reported at the time of the departure inspection of the rental property.

It is important to note that if repairs are required based on the information contained in the arrival inspection report, and if their amount is greater than the deposit, you will have to pay the difference. Always ask for proof of the repairs made (such as an invoice from a tradesperson).

If you choose to rent an apartment in Paris or elsewhere in France, the rental property owner may require that you provide proof of insurance. In France, the most typical policy is comprehensive home insurance (assurance multirisque habitation), which covers you in the event of fire or water damage. You are generally responsible for the cost of any other type of damage that may occur during your stay (broken furniture and furnishings, lost or damaged items).

Contact your home insurance provider, for instance, to check if your policy can be extended to cover a holiday rental property. Additionally, look into any coverage that may be offered through your bank card if you are using this form of payment for your accommodation.

The tourist tax is a tax levied in some municipalities on holiday-makers. It is calculated per person (over the age of 18) and per night. The amount varies based on:

• the type of accommodation (e.g. hotel, self-catering, campsite)
• whether the accommodation has a rating

To check how much tourist tax you will owe, click here.

You may be asked to pay it before your stay but it is only owed if you complete your stay in a hotel or other type of accommodation in the municipality concerned. 

The price displayed is inclusive of tax. It includes applicable taxes and all booking-related services. Any applicable taxes to be paid by the consumer that are not included in the price should be displayed near it.

Important:

• Breakfast is not necessarily included in the price of a hotel room.
• For tourist rental properties, you may be charged a cleaning fee. Ask for a breakdown of such fees.
• The price of B&Bs includes, as a rule, the night’s stay, breakfast and housekeeping. Other guest meals may be available for an additional charge. 

If the hotel room or rental property does not match the advertised description (e.g. it has a view of a construction site instead of the Eiffel Tower or smells unpleasant), or if it does not contain the amenities stated in the rental contract, take photos of the discrepancies.

Then, get in touch with the owner in order to find an amicable solution. For instance, ask the owner to repair the appliance that is broken or to clean the rental property. If you booked your accommodation through an online platform, feel free to contact them and ask them to help you navigate the problem and report the condition of the accommodation.

If no solution can be found, ask the owner if they have another rental property that you may stay in under the same rental agreement. If this is impossible, ask for a price reduction, a voucher for a future stay or any other solution that would be satisfactory to you.

Tip : If the rental accommodation is unsafe or unsanitary (e.g. presence of cockroaches, loose electrical outlets, mould, windows that do not open), the city health department can be contacted.

If you are a non-French national, yes.

All foreign guests (over the age of 15, as children under 15 can be listed on the accompanying adult’s form) who are staying in a hotel, self-catering accommodation, B&B, campsite, etc., must complete and sign the police information form on their arrival. This form may be requested by the police and gendarmerie in the event of civil disorder or legal investigations/inquiries. The form must be retained by the hotel operator or lessor for six months. If you refuse to complete or sign the police information reform, the hotel operator or lessor reserves the right to refuse your stay at their property.

No.

First, it is important to know that you have no right of withdrawal when you book accommodation online. This means that you do not have a period of 14 days after the confirmation of your booking to change your mind.

If you cancel your booking, you will be subject to the terms of cancellation set by the hotel or in the rental agreement.

If your booking is non-refundable, even if your cancellation is due to circumstances beyond your control (such as an illness or the death of a loved one), you will not be automatically refunded. It is up to you to negotiate with the hotel operator or the rental property owner in order to obtain a refund or the postponement of your stay.

• First, contact the hotel operator or the rental property owner in writing. You may also contact the intermediary through which you found the accommodation (e.g. online booking platform, tourist office). Retain proof of your correspondence. 
• If this effort proves unsuccessful, proceed as follows:
  • If you live in France, you can receive assistance from a consumers’ association, whose contact information is available on the DGCCRF’s website. You can also report your problem with the hotel operator or the rental property owner on the SignalConso website.
  • If you live in another EU Member State, Iceland or Norway, the European Consumer Centre for your country can assist you. Visit the ECC Network website for its contact information.
  • If you live in a non-EU country, contact the organisation consumersinternational.org, or the embassy or consulate of your country in France.

This article provides all the information you need concerning your rights.

You are covered by Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 if you take off from an EU Member State, Iceland, Norway or Switzerland OR from a non-EU country with a European airline. If you take off from a non-EU country with a non-European airline, your rights are contingent on the rules laid down in the plane’s country of departure.

Flights within the EU or with a European airline

Before confirming your booking, check your choices as you are not entitled to a 14-day right of withdrawal during which to cancel a flight booked online.

• Compare offers (free meal included, fees for check-in online or at the airport, additional baggage allowance surcharges, seat reservation, etc.) between different airlines and between the chosen airline and the booking platform.
• Do not be swayed by reduced price offers or mention of the number of people consulting the same flight and the number of remaining seats.
• Check the date of the booked flight, your first names, surname and date of birth.
• Find out whether your luggage is included in the price of the ticket.
• If you book several separate flights, give yourself enough time for the connections.

Watch out for hidden fees on airline tickets! In theory, airlines, travel agencies and intermediaries that sell flights leaving from the EU must specify the final price (inclusive of all taxes) to be paid as from the start of the booking process. However, in practice, a number of hidden charges can inflate the price of an airline ticket. These include cancellation insurance, additional baggage allowance surcharges, check-in at the airport and choice of seat number.

Ask your airline; some companies only allow certain breeds or certain types of animals (such as guide dogs) on board.

Also ask about the conditions for transporting animals and the cost. Depending on its size and weight, your pet may be considered as excess baggage and will travel in a cage in the hold, or as additional carry-on baggage and can travel with you in the cabin in a carrier.

Pay attention to the time when you should arrive to check-in with your pet. If you fail to comply with the transport conditions, the airline may refuse boarding for your cat or dog.

Within the EU, a valid identity card or passport is required to enter and stay for a maximum of three months in a Member State. The airline may not allow you to board if you have an out-of-date identity card or passport.

In their general conditions of carriage, many airlines stipulate other documents to be presented for boarding such as family record booklets or parental authorisations to leave the territory for minors. Find out about this ahead of time!

If you are travelling from a non-EU country, you may need a visa. Further information here.

If your flight is still scheduled but you ask for your tickets to be cancelled as you cannot or no longer wish to travel (illness, death of a relative, etc.), your entitlement to a refund is entirely contingent on the conditions attached to your tickets.

If they cannot be amended or cancelled, refunds are not guaranteed.

Contact your carrier as soon as possible.

Tip: If you have taken out cancellation insurance, check whether the grounds for your cancellation are covered as each policy has its own specific conditions. Generally speaking, cancellation insurance covers events affecting you personally (health issue, loss of identity documents, cancellation of leave by the employer, etc.). It does not extend to restrictions on movement imposed by a government or the situation in the country of destination (political crisis, natural disasters, etc.).

A flight is considered as being late as from:

• two hours for flights up to 1,500 km.
• three hours for flights of more than 1,500 km within the EU and for other flights between 1,500 km and 3,500 km.
• four hours for flights of more than 3,500 km.

Tip : The delay is calculated upon the plane’s arrival and not its departure. A plane’s arrival time is determined by the opening of at least one of its doors.

If your flight takes off several hours late, you are entitled to free beverages and meals, at your carrier’s expense, and two phone calls, two faxes or two emails in the departure airport. If the delay is such that your flight cannot take off until the next day, you are also entitled to accommodation and transfers between the airport and the hotel. If these expenses are not settled by the airline, ask for a refund by presenting supporting documents.

If the flight is more than two hours late on arrival, you are entitled to financial compensation calculated based on the distance of the flight:

• €250 for flights of up to 1,500 km.
• €400 for flights of between 1,500 km and 3,500 km.
• €600 beyond 3,500 km provided the flight is at least four hours late (€300 for a delay of between three and four hours).

Please note that this compensation will not be paid if :

• you were informed that your flight would be delayed at least two weeks prior to departure.
• the airline is able to prove that the cancellation was due to extraordinary circumstances (volcanic eruptions, floods, civil war, earthquakes, etc.).

A cancelled flight is one that was initially scheduled but did not leave. Theoretically, the cancellation of a flight involves a change of flight number, unlike a delay.

If your flight is cancelled, you are entitled to beverages and meals, and accommodation if your flight only takes off the next day, and two phone calls, two faxes or two emails. If these expenses are not settled by the airline, ask for a refund by presenting supporting documents.

You are also entitled to choose between a refund of your ticket or another flight to your final destination under comparable conditions of carriage.

Lastly, you are entitled to compensation of :

•  250 for flights of up to 1,500 km.
•  400 for flights of between 1,500 km and 3,500 km.
• €600 beyond 3,500 km.

Please note that this compensation will not be paid if:

• you were informed that your flight would be delayed at least two weeks prior to departure.
• the airline is able to prove that the cancellation was due to extraordinary circumstances (volcanic eruptions, floods, civil war, earthquakes, etc.).
• the departure of the proposed replacement flight is brought forward by less than two hours or the arrival is delayed by less than four hours.

Overbooking is when passengers are unable to board the plane as the airline has sold more tickets than available seats.

If you are denied a seat on an overbooked flight and did not volunteer to postpone your journey, you are entitled to:

• choose between a replacement flight to your final destination and a refund of your ticket.
• meals, beverages, two phone calls, two faxes or two emails and, if necessary, accommodation and transfers between the airport and the hotel.  

If you have not been rerouted, you are entitled to compensation of between €125 and €600 depending on the distance of your flight.

Please note that if the airline refuses to board you on the grounds of health, safety or security or non-valid travel documents (presentation of a residency permit instead of an identity card), you are not entitled to assistance or compensation.

• Immediately inform the airport that your baggage is missing at the desk of your last carrier airline or at the airport’s “baggage” desk. The airline must provide you with a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) number which you should keep as you will be asked for it in order to process your claim.
• Keep all your travel documents: boarding passes, baggage check-in receipts, baggage label if you recover it.
• If you receive your baggage late, you have 21 days as from receiving it to send a written claim to the airline and to request a refund for necessity purchases upon presentation of invoices. Use the airline’s online form.
•  If you do not receive your baggage, you are entitled to claim a refund for your lost property and suitcase by presenting purchase invoices (up to around €1,500). If you do not have supporting documents, you may be offered compensation based on weight (approximately €20 per kilogramme).

Further information on baggage issues.

At the arrival airport, if you notice that your baggage has been damaged or destroyed during carriage, you can ask the carrier to refund the price of your damaged suitcase and property. To do so, write to the airline within seven days of receiving your suitcase and provide as much information as possible concerning the property damaged during carriage (photographs, purchase invoices, etc.).

The airline should compensate you up to approximately €1,500 per passenger (Montreal Convention).

Further information on baggage issues.

• First, contact the airline or booking platform with which you ordered your tickets in writing (email, online form, registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt).

Retain proof of your correspondence.

• If this effort proves unsuccessful, proceed as follows:

- If you live in France, you can receive assistance from a consumer’s association, whose contact information is available on the DGCCRF’s website. You can also report your problem with the company on the SignalConso website.

- If you live in another EU Member State, Iceland or Norway, the European Consumer Centre for your country can help you. Visit the ECC Network website for its contact information.

- If you live in a non-EU country, contact your country’s embassy or consulate in France or report the dispute on the econsumer.gov website using its online form or contact members of the consumersinternational.org organisation.

• There are no general regulations protecting passengers travelling from a non-EU country with a non-European airline.

  Theoretically, the legislation of the country from which the plane departs applies. Find out about this ahead of time!

• First, contact the airline in writing. Retain proof of your correspondence.
• If this effort proves unsuccessful, proceed as follows: contact your country’s embassy or consulate in France or members of the consumersinternational.org organisation.

If your flight to come to the 2024 Olympic or Paralympic Games was cancelled or delayed, or your baggage was not at the arrival airport, this article provides all the information you need concerning your rights.

Your flight left from an EU Member State, Iceland, Norway or Switzerland OR your flight left from a non-EU country but the airline was European.

Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 protects you in the event of cancellation, delayed flights or denied boarding. Find out about your rights and how to receive a refund for a cancelled or delayed flight from an airline.

A flight is considered as being late as from:

• two hours for flights of up to 1,500 km.
• three hours for flights of more than 1,500 km within the EU and for other flights between 1,500 km and 3,500 km.
• four hours for flights of more than 3,500 km.

Tip: The delay is calculated upon the plane’s arrival and not its departure. A plane’s arrival time is determined by the opening of at least one of its doors.

If your flight takes off several hours late, you are entitled to free beverages and meals, at your carrier’s expense, and two phone calls, two faxes or two emails in the departure airport.

If the delay is such that your flight cannot take off until the next day, you are also entitled to accommodation and transfers between the airport and the hotel.

If these expenses are not settled by the airline, ask for a refund by presenting supporting documents.

Compensation owed for delays depends on the distance of the flight and is:

• €250 for flights of up to 1,500 km.
• €400 for flights of between 1,500 km and 3,500 km.
• €600 beyond 3,500 km provided the flight is at least four hours late (€300 for a delay of between three and four hours).

Please note that this compensation will not be paid if:

• you were informed that your flight would be delayed at least two weeks prior to departure.
• the airline is able to prove that the cancellation was due to extraordinary circumstances (volcanic eruptions, floods, civil war, earthquakes, etc.).

A cancelled flight is one that was initially scheduled but did not leave. Theoretically, the cancellation of a flight involves a change of flight number, unlike a delay.

If your flight is cancelled, you are entitled to beverages and meals, and accommodation if your flight only takes off the next day, and two phone calls, two faxes or two emails. If these expenses are not settled by the airline, ask for a refund by presenting supporting documents.

You are also entitled to choose between a refund of your ticket or another flight to your final destination under comparable conditions of carriage.

Lastly, you are entitled to compensation of:

• €250 for flights of up to 1,500 km.
• €400 for flights of between 1,500 km and 3,500 km.
• €600 beyond 3,500 km provided the flight is at least four hours late (€300 for a delay of between three and four hours).

Please note that this compensation will not be paid if:

• you were informed that your flight would be delayed at least two weeks prior to departure.
• the airline is able to prove that the cancellation was due to extraordinary circumstances (volcanic eruptions, floods, civil war, earthquakes, etc.).
• the departure of the proposed replacement flight is brought forward by less than two hours or the arrival is delayed by less than four hours.

Overbooking is when passengers are unable to board the plane as the airline has sold more tickets than available seats.

In the event of overbooking, the airline must first find volunteers by asking the passengers whether they agree to postpone their journey.

If you volunteer, you are entitled to:

• a refund of your airline ticket and possibly payment of a return flight to your departure airport
• meals and beverages pending the replacement flight.
• payment of compensation negotiated with the airline.

If you did not volunteer and you were denied boarding, you are entitled to:

• choose between a replacement flight to your final destination and a refund of your ticket.
• meals, beverages, two phone calls, two faxes or two emails and, if necessary, accommodation and transfers between the airport and the hotel. 
• payment of compensation of €250 for flights of up to 1,500 km, €400 for flights of between 1,500 km and 3,500 km, and €600 beyond 3,500 km provided the flight is at least four hours late.

• First, contact the airline in writing. Retain proof of your correspondence.
• If this effort proves unsuccessful, proceed as follows:
  • If you live in France, you can receive assistance from a consumer’s association, whose contact information is available on the DGCCRF’s website. You can also report your problem with the company on the SignalConso website.
  • If you live in another EU Member State, Iceland or Norway, the European Consumer Centre for your country can help you. Visit the ECC Network website for its contact information.

• First, contact the airline in writing. Retain proof of your correspondence.
• If this effort proves unsuccessful, proceed as follows : contact the consumersinternational.org organisation or your country’s embassy or consulate in France.

If you choose a package tour (the travel agency offers all the services for a set price) for your trip to France, here are the things to check before finalising your arrangements :

• The France-based travel agency must appear on the register kept by Atout France.
• The travel agency must inform you of :

• the main features of the trip (dates, destination, itinerary, number of nights’ stay, transportation, accommodation, meals, excursions, access for people with mobility issues, group size, language used)
• the organiser’s business name and address
• the full price including taxes and all fees
• the terms of payment
• the minimum number of participants for the trip   
• the conditions in force for passports and visas
• the conditions for terminating the contract
• mandatory and optional insurance   

• The travel agency must provide you with a copy or conformation of the contract; print it out and keep it for your records.
• The contract must stipulate :

• the main features of the trip (dates, destination, itinerary, number of nights’ stay, transportation, accommodation, meals, excursions, access for people with mobility issues, group size, language used)
• the organiser’s business name and address
• the full price including taxes and all fees
• the terms of payment
• the minimum number of participants for the trip   
• the conditions in force for passports and visas
• the conditions for terminating the contract
• mandatory and optional insurance  
• the traveller’s special requirements  
• the travel agency’s responsibility for due and proper provision of all the services  
• the name and contact details of the entity tasked with protection against insolvency and of the travel agency’s local representative
• wording about reporting any non-compliance  
• information for contacting unaccompanied minors  
• internal complaint processing procedures
• information on the traveller’s right to transfer their contract to another traveller  

• The prices set out in the contract can only be increased if there are express provisions in this respect.  
• Prices may only be increased to take account of the following changes: cost of transportation related to the price of fuel, fees and taxes (embarkation and disembarkation, tourist taxes), exchange rate.
• The travel agency must inform you of and explain the reasons for the increase at least 20 days prior to the start of the trip.  

• Refer to your contract for information on the conditions for modifying or cancelling the trip.
• If you took out trip cancellation insurance when paying for your trip, refer to the policy to check whether the insurance covers your circumstances.
• If the travel agency modifies the trip (dates, change of itinerary, significant price increase), you can terminate your contract free of charge and be refunded the amounts paid or agree to the proposed modification.
• If the travel agency cancels the trip, it will have to refund you all the amounts paid. In some cases you may be able to ask for compensation which is at least equal to the penalty you would have been required to pay had you cancelled the trip yourself.

• You can transfer your contract to a person meeting the same conditions as you. You should inform the travel agency at least seven days prior to the start of the trip.  

• If the services provided do not correspond to those you were sold, you should gather proof (testimonials, photos, brochures, etc.) and inform the travel agency as soon as possible. It should attempt to find a solution. Otherwise, you can also ask for a price reduction and damages.  
• If the issue significantly disrupts your trip, you can terminate your contract free of charge and ask for a price reduction and damages.
• If you experience serious problems, the travel agency should help you as soon as possible.  

If you are, or consider that you are, faced with a consumer issue (lack of information on prices, unfair clause, false advertising) with regard to a travel agency, you can report it with just a few clicks on the SignalConso website.

In certain cases you will need to apply for a visa to travel to and stay in France. You will need to check the following points :

• Verify whether you need a visa for your trip to France by providing certain information on the France-Visas website (https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en/web/france-visas/ai-je-besoin-d-un-visa), which is the official website for visas for France.

• For online administrative procedures, the best starting point is the official www.service-public.fr website.
• To get information on the procedures and file a visa application, visit the France-Visas website (https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en/web/france-visas/ma-demande-en-ligne), which is the official website for visas for France.

• Do not be misled by use of the “Marianne” logo or blue/white/red colours as certain fake websites may resemble official ones.
• Check the website’s address (URL) : French government URLs end with “.gouv.fr” or “.fr” and never with “.gouv.org”, “.gouv.com” or “-gouv.fr”. But be careful, a website address ending with “.fr” does not necessarily guarantee that it is an official website.  
• Before carrying out an administrative procedure, check whether this can be done on the www.service-public.fr website.  

If you are, or consider that you are, faced with a consumer issue on a website, you can report it with just a few clicks on the SignalConso website.

If you have a plan with an operator based in a Member State of the European Economic Area (EEA), i.e. the 27 Member States of the European Union (EU) and Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, you will not have to pay any extra charges for using your mobile phone when you travel from your home country to France. Your calls, text messages (SMS) and mobile data (web browsing, music and video streaming, etc.) are charged at domestic rates, i.e. the same price as calls and texts within your home country. You can make calls and send text messages from France to France or to another EEA country at no extra cost.

In your contract, your operator must stipulate the amount of mobile data authorised in roaming mode. This amount is usually less than you are entitled to in your home country. Mobile data is billed at the same price as in your home country provided your use is reasonable. If you exceed the amount set by your operator, you will most likely have to pay additional charges as set out in your contract.

Calls or text messages received in France: you will not be billed any extra charges for receiving calls or texts while roaming even if the person calling you is using a different service provider.  

Roaming does not extend to countries that are not members of the EEA. Outside the EU, roaming costs (especially for data) may be high. Check with your operator before you leave in order to avoid incurring prohibitive charges.

Source: Roaming: Using a mobile phone in the EU

For more information: https://www.europe-consommateurs.eu/paiements-vie-quotidienne/communiquer-en-europe.html (in French)

If you want to take out a phone plan in France, first check with your operator whether calls and texts to foreign countries are already covered by your plan. If this is not the case, follow the advice provided by the Directorate General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) :

• Beware of offers that are too good to be true : operators may offer reductions but you should be provided with information on the conditions for being granted them. For instance, an age-related reduction should be clearly specified on the website.

• Check that the mandatory information is available, such as the corporate name, address of the registered office and email address, telephone numbers, total cost of the service and any additional charges, terms of payment, whether there is a right of withdrawal and how this can be exercised, validity period for the offer and the proposed prices, and subscription start date.  

• You must be provided with the main information on a written medium or on any other durable medium following signature of the contract : confirmation of information previously given, information on the terms and conditions for the right of withdrawal, and the address and telephone number of the provider’s premises for the consumer to submit any claims. The telephone number must be a non-premium-rate number.

• When you sign the contract, you must be informed of the conditions attached to your commitment : in the summary of the order, the consumer must be able to change their choices and rectify any errors.

• You can use price comparison tools to compare offers. Some are offered free of charge by consumer protection associations or commercial companies.

If you are, or consider that you are, faced with a consumer issue with regard to a trader, you can report it with just a few clicks on the SignalConso website.

In France, the following numbers have premium rates and are not covered by roaming. Forewarned is forearmed!

• 10-digit numbers starting with 08 
• 4-digit numbers starting with 3 or 10 
• 6-digit numbers starting with 118 

When you call one of these numbers, you are told in the first ten seconds that the call is subject to a charge before billing actually starts.

You should contact your domestic operator for information on the price of calls to these numbers.

Beware ! Some so-called “special” numbers are free (i.e. “toll-free” numbers starting with 0 800 to 0 805) for French consumers but there may be charges for foreign users. Check the terms and conditions of your plan before calling these numbers.

You have not received your e-ticket for a rugby match or the Olympic event you chose ? Your hotel does not match the advert on the booking site ? Your flight has been cancelled by the airline ? In this article you will find the steps to follow to settle your dispute and useful contact details.

If you live in France, you will find below the various amicable and legal procedures available to you to settle your dispute.

Contact the trader

First of all, contact the trader in writing, by email, via their online form or by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt, to explain the subject of your complaint. Don't forget to attach all the relevant documents (contracts, email exchanges, booking confirmation, etc.). Always keep a copy of your letter of complaint and the proof of sending it.

If this first step is unsuccessful, check in the terms and conditions of sale or on the trader's website for an internal appeal procedure such as a consumer service (service consommateurs), for example.

You can also report your problem on the SignalConso platform (in french). This platform offers you the possibility to contact the trader in order to find an amicable solution. In addition, your report may enable the tader to correct its practices and the services of the Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) to be aware of all the exchanges and to consider them for their investigations.

Call on an alternative dispute resolution body (médiateur)

If you receive no or a negative response from the trader, you can call on a consumer mediator.

The mediator is a third party whose task is to help the parties concerned to reach an amicable agreement. It is free of charge and subject to confidentiality rules.

All traders in France are obliged to have a mediator and to inform consumers on their website or contractual documents by giving the name and contact details of the mediator responsible for disputes concerning them.

More information on consumer mediation in France.

Failure to appoint a mediator constitutes an administrative failure that you can report on the SignalConso plattform. 

Get help from a court conciliator

If there is no appointed mediator, or if the mediator cannot help you resolve your dispute, you can call on a conciliateur de justice. After hearing both parties (you and the trader), the conciliator will propose a solution to settle your dispute. Conciliation is free.

To contact a conciliator directly, consult the site des conciliateurs de France or contact your town hall to find out which conciliator is responsible and when he or she is available.

More information on conciliation is available in French on

• the Ministry of Justice website
• the site of the conciliators of France

Take the case to court

If all your attempts at amicable settlement fail, you can take your case to the competent court, the tribunal judiciaire . 

Your application to the court should be as well-documented as possible, with a complete file containing all your exchanges with the trader (estimates, invoices, letters, contracts, etc.).

For more information on taking a case to court, visit the service-public.fr website.

Please note that there is a fee for having the decision served by a judicial commissioner (commissaire de justice) (formerly a "bailiff" huissier de justice). But you can ask, at the stage of your application, for these to be charged to the opposing party.

For these procedures, you can be accompanied and obtain information from

• a legal access centre (In French),
• the single phone number for access to law 3039,
• (if you are a member) a consumers’ association, whose contact information is available on the DGCCRF’s website.  
• your legal protection insurance, either under a specific contract or linked to your insurance policy. For more information visit the service-public.fr website,
• or a lawyer.

To try to settle the dispute amicably, contact the trader in writing to explain the subject of your complaint. Give details of your problem and attach a file with all the relevant documents (contracts, e-mail exchanges, etc.). Always keep a copy of your letter of complaint and the proof of sending it.

In case of difficulty and/or persistence of the dispute, the European Consumer Centre in your country of residence can help you:

• By informing you about your rights;
• By giving you legal advice and free assistance in the event of a dispute with a trader established in another Member state of the European Union (EU), Iceland or Norway;
• By facilitating mediation.

Visit the ECC Network website for its contact information

To try to settle the dispute amicably, contact the trader in writing to explain the subject of your complaint. Give details of your problem and attach a file with all the relevant documents (contracts, e-mail exchanges, etc.). Always keep a copy of your letter of complaint and the proof of sending it.

In case of difficulty and/or persistence of the dispute,

• contact the embassy or consulate of your country in France
• report your dispute on the website econsumer.gov, via the complaint form  
• contact the members of consumersinternational.org