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A US plug does not fit a French socket. IEC World Plugs, checked October 23, 2026, lists France at 230 volts and 50 Hz, with Type C and Type E sockets. The same list puts the United States at 120 volts and 60 Hz, Types A and B. The adapter changes the pin shape. It does not change the voltage. Read the label on each device for that.
A line that includes 100–240 V and 50/60 Hz means the charger already accepts French power. Phone, tablet, and laptop chargers are often marked that way. Hair dryers and flat irons from home are often marked 120 V only. Leave those unplugged unless that exact tool says it is dual-voltage.
Type C, Type E, and the Schuko plug
Type C is the Europlug: two round pins, no earth. IEC describes it as fitting sockets that take 4.0–4.8 mm round contacts spaced 19 mm apart, and generally limits it to appliances that need 2.5 amps or less. Type C also fits Type E and Type F sockets, so one slim adapter charges a phone across most of continental Europe.
Type E is the French standard, also used in Belgium, Slovakia, Tunisia, and elsewhere. Two 4.8 mm round pins, 19 mm apart, plus a hole for the socket’s male earth pin. IEC rates it at 16 amps. The plug is rounded because the socket has a round recess. Because Belgium uses Type E, the adapter that grounds in Paris also grounds on a day in Bruges.
Type F, the Schuko plug, is what Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Spain, and others use: the same two pins, with earth clips on the sides. IEC describes the CEE 7/7 plug as the hybrid, with a contact for the French earth pin and clips for a Schuko socket. A Type E/F adapter is that shape, so it covers France and most of continental Europe. It is the one to use for a laptop brick with an earth pin, or a dual-voltage tool you have checked.
Adapter or voltage converter
An adapter changes the pin shape. A converter changes the voltage. If the input includes 230 V, the adapter is the whole job. If the label says 120 V only, a plug adapter leaves the device on the wrong voltage. A converter also has to be rated for the appliance’s watts. A hair dryer is a heater, so it is a poor match. Buy a tool that already says 100–240 V.
| Device | Usually dual-voltage? | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| Phone, tablet, camera, laptop charger | Often yes. Confirm 100–240 V on the brick. | A plug adapter only. |
| USB-C charger bought for the trip | Yes, if it is marked 100–240 V. | That charger, plus an adapter if the pins are American. |
| Power bank | It charges over USB, so the bank is not the voltage problem. | A USB charger and an adapter to refill it. See the airline rule below. |
| US hair dryer, curling iron, flat iron | Often no. Read the handle. | Leave it home, or buy a dual-voltage tool. |
Which France plug adapter to buy
Four shapes cover the trip. Match the pins on the listing to the label on your charger.
| Kind | Pack it when | The trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Slim Type C, two pins | Phones and other low-draw chargers. A multi-pack covers the hotel and the day bag. | No earth, and IEC treats Type C as low-current. See Type C adapters on Amazon |
| Grounded Type E/F | A laptop brick with an earth pin, or a dual-voltage tool. | It must sit in the recess and accept the earth pin. See grounded Type E/F adapters on Amazon |
| Adapter with USB-C and USB-A | You want to skip a separate phone brick. | Ports are only as strong as the watts printed on them. See USB-C France adapters on Amazon |
| Universal, with UK Type G | France and the United Kingdom on one ticket. | Heavier, with parts that can snap. See universal travel adapters on Amazon |
A USB-C GaN charger marked 100–240 V replaces a stack of bricks. Choose a 65 W class brick if the laptop charges over USB-C, and confirm that before you leave the original at home. See 65W travel GaN chargers on Amazon
If the dryer is 120 V only, buy a dual-voltage travel dryer instead of a converter. See dual-voltage travel hair dryers on Amazon Do the same for a flat iron, and read the voltage on the page before you trust it. See dual-voltage travel flat irons on Amazon A plug-sized box labeled as a converter is often only an adapter.
Pack a spare USB-C cable. The adapter is useless if the cable is still in the seat pocket. See USB-C cables on Amazon
A power bank goes in the carry-on. The FAA’s passenger battery page, checked October 23, 2026, says spare lithium batteries, including power banks, must be carried on and cannot be checked. 0–100 watt-hours is allowed. 101–160 watt-hours needs the airline’s approval. Over 160 watt-hours is forbidden on a passenger aircraft, and an airline can set a tighter cap. The watt-hour figure is printed on the bank. If you only see milliamp-hours, the FAA’s method is milliamp-hours divided by 1,000, times the voltage. See power banks on Amazon
Recessed sockets in hotel rooms
IEC says the Type E socket has a round recess, and the plug is rounded so it sits in that well. The earth pin rises from the middle. An adapter has to enter the recess far enough for the pins to meet the contacts, and it needs a hole for that earth pin if you want the ground.
A square block, or USB ports standing proud of the face, often cannot enter the well. It looks seated, and the phone does not charge. Ask the front desk rather than balancing it on the rim. The bedside lamp may be the only free outlet, and it may be switched from the headboard, so test it before you unplug it for the night.
Day trips, trains, and a charged phone
Days away from the hotel are what empty a phone. Coach tours often run the commentary in an app, and a Versailles day is a long gap between outlets. Our day trips from Paris guide compares them. Keep the adapter in the day bag, with earphones if the tour is the app.
On the train, read the operator and still pack the bank. SNCF Connect, checked October 23, 2026, says most TGV INOUI trains include power sockets, and that a second-class ticket includes a seat with one. OUIGO is different. SNCF’s seating help says solo seats in the lower room have no socket, and a seat with one is a choice rather than part of every ticket. A regional train or a tour coach may have nothing.
In December the phone is the ticket, the map, and the camera. See Paris in December and the Christmas markets for the season, and keep the power bank in a coat pocket. Cold shortens a lithium battery’s useful life. Eiffel Tower tickets are on the phone more often than on paper.
If London is next
The United Kingdom uses Type G at 230 volts and 50 Hz: the same voltage as France, and a different plug. IEC lists Type G for the UK, Ireland, Cyprus, and Malta, with three rectangular blades and shutters on the socket. The adapter that worked in Paris will not fit. If London is next, pack the universal adapter.
What else to pack
The rest of the kit is a spare USB-C cable, the power bank in the carry-on, and a dual-voltage plan for hair tools. For the trip itself, start with whether Paris is worth visiting. Buy the adapter before you fly, while you can still read the label.
Questions about France plug adapters
Do I need a plug adapter for France?
Yes, from the United States. IEC World Plugs lists France at 230 volts and 50 Hz with Type C and Type E sockets, and the United States at 120 volts and 60 Hz with Type A and Type B. A US plug does not fit. A charger labeled 100–240 V needs the adapter only.
What plug type does France use?
Type C and Type E. Type C is the two-pin Europlug, which IEC generally limits to appliances that need 2.5 amps or less. Type E adds a hole for the socket’s male earth pin and is rated 16 amps. Belgium uses Type E too, so one grounded adapter covers Paris and Bruges.
Can I use my US hair dryer in Paris?
Only if that dryer is dual-voltage. If the handle says 120 V only, a plug adapter does not change the voltage, and the dryer stays home. Buy a dual-voltage travel dryer, or use the one at the hotel.
Do I need a voltage converter?
Usually no. Chargers marked 100–240 V need a plug adapter only. A converter is a different device, and it has to be rated for the appliance’s wattage. For a hair tool, a dual-voltage model is the simpler buy.
Will a European adapter work in France?
A Type C adapter runs a low-power charger, because Type C fits Type E sockets. A grounded Type E/F adapter, the CEE 7/7 shape, also fits and meets the earth pin. A UK Type G adapter will not fit.
Do Paris hotels have USB ports?
Some do. Many older rooms do not. Pack the adapter either way. A bedside USB port, when the room has one, charges a phone and will not run a hair dryer.
Can I put a power bank in checked luggage?
No. The FAA requires spare lithium batteries, including power banks, in carry-on baggage. Up to 100 watt-hours is allowed, 101 to 160 watt-hours needs airline approval, and over 160 watt-hours is forbidden. Your airline can set a stricter limit.