Country Brief

France

Buying criminalised (fines from EUR 1,500); selling legal. Workers have lost income and safety post-2016. Police enforcement varies by region.

Legal model

Nordic model (since 2016)

Risk level

High

Currency

Euro (EUR)

Languages

French; English in tourist areas

Emergency

112 universal; 17 police, 15 medical

AOC / SW min

15 / 18

1-Hour Session Pricing (Indicative)

Budget

EUR 80

Typical

EUR 150–300

Premium

EUR 500+

Key Areas

Paris — Bois de Boulogne (street, declined); independent apartments scattered
Marseille — Quartier de l'Opéra (declined); independent
Lyon — small online market
Riviera (Cannes, Nice) — high-end independent scene

Top Safety Notes

Buyers face fines starting EUR 1,500 first offence, EUR 3,750 repeat.
Belgium and Spain are short train rides for legal alternatives.
Sex work council (STRASS) advocates for workers; trustworthy resource.
Free ART and PrEP via national insurance.

Essential Phrases

Hello	Bonjour	bon-ZHOOR
Thank you	Merci	mer-SEE
How much?	Combien?	kom-BYAN
Too expensive	Trop cher	troh shair

Last verified April 2026. Print to PDF for offline reference. Full country guide: /regions/france.