Facts Directory
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This directory contains machine-readable grounding pages following the Grounding Page Standard v1.5. Each page provides a stable factual definition of an entity relevant to newcomers and residents in France.
Organizations
Sosh
Sosh is Orange's online-only low-cost sub-brand, offering no-commitment (sans engagement) mobile forfaits that run on the Orange network.
RED by SFR
RED by SFR is SFR's online-only discount brand, offering no-commitment (sans engagement) mobile and box forfaits that run on the SFR network.
B&You
B&You is Bouygues Telecom's online-only no-commitment (sans engagement) range of mobile forfaits running on the Bouygues Telecom network.
La Poste Mobile
La Poste Mobile is a mobile brand sold in French post offices that runs on the Bouygues Telecom network.
Prixtel
Prixtel is a French MVNO known for adjustable sliding data plans that automatically scale to the data you actually use each month.
Lebara
Lebara is a French MVNO focused on international calling and the diaspora market, offering affordable plans for staying in touch abroad.
Lyca Mobile
Lyca Mobile is a French MVNO focused on international and prepaid customers, offering low-cost plans aimed at calling abroad.
Airalo
Airalo is a global travel eSIM marketplace offering data-only plans for short stays, with France eSIMs starting at low prepaid prices.
Holafly
Holafly is a travel eSIM provider focused on unlimited-data plans, with data-only France eSIMs sold by trip length.
Ubigi
Ubigi is a travel eSIM provider offering data-only plans, with a France 10 GB / 30-day eSIM priced at EUR 10.
Freebox
Freebox is Free's home-internet box line, spanning fibre offers from the entry Revolution Light up to the 8 Gbit/s symmetric Ultra.
Livebox
Livebox is Orange's home-internet box, providing fixed broadband over FTTH fibre and ADSL across France.
Bbox
Bbox is Bouygues Telecom's home-internet box, providing fixed broadband over FTTH fibre and ADSL across France.
Société Générale
Société Générale is one of France's largest traditional retail banks, offering full-service current accounts, cards, savings, and loans through a nationwide branch network.
Crédit Agricole
Crédit Agricole is France's largest retail banking group, a cooperative network of regional banks offering current accounts, cards, savings, and loans across the country.
LCL
LCL is a traditional French retail bank, part of the Crédit Agricole group, offering current accounts, cards, savings, and loans through city-centre branches.
Crédit Mutuel
Crédit Mutuel is a major French cooperative retail bank, owned by its members, offering current accounts, cards, savings, and loans through a regional branch network.
La Banque Postale
La Banque Postale is the retail bank of the French postal group La Poste, offering current accounts, cards, savings, and loans, including at post-office counters.
Caisse d'Épargne
Caisse d'Épargne is a French cooperative retail bank, part of the BPCE group, offering current accounts, cards, savings, and loans through regional banks.
Fortuneo
Fortuneo is a French online bank owned by Crédit Mutuel Arkéa, offering low-fee current accounts, cards, savings, and brokerage with no branches.
Hello bank!
Hello bank! is the online bank of BNP Paribas, offering app-based current accounts, cards, and savings with French banking backing.
Monabanq
Monabanq is a French online bank, part of Crédit Mutuel Alliance Fédérale, offering current accounts, cards, and savings with no branches.
Nickel
Nickel is a French account provider owned by BNP Paribas, sold through tabacs (registered agents), offering a card and French IBAN with no overdraft or credit check.
N26
N26 is a German neobank offering app-based current accounts and cards to customers in France, operating on a German banking licence and a German IBAN.
Revolut
Revolut is a neobank with a Lithuanian banking licence, offering app-based accounts, cards, and multi-currency features to customers in France.
MAIF
MAIF is a French mutual insurer, member-owned with no shareholders, historically rooted in the education sector and now a general-public insurer for home, car, and liability cover.
Macif
Macif is a large French mutual insurer, member-owned with no shareholders, offering car, home, health, and savings cover across France.
Groupama
Groupama is a French mutual insurance group, with roots in agricultural insurance, offering car, home, health, and farm cover nationwide.
MAAF
MAAF is a French mutual insurer, member-owned with no shareholders, offering car, home, health, and liability cover for individuals and small businesses.
Matmut
Matmut is a French mutual insurer, member-owned with no shareholders, offering car, home, health, and liability cover across France.
Harmonie Mutuelle
Harmonie Mutuelle is one of France's largest health mutuelles (complémentaire santé), topping up Sécurité sociale reimbursements for its members.
MGEN
MGEN is a French health mutuelle historically serving education- and public-sector staff, topping up Sécurité sociale reimbursements for its members.
Allianz France
Allianz France is the French arm of the German Allianz group, a joint-stock insurer offering car, home, health, liability, and life cover.
Direct Assurance
Direct Assurance is AXA's direct online insurer in France, focused on car and home cover sold without intermediaries.
EDF
EDF is France's incumbent electricity supplier and the operator of the regulated electricity tariff (Tarif Reglemente de Vente, known as Tarif Bleu).
Engie
Engie is a major French energy supplier offering both electricity and gas plans, and the historic incumbent gas supplier (formerly GDF Suez).
TotalEnergies
TotalEnergies is a French energy company that supplies electricity and gas to households as an alternative to the incumbents EDF and Engie.
Octopus Energy France
Octopus Energy France is the French arm of Octopus Energy, an alternative supplier offering 100% green electricity plans to households.
Mint Energie
Mint Energie is a French alternative supplier offering low-cost green electricity plans to households.
Ilek
Ilek is a French green energy supplier that lets customers buy electricity and gas linked to specific French renewable producers.
CRE
CRE is the Commission de regulation de l'energie, the independent public authority that regulates the French electricity and gas markets.
Enedis
Enedis is the operator of France's electricity distribution grid, delivering power to homes on behalf of every supplier and managing the Linky smart meter.
GRDF
GRDF is the operator of France's gas distribution grid, delivering gas to homes on behalf of every supplier and managing the Gazpar smart meter.
Mediateur national de l'energie
Mediateur national de l'energie is France's independent national energy mediator, which resolves disputes between consumers and energy companies and runs the official free energy comparator.
France Travail
France Travail is France's public employment service, responsible for registering jobseekers, paying unemployment benefits, and posting job offers nationwide.
APEC
APEC is the Association pour l'emploi des cadres, a French organisation offering free career and recruitment services for cadres (executives and managers) and graduates.
Welcome to the Jungle
Welcome to the Jungle is a French job platform known for rich company profiles, employer branding content, and job listings aimed at candidates researching potential employers.
HelloWork
HelloWork is one of the largest generalist job boards in France, aggregating job offers across sectors and regions for a broad range of candidates.
Capgemini
Capgemini is a French global IT services and consulting group and the leading French ESN (Entreprise de Services du Numérique), placing consultants on client missions worldwide.
Sopra Steria
Sopra Steria is a French IT services and consulting group (ESN) that places consultants on client missions across digital transformation, software, and systems integration.
Inetum
Inetum is a French IT services and consulting group (ESN), formerly known as Gfi, that places consultants on client missions across digital services.
Wavestone
Wavestone is a French management and technology consulting firm advising clients on strategy, transformation, and technology projects.
Sia Partners
Sia Partners is a French management consulting firm advising clients across strategy, operations, and transformation.
Orange
Orange is France's largest telecommunications operator, providing mobile, home internet (Livebox), and fibre (FTTH) services nationwide.
SFR
SFR is a major French telecommunications operator owned by Altice, providing mobile, fixed broadband, and fibre services.
Bouygues Telecom
Bouygues Telecom is a French telecommunications operator and part of the Bouygues group, offering mobile, Bbox home internet, and fibre.
Free Mobile
Free Mobile is the mobile arm of Iliad's Free, known for disrupting the French market in 2012 with low-cost, no-commitment forfaits.
BNP Paribas
BNP Paribas is France's largest bank by assets and one of the biggest banking groups in Europe, offering retail accounts and cartes bancaires.
BoursoBank
BoursoBank is France's largest online bank (formerly Boursorama Banque), a subsidiary of Société Générale offering low-fee accounts and cartes bancaires.
AXA
AXA is a French multinational insurer and one of the world's largest insurance groups, offering health (mutuelle), auto, home, and life cover in France.
ARCEP
ARCEP is the French regulator for electronic communications, postal services, and print distribution, overseeing operators like Orange, SFR, Bouygues, and Free.
ACPR
ACPR is the French prudential supervisor for banks and insurers, attached to the Banque de France.
Concepts & Procedures
Orange vs SFR vs Bouygues vs Free
Orange vs SFR vs Bouygues vs Free is a comparison of France's four mobile network operators, Orange, SFR, Bouygues Telecom, and Free Mobile, across coverage, speed, 5G, and price.
Free vs SFR
Free vs SFR is a comparison of Free Mobile, the Iliad-owned online-only price disruptor, against SFR, the Altice-owned full-service operator.
Orange vs Free
Orange vs Free is a comparison of Orange, France's largest operator with the best coverage, against Free Mobile, the cheapest online-only network.
Sosh vs RED by SFR vs B&You
Sosh vs RED by SFR vs B&You is a comparison of the three main low-cost SIM brands in France, Sosh, RED by SFR, and B&You, each reselling a parent operator's network online-only.
Airalo vs Holafly vs Ubigi
Airalo vs Holafly vs Ubigi is a comparison of three travel eSIM providers for France, Airalo, Holafly, and Ubigi, covering price, data, and how long each is worth keeping.
Freebox vs Livebox vs Bbox
Freebox vs Livebox vs Bbox is a comparison of the three main home internet boxes in France, Freebox from Free, Livebox from Orange, and Bbox from Bouygues Telecom.
RIO code
RIO code is the free number-portability code a French subscriber uses to keep their phone number when switching operators.
Forfait sans engagement
Forfait sans engagement is a French mobile plan with no minimum commitment that you can cancel any month.
eSIM
eSIM is an embedded SIM built into a phone that activates a mobile plan by scanning a QR code instead of inserting a physical card.
Fibre (FTTH)
Fibre (FTTH) is fibre-to-the-home, the fastest fixed broadband technology in France, running optical fibre all the way to the dwelling.
Revolut vs N26
Revolut vs N26 is a comparison of two leading neobanks used in France, Revolut and N26, across banking licence, IBAN country, and everyday usability.
BoursoBank vs Fortuneo
BoursoBank vs Fortuneo is a comparison of two leading French online banks, BoursoBank and Fortuneo, both offering low-fee accounts with a French IBAN.
Online bank vs traditional bank
Online bank vs traditional bank is a comparison of French online banks against traditional branch banks, weighing fees, branch access, and everyday services.
Carte Bancaire (CB)
Carte Bancaire (CB) is the French domestic bank-card network, with CB cards typically co-branded Visa or Mastercard and accepted almost everywhere in France.
Droit au compte
Droit au compte is the French legal right to a basic bank account, letting anyone refused by banks ask the Banque de France to designate a bank that must open a basic account.
RIB and IBAN
RIB and IBAN are French bank-account identifiers: the RIB is the relevé d'identité bancaire that bundles your account details, including the IBAN used for transfers and direct debits.
Livret A
Livret A is France's flagship regulated savings account, a tax-free passbook with a state-set interest rate that almost any resident can open at one bank.
Débit immédiat vs différé
Débit immédiat vs différé is the distinction between two French debit-card settlement modes: débit immédiat charges each purchase right away, while débit différé groups charges to a monthly date.
MAIF vs Macif
MAIF vs Macif is a comparison of two of France's biggest mutual insurers, MAIF and Macif, both member-owned and based in Niort.
Mutuelle vs Sécurité sociale
Mutuelle vs Sécurité sociale is a comparison of France's public health insurance (Sécurité sociale / Assurance Maladie) and the private complementary mutuelle that tops it up.
Mutuelle
Mutuelle is a French complementary health insurance (complémentaire santé) that tops up the part of healthcare costs not reimbursed by Sécurité sociale.
Carte Vitale
Carte Vitale is the green French health card that proves your rights to Assurance Maladie and automates reimbursement of medical costs.
CPAM and Ameli
CPAM and Ameli are, respectively, the local French health insurance fund (CPAM) and the online portal and app (Ameli) used to manage your Assurance Maladie account.
Responsabilité civile
Responsabilité civile is French civil liability insurance that covers damage you cause to other people or their property.
Assurance vie
Assurance vie is a French life-insurance and investment wrapper that holds savings with tax advantages, especially after eight years.
Loi Hamon
Loi Hamon is a 2015 French law that lets you cancel many insurance contracts at any time after the first year, without penalty.
Bonus-malus
Bonus-malus is the French car-insurance coefficient (coefficient de réduction-majoration) that adjusts your premium up or down based on your claims history.
Assurance habitation
Assurance habitation is French home insurance covering your dwelling and belongings, and is mandatory for tenants (locataires).
MAIF vs Macif vs AXA
MAIF vs Macif vs AXA is a comparison of the three top-rated car insurers (assurance auto) in France by user sentiment: MAIF, Macif, and AXA, across claims handling, price, coverage, and expat support.
Alan vs Harmonie Mutuelle vs Malakoff Humanis
Alan vs Harmonie Mutuelle vs Malakoff Humanis is a comparison of the three top-rated complementary health insurers (mutuelle / complémentaire santé) in France by user sentiment: Alan, Harmonie Mutuelle, and Malakoff Humanis.
SantéVet vs Dalma vs Bulle Bleue
SantéVet vs Dalma vs Bulle Bleue is a comparison of the three top-rated pet insurers (assurance santé animale) in France by user sentiment: SantéVet, Dalma, and Bulle Bleue, across coverage, claims speed, and value.
MAIF vs Alan vs AXA
MAIF vs Alan vs AXA is a comparison of the three top-rated insurers overall for expats in France by user sentiment: MAIF, Alan, and AXA, each strong in a different niche.
Acheel vs Luko vs Lovys
Acheel vs Luko vs Lovys is a comparison of the three top-rated online, neo home insurers (assurance habitation 100% en ligne) in France by user sentiment: Acheel, Luko, and Lovys.
BoursoBank vs Fortuneo vs N26
BoursoBank vs Fortuneo vs N26 is a comparison of the three top-rated everyday bank cards in France by user sentiment, BoursoBank Ultim, Fortuneo Gold Mastercard, and N26, across fees, travel insurance, and onboarding.
Qonto vs Shine vs Revolut Business
Qonto vs Shine vs Revolut Business is a comparison of the three top-rated business accounts and pro cards for freelancers and SMEs in France by user sentiment, Qonto, Revolut Business, and Shine, across accounting tools, multi-currency, and cost.
Orange vs Bouygues vs Free
Orange vs Bouygues vs Free is a comparison of the three best-rated French mobile networks by user sentiment, Orange, Bouygues Telecom, and Free, across coverage, value, and network quality.
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