sim cards in Spain for France

[Kiwi-family]

can you buy a sim card for France in Pamplona or Madrid?
Can you buy one in SJPdP on a Sunday or very early on Monday morning?
I'm guessing the answer is a resounding NO on both counts.

By the time I have walked from Pamplona back to SJPdP, done the Voie de la Nive and the Baztan I'll have spent a week or so in France and so I'm thinking my family might like to have some contact in that time.
If you tell me wifi is good, I'll not worry about the sim card.

Thanks

 

[Larry from Sydney]

Wifi is available so just use that and a program like Skype or viber


Sent from my iPhone using Camino de Santiago Forum mobile app

 

[NicoZ]

A Spanish or French SIM will work fine on either side of the border. Voice roaming isn't that expensive. So unless you're looking for data there isn't much of a point.

 

[scruffy1]

There are many places along the Le Puy Camino and in the Pyrenees where there is little or absolutely no reception due to topography-a common sight are the locals out banging on their own phones attempting to establish or enhance reception. Phones as well as GPS don't like too many mountains or deep valleys or walled cities which block the signal and leave you speechless. WIFI is a good alternative but again in rural areas almost non-existent. True, I am an infamous anti-cellular individual who sees the instrument as an obstruction to communication between pilgrims but trust me on this one, if it doesn't work move on or up or down or out until something happens, its not the fault of the phone company or the card-its those beautiful mountains surrounding you.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

WiFi is more sporadic in France than Spain. It may be the pilgrim influence that is causing a rapid expansion in Spain. A Spanish SIM data chip won't work in France even in the border areas. While there are valleys without cell service, coverage is generally pretty good in France. Orange seems to be the best, but SFR is close. For the small cost of a SIM chip and some data service, it probably is a good value even for only one week in France.

No, cell stores won't be open on Sunday, and watch for early closing on Saturday, and possible closings on Monday. Stores in Spain do not sell chips for France. In small French villages it is hard to top off a SIM card you may already have purchased. Tobacco stores used to be a good supplier of recharges, but they are disappearing along with the bakeries. The auto and the big cities are killing the small villages.

 

[NicoZ]

Hey...
I'm wondering if it depends on the type of sim you get?. My Spanish sim stopped working when I went into Portugal. It was an Orange one. I cant remember if Orange was Portugal so that may be why.

Shouldn't really matter. They all have agreements around the world.

http://movil.orange.es/tarifas/desde-el-extranjero/consejos-para-viajeros/

That seems to imply you need to activate roaming with Orange Spain. But they even have help centres in Portugal.

 

[NicoZ]

Shouldn't really matter. They all have agreements around the world.

http://movil.orange.es/tarifas/desde-el-extranjero/consejos-para-viajeros/

That seems to imply you need to activate roaming with Orange Spain. But they even have help centres in Portugal.

http://en.orange.es/help-and-support/mobile/

Even in English.

 

[Felipe]

You should be aware that in France and Spain most shops don't open on Sundays in little villages (except bars, restaurants). Actually, even tourist bureau offices are closed...Currently there is a tough political discussion in France about that. Anyway, they never open too early; these are quite sleepy villages, apart from peak summer season.
I resort to public computers in albergues, or cybercafes, to send some sporadic news to family. It is easy, but I guess I am kind of old-fashioned.
I am intrigued about your plans. Are you considering a kind of circular trip, Bayonne-Voie de Baztan-Pamplona-Roncesvalles-SJPP-Voie de la Nive-Bayonne? Sounds interesting to me.
Buen camino!

 

[Ullamae]

A Spanish SIM data chip won't work in France even in the border areas.

I'm net very good at these things, but have tried to figure out how it works.
My Swedish sim card works in Great Britain, France and Spain (I've been assured!), all countries in the EU have an agreement. What might NOT work is the phone. It seems the problem has to do with the frequencies the phone uses, and the frequencies that different providers use. If there is only one provider that services an area and their frequency doesn't agree with your phone, you won't be able to use it.

Also, there may be problems with Skype. I know that my Swedish operator (Telia) has blocked Skype. I don't know if that is the case with any French/Spanish providers, though.

EDIT: It seems Telia has unblocked Skype, so it works fine now

 

[John Frazzini]

Every place you stay will have WiFi.

 

[Kiwi-family]

Felipe,
I am doing a circular route with two of my boys. We start in Pamplona, head to St Jean, then Bayonne, and back to Pamplona. Hubby will meet us there with two of our girls and we'll walk together (probably as far as Burgos) Hubby flies home and the rest of us continue to Leon and then do the Salvador and Primitivo. Our aim is to cover 1,000km - if you'd like to know WHY, you'll find the answer on the first page of our blog (see my sig line for address) Anyway, thanks for asking!