Travel comparison
France vs Spain
A side-by-side look at the practical travel essentials for France and Spain — power, safety, money and getting around — so you can plan or choose between them quickly.
Quick answer
Traveling between France and Spain, you likely won't need a plug adapter, and a voltage converter is generally not needed for dual-voltage chargers.
| Detail | France | Spain |
|---|---|---|
| Power plug | Type C/E | Type C/F |
| Voltage | 230V | 230V |
| Frequency | 50Hz | 50Hz |
| Emergency (general) | 112 | 112 |
| Police | 17 | 112 / 091 |
| Ambulance | 15 (SAMU) | 112 / 061 |
| Tap water | Generally safe | Generally safe |
| Driving side | Right | Right |
| Currency | Euro (EUR, €) | Euro (EUR, €) |
| Dialing code | +33 | +34 |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) / UTC+2 (CEST) | UTC+1 (CET) / UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Best season | Late spring and early autumn bring warm days, long light and thinner crowds. July and August are peak tourist months, while many smaller businesses outside resort areas may take summer holidays. | April to June and September to October work well for Madrid, Barcelona and Andalusia. Summer is excellent for beach regions but can be very hot inland, especially in July and August. |
Full brief
France travel essentials
Plugs, emergency numbers, tap water, tipping and more for France.
Full brief
Spain travel essentials
Plugs, emergency numbers, tap water, tipping and more for Spain.