TLDR: You might get by without setting up internet and just using your phone as a hotspot. However, if you do need internet in your apartment there are a couple of great options that we list below. Total set up time takes about 1 month from start to finish, so plan accordingly!
The very first question that you need to ask yourself when setting up the internet is “Do I really need this?”. Moving from the United States, we thought that it was an obvious need, as we’ve always lived in an apartment that has internet. Believe it or not, it’s not nearly as common in France. A lot of people get by using their cell phone service as a hotspot for their computer, because most plans offer a generous roaming package. Our plan with Free Mobile offers 250 GB/month, which we never even get close to using. So, if you use less than 250 GB/month of internet, you should be okay not setting up the internet! At the very least, it’s worth measuring your usage for a couple of months to see how much you use in a month.
We went ahead and decided to install internet in our apartment for a couple of reasons. Both of us work from home at least 3 days a week, and we wanted to have the internet set up for friends that visit without an international cell phone plan. There are several options for internet within Paris, so it’s worth exploring a couple to see what works best for you. The two most popular providers are Free and Orange. Both offer relatively cheap plans:
We decided to go with Free, because we had already set up our phone service with Free. Both Free and Orange offer plans for phone+internet, so who you decide to go with for one will help make the decision for the other much easier. Once you’ve made your decision, the next step is to just go speak to someone in person. We found that is much easier than trying to set this up online. There are many stores for both providers all over Paris. The in-person representative will help to ensure that all of your services are tied together and that you get the best possible deal. Plus, most of the time their English is pretty good. Just stop by a store and ask for help!
The provider will likely notify you that the modem/router will be sent to your apartment (you can’t pick it up in the store). It will take a week or two to receive this, so be prepared to not have internet for a little while. Once you receive the box with your new internet devices, you can either set them up on your own, or request help from the provider. If you request help, like us, it will take an additional two weeks to schedule an appointment and for a technician to come to your apartment. All-in-all it takes about a month from start to finish, so plan accordingly!