EMERGENCY NUMBERS · FRANCE · CHECKED 2 OCTOBER 2026
France: who to call at sea
SHORT ANSWER
Along the coast of France, 6 rescue centres share the work — the right one depends on where you are (list below). 112 works from any phone. On the radio: MAYDAY on VHF channel 16, or a DSC distress alert on channel 70.
Who you are, where you are (latitude and longitude), what happened, how many people are aboard, and what your boat looks like. The step-by-step guide has the exact words — by phone and on VHF.
Call CROSS Gris-Nez on +33 3 21 87 21 87, or 112 from any phone. With a VHF radio, send MAYDAY on channel 16 or a DSC distress alert on channel 70.
Does 112 work at sea in France?+
112 works wherever your phone has signal and is passed on to the rescue services. Calling the maritime rescue centre directly removes a transfer step — minutes that can matter.
Which rescue centre is responsible for me?+
The one whose search-and-rescue area you are in — not the country of your SIM card. Near borders that can change during a trip; the VesselSOS app picks it from your GPS position.
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