If something goes wrong on the Riviera
The numbers to save, who to call and the next useful step, without turning a holiday into a risk manual.
General emergency number across the EU. Free, 24/7.
Police or gendarmerie when rapid intervention is needed.
SAMU for urgent medical assistance.
Fire brigade and rescue services on land.
Emergency text/app service, also for deaf or hard-of-hearing people.
CROSS sea rescue. At sea, VHF channel 16 remains the preferred contact.
Immediate danger first, paperwork second. Call 112/17/15/18 as appropriate. If it is not an emergency, use the nearest police station or gendarmerie for reporting and follow-up.
If a phone, wallet or documents are stolen
- Block bank cards and the SIM/eSIM quickly.
- Secure the phone account and change critical passwords from another device.
- Report theft to the police or gendarmerie; for a non-urgent case, use the nearest station rather than 17.
- Keep a copy of your passport/ID and hotel address somewhere other than the phone itself.
Victim support
116 006 is the national victim-support line in mainland France, free and available every day from 09:00 to 20:00. 3919 is a free, anonymous 24/7 listening and referral service for women facing violence and for witnesses; it is not an emergency line. In immediate danger, use 17, 18 or 112.
Digital backup
French cyber-security guidance recommends avoiding sensitive transactions on public or unknown Wi-Fi where possible. Save the hotel address, emergency bank contacts and one trusted contact offline or somewhere separate from the phone.