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Food Poisoning in France What to do next.
Sickness, diarrhoea and cramps after something you ate in France? Most cases settle within a week, and for an ordinary stomach upset the French pharmacy is the right first stop: pharmacists advise on minor illness, and the pharmacie de garde covers nights, Sundays and public holidays (call 3237 or use 3237.fr to find one that is open). If you cannot keep fluids down, or you want a doctor to judge how unwell you are, Pomodoc connects you by video with an English-speaking doctor licensed to treat you in France, for a fixed €40.
In France the pharmacy is a genuine first stop for this, and there is a duty rota so one is open at night. This page covers when that is enough and when it is not.
- €40
- per consultation
- No carte vitale
- or French insurance needed
English-speaking doctors, licensed to treat you in France.
Medical Advice for a Stomach Upset in France
NHS guidance describes food poisoning as feeling sick or being sick, diarrhoea, tummy pain, a high temperature and feeling generally unwell, usually starting within a few hours or days of eating something and usually settling within a week.
With Pomodoc, you can speak directly with an English-speaking doctor by video wherever you are in France. Talk through what is happening, how much you are keeping down, and whether this needs in-person care.
- Consult securely by video
- Avoid unnecessary travel and waiting rooms
- Get clear guidance about your symptoms and treatment
- Access care while travelling or living in France
A French Pharmacy, or a Doctor?
For an ordinary stomach upset in France the pharmacy is usually the right first stop, and there is one open however late it is. Here is where that stops being enough.
A pharmacie can usually help when
- the symptoms are the ordinary ones and you are keeping some fluids down
- what you need is rehydration salts and something for the discomfort
- you want advice from someone qualified without an appointment
- it is the middle of the night and the duty rota tells you which one is open
French pharmacists advise on minor illness as part of the job, and the pharmacie de garde covers nights, Sundays and public holidays. Call 3237 or use 3237.fr to find the nearest one that is open.
Speak to a doctor instead when
- you cannot keep any fluids down, or you are showing signs of dehydration
- diarrhoea has lasted more than seven days, or vomiting more than two days
- there is blood in your stool, or a high fever with it
- you are unsure whether this is food poisoning at all
Pomodoc connects you with an English-speaking doctor by video, licensed to treat you in France, for €40 per consultation. Fixed price, no surprises.
In France a pharmacy often can sort this out — and a doctor can tell you, in English, whether that is the case here or whether you need more.
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How It Works
Medical advice by video in three simple steps
Start online
Tell us where you are in France and what is going on. It is a short form, not an appointment request.
Join by video
See your English-speaking doctor using your phone, tablet or computer.
Get clear guidance
Discuss your symptoms and receive advice about your next steps.
Why Use Pomodoc?
Explain it in English
Describe your symptoms and ask questions in English, instead of translating them first at a pharmacy counter.
You do not have to leave the bathroom
This is the illness where getting anywhere is the hardest part. A consultation happens where you already are.
Know whether the pharmacy is enough
A doctor can tell you whether what you are describing is something a pharmacist can handle, and what to ask for.
Understand what to do next
A doctor can help you decide whether you need treatment, rehydration support or an in-person appointment.
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More About Stomach Upsets in France
What to ask a French pharmacy for
Rehydration salts are the main thing, and French pharmacies stock them as a matter of course. Mixed with water they replace the salts and fluid a heavy episode takes out of you, which is the part that actually makes you feel human again.
Paracetamol is the usual choice for discomfort. NHS advice on fluids applies otherwise: small sips if you feel sick, and avoid fruit juice and fizzy drinks because they can make diarrhoea worse.
Finding a pharmacy open at night or on a Sunday
France runs a duty-pharmacy rota, the pharmacie de garde, covering nights, Sundays and public holidays. You can find the nearest one by calling 3237 or through the RésoGardes service at 3237.fr.
In some towns you are asked to contact the local commissariat or gendarmerie first at night, who will give you the address. The Nouvelle-Aquitaine regional health agency, for example, says so for Angoulême, La Rochelle and Niort. Where that applies it is normal and it is not a sign you have gone to the wrong place.
What a doctor can settle that a pharmacist cannot
A pharmacist can advise on symptom relief and tell you when to seek more help. What they will not do is take a history, judge how dehydrated you are, or decide whether what you have is food poisoning rather than something else that presents the same way.
That is the line this page is drawn along. For a straightforward upset the pharmacy is often enough. For the cases on the urgent list, or where you simply cannot tell which this is, an assessment is what you need — and it does not require you to leave your room.
Words that help at the counter
| In French | What it means |
|---|---|
| une intoxication alimentaire | food poisoning |
| la gastro, une gastro-entérite | a stomach bug, gastroenteritis |
| j’ai la diarrhée | I have diarrhoea |
| des sachets de réhydratation | rehydration sachets |
| j’ai vomi | I have been vomiting |
| une pharmacie de garde | the duty pharmacy, open out of hours |
| les urgences | the emergency department |
| Parlez-vous anglais ? | Do you speak English? |
La gastro is what a French pharmacist will say, and it covers stomach upsets broadly rather than food poisoning specifically.
Good things to know.
Can a French pharmacy help with food poisoning?
Usually, yes. French pharmacists advise on minor illness as part of the job and stock rehydration salts and painkillers, which is most of what an ordinary stomach upset needs. They cannot assess you as a clinician, so anything on the urgent list, or a case you cannot judge yourself, needs a doctor rather than a counter.
How do I find a pharmacy open at night in France?
France runs a duty rota called the pharmacie de garde covering nights, Sundays and public holidays. Call 3237 or use 3237.fr to find the nearest one open. In some towns you are asked to contact the local commissariat or gendarmerie first at night for the address.
Is la gastro the same as food poisoning?
Not quite, and the difference matters less than you would think. La gastro is what a French pharmacist will call it, and it covers stomach upsets broadly rather than food poisoning specifically. The management is the same either way: fluids, rest, and watching for the signs that mean you need help. Using the word gastro at a counter will get you understood faster than the English term.
Do I need a carte vitale to get help with this in France?
Not for a Pomodoc consultation. You pay €40 per consultation directly, it is a fixed price, and no French registration or local insurance is involved. A pharmacy will sell you rehydration salts without any paperwork at all.
When is a stomach upset an emergency in France?
NHS guidance lists vomiting blood, green or yellow-green vomit, severe tummy pain, a sudden severe headache, a stiff neck with pain on looking at bright lights, blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue, severe difficulty breathing, being confused or not responding as usual, and possibly having swallowed something poisonous as emergencies. In France call 15, or 112 from any phone, and 114 takes reports by text or video if you are deaf or hard of hearing.
Should I take anti-diarrhoeal medication?
It depends on the situation, and it is worth asking rather than assuming. Anti-diarrhoeals are not always appropriate, particularly where there is a fever or blood in the stool, so a pharmacist or a doctor is the right person to ask before you take one. Medication you buy at a pharmacy is not included in the €40.
How much does a Pomodoc video consultation cost?
€40 is the fixed price of the video consultation with a doctor. It includes the consultation and, where clinically appropriate and local rules permit, a prescription. Medication you buy at a pharmacy, and any in-person care you go on to need, are separate. There is no subscription and no booking fee.
Sources
- Food poisoningNHSThe symptom list; that it usually settles within a week; the fluids and paracetamol advice including small sips and avoiding fruit juice and fizzy drinks; the reasons to seek advice; and the emergency symptoms.
- Pharmacies de garde de nuits, dimanches et jours fériésAgence régionale de santé Nouvelle-AquitaineThe duty-pharmacy rota, finding it via 3237 and RésoGardes, and contacting the commissariat or gendarmerie for night access in named towns of that region (Angoulême, Cognac, La Rochelle, Rochefort, Saintes, Royan, Niort, Thouars). A regional source: the page does not state the commissariat step as a France-wide rule, and says nothing about closed shutters. Re-checked 2026-10-01.
- Les numéros utiles nationauxMa Sécurité, Ministère de l'Intérieur15 for medical emergencies, 112 across the EU, and 114 for deaf and hard-of-hearing callers.
Sources last checked: . General information, not a diagnosis.
Need Medical Advice in France?
Speak to an English-speaking doctor by video and get guidance from wherever you are.
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Video consultations are for suitable non-emergency medical concerns. In a life-threatening emergency in France, call 15, or 112 from any phone. 114 takes reports by text or video if you are deaf or hard of hearing. This page is general information, not medical advice about your own situation.