If you have ever traveled internationally, like to another continent...

One day I would like to travel to France.
Of course I am in America.

Anyways, for cell phone service, how does that work? I searched a bit on the web, a bunch of confusing stuff.

It seems to me that one would have to buy a local SIM card and of course service (hopefully they have pre-pay in France.)

OR, have to buy a whole different phone and service in the destination country.

Would just using one's phone over wifi, and using an app like whatsapp for calls and messages be the most practical option?

What would the best option(s) be?

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Celt50 · 51-55, M

When in usa i used to rely on wifi in hotels, bars snd shopping malls , but it requires you giving your email adress to sign in, and always found once home youd be inundated with scam emails, so im sure Europe is no different, simcards are widely available in france for phone data .

Punches · 46-50, F

@Celt50 I guess the thing to do would be to give the "junk" email address then?

One thing, I have logged into hotel wifi's here in the US but I do not remember it ever asking for any sort of contact info.