In 1985, France changed to a closed telephone numbering plan, with the area code being incorporated into the subscriber's eight-digit number. To call the rest of France from Paris, however, the prefix 16 had to be dialed before the eight-digit number, and to call Paris from the rest of France, the prefix 16 1 had to be dialed.

In 1996, this changed to a ten-digit numbering scheme:

All geographic numbers had to be dialed in the ten-digit format, even for local calls. The international access code also changed from 19 to 00 . Following liberalisation in 1998, subscribers could access different carriers by replacing the '0' (omitted from numbers when called from outside France) with another digit. For example Cegetel required subscribers to dial '7', e.g:Paris 71 xx xx xx xx, instead of 01 xx xx xx xx. Similarly, the international access code using Cegetel would be '70', instead of '00'.

Since 2001, telephone numbers in the DOMs have followed the same ten-digit format as metropolitan France, with the country code being as a geographical area code, e.g:

 Guadeloupe
From France:
Fixed phone line:0590 xxx xxx
Mobile phone line:0690 xxx xxx
Outside France:
Fixed phone line:+590 590 xxx xxx
Mobile phone line:+590 690 xxx xxx

 French Guiana
From France:
Fixed phone line:0594 xxx xxx
Mobile phone line:0694 xxx xxx
Outside France:
Fixed phone line:+594 594 xxx xxx
Mobile phone line:+594 694 xxx xxx

 Martinique
From France:
Fixed phone line:0596 xxx xxx
Mobile phone line:0696 xxx xxx
Outside France:
Fixed phone line:+596 596 xxx xxx
Mobile phone line:+596 696 xxx xxx

 Réunion
From France:
Fixed phone line:0262 xxx xxx
Mobile phone line:0692 xxx xxx
Outside France:
Fixed phone line:+262 262 xxx xxx
Mobile phone line:+262 692 xxx xxx

From France, including Mayotte:0269 xxx xxx
From Comoros:xxx xxx
Outside France and Comoros:+269 xxx xxx

From France:
Fixed phone line:0269 xxx xxx
Mobile phone line:0639 xxx xxx
Outside France:
Fixed phone line:+262 269 xxx xxx
Mobile phone line:+262 639 xxx xxx

From France:0508 xxx xxx
Outside France:+508 xxx xxx

Paris from New Caledonia:00 33 1 xx xx xx xx, New Caledonia from Paris:00 687 xxx xxx