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Prisons in France: visiting, writing, defending
Has a relative been remanded in custody or imprisoned in France? This section brings together, prison by prison, the practical information families need: address and access, visiting permit, booking visits, dropping off clothes, family support associations. It also explains what a criminal defence lawyer can do during detention.
A relative has just been imprisoned? Barssie Avocats can be reached 24/7 on +33 7 75 72 74 27. We speak English.
Information taken from the official pages of the French Ministry of Justice, checked in October 2026. Times and numbers change regularly: confirm them with the prison before you travel.
The first 72 hours: what the family can do
- Find the prison. After a court referral, the person is generally taken to the remand prison attached to the court (see the guide below). Note their prison register number (numéro d’écrou): it is needed for all mail and requests.
- Apply for a visiting permit. For a person on remand (not yet finally tried), the request goes to the judge in charge of the case, often the investigating judge. For a convicted person, it goes to the prison governor.
- Drop off clothes. Most prisons accept a first drop-off without a visiting permit, at set times: see the prison’s page.
- Write. Mail is possible from the start of imprisonment: surname, first name, register number and the prison’s address.
- Contact a lawyer. They can meet the prisoner without a visiting permit, consult the file and take the appropriate legal action.
Visiting permit: documents to provide
Requirements vary from one prison to another, but a complete application usually includes: a written request, a copy of an ID document, two recent passport photos, proof of address and, for family members, proof of the relationship (family record book, birth certificate). Documents in a foreign language may need to be translated. A minor must in principle have parental consent and be accompanied by an adult holding a permit.
Comparison of visits in the Paris region
| Prison | Visiting days | Length | Visits / week (remand) | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fleury-Mérogis (91) | Monday to Saturday | 45 min | 3 | +33 1 72 49 90 10 |
| La Santé (Paris 14th) | Tuesday to Saturday | 45 min | 3 | +33 800 73 01 00 |
| Fresnes (94) | Tuesday to Saturday | 45 min | 3 (convicted: 1) | +33 1 88 28 60 00 |
| Villepinte – Seine-Saint-Denis (93) | Tuesday to Saturday | — | 3 | +33 805 05 00 58 |
| Nanterre (92) | Tuesday to Saturday | — | 3 | +33 805 05 00 59 |
| Bois-d’Arcy (78) | Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat | 30 min | 3 (convicted: 1) | +33 1 30 23 30 30 |
| Versailles (78) | Mon, Wed, Sat afternoons | — | — | +33 1 30 97 69 70 |
| Osny (95) | Monday afternoon, Tuesday to Saturday | — | 3 (convicted: 2) | +33 805 050 062 |
| Meaux-Chauconin (77) | Monday to Saturday (remand prison) | — | — | +33 805 050 057 |
| Sud-Francilien, Réau (77) | Wed, Sat, Sun and public holidays | — | 1 to 3 depending on the unit | +33 825 88 14 21 |
“—”: information not specified on the official page. Details (session times, booking deadlines, arrival time) are on each prison’s page.
Guide: which court, which prison?
As a guide, people remanded in custody are most often held in the following prison. The authorities may decide otherwise, in particular in case of overcrowding or to separate co-defendants.
- Paris court: La Santé, Fleury-Mérogis or Fresnes
- Bobigny: Villepinte (Seine-Saint-Denis)
- Créteil: Fresnes
- Nanterre: Nanterre
- Évry: Fleury-Mérogis
- Versailles: Bois-d’Arcy (men), Versailles
- Pontoise: Osny
- Meaux: Meaux-Chauconin
What a criminal lawyer can do during detention
- Meet the prisoner in the lawyers’ visiting room, confidentially, without a visiting permit.
- Apply for release or appeal against a detention order before the investigation appeals chamber.
- Assist the prisoner before the prison disciplinary board.
- Prepare a sentence adjustment: parole, electronic tagging at home, day release, external placement.
- Assert their rights: access to healthcare, family ties, conditions of detention, transfers.
- For foreign nationals: liaise with the family abroad and the consulate.
Prison guides
Paris region (Île-de-France)
- Fleury-Mérogis (Essonne)
- La Santé (Paris 14th)
- Fresnes (Val-de-Marne)
- Villepinte – Seine-Saint-Denis
- Nanterre (Hauts-de-Seine)
- Bois-d’Arcy (Yvelines)
- Versailles (Yvelines)
- Osny (Val-d’Oise)
- Meaux-Chauconin (Seine-et-Marne)
- Sud-Francilien, Réau (Seine-et-Marne)
Elsewhere in France
- Marseille – Les Baumettes (Bouches-du-Rhône)
- Lille-Loos-Sequedin (Nord)
- Bordeaux-Gradignan (Gironde)
- Toulouse-Seysses (Haute-Garonne)
- Nantes (Loire-Atlantique)
The firm acts throughout France for prisoners and their families.