Air Ambulance in France: To, From and Within the Country
Returning to France from abroad, a patient leaving for their home country, a link with Corsica or the overseas territories: we coordinate the medical flight 24/7, from the first medical assessment to the handover to the receiving team.
Whether the patient is hospitalized abroad and needs to return to France, is treated in France and needs to go home, or must be moved to or from Corsica or the overseas territories, we coordinate the medical flight and the whole chain: medical team, aircraft, ground transfers and handover to the receiving unit.
The aircraft is operated by partner operators holding valid air operator certificates. Our coordinating physician speaks with the team treating the patient to define the level of care needed during the flight.
Four common situations
- Returning to France from abroad. A traveler or expatriate hospitalized outside France is repatriated to the hospital of their choice or the one their doctors consider suitable.
- Leaving France for another country. A patient treated in France, a foreign resident or a visitor, returns to their home country to continue treatment close to family.
- Corsica and overseas territories. When the road is not an option, between Corsica or an overseas territory (the Antilles, French Guiana, La Réunion, Mayotte…) and mainland France, a medical flight is the solution.
- Exceptional transfers within mainland France. A transfer between two mainland hospitals is usually made by ground ambulance; we can arrange a flight if the physicians judge it preferable.
Why a dedicated medical aircraft
A dedicated medical aircraft avoids connections, waiting and successive transfers. The cabin is equipped for the level of care required, with a medical team following the patient throughout the flight.
On request, we also arrange bed-to-bed transfer, from the sending unit to the receiving unit, with a ground ambulance at each end.
Airports served
Main mainland airports
- Paris – Charles de Gaulle, Orly and Le Bourget
- Lyon–Saint-Exupéry
- Marseille Provence
- Nice Côte d'Azur
- Toulouse, Bordeaux, Nantes
Corsica, overseas and regional airports
- Corsica: Ajaccio, Bastia
- Overseas: Pointe-à-Pitre, Fort-de-France, Cayenne, La Réunion, Mayotte
- Any French airport suited to the selected aircraft, including airports close to the hospital
How it works
- Call and assessment. Our coordinating physician speaks with the team treating the patient.
- Aircraft and team. Chosen according to the patient's condition, the distance and the equipment required.
- Written quote. Itemized, before departure.
- Flight and handover. A complete medical handover is given to the receiving team.
Formalities & coordination
Formalities depend on the route: a transfer between mainland France and Corsica or an overseas territory does not have the same requirements as a return from or to another country.
We coordinate with the facilities, the patient's assistance provider or insurer, and the ground transport teams.
Formalities vary case by case and change over time. Our team confirms the exact documents required from the first contact.
Related services
Other routes we cover
Common questions on this topic
Yes, especially when the road is not possible: between Corsica or the overseas territories and mainland France. Between two mainland hospitals a ground ambulance is usually more suitable; we can still arrange a flight if the patient's physicians judge it preferable.
SAMU is France's public emergency medical service (dial 15, or 112 across Europe) and decides how emergencies on French territory are handled. We handle repatriations and planned transfers, especially over long distances, in coordination with the treating teams. In a life-threatening emergency, call 15 or 112 first.
We recommend it: many insurance or assistance contracts have their own repatriation procedure, and it is best to contact them before incurring costs. We can then coordinate the flight with your assistance provider.
It depends on the patient's condition, aircraft and crew availability, and the authorizations required. We give an estimate once we have reviewed the file and never promise a time we cannot keep.
A medical situation abroad can't wait.
Our coordinators are available right now — every day, at any hour.