Charging the iPad 3 when visiting France

Instructions showing you how to charge your iPad 3 from a French power outlet by using the Apple 30-pin cable and a two pinned Type C USB charger and how to recharge the iPad 3 using a Type E power charger.

French power outlet

Varying different combinations of voltages and standards can all be confusing when planning to stay in another country to the first time traveller. This isn't as complex as it first appears, with only a handful of different types of standards used in the world this article tells you exactly what to pick up in advance to power the iPad 3 in France. This guide has been written to prevent you needing to worry if you'll be able to charge the iPad 3 when you are visiting France.If you're staying in France the following instructions show how to charge the iPad 3 using the standard Type E or C 230 volt 50Hz plug outlets, a majority of French will typically use Type E wall outlets. If travelling to France from a different region make sure that the iPad 3 can accept a 240v supply. If your iPad 3 originated in a country which uses a lower voltage (for example 110v) double check the iPad 3 is dual-voltage (indicated by 100-240 volts) else you may need to use an additional power converter to avoid the device from overheating when powering up. If you are planning on visiting a destination such as Paris we recommend reading the Wikipedia.org entry about France [1] for more indepth information on travelling to the location. These instructions assume that you are running Apple iOS 7 or greater on the iPad 3.

Charging the iPad 3 in France

Can you use the iPad 3 in France?

Yes, you can connect the iPad 3 to a French power outlet.

What is the best power charger for recharging the iPad 3 in France?

When you are travelling to more than one country the best international travel charger for France is a multiple USB port adapter which includes swappable plugs like a 4 port USB travel charger. There are two different standards of wall outlets that French use (E and C) and bringing this ensures that you are covered for type C. As these types of chargers come with interchangeable pins and handle from 100 volts - 240 volts will mean you can travel to over 100 countries around the world just by changing the included plugs. If your model of iPad 3 is compatible with Fast Charge then you'll benefit from much faster recharging times with one of these USB travel chargers and additional support for certain power demanding devices like tablets.

This means you can recharge more than one device at once without needing to pack multiple travel chargers for your trip to France or using up additional wall outlets. Because you are only needing to bring a single lightweight travel charger will keep the overall weight and size down, making it perfect to fold up and store in hand luggage. Due to their space saving versatility these types of adapters can be used back at home so when you’re not on holiday they can sit under your bedside table charging multiple tablets and phones without using up an additional wall outlet.

For those travelling frequently we suggest buying an adaptable power adapter like this online. The travel adapter illustrated here is the 4 Port USB Wall Charger which has been successfully tested for charging multiple USB devices in numerous countries on a daily basis.

Alternative travel adapter for France

The 4 port USB travel charger is the most compact option for travellers from around the world who only have USB devices such as the iPad 3, but for visitors also wishing to use their domestic plugs the following power strips provide larger but more versatile solutions. All three power converters offer surge protection which can be useful for travellers to regions with unreliable or unstable power supplies to prevent damage to any connected devices. These power converters are supplied with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs which cover both France and over 150 destinations:

  • BESTEK Portable International Travel Voltage Converter - The BESTEK international travel adaptor has 4 USB charging ports with 3 AC power outlets and is the best selling compact power adapter for travellers originating from America going to France.
  • ORICO Traveling Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip - Similarly having 4 USB ports but only 2 AC power outlets the travel adapter from Orico is also aimed at travellers from North America using type B plugs and is a much more cost effective alternative to the BESTEK with just 1 less AC outlet for almost half price.
  • BESTEK International USB Travel Power Strip - This power strip has 2 AC outlets but offers 5 USB charging ports. This versatile power strip is compatible with both American plugs and popular plug types A, D,E/F, G, H, I, L and N making it ideal for a wide range of travellers from around the world visiting France. [8] [AD]
What is the best power charger for recharging the iPad 3 in France?

Powering the iPad 3 with a French power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type C Europlug USB adapter

Instructions showing you how to charge your iPad 3 from a French power outlet by using the Apple 30-pin cable and a two pinned Type C USB charger.

  1. If you want to supply power to the iPad 3 from the French power outlet you will need a Type C USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple 30 pin cable [5], Apple typically supply this USB cable when you purchase your iPad 3.
  2. Start the process by taking the Type C USB power plug adapter and inserting it into the French power outlet. The wall supply (sometimes known as a Type C power outlet [3] or Europlug) is recognised by two round adjacent holes next to each other for live and neutral pins.
  3. Plug in one end of the USB to Apple 30 pin cable into the USB adapter and the other end into the dock connector on the iPad 3. The iPad 3 dock connector can be found at the base of the iPad 3.
  4. Switch on the French power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that you'll find in the top right corner of the iPad 3 screen will display a charge icon to indicate that the iPad 3 is recharging which should take around 1 - 4 hours to completely recharge. [AD]
Powering the iPad 3 with a French power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type C Europlug USB adapter

Powering the iPad 3 with a French power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type E USB adapter

Instructions showing how to power your iPad 3 with a French power outlet with a USB 30-pin connector and a Type E power adapter.

  1. To supply power to your iPad 3 from a French power outlet you will need to buy a Type E USB power plug adapter [7] and a USB to Apple 30 pin cable [5] (normally already supplied with your device by Apple).
  2. Insert the Type E USB power plug adapter into the French power outlet. You can identify this power outlet by the two circular holes 19mm adjacent to each other where the two plug outlet pins go along with one long metal grounding pin protruding in the top to form a triangle configuration.
  3. Connect one end of the cord into the mains USB charger and the other end into the dock connector on the iPad 3. The iPad 3 dock connector is found at the base of the iPad 3.
  4. Turn on the French power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which appears in the top right hand corner of the tablet screen will display a charging icon to indicate that the iPad 3 is powering up, typically taking between one to four hours to recharge to full capacity. [AD]
Powering the iPad 3 with a French power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type E USB adapter

See also

  1. Wikipedia - Wikipedia.org entry about France
  2. Apple - official iPad user guide
  3. iec.ch - Type C power outlet
  4. Type C USB power plug adapter - Conforming to Europlug specifications, the Type C USB power plug adapter incorporates two 4 mm rounded pins spaced 19 mm apart. It is engineered to adapt electrical outlets commonly found in Europe, converting them to USB-compatible charging ports..
  5. USB to Apple 30 pin cable - This connects compatible iPhones, iPods and iPads to a USB port for charging, syncing and playing music.
  6. iec.ch - Type E power outlet
  7. Type E USB power plug adapter - Meeting CEE 7/5 and CEE 7/6 standards, the Type E USB power plug adapter uses the Schuko standard with two round pins and an earthing hole. It adapts European outlets such as Germany to USB-standard ports for USB device charging..
  8. 4 Port USB Wall Charger - A 4-port USB wall charger is an electrical device that provides simultaneous charging for up to four USB-compatible devices. It often includes interchangeable international plug adapters for global use..