How to charge the iPad Air when visiting France

A guide showing you how to recharge your iPad Air with a French power outlet with a USB Lightning cable and a double pin Europlug Type C power charger and charging the iPad Air using a Type E USB charger.

French power outlet

Varying different region codes and sockets can all be daunting when planning on staying in a foreign country especially if you've never been there before. This page has been specifically written to prevent travellers needing to worry if they can charge their iPad Air when they are staying in France.If you are going to France the following instructions show how to charge the iPad Air using the standard Type E or C 230 volt 50Hz plug outlets, most French will normally use Type E plug outlets. Most power sockets change depending on which country you are travelling to therefore we recommend reading the Europe page for a full list of countries. If you are visiting France from a different country please ensure your iPad Air can be used with a 240 volt supply. If it was purchased in a country which uses a lower voltage such as 120 volts ensure your device is dual voltage (marked with a 100-240 volt notation) else you may need to use an additional transformer to prevent the device from being damaged when powering up. These instructions assume that you have installed Apple iOS 7 or greater on the iPad Air.

Charging the iPad Air in France

Can the iPad Air be used in France?

Yes, you can use the iPad Air in France.

What is the best travel charger for the iPad Air in France?

When you are travelling to more than one country then the best international travel charger for France to buy is a multiple USB port charger which includes swappable plugs such as a 4 port USB travel charger. French use two different standards of plug sockets (types E and C) and using a power charger like this will ensure that you are covered for type C.

Because these chargers come with interchangeable plugs and handle 100 volts to 240 volts it makes them ideal for over 100 countries around the world simply by changing the supplied plugs. If your model of iPad Air supports Fast Charge then you'll benefit from much faster charging times with one of these types of USB power chargers, along with support for more power hungry devices. Unlike other travel adapters this will also allow you to power multiple devices at the same time without needing to buy seperate power adapters on your French trip or occupying additional wall sockets. Only needing a single lightweight travel charger will keep the overall weight and size down, making it perfect to fold up and store in hand luggage. Because of their space saving flexibility these types of chargers can be used at home so when you’re not travelling they can be used overnight charging multiple tablets, smartphones and e-readers and using only a single power outlet.

If you travel to France we recommend buying an adaptable power adapter of this nature online. The travel adapter illustrated here is the 4 Port USB Wall Charger which has been successfully tested with multiple USB devices in numerous countries around the world with good reliably.

Alternative travel adapter for France

The 4 port USB travel charger is the most compact option for travellers from around the world wanting to recharge devices via USB, however for those also wanting to use their domestic plugs these power converters provide larger but more versatile solutions. All 3 power converters offer surge protection which is useful when visiting regions with unstable power supplies. These power adapters come with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs covering both France and over 150 countries around the world:

  • BESTEK Portable International Travel Voltage Converter - The BESTEK international travel converter has 4 USB charging ports with 3 AC power outlets and is the best selling portable option for travellers originating from America visiting 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 gives almost the same set of features as the BESTEK with only one less AC outlet for almost half the price.
  • BESTEK International USB Travel Power Strip - This power strip has 2 AC outlets but offers a flexible 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 suitable for most travellers from around the world visiting France. [8] [AD]
What is the best travel charger for the iPad Air in France?

How to use a Type C power charger for recharging your iPad Air from a French power outlet

Using a USB Lightning Apple connector with a Type C Europlug USB charger to power the iPad Air with a French power outlet.

  1. In order to charge the iPad Air using the French power outlet you'll need a Type C USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] - the cable is typically supplied with the device.
  2. Begin the process by plugging the Type C USB power plug adapter in the power outlet. The wall supply, sometimes known as a Europlug or Type C power outlet [3], is identified by 2 holes adjacent to each other for live and neutral pins.
  3. Then connect the USB end of the USB to Apple Lightning cable into the USB adapter and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad Air. The iPad Air lightning connector is situated at the base of the iPad Air.
  4. Switch on the French power outlet.
  5. The battery icon which you'll find in the top right hand corner of the iPad screen will display a charging icon to indicate that the iPad Air is charging, typically taking roughly one to four hours to recharge to 100% capacity. [AD]
How to use a Type C power charger for recharging your iPad Air from a French power outlet

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

Instructions showing how to power your iPad Air with a French power outlet with a USB Lightning cable and a double pinned Type E power charger.

  1. In order to supply power to the iPad Air from the French power outlet you will need a Type E USB power plug adapter [7] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] - Apple should typically include this cable when you buy the iPad Air.
  2. Start the process by taking the Type E USB power plug adapter and inserting it into the French power outlet. The round plug outlet, also called the CEE 7/7 plug, can be recognised by two 4.8mm adjacent holes next to each other plus one metal grounding pin protruding in the top to form a triangle configuration.
  3. Then connect one end of the USB to Apple Lightning cable into the bottom of the USB mains charger and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad Air. The iPad Air lightning connector is found at the bottom of the iPad Air.
  4. Switch on the French power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that you'll find in the top right corner of the iPad Air screen will display a charge icon to indicate that the iPad is recharging which takes around 1 - 4 hours to completely recharge to full capacity. [AD]
Powering the iPad Air with a French power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type E USB adapter

See also

  1. Wikipedia - France Wikipedia web page
  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 Lightning cable - The Apple Lightning cable is a charging and syncing cable for more recent Apple devices and connects compatible iPhones and iPads to a USB port.
  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..