- Abortion legal status
- Legal
- Emergency number
- 112
Updated July 2026
Good to know
Good to Know
- Serre Chevalier is a collection of ski villages (Chantemerle, Villeneuve, Le Monêtier-les-Bains, etc.) without its own hospital — Briançon, about 15-20 minutes away by car, is where the nearest hospital, gynecology emergency unit, and dedicated sexual-health center are located.
- The French morning-after pill is free and prescription-free for anyone, resident or not, at any pharmacy — you do not need French health insurance to get it.
- If you don't speak French, the 3919 national helpline and hospital staff generally have some capacity for English-speaking callers, but be prepared for language gaps outside of tourist-facing services, especially off-season.
- Serre Chevalier is a collection of small mountain villages with no OBGYN clinic on-site — plan on a short drive (about 15-20 minutes) to Briançon for any gynecological care, including abortion services.
- France provides free, fast public healthcare coverage for abortion (IVG); a Carte Vitale or European Health Insurance Card generally covers the full cost, and non-EU visitors without coverage should ask the hospital's social services office (assistante sociale) about payment options.
- There's no mandatory waiting period for abortion in France, and both medication and surgical options are available at the Briançon hospital.
- If you're early in pregnancy (under ~9 weeks), a telemedicine consultation with a French-speaking or English-speaking provider may let you access medication abortion without needing to travel, though follow-up care access should be confirmed locally.
Abortion Law
- Country
- France
- Legal Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Cost And Coverage
- Abortion care is reimbursed in full by France's social security system (Assurance Maladie) for anyone covered, including many foreign residents with a Carte Vitale or European Health Insurance Card; there is generally no out-of-pocket price to report.
- Abortion Time Limits
- Elective abortion (IVG) is available on request up to 14 weeks of pregnancy (about 16 weeks counted from the last menstrual period). Medication (pill-based) abortion is used up to around 9-10 weeks of pregnancy; surgical abortion is used beyond that point up to the 14-week limit. Beyond 14 weeks, termination for medical reasons is possible without a fixed time limit in cases of serious fetal abnormality or risk to the mother's life or health, decided by a multidisciplinary medical team.
- Constitutional Status
- France amended Article 34 of its Constitution in March 2024 to guarantee women's freedom to access abortion, becoming the first country to explicitly enshrine abortion as a constitutional right.
- Conscience Clause Note
- Individual doctors may invoke a conscience clause and decline to perform the procedure, but are legally required to refer the patient promptly to another provider who will.
Access Routes
- Public hospital gynecology departments (like Centre Hospitalier des Escartons de Briançon) provide both medical and surgical abortion.
- Family planning centers (Planning Familial / CPEF) offer consultations, referrals, and medication abortion.
- GPs and midwives can prescribe and supervise early medication abortion.
- Telemedicine consultations allow medication abortion to be initiated remotely for eligible early pregnancies.
- No mandatory reflection/waiting period applies before the procedure.
OB-GYN Options
- Local Note
- Serre Chevalier itself (a cluster of small ski villages: Chantemerle, Villeneuve, Le Monêtier-les-Bains, etc.) has no OBGYN practice of its own. The nearest real options are in Briançon, roughly 9-11 km away (about a 15-20 minute drive), which functions as the area's medical hub.
Options
Public Hospital Gynecology/obstetrics Department
- Name
- Centre Hospitalier des Escartons de Briançon — Service de Gynécologie-Obstétrique
- Address
- 24 Avenue Adrien Daurelle, 05100 Briançon
- Details
- Staffed by multiple OB-GYNs including Dr. Giacomo Serboli (Chef du Pôle Femmes-Parents-Enfants), Dr. Cesare Dell'Oca, Dr. Véronique Guérin, and Dr. Christelle Roux, plus midwives. Handles routine gynecology, obstetrics, 24/7 gynecological emergencies, and scheduled surgery.
- Distance From Serre Chevalier
- Approx. 9-11 km depending on which Serre Chevalier village
- Note
- As a public hospital, this is the realistic option for abortion care, emergency gynecological care, and general OBGYN needs for nomads based in Serre Chevalier.
Dr. Bos Hofmann Elizabeth
- Type
- Private OBGYN practice
- Address
- 19 Rue Pasteur, 05100 Briançon
- Details
- Independent gynécologue-obstétricien; online booking not available through standard portals — appointments must be made by phone.
- Distance From Serre Chevalier
- Approx. 11 km
Emergency Hotlines
3919 – Violences Femmes Info
- Number
- 3919
- Coverage
- National (applies to Serre Chevalier / Hautes-Alpes as anywhere else in France)
- Description
- National French hotline for women who are victims of violence (domestic, sexual, psychological). Free to call from a French line, confidential, and staffed by trained counselors who can direct callers to local police, medical, legal, and shelter resources.
17 – Police / Gendarmerie
- Number
- 17
- Coverage
- National
- Description
- National emergency police number for immediate danger or to report an assault in progress.
112 – European Emergency Number
- Number
- 112
- Coverage
- National / EU-wide
- Description
- Pan-European emergency number, works on any phone (including foreign SIMs) and reaches police/fire/medical dispatch.
15 – SAMU (Medical Emergency)
- Number
- 15
- Coverage
- National
- Description
- Medical emergency dispatch, relevant for urgent care after an assault (injury, need for forensic exam referral).
114 – Urgence Par SMS
- Number
- 114
- Coverage
- National
- Description
- Text-message emergency number, useful if a caller cannot safely speak aloud.
Contraception Access
Emergency Contraception
- Access
- Since 1 January 2023, emergency hormonal contraception (levonorgestrel, e.g. Norlevo, or ulipristal acetate, e.g. EllaOne, plus generics) can be obtained free of charge, without a prescription, and without paying upfront, from any town pharmacy in France, for both minors and adults.
- Timing
- The levonorgestrel pill must be taken within 3 days of unprotected sex; the ulipristal acetate pill can be taken up to 5 days after.
- Legal Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Privacy Note
- Minors can request that the dispensation be kept confidential from parents/guardians; the pharmacist is bound by professional confidentiality.
- Practical Note
- Pharmacies are located in Briançon and in some of the larger Serre Chevalier villages; opening hours can be limited on Sundays and in shoulder season, so plan ahead if possible.
Regular Female Contraception
- Access
- These require a prescription from a doctor, midwife (sage-femme), or gynecologist. Prescriptions and consultations are available at the Centre de santé sexuelle de Briançon or the gynecology department of the Centre Hospitalier des Escartons de Briançon.
- Legal Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Cost Note
- For people under 26, consultations, related lab tests, and contraception itself are free of charge under the French health system; costs for others depend on health insurance/coverage status, which varies for non-resident nomads.
- Practical Note
- IUD insertion/removal and implant insertion/removal are done by a gynecologist or midwife at the hospital or health center in Briançon, not locally within the Serre Chevalier villages.
Methods Available
- combined/progestin pill
- IUD (copper or hormonal)
- contraceptive implant
Local Support Services
Centre Hospitalier Des Escartons De Briançon – Gynécologie/Obstétrique
- Address
- 24 Avenue Adrien Daurelle, 05100 Briançon
- Distance From Serre Chevalier
- Approx. 15-20 minutes by car from most Serre Chevalier villages (Chantemerle, Villeneuve, Le Monêtier-les-Bains)
- Notes
- This is the nearest full hospital to Serre Chevalier. It has a gynecology-obstetrics department that handles gynecological emergencies around the clock, which is where a sexual assault survivor would be taken for medical care and forensic documentation.
04 86 15 32 00
- Name
- Centre de santé sexuelle de Briançon (formerly Centre de Planification Familiale)
- Hours
- Tuesdays 9h-12h30 and 13h30-17h, Wednesday afternoons 13h30-17h, or by appointment
- Address
- Quartier les Cros, Avenue René Froger, 05100 Briançon
- Notes
- Free, confidential counseling and medical consultations covering sexuality, consent, harassment, contraception, and unwanted pregnancy.
Le Planning Familial Des Hautes-Alpes (05)
- Phone
- 06 88 31 96 01
- Notes
- Confidential, free counseling by appointment or during walk-in hours; part of the national Mouvement Français du Planning Familial, which also campaigns against gender-based violence.
N° Vert IVG – Contraception – Sexualités
- Number
- 0 800 08 11 11
- Coverage
- National
- Description
- Free national helpline, open Monday to Saturday 9h-20h, answering questions on contraception, abortion, and sexual health.
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
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Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.