Hearing aids in Paris for international patients:
our protocol, in English

Patients who live outside France regularly come to our centre in Paris for their hearing aids: from Brussels, Liège and Luxembourg, from London, and from further away. Some are expats who moved back home, others come for a second opinion, a specialist tinnitus consultation, or simply a fitting they can understand in English. This article sets out, step by step, how we organise hearing care for international patients so that a few trips to Paris lead to well-fitted hearing aids and reliable follow-up once you are home.

Who this protocol is for

• Patients living in Belgium, who can combine the train from Brussels-Midi to Gare du Nord with their appointments, and may be able to claim part of the cost from their Belgian health insurance (see below).
• Patients from the United Kingdom, Luxembourg, Switzerland, the Netherlands or further afield, including English speakers who prefer to discuss their hearing in their own language.
• Expats and international families in Paris who want a clear explanation in English and devices that can be serviced wherever they move next.
• People with hearing aids bought abroad who need a second opinion, re-tuning or repairs. We work on every major brand.

Getting here: two international stations on our doorstep

Our centre sits between Paris's two main stations for northern and eastern Europe. You step off the train and walk to your appointment: no metro change, no taxi.

From Brussels, the Eurostar takes about an hour and twenty minutes. Many Belgian patients come and go the same day: a morning train, the appointment, and a train home in the afternoon. We schedule your visits around your train times, so tell us your arrival time when you book.

Our protocol, step by step

Patients from Belgium: what to know about reimbursement

In Belgium, the INAMI-RIZIV contributes to hearing aids under specific conditions. According to the INAMI, the patient first consults an ENT doctor, who prescribes a trial; the trial lasts at least 28 calendar days for a first fitting (14 days for a renewal); the mutualité's medical advisor must approve the file; and the device must appear on the Belgian list of reimbursable hearing aids. The renewal interval for adults is five years.

For care received in another EU country, Belgium applies the European directive on cross-border healthcare (2011/24/EU): you pay first, then ask your mutualité for reimbursement based on Belgian rules and rates. Prior authorisation is required for hospital stays and certain examinations, such as CT or MRI scans. Belgian media reported in 2023 that the INAMI may reimburse hearing aids bought in France at a reduced rate, 75 % of the Belgian amount, provided the device is on the Belgian list.

These rules can change and each mutualité applies them to your file. Contact your mutualité before your first visit, ask which documents they need from a French audiologist, and bring your Belgian ENT prescription. We provide the audiometric results and invoices they request. Our 30-day trial covers the 28-day minimum required for a first fitting in Belgium.

Patients from the UK and other countries

Since the United Kingdom left the EU, the cross-border directive no longer applies to UK residents, and the NHS does not normally refund private hearing aids bought abroad. Some private health insurance policies contribute to hearing aids: check your policy before you travel. For Switzerland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and other countries, rules differ from one insurer to another. In every case, we give you a written quote before anything is ordered, and an itemised invoice afterwards.

A medical prescription is required in France for a fitting, following the French public health code. Within the EU, a prescription for a medical device issued in another member state can be recognised under the same cross-border directive: bring a recent prescription from your ENT or doctor. If you do not have one, we can suggest ENT doctors in Paris.

Why patients travel to Paris for this

We see three recurring reasons. The first is language: understanding your audiogram and your options in English changes how you take part in the decisions. The second is method: real-ear measurement on every fitting, speech-in-noise testing, and an independent choice across eleven brands. The third is specialist care that is harder to find: tinnitus and hyperacusis management by an AFREPA member team, fitting of the other ear for cochlear implant users (bimodal), paediatric care from 3 months, and custom musicians' monitors and ear protection made in our own workshop.

Sophie Deraison leads our tinnitus and sound therapy work. David Tran, who also works in the cochlear implant team at Necker hospital (AP-HP) and teaches audiology at the University of Rouen, supervises complex fittings. Both see international patients in English.

Practical information

For an overview of our services in English, see English-speaking audiologist in Paris. French readers can find the details of our method on our pages on real-ear measurement and fine-tuning and tinnitus care.

Frequently asked questions

Reimbursement rules are set by each country and insurer and can change. Check with your insurer before your visit.