Consulting a doctor in town

Finding and choosing a general practitioner or specialist

You can use the online healthcare directory drawn up by the French state health insurance office (“Assurance maladie”).

It lists all the healthcare professionals and establishments, and the rates charged for consultations.
 
Good to know
Referring doctor (“médecin traitant”)
If you are affiliated with the French health insurance (“assurance maladie”) system, you must choose and declare a referring doctor (“médecin traitant”) in order obtain the highest rate of reimbursement.
He or she will oversee your overall healthcare, and refer you to a specialist if necessary.
Find out more about declaring a referring doctor

Seeing a specialist

If you need to see a specialist (dermatologist, gastroenterologist, cardiologist, psychiatrist, etc.), you will be reimbursed at the highest rate if you obtain a referral from your primary doctor.

However, you can see certain specialists directly and still be reimbursed at the full rate: this is the case with gynecologists, ophthalmologists and dentists.

Seeing a psychologist or psychiatrist

Your primary doctor can refer you to a psychologist or a psychiatrist, depending on your situation and your needs.

If you are a student or doctoral student at the Université Grenoble Alpes, you can obtain counselling without paying up-front:
- at the University Health Center on the St Martin d’Hères campus,
- at the “Point Relais Oxygène” in the “Centre santé jeunes” in Valence,
- at the University Medical and Psychological Service (SMPU) in St Martin d’Hères,
- and in CROUS residences or university restaurants in Grenoble, or by telephone or chat in Valence, with Apsytude or Pros-Consulte (partners of CROUS Grenoble Alpes).

You can also contact the counselling association “Les Psys du Cœur”, which is open to everyone.
Visit the “Psys du Cœur” website to find out more
 
Help and support
In case of personal or family problems you should know that specific support services exist: counselling or social services, helplines, etc.
Find out more about help and support services

For your children

If your child needs medical care, you can contact a general practitioner or a pediatrician.
You can also access mother and infant care via the “Protection maternelle et infantile” (PMI) service, which provides medical checks, health advice and vaccinations for children up to the age of six.
The contact details of your local PMI office can be found in the online directory of the French official information service of Isère, Drôme and Ardèche.
 
Updated on  March 28, 2023