Canadian Medical Travel Coordination
Quick Facts
Last updated: June 2026
Visa for Canadians
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No visa for stays up to 90 days in any 180-day period. No e-visa required. A pre-travel authorization called ETIAS is expected to launch around the last quarter of 2026. Passport must be valid at least 3 months beyond planned departure from the Schengen area. Full entry details on the official Government of Canada France page
Official language and hospital languages
French. The major Paris hospitals that work with international patients support English; several add Arabic, Russian, Japanese, and Chinese through bilingual staff or interpreter teams.
Currency
Euro (EUR). Credit and debit cards are widely accepted in Paris hospitals, hotels, and restaurants.
Flights from Canada to France
The main hospital city is Paris, served by Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG). All four major Canadian gateways offer daily nonstop service.
from Toronto (YYZ)
to Paris (CDG)
Direct: Yes
Flight time: About 7 hours 30 minutes
Round-trip: Off-peak CAD 750 to 1,500
from Vancouver (YVR)
to Paris (CDG)
Direct: Yes
Flight time: About 9 hours 40 minutes
Round-trip: Off-peak CAD 950 to 1,800
from Calgary (YYC)
to Paris (CDG)
Direct: Yes
Flight time: About 9 hours
Round-trip: Off-peak CAD 800 to 1,600
from Montreal (YUL)
to Paris (CDG)
Direct: Yes
Flight time: About 7 hours
Round-trip: Off-peak CAD 700 to 1,400
Fares are indicative and shift with season and booking lead time. The lowest fares usually fall in early spring (March, April) and late autumn (November), while summer holidays and Paris Fashion Week (late February and late September) push prices up.
Where to Stay
International patients most often stay in the residential districts close to the treating hospital. Neuilly-sur-Seine, just west of central Paris, is the immediate neighbourhood of the American Hospital of Paris and is quiet, well served by metro, and walkable. Villejuif, in the southern suburbs, surrounds Gustave Roussy and is easily reached on RER and metro lines. Central arrondissements remain a practical base for patients treated at Paris hospitals and offer a wide hotel range. Paris has a temperate climate; mid-May to mid-June and September through October offer the most comfortable conditions for travel and recovery. July and August can bring short heatwaves above 35 degrees, and many small services close during the August holiday period.
3-star hotels
Average nightly
CAD 170
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Per week, 7 nights
CAD 1,190
4-star hotels
Average nightly
CAD 205
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Per week, 7 nights
CAD 1,435
5-star hotels
Average nightly
CAD 370
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Per week, 7 nights
CAD 2,590
Safety and Travel
The Government of Canada advises travellers to France to exercise a high degree of caution due to the threat of terrorism and the potential for civil unrest. The advisory applies to the country as a whole. Petty crime, such as pickpocketing and bag-snatching, is a persistent threat, particularly in busy tourist areas, on public transportation, and at major landmarks.
Travellers are advised to be cautious of distraction tactics, such as individuals attempting to separate them from their belongings or offering unwanted assistance. Quality health care is available throughout the country, but private facilities may require upfront payment. Given the potential for significant medical costs, comprehensive travel medical and complications insurance is strongly recommended. For the current official Canadian advisory, see travel.gc.ca for France
Featured Treatments in France
Gustave Roussy, on the southern edge of Paris, was ranked the leading cancer centre in Europe and sixth in the world in Newsweek's 2026 World's Best Specialized Hospitals survey. It is also the largest cancer centre in Europe by patient volume, with more than 54,000 patients treated each year and around 7,500 enrolled in clinical trials.
Oncology
France is one of the strongest destinations in the world for complex and advanced cancer care. The leading Paris centres are recognised for immunotherapy, precision oncology, and rare or complex tumours, and they operate one of the largest early-phase clinical trial programmes in Europe, which can extend treatment options after standard therapies. CAR-T cell therapy is also delivered in France beyond the narrow set of indications currently funded in Canada, which matters for patients who fall outside Canadian eligibility or face local capacity limits.
Learn more about oncological care with Maple Med Global
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Proton therapy
Canada is currently the only G7 country without a clinical proton beam therapy facility, and Canadian patients reach this treatment only through provincial out-of-country referral programmes, available in seven of ten provinces. The majority of approved Canadian patients are referred to the United States. France delivers proton therapy at established centres including Institut Curie's Orsay site and Centre Antoine Lacassagne in Nice, giving eligible patients an alternative European pathway with full European Union quality oversight.
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Cardiac surgery
Several Paris hospitals are internationally recognised in cardiac surgery and cardiology. These centres handle complex coronary, valve, and rhythm procedures within the European quality framework. For Canadian patients, the practical case for France is specialist capacity for complex, multi-valve, or repeat procedures, rather than speed for urgent cases, which Canada already prioritizes.
Learn more about cardiology services with Maple Med Global
Orthopedic Surgery
France is also a strong destination for planned orthopaedic surgery, the area where Canadian wait times are longest. Through an exclusive arrangement with a French clinical partner, Maple Med Global coordinates joint replacement and other orthopaedic procedures at an accredited private hospital in northern France, about ninety minutes from Paris. Each pathway is delivered as a fixed price package that covers the surgery, a private hospital stay, a stay at a dedicated recovery residence, daily physiotherapy, daily nurse visits, airport transfers, and six months of follow up support. A travel companion is included. Most patients are scheduled within a few weeks rather than waiting months.
Costs and Canadian Wait Times
France is a premium-quality destination rather than a low-cost one. Its strongest value for a Canadian patient is access to advanced therapies and specialist capacity at internationally recognized centres, with treatment costs confirmed case by case from each hospital after review of your medical file.
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Useful Canadian context, from the Fraser Institute Waiting Your Turn 2025 report measuring the national median wait from family doctor referral to the start of treatment: 4.7 weeks for medical oncology, 4.2 weeks for radiation oncology, and about 1.9 weeks from specialist appointment to treatment for urgent cardiovascular surgery. Canadian wait times in these areas are short, so the case for France in oncology and cardiac care is generally about the specific therapy or capacity, not skipping a queue.
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The key exception is proton beam therapy, which is not available in Canada at all. Canadian patients can access it only through provincial out-of-country referral programmes, usually in the United States.
For planned orthopaedic surgery, the contrast with Canadian wait times is the clearest. The Fraser Institute Waiting Your Turn 2025 report puts the national median wait for orthopaedic surgery at 48.6 weeks from family doctor referral to treatment, the longest of any specialty.
France offers fixed price orthopaedic packages with scheduling usually within a few weeks. The figures below are all inclusive package prices in Canadian dollars, covering surgery, hospital stay, recovery residence, daily physiotherapy and nursing, transfers, and six months of follow up.
Knee replacement
France: CAD 23,000
Canada, public wait: Orthopedic median 48.6 weeks
Hip replacement
France: CAD 20,000
Canada, public wait: Orthopedic median 48.6 weeks
Shoulder replacement
France: CAD 20,000
Canada, public wait: Orthopedic median 48.6 weeks
Rotator cuff repair
France: CAD 13,900
Canada, public wait: Orthopedic median 48.6 weeks
Knee arthroscopy
France: CAD 13,900
Canada, public wait: Orthopedic median 48.6 weeks
ACL reconstruction
France: CAD 13,000
Canada, public wait: Orthopedic median 48.6 weeks
Bunion correction (Hallux Valgus, bilateral)
France: CAD 13,500
Canada, public wait: Orthopedic median 48.6 weeks
Carpal tunnel release (bilateral)
France: CAD 7,000
Canada, public wait: Orthopedic median 48.6 weeks
Orthopaedic packages are fixed price; some procedures, such as bunion and carpal tunnel, are priced for bilateral (both sides) treatment. Optional extras such as additional recovery nights are quoted separately.
Final quotes are confirmed per case.
Leading Internationally Accredited Hospitals in France
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American Hospital of Paris, Neuilly-sur-Seine, Joint Commission (United States) accredited Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, HAS certified
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Institut Curie, Paris, HAS certified
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Institut Mutualiste Montsouris, Paris, HAS certified
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This list is informational. Hospital selection for each patient depends on diagnosis, complexity, and treatment plan.
Frequently asked questions
For general questions about Canadian health insurance coverage abroad, complication insurance, follow-up care after returning to Canada, and trip planning, see our General FAQ
Plan Your Treatment in France with Maple Med Global
Every step is coordinated by our Toronto team, from the first consultation through your return home. If you would like a written, case-specific quote, or simply want to talk through your options, we are here. No pressure, no obligation.
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