Charging the iPad Mini when planning a trip to France

Using the USB Lightning Apple cable and a 2 pin Type C USB charger to charge your iPad Mini with a French power outlet and how to power the iPad Mini using a 2 pin Type E power adapter.

French power outlet

If you are packing for a holiday it is useful to know if you can power your important electronics when you're there. But by not knowing which wall socket is being used in France you are more likely to bring the wrong adaptor, thereby leaving you having to borrow a potentially expensive charger when you need to recharge which might not be compatible and cause problems with your iPad Mini. Various combinations of region codes and voltages can all lead to confusion when planning to visit a new country especially if you've never been there before. This page was written to stop people worrying if they'll be able to charge the iPad Mini when they're visiting abroad.The following guide will show exactly what you'll need to charge your iPad Mini in France using the types E or C 230 volt 50Hz wall outlets, you will discover a majority of French typically use Type E plugs in their wall outlets. If you are visiting France from another country ensure that your iPad Mini can be charged using a 240v supply. If it originated in a country which uses a lower voltage (for example 110v) ensure that your iPad Mini is dual-voltage (marked with a 100-240 volt notation) else you may need to use an additional power converter to stop the device from being damaged when powering up. If you intend to stay somewhere such as Paris or Caen we also suggest reading the France Wikipedia page [1] for more details. These instructions assume that you have installed Apple iOS 7 or greater on the iPad Mini.

Charging the iPad Mini in France

Can you use the iPad Mini in France?

You can use the iPad Mini in France.

What is the best power adapter for the iPad Mini in France?

When travelling with more than just your iPad Mini the best international travel adapter for France is a multiple USB port charger which includes compatible plugs like a 4 port USB travel charger. There are two different types of power outlets that French use (E and C) and bringing this ensures that you are covered for type C.

Because these types of chargers are supplied with interchangeable plugs and handle from 100 to 240 volts will mean you can travel to multiple countries around the world just by changing the included heads. If your iPad Mini can support Fast Charge then you'll benefit from much quicker recharging times with one of these types of travel chargers, plus additional support for more power demanding devices like tablets. Unlike other travel chargers this means you can charge multiple devices simultaneously without needing to buy multiple power adapters for your French trip or using up additional power sockets. Because you are only needing a single USB travel charger will help keep the overall weight down, making it ideal to fold up and store in hand baggage and convenient for recharging your iPad Mini at an airport or on the flight. Due to their space saving flexibility these types of travel adapters can be used at home not just abroad so when you’re not on holiday they can be used under your bedside table charging multiple tablets, phones and e-readers without using up an additional plug socket.

We recommend buying this type of versatile power adapter online; the travel charger illustrated below is the 4 Port USB Wall Charger which has been successfully tested for powering multiple USB devices in numerous countries around the world on a daily basis.

Alternative travel adapter for France

The 4 port USB travel charger is the most compact option for travellers from around the world wanting to charge devices using USB, however for visitors also wishing to use their domestic plugs these power adapters provide larger but more versatile solutions. All three power converters offer surge protection which is useful for visitors of counties with unreliable power grids to prevent damage to any connected appliances. These travel adapters are supplied with interchangeable type C, I and G plugs covering Continental Europe, America, Australia, United Kingdom, Japan, China and over 150 countries around the world:

  • BESTEK Portable International Travel Voltage Converter - The BESTEK international travel adaptor has 4 USB charging ports with 3 AC power outlets and is the most popular portable power adapter for travellers originating from North America visiting France.
  • ORICO Traveling Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip - Similarly having 4 USB ports but only 2 AC power outlets the Orico is also aimed at travellers from the US using type B plugs. This gives practically the same functionality as the BESTEK with only one less AC outlet at almost half price.
  • BESTEK International USB Travel Power Strip - This power strip has 2 AC outlets but offers 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 a majority of travellers from around the world visiting France. [8] [AD]
What is the best power adapter for the iPad Mini in France?

Powering the iPad Mini with a French power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type C Europlug USB adapter

Using the USB Lightning Apple cable and a 2 pin Type C USB charger to charge your iPad Mini with a French power outlet.

  1. To charge the iPad Mini from a French power outlet you'll need a Type C USB power plug adapter [4] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] (this USB cable is normally already included with the device by Apple).
  2. Begin the process by plugging the Type C USB power plug adapter into the wall supply. You can recognise this plug supply by the two adjacent holes next to each other where the twin plug outlet pins slide into.
  3. Connect the USB end of the USB to Apple Lightning cable into the USB power adapter and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad Mini. The iPad Mini lightning connector is situated at the base of the iPad Mini.
  4. Turn on the French power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that you'll find in the top right hand corner of your iPad screen will display a charging icon to indicate that the iPad is charging which typically takes roughly one to four hours to recharge. [AD]
Powering the iPad Mini with a French power outlet by using a 2 pinned Type C Europlug USB adapter

How to use a Type E power charger for recharging your iPad Mini from a French power outlet

Instructions showing you how to power the iPad Mini from a French power outlet with the USB Lightning Apple connector with a Type E USB charger.

  1. In order to supply power to the iPad Mini using the French power outlet you will need to buy a Type E USB power plug adapter [7] and a USB to Apple Lightning cable [5] - this USB cable is normally already included with the device by Apple.
  2. Begin the process by plugging the Type E USB power plug adapter into the French power outlet. You can recognise this plug supply by the two large holes 19mm adjacent to each other plus one long metal grounding pin protruding the top forming a triangular shape.
  3. Connect the USB end of the USB to Apple Lightning cable into the USB power adapter and the other end into the Lightning connector on the iPad Mini. The iPad Mini lightning connector is situated at the base of the iPad Mini.
  4. Turn on the French power outlet.
  5. The battery icon that you'll find in the top right hand corner of your iPad Mini screen will display a charging icon to indicate that the iPad is charging which should take roughly one to four hours to completely recharge. [AD]
How to use a Type E power charger for recharging your iPad Mini from a French power outlet

See also

  1. Wikipedia - France Wikipedia 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..