As the European Commission’s push to bring down roaming rates across the region gains traction, French operator group Orange has devised an offer aimed at tourists travelling to France, in a bid to combat bill shock.

The Orange Mobicarte Holiday offer provides customers travelling to France with a SIM card that offers immediate access to two hours of calls, 1,000 text messages from Europe to the rest of the world and 1Gb of mobile internet in mainland France for €39.99. The offer expires after 14 days and is available in all Orange shops as well as certain newsagents, supermarkets and petrol stations in France. It is available to all mobile subscribers, not just existing Orange subscribers.

Customers also receive a welcome booklet in English and French as well as text messages in English providing updates about their usage. It also includes Orange Wifi and Orange maps – a GPS navigation service for mainland France.

The operator is also offering customers a €30 Mobicarte Holiday top-up to customer once their credit has run out. The top up includes two hours of calls, 1,000 text messages from Europe to anywhere in the world and 1Gb of mobile internet in mainland France. It also expires after 14 days.

Check out the video presentation from Neelie Kroes, Vice-President responsible for Digital Agenda, European Commission, at Broadband World Forum 2013.