I didn't really think that this would be possible in Vannes - it doesn't have enough seedy looking shops or back alleys. So I made it my business to get this done in Paris. London has the sort of shop that will unlock your mobile on every other corner, Southampton is equally full of these, so I was a bit bemused by this lack but then again Vannes is not very big and I imagine no one ever wants to switch phone provider. I was wondering around St Germain where, especially near the bank of the Seine, there are a lot of tourist tat shops many looking like they'd do it. Couldn't really find any signs, and as St Germain is pretty fancy I didn't think this would be the place to get a cheap deal. I asked a woman selling I love Paris generalia and she said that Barbès is the best place. Barbès is a big boulevard slap bang in the middle meeting point of the 8th, 9th and 18th - and is heaving with people. It's a very multicultural place, which was refreshing after marching around the tourist areas and Rue de Rivoli/St Germain and such. Anyway, the first shop didn't manage although they offered me a good deal of 10€. Second place succeeded for 15€, although threatened (perhaps jokingly) to make me pay 35€ as I couldn't wait for it to be done in the morning and left for most of the day to collect it later.
So that was a rather roundabout way of saying that if you need to get a phone unlocked (débloqué or désimlocké) then go to Paris and to Boulevard Barbès.
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