Can a friend bring me back an Orange Holiday card?

Interesting idea. I have a trip coming up and I was planning to order an Orange Holiday SIM from Amazon, but just checked and see they're currently out of stock, with no info on when (or even if) they'll again be available there.

I hadn't considered having one brought from the source. Or, now that I think of it, sent from the source...I do have a friend who lives in Paris. Hmmm...

Note that, based on what I've read, there's no real "setup" required, and if you happen to insert the SIM in your phone and it connects to anything (even just connecting to the internet via wifi) that starts your service...and you get 14 days of service. So most savvy people suggest you do not insert the card until you arrive in Europe, because the clock starts ticking right away. This assumes we're talking about the same Orange Holiday SIM...

French SIM cards need to be registered with a passport, FYI. I don't see the point of buying one that isn't activate until you land in France - why not just buy one at the airport after you get there then? Or you can go to a mobile store in France to have them set it up. Occasionally, people do have issues with their phones using these SIMs, so it can be helpful to have someone at a store set it up.

I've mentioned the Dutch Vodafone SIM in other threads that people can buy ahead of time on eBay, but it's not a good choice for people who want to make calls to French phone numbers. It's an excellent choice for people who mostly want data on their phones, and it can be activated to be ready to use when you land in Europe, without fiddling then.

Thanks for the replies,

I was hoping to have it ready to go when I land, just wanted to take something off the list for when we land so we can just worry about getting on the train. I had looked at the amazon ones and figured if I could take the middle man out it might be easier.

I know you can activate them later than when you buy them but I hadn't thought about the passport issue. I suppose if your friend doesn't mind, you could, but I'm saying that without considering whether you're violating any laws by doing so.

It might also be possible to order one online ahead of time too, but I've only purchased one in France.

Yes, if your friend (or you) has a spare phone she can take with her to install the SIM card into. You really need the SIM card installed and tested before she leaves the shop.
She will have to show her passport and the phone will be in her name, but that is no problem.
Then, when she gets home switch the SIM card to your phone.

Make sure she makes a note of all the numbers (PIN, phone number, how to add credit via the internet) and hands these over to you.

That's a pretty nice friend if they're willing to go to all that trouble for you on their vacation!