25 French Series On Netflix To Help Improve Your Language Skills
This post is part of our archived content. While we’ve shifted focus, it still may be useful.
If you are learning French, an excellent way to get ahead is to immerse yourself as much as possible in French culture.
When a trip to Paris isn’t possible, the next best thing is to watch and listen to French.
This is where everyone’s favourite streamer Netflix comes in.
Check out our guide to the best French films and series on Netflix and watch and listen with an optional French to English dictionary on hand.
Enjoy your French shows on Netflix binge-watch!
15 Of The Best French Series To Watch on Netflix
Dix Pour Cent (15)
An international hit, the series is gloriously soapy and glamorous series and set in a Paris talent agency.
With cameo appearances from stars like Sigourney Weaver (her French is excellent), the agents have quite the ride trying to keep their talent happy and the business afloat.
Tantrums. Treachery. Secret flings.
When you work with stars this big, the juiciest dramas play out behind the scenes.
Family Business (15)
Joseph can think of a million businesses he could launch – even if he still works as a kosher butcher in his father’s shop.
When he hears that weed is about to be legalized ‘for sure’, he has an epiphany.
His plan is to turn the family butcher shop into a ‘potcher’ shop, with the help of his family and friends.
Three seasons of comedy ensue.
Lupin (15)
One of the best French series on Netflix, without a doubt, is Lupin.
This critically acclaimed show follows the story of Assane Diop, a gentleman thief who models himself after the famous character Arsène Lupin.
Assane seeks revenge against a wealthy family who wronged his father, using his extraordinary skills and ingenuity to outsmart his adversaries.
With its gripping plot, superb acting, and stunning cinematography, “Lupin” has captured the hearts of viewers worldwide.
The series seamlessly combines suspense, action, and a touch of romance, making it a must-watch for anyone seeking top-notch entertainment.
The series is a worldwide phenomenon, led by Omar Sy, and has been Number 1 in Netflix’s Top 10 across more than 10 countries.
Plan Coeur (15)
Heartbroken Elsa can’t get over her ex, so her friends secretly hire a male escort to help her move on.
When Elsa finds out, will she be able to forgive her best friends?
And above all, did she open the door to love?
A Very Secret Service (15)
Set during the Cold War in the 60s, follow Secret Service agent Andre as he deals with enemies both foreign and domestic in this funny spy comedy.
The Parisian Agency (PG)
Ogle luxurious properties in Paris as the Kretz family buy and sell fabulous homes for their clients in France and abroad.
Marseille (15)
Journalists are surrounding the hospital where Robert Taro (Gérard Depardieu), the incumbent mayor of the city, is still in the intensive care unit, as a result of his recent stroke.
As the date of the upcoming elections approaches, Robert Taro’s absence offers Lucas Barrès his shot to try to rise to power, but he is still nine votes short to become the new mayor of Marseille.
The negotiations with all the different political parties begin, with the extreme right waiting backstage to make its move.
Stuck Together (15)
Seven families live in the Parisian apartment building at 8, Rue de l’Humanite – and they didn’t escape to the countryside at the arrival of lockdown.
Three months of life under lockdown will reveal the best and worst of these neighbours.
Chef’s Table France (PG)
The series showcases the crème de la crème of French chefs; talking about what inspires them and how it translates into their individual styles.
The documentary makers embark on a personal look into the daily lives of these carefully curated chefs.
From their diverse backgrounds to the evolution and craft of their chosen cuisine, the show looks at their quests for sensory perfection.
H (12)
Comedy series following eccentric, bumbling doctors in a Paris hospital.
Criminal France (15)
An understated crime drama set inside a police interview room in Paris as the police question suspects in an effort to solve outstanding cases.
We Are One (15)
This documentary by Stéphane de Freitas follows the journey of five activists who are committed to ensuring that the injustices (sexism, racism) they have suffered are not repeated.
All of them call for an awareness of solidarity in order to build a fairer world. A collective of artists will try to support them.
Nailed It France (PG)
Amateur bakers struggle to recreate dessert masterpieces so they can win 5,000 euros.
Mythomaniac (15)
A taken for granted working mom suspects her partner is having an affair so fakes a medical diagnosis to win back his affection.
Spoiled Brats (12)
Three spoiled siblings are forced to get a job after their wealthy and well-meaning Dad pretends he’s lost his fortune.
Gives off Schitt’s Creek vibes.
If you don’t want to commit to seasons and seasons of a French series, try a French-language film.
10 French Language Movies To Help With Your French
School Life (15)
The new vice-principal of a middle school in Parisian suburb Saint Denis, Samia, is warned by her fellow teachers that the students are unmotivated and hard to discipline.
She sees things differently, however, when she gets to know the students, especially Yanis.
He’s sharp and driven but disillusioned by a world that seems to have turned its back on him and his family.
I Lost My Body (12)
In a Parisian laboratory, a severed hand escapes its unhappy fate and sets out to reconnect with its body in this Cannes Critics’ Week selection.
During a hair-raising escapade across the city, the extremity fends off pigeons and rats alike to reunite with pizza boy Naoufel.
Its memories of Naoufel and his love for librarian Gabrielle may provide answers about what caused the hand’s separation and a poetic backdrop for a possible reunion between the three.
Wonderboy (12)
An incredibly moving film following Olivier Rousteing – Creative Director of fashion house Balmain – as he searches for his birth mother.
Friendzone (15)
Can Thibault cross the line from best friend to boyfriend?
He Even Has Your Eyes (12)
A Black French African couple discover the longed-for baby they’re about to adopt is white.
Friends and family aren’t on board!
Paris Is Us (12)
Anna is a young Parisian in her twenties.
After surviving a plane crash, Anna reminisces about events from her life.
In the streets of Paris, she is caught between dream and reality, present and past, in a city ready to explode.
Angèle (15)
Francophone pop star Angèle reflects on her life as she finds balance amid the loneliness and joys of fame.
Carbon (15)
A dark movie following an entrepreneur on the brink of losing his business.
He launches a carbon tax scam and is thrown into a world of intrigue and crime.
Budapest (15)
Two best friends put their relationships and careers on the line to launch a new business hosting absurd, raunchy, anything goes bachelor parties in Hungary.
Oxygen (15)
Oxygen is a survival thriller that tells the story of a young woman who wakes up in a cryogenic pod.
She doesn’t remember who she is or how she ended up there.
As she’s running out of oxygen, she must rebuild her memory to find a way out of her nightmare.
If you want to use a French series on Netflix to improve your language skills, try watching in French with English subtitles.
Netflix is renowned for its wide variety of international content, including many highly popular French series available in English.
The streaming platform offers an extensive selection of French shows, providing English-speaking audiences with the opportunity to explore and appreciate French culture, language, and storytelling.
These series cover a diverse range of genres, from crime dramas like “Lupin” to historical dramas like “Versailles,” captivating viewers with their immersive plots, brilliant performances, and high production values.
With subtitles and dubbing options, Netflix ensures that non-French speakers can fully enjoy and connect with these captivating French series, fostering cross-cultural understanding and expanding the global reach of French television.
Which Netflix French series will you be watching next?