Ready to take a few minutes to explore the 12 best French series on Netflix right now?
Whether you’re in the mood for rollicking comedies, gripping dramas, fast-paced detective shows, or just about anything in between, Netflix has a great French TV series for you. So pop some popcorn (or grab an éclair) and take an hour or two to work on your French – while having a lovely time – with these fantastic French shows.
After all, there’s nothing better than finding a new favourite TV show, and learning a language at the same time? You can’t beat it.
If you’re learning French, one of the best things you can do to improve your listening comprehension and your French accent is to immerse yourself in French pop culture. And how better to practise French immersion than by binge watching a fantastic show?
*We’ve marked which country each series comes from because, just like with our favourite Netflix Spanish series, different French speaking countries and different parts of France have different accents and phrases.
Improve your French with these 12 French series on Netflix
All of these series are available at present on US Netflix.
1. Dix pour cent (Call My Agent!) – 4 seasons (2018 – present)
Tomatometer: 96%
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Country of origin: France
A critically acclaimed, totally hilarious comedy series about the personal and professional struggles of the four lead agents at a French talent agency. Dix pour cent benefits from cameos from a number of French celebrities who are clearly enjoying their time on the show, plus a totally lovable main cast.
And, for fans of Dix pour cent who have already binged the whole series, there’s now Standing up. It’s a new French series on Netflix by Dix pour cent creator Fanny Herrero about the French stand-up comedy scene.
Also available on Netflix in the UK
2. Osmosis – 1 season (2019)
Tomatometer: 100%
Genre: Drama
Country of origin: France
In Paris, sometime in the not-so-distant future, two brilliant siblings unveil a dating app that uses a high-tech implant to match singles by mining their minds for information. As you can imagine, all does not go to plan and the tech has unintended consequences. Drama ensues!
Also available on Netflix in the UK
3. La Forêt (The Forest) – 1 season (2017)
Tomatometer: N/A
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Crime
Country of origin: France, Belgium
Described as a French Broadchurch, La Forêt is a crime drama about the disappearance of a teenage girl in a small, tight-knit Belgian town surrounded by the Ardennes forest. The six episode miniseries is gripping from beginning to end, a must-watch for fans of dark police dramas and small-town secrets.
Also available on Netflix in the UK
4. Au service de la France (A Very Secret Service) – 2 seasons (2015-2018)
Tomatometer: N/A
Genre: Workplace Comedy, Political Drama
Country of origin: France
This surprisingly gentle, yet addictive comedy about a fictional French spy agency at the cusp of the Cold War is a fun, bureaucratic period piece, with some genuine wit and laughs. And, as a bonus for French learners, it was filmed partially in Morocco and includes a backdrop of real historical events. That means you get to hear a few non-France French accents and receive a quick overview of what was happening in French history around the Cold War. Lucky you.
Also available on Netflix in the UK
5. Le Bazar de la Charité (The Bonfire of Destiny) – 1 season (2019)
Tomatometer: N/A
Genre: Period Drama
Country of origin: France
Set in 1897 and centred around a real fire that killed 126 people at an annual charity event for Parisian aristocracy, Le Bazar de la Charité is a fictionalised version of the story that follows the lives of three women who attended the event, but survived. A little soapy (in the good way), this well-plotted and -paced costume drama set in the Belle Époque is well worth a watch.
Also available on Netflix in the UK
6. The Circle Game (The Circle France) – 1 season (2020 – present)
Tomatometer: N/A
Genre: Reality Competition
Country of origin: France
If you liked the series The Circle that hit Netflix in 2020, great news – there’s a The Circle France waiting for you! While there are tons of high quality French Netflix shows, we thought it was worth including a little satisfying candy for the weary mind. The concept is simple – reality contestants are kept separate (but in the same building) and interact through a private social network where they present their best selves… or someone else entirely. And then they vote anonymously within The Circle (that’s the social network) for who gets to stay. Yum.
And if you’re in the mood for a gentler reality show, L’Agence (The Parisian Agency, in English,) is a delightful show about a family-run luxury real estate company. It has all the exclusive real estate glory of Selling Sunset, but everyone mostly gets along.
Also available on Netflix in the UK
7. Mytho (Mythomaniac) – 2 seasons (2019)
Tomatometer: Audience score only – 71%
Genre: Drama
Country of origin: France
Mytho is a gripping and gritty story about an overlooked and overworked housewife who pretends to have cancer to get the attention of her family – but the lies soon unravel (of course). Originally created as a mini-series, Mytho was so beloved it was brought back for a surprise second season in 2021.
Also available on Netflix in the UK
8. Family Business – 3 seasons (2019 – present)
Tomatometer: Audience score only – 100%
Genre: Comedy
Country of origin: France
This lighthearted comedy follows a down-on-his-luck businessman and his family, as they rush to pivot the family butcher shop to a cannabis-growing operation when France votes to legalise marijuana. It’s a fun show and has gained some well-earned popularity – it’s been renewed for a third season.
Also available on Netflix in the UK
9. Unité 42 (Unit 42) – 1 season (2017)
Tomatometer: Audience score only – 91%
Genre: Crime, Thriller, Suspense
Country of origin: Belgium
Another dramatic mini series, Unité 42 follows a widowed cop who heads up a cyber crime unit and the former hacker who becomes his primary partner. Together, they hunt down hackers and tech-savvy criminals causing trouble across Belgium. Fans say it’s a compelling and entertaining crime drama that manages to be surprisingly human and thought-provoking.
Also available on Netflix in the UK
10. M’entends-tu? (Can You Hear Me?) – 2 seasons (2020 – present)
Tomatometer: N/A
Genre: Comedy
Country of origin: Canada
While French Canadian series on Netflix aren’t as plentiful as those made in France, there’s tons of great Québecois content out there to be seen. Having a very different accent and using a plethora of unique phrases, it’s worth familiarising yourself with the Québec style of French, especially if you’re thinking about a trip to the francophone province.
M’entends-tu? is a raunchy comedy with touches of drama that follows three female friends from a low income neighbourhood of Montreal getting through life and dating together. (Want more Québecois content? Check out our list of the best French films to watch on Netflix for some great ideas.)
Also available on Netflix in the UK
11. Plan cœur (The Hook Up Plan) – 3 seasons (2018 – present)
Tomatometer: N/A
Genre: Comedy, Rom-com
Country of origin: France
While not necessarily high art, Plan cœur is quite enjoyable, if rom-coms are your cup of tea. Think of it like a French Sex and the City available on Netflix. It follows a woman turning 30 and still hung up on her ex whose friends decide to secretly hire her a male escort. As you can imagine, hijinks ensue. At the very least, it’s a more accurate representation of the lifestyle and people of Paris than Emily in Paris.
Also available on Netflix in the UK
12. Lupin – 1 season in 2 parts (2021- present)
Tomatometer: 97%
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Espionage
Country of origin: France
Finally, maybe the best French show on Netflix right now, the series Lupin had streamers abuzz worldwide when it launched last year.
It follows Omar Sy as Assane Diop, the only son of an immigrant from Senegal, who has pursued the life of a professional thief, inspired by the adventures of the French literary character Arsène Lupin. Lupin is a fictional gentleman thief and master of disguise, but a real literary character, to be clear, created in the early 1900s by the French writer Maurice Leblanc. The show expertly plays with and borrows from the original source material. Think something like Sherlock with a touch of Luther, but en français. Lupin smashed records for a French language show worldwide and is absolutely worth a watch – and Netflix has already announced that a Part 3 is in the works.
Also available on Netflix in the UK
Special mention: French version of Netflix originals
As well as all these great shows, there are a few more that merit a mention. Over the past few years, Netflix has released Nailed it! France, Criminal France, and Chef’s Table France. If any of those shows float your boat in English, their French counterparts are equally fun, exciting, and mesmerising.
And there you have it – the 12 top French series on Netflix right now – and a few bonus recommendations to boot. Each one has a certain je ne sais quoi, don’t you think? Pick the one that suits your mood and get watching.
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