Watching popular French shows on Netflix and Amazon is an excellent way to gain cultural fluency while honing vocabulary and listening skills.
Here are some of the best French series on Netflix and Amazon Prime in the US as of September 4, 2023. If you’re not in the US, click the title to check if the show is available in your country.
Netflix originals will stick around, but watch the rest while you can, because content disappears as licensing agreements expire.
I’ll add to this list regularly as I watch more French TV shows on Netflix and Amazon as part of my project to relearn French.
If you’re an intermediate or advanced learner, try using French subtitles if available as studies show it boosts language learning.
If you understand 70-80% of the dialogue with French subtitles, challenge yourself by guessing the rest from context. Try to free yourself from the need to comprehend every word. This allows you to learn in a more enjoyable, intuitive way.
If you can’t get 70-80%, watch a first time with English subtitles and then again with French.
Table of Contents
Best French Series on Netflix
1. Dix pour cent (Call My Agent!)
This comedic gem has deservedly become a global Netflix hit. One of the best French shows for language learners.
At a top Paris talent firm, agents scramble to keep their star clients happy — and their business afloat — after an unexpected crisis. Each episode features at least one real-life French celebrity playing themselves.
Keep an ear out for colloquial expressions such as:
- se prendre la tête – to get worked up about something, to get irritated
- saouler quelqu’un – to annoy or exhaust someone, as in Il/elle/ça me saoule!
- se casser – to leave. On se casse = Let’s get out of here.
- dingue – crazy, as in C’est dingue!
- chiant (vulgar) – boring, irritating
- faire chier (vulgar) – to bother, to bore
For more vocabulary explanations, watch innerFrench’s excellent analysis of the beginning of the first episode (no spoilers).
French Mornings with Elisa also has a couple of helpful videos analyzing the show’s slang.
2. L’Agence (The Parisian Agency: Exclusive Properties)

Luxury property shows can be superficial, but what saves this popular French reality show is the focus on the close-knit Kretz clan, who runs a realty business from their home in Boulogne, Paris.
L’Agence features gorgeous locations around Paris and French holiday destinations like Île de Ré, Megève, Annecy, Cap Ferrat, and Saint-Barth.
This is real-life French with lots of slang. A great opportunity to hear everyday French with the benefit of subtitles.
- coup de cœur (m.) – favorite, crush; used to refer to things (like apartments) rather than people
- soudé – welded, closely knit; une famille soudée – a closely knit family
- craquer – to be unable to resist something; craquer pour qch – to find something irresistible (slang)
- se magner – to hurry (slang)
- braquer quelqu’un – to antagonize somebody (slang)
- canon – good-looking, gorgeous (slang)
- pépite (f.) – a gem or treasure
- se planter – to mess up, to get something wrong (slang)
Season 2 was released March 2022. Crossing my fingers for a Season 3!
3. Lupin
Fun, fast-paced adaptation of the exploits of master burglar Arsène Lupin, beloved French antihero of a series of classic crime novels. The most popular French series ever on Netflix.
The charming Omar Sy (Intouchables) stars as a professional thief who sets out to avenge his immigrant father for an injustice inflicted by a wealthy family. This binge-worthy heist series also addresses issues of racism and France’s colonial past.
Beautiful location shots in Paris and Normandy add to the enjoyment.
Some vocabulary:
- balayeur – sweeper, street cleaner
- aux enchères – at auction
- décoller – to take off or launch; also slang for “to leave”
- bidon – fraud, bogus (slang)
- se barrer – to leave, get out (slang)
- choper – to catch, to steal (slang)
- poteau – friend, buddy (slang)
4. Plan Coeur (The Hook Up Plan)
Super fun, addictive rom-com set in Paris.
Endearingly dorky Elsa is about to turn 30 and stuck in an boring job. Plus, she’s still hung up on her ex two years after their breakup. In a misguided attempt to renew Elsa’s faith in dating, her girlfriends secretly hire a male escort for her, with unexpected consequences.
The casting does a nice job representing the diversity of French society, with characters of Portuguese, Arab, African, and Spanish origin.
The first season has only six episodes of less than 30 minutes, making this an easy watch for language learners. Unfortunately, the second season is not nearly as good, and I didn’t finish it.
The French title’s a play on words on the expression plan cul, or plan q, a hookup or one-night stand.
Colloquial expressions to listen for:
- chelou – weird, suspicious. Verlan, or backwards slang, derived from the word louche, which has the same meaning.
- relou – verlan for lourd (literally “heavy,” but figuratively means annoying)
- bosser – to work, to slave away
- taf (m) – a job
- picoler – to drink, to booze
- clope (f) – cigarette
- avoir trop de bol – to be super lucky
- être à la bourre – to be in a rush, to be late
- les fringues (f) – clothes
- chanmé – verlan form of méchant (wicked, nasty). Means awesome, just like the English slang “wicked.”
5. Les combattantes (Women at War)
Bingeable TV melodrama with big-name stars Audrey Fleurot, Sandrine Bonnaire, and Tchéky Karyo. Similar cast and style as Le Bazar de la Charité (listed below).
France, 1914. The destinies of four women intersect: Marguerite, a mysterious Parisian prostitute; Caroline, propelled to the head of the family factory; Agnes, Mother Superior of a requisitioned convent; and Suzanne, a feminist nurse.
6. Family Business
In this entertaining comedy, Joseph, a failed entrepreneur played by French-Jewish comedian Jonathan Cohen, finds out pot is to be legalized in France. He decides to convert his family’s kosher butcher shop into the country’s first cannabis coffee shop.
The show is set in Le Marais, Paris’s historical Jewish quarter, and the vibrant mix of Ashkenazi and North African Sephardic and Muslim communities provides an fascinating cultural backdrop.
Episodes run about half an hour, perfect for learners, and feature lots of humorous verlan (backwards slang). For example, Joseph calls the new coffee shop “Beucherie,” a play on words with boucherie (butcher shop) and beuh (verlan for herbe or pot).
In another hilarious scene, when Joseph’s sister Aure plans to move to Kyoto, another character assumes it’s verlan for Tokyo. He’s shocked to learn Kyoto exists, exclaiming that the Japanese must get their rendez-vous mixed up all the time when speaking verlan!
7. Drôle (Standing Up)
Smart, well-written show by Fanny Herrero, creator of Dix pour cent (Call My Agent!).
In Paris, four young comedians chase stand-up fame while juggling financial pressures, family tensions, and romantic adventures. The Drôle comedy club in the show is loosely based on Le Paname in the vibrant, multicultural 11th arrondissement, and the cast reflects the diversity of Paris.
This intense, riveting French docu-series recounts the events of November 13, 2015, when ISIL terrorists attacked six Paris locations, killing 130 and injuring hundreds more.
The original title comes from Paris’ Latin motto Fluctuat nec mergitur (“tossed by the sea but never sunk”), which became a message of defiance after the attacks.
I wasn’t sure I’d be able to watch this, but the story is told with restraint and respect. The personal accounts of anguish, kindness, and courage by survivors and first responders are unforgettable.
9. The Circle France
No English subtitles available for YouTube trailer — click here to watch subtitled trailer on Netflix
In this unique social media popularity contest, online players try to flirt, bond, and catfish their way to a €100,000 prize.
It’s the perfect French reality TV show to binge right now because each contestant is isolated in their apartment, able to communicate only via social media.
While the show flashes gorgeous opening drone shots of France, players actually live in the same apartment building in Manchester, UK used for The Circle‘s American and British editions.
Contestants hail from a variety of locations. The culturally diverse cast included participants with Cameroonian, Moroccan, and Portuguese origins. My favorite player was Maxime/Valeria from Monaco!
The diversity of accents and slang make The Circle a great choice for French language learners.
Some argot (slang) you’ll hear on the show:
- mdr – Internet abbreviation for mort de rire, or lol
- meuf (f) – girl or chick. Verlan, or backwards slang, derived from the word femme.
- draguer – to flirt with
- coucou – hello or hi
- kiffer – to really like, to enjoy
- ouf – verlan for fou, or crazy
- beau gosse (m) – good-looking guy (learn more about les beaux gosses in this funny video)
10. Emily in Paris
Bingeworthy show by the creator of Sex and the City. Emily, a driven marketing executive from Chicago, moves to Paris for her job. Cultures clash as she adjusts to the challenges of life in France.
While the show has been deservedly criticized for its unrealistic portrayal of Paris and the French, it remains a guilty pleasure watch for Francophiles. Although most of the show is in English, you’ll never forget phrases such as la plouc (the hick), ringard.e (basic) and la dame pipi (restroom attendant). Season 2 does feature more French dialogue.
11. M’entends-tu? (Can You Hear Me?)
No English subtitles available for YouTube trailer — click here to watch subtitled trailer on Netflix
If you’d like to practice Canadian French, try this gritty, funny series set in a low-income part of Montreal.
Three female friends find hope and raunchy humor as they deal with bad boyfriends and dysfunctional families.
Lots of Quebecois slang.
12. Chef’s Table: France
This France-themed spin-off features the trademark gorgeous cinematography and production of the Chef’s Table series.
Each episode highlights one renowned French chef sharing what inspires them to push the boundaries of France’s rich culinary tradition.
13. Christmas Flow
In this cute new rom-com, an unlikely Christmas romance blossoms between a famous rapper and a tenacious journalist. But can they make it work despite their differences?
Thanks to Lionel from the excellent French learning podcast Impolyglot for the recommendation.
14. Sakho & Mangane
For a taste of West African French, try this fast-paced crime drama from Senegal, Netflix’s first French series from Africa. A brash undercover cop and an gruff older captain are thrown together to solve difficult cases in Dakar.
Worth watching for the cultural insights, melodic West African accents, and interesting shots of Dakar, Senegal’s bustling capital.
15. Le Bazar de la Charité (The Bonfire Of Destiny)
No English subtitles available for YouTube trailer — click here to watch subtitled trailer on Netflix
Rather soapy French drama series inspired by the infamous 1897 fire in a Paris charity hall that killed 130 people, mostly women.
The harrowing story follows three women whose lives are upended in the tragedy: socialite Adrienne (Audrey Fleurot), her niece Alice, and maid Rose.
To be honest, this French TV drama is a little melodramatic for my taste. However, many enjoy the female-driven storylines. If you like historical series, give it a try.
The French is clear and relatively easy to understand.
Bonus: Individual French Episodes on Netflix
Here are some recommended individual episodes of docuseries in French.
Season 1, Episode 3 – Unsolved Mysteries
True crime fans shouldn’t miss Season 1, Episode 3 of Unsolved Mysteries, which is in relatively easy-to-understand French.
When the aristocrat Xavier Dupont de Ligonnès and his entire family disappear in Nantes, France, the authorities unearth something horrifying.
Episode 5 – 7 Days Out Docuseries
If you enjoy fashion documentaries, try Episode 5 of 7 Days Out. During Paris Fashion Week, the Chanel team hustles to put the finishing touches on an extravagant runway show designed by fashion icon Karl Lagerfeld.
Only about half the dialogue is in French, but the episode provides a fascinating behind-the-scenes glimpse of this iconic Parisian tradition and showcase of French savoir-faire.
Best French TV Shows on Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime members can stream these French television series for free in the US. Not a Prime member yet? Click here to start your free 30-day trial.
Amazon Prime used to only have English subtitles, but it’s stepping up its game to match Netflix in language options.
1. Mixte (Voltaire High)
Captivating drama set in a French high school during the societal and sexual revolution of 1960s France. When the previously all-male school allows girls in for the first time, teachers and students aren’t prepared for this radical change.
The series was filmed in the medieval market town of Saint-Jean-d’Angély in the Charente-Maritime department of southwestern France. The high school is actually its famed royal abbey, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Thanks to Erin Byrne for the recommendation! Don’t miss her fabulous book on travel in France.
2. Un village français (A French Village)
The compelling story of a small fictional village in Jura during the German occupation of France during World War II. This gripping drama features complex characters, a great script, and nuanced acting.
In June 1940, the village of Villeneuve awakes to the arrival of the German army. The next four years of occupation have a shattering effect on the lives of its inhabitants.
Each season corresponds to about one year of the Occupation. The third season covers the mass deportation of the Jews and is hard to watch. However, it provides important insight into the excruciating moral choices faced by the French in this painful period that left psychological scars still felt today.
Seasons 1 and 3-4 are available free on Prime. You can watch the remainder with a free MHz Choice channel trial.
Some colloquial expressions used on the show:
- Boche, Fritz (m) – disparaging term for a German, especially a soldier
- flic (m) – police officer, cop
- Je m’en fiche – I couldn’t care less. (You’ll also hear the more vulgar Je m’en fous – I don’t give a damn.)
- vachement – really, bloody. Used as an intensifier. C’est vachement difficile ! – It’s really hard!
- tonton (m) – childish word for uncle. You’ll also hear tata, or auntie.
- J’en ai marre – I’m sick of this; I’m fed up
- môme, gosse (m) – a kid
- Ta gueule ! – Shut up; shut your trap!
- emmerder quelqu’un (vulgar) – to annoy someone
3. Salade Grecque (Greek Salad)
Fans of Cédric Klapisch’s wonderful L’Auberge Espagnole movie trilogy won’t want to miss this series spin-off featuring the children of Wendy and Xavier.
When Tom and Mia’s grandfather dies, they inherit a building in Athens. Like their parents 25 years earlier, they find themselves living with young people from all over Europe.
4. Montre jamais ça à personne (Orelsan: Don’t ever show this to anyone)
Entertaining documentary of the rags-to-riches story of Aurélien Cotentin, a.k.a. French rapper Orelsan. He achieves stardom despite being a white kid from la province far from Paris’s music scene due to his loyal friends and humor, creativity, and social media savvy.
5. Engrenages (Spiral)
Available free on Amazon with a MHz Choice channel trial.
This addictive French detective series won a cult following for its gritty realism, superb acting, and complex storylines. It was broadcast in more than 70 countries.
Warning for sensitive viewers like me: The first episode is excessively gruesome. Hang in there, though. Subsequent episodes, while intense, are less graphic.
The word engrenage literally translates as “cogs” or “gears.” Figuratively, it can also mean a complex mechanism or an inescapable series of events. The English title Spiral derives from the phrase l’engrenage de la violence, a downward spiral of violence.
Lots of swearing and slang in this noir French police drama. To keep this post family-friendly, I’ve omitted the most offensive.
- flic (m) – police officer, cop
- keuf (m) – verlan form of flic or cop
- fric (m) – money
- bagnole, caisse (f) – car
- moche – ugly, unattractive
- balancer quelqu’un – to snitch on someone
- déconner (vulgar) – to talk crap
- connard (m) (vulgar) – idiot, jerk
The long-awaited seasons 7 and 8 are now available.
All viewing options:6. Le Bureau des Légendes (The Bureau)
Binge-worthy French spy thriller based on real accounts with brilliant writing and acting.
This smart, suspenseful drama follows the daily lives and missions of members of France’s external security service — the equivalent of the CIA. It focuses on intelligence officer Guillaume Debailly, code-named “Malotru” (lout or brute in French), who is abruptly recalled to Paris after six years undercover in Syria.
Le Bureau is my favorite French show on Amazon. I didn’t list it in first place because it requires a Sundance Now channel subscription. However, there is a free one-week trial. I did pay for a month-long subscription to watch all the seasons. It was well worth it.
Le Bureau is excellent for language enthusiasts. In addition to French, it features dialogue in Arabic, Farsi, Russian, and Italian.
The French used is fairly straightforward. It doesn’t have as much slang as Spiral, for example.
Some useful vocabulary:
- mouchard (m) – bug, wiretap
- taupe (f) – mole, informer
- balancer quelqu’un – to snitch on someone
- fuite (f) – leak (i.e., of information)
- planque (f) – hideout, safe house
- légende (f) – undercover identity. griller sa légende – to blow someone’s cover.
- quoi – when at the end of a sentence, a filler word used for emphasis. C’est fou, quoi ! – It’s crazy, ya know!
- mec (m) – guy, dude
- bosser – to work, to slave away
7. Nina

Available free on Amazon with a PBS Masterpiece channel trial.
Highly entertaining medical drama about Nina, a 39-year-old divorcee who abandoned med school to care for her sick daughter. Fifteen years later, she becomes a dedicated nurse.
Filmed in the hospital of Villeneuve-Saint-Georges in Paris’s southeastern suburbs.
This popular show is in its sixth season in France. Hopefully more seasons will come to Amazon. Seasons 1-5 are available on Netflix in France.
Thanks to Erin Byrne for the recommendation!
8. Les Revenants (The Returned)
This riveting French supernatural drama takes place in the beautiful French Alps. Unfortunately, on Amazon it’s now only available for purchase. See more rental options below.
A group of confused people return home unaware that they have been dead for years, throwing their loved ones into a state of turmoil. Buried secrets emerge as they grapple with this chilling new reality.
The American/Canadian remake, also called The Returned, lasted only one season.
All viewing options:
More Top French TV Shows
These popular French shows are no longer free on Netflix or Amazon in the US, but may be available there or on other platforms depending on your country. Check the streaming services listed under each show. And don’t forget your local library for free streaming options like Hoopla.
1. Maison Close
This steamy French period drama follows the beautiful and resilient women of an elite 19th-century Parisian brothel. Great acting and sets and lots of subtleties to the plot.
The first season is very good, but I found the second season disappointing and didn’t finish it.
Fun fact: This French drama was actually filmed in Lisbon, Portugal, whose narrow streets resemble 19th-century Paris.
All viewing options:
French Slang Quiz
Have you been paying attention to my slang definitions? Test your knowledge with this fun quick quiz! Try not to refer to the lists above. 🙂
How fluent is your French slang?

Have feedback on these French Netflix series or more suggestions? Some of my best French TV show recommendations come from readers!
Also, if you have any suggested additions or improvements for the vocab lists or the slang quiz, I would love to hear them. Please share your thoughts in the comments.
Photo credits:
– Banner image: Cécile de France in Dix pour cent (2015)
– French slang quiz images from Plan Coeur © Netflix
Excited to check these out! Thank you! I also suggested them to Gabriel. He has his oral French Abi exam in two weeks!
Thanks, Rainier! Would love to hear which French series are his favorites.
I’ll let you know 🙂
The Bureau (le bureau des Légendes) on Amazon Prime is a fantastic French series! I really enjoyed Engrenages but I think it was even better
Merci, Sandrine! Had this one on my list and think I’ll watch it next.
Thank you for these — Saw Dix Pour Cent — that is really great! Look forward to trying the others.
So glad you’ve found it helpful, Judy!
Have you watched la trêve on netflix? It’s a Belgian crime drama, really enjoyed it. First time I actually noticed the expression: c’est quoi ce bordel?! and now I hear it everywhere haha
Thanks for the list, I will have to check some of these out 🙂
hehehehe, love that expression. Thanks for the recommendation… adding it to my list! 🙂
Any idea when season 7 of Spiral will be available in the US?? Been waiting almost 2 years.
Yes, it’s taking forever, isn’t it? According to US distributor MHz Choice, unfortunately they don’t have an American release date yet. Hopefully soon!
I love 10 %. I’m also happy to have found your blog. I sent you an email because I wanted to connect–not asking for free help. But the email bounced back. Is there another way to reach you? I’m at nadia@nadiacolburn.com. Thanks for what you do 🙂
Hi Nadia, so sorry about that. There was a problem with the account that’s been fixed now… thanks for letting me know. I’ll send you a note. 🙂
Thanks for share all of these French series. My interest in French series developed after watching Marianne. It was a good horror thriller. Then Call My Agent admired me a lot. In the beginning, I watched it’s Turkish remake and noticed the French one is better.
Nowadays, I am thinking to watch Lupin and Ad Vatim. Hopefully, both would be good crime thriller and future technology ones respectively.
Keep writing good stuff Ingrid 🤗
Hi Zunaira, thanks for your comment. I haven’t watched Marianne since I’m not a fan of horror, but I’m sure you will enjoy Lupin! 🙂
Ingrid,
Can you provide your thoughts on MHz offerings? Its subscription is generally less than most others, and with more French shows. I finished Mafiosa, now watching Blood on the Docks. They have Spiral and French Village. Merci beaucoup!
Philippe
Hi Philippe, thanks for the recommendations of Mafiosa and Blood on the Docks. I’ve found MHz a terrific option for French and other European TV shows, and reasonably priced, as you mentioned. For more French series suggestions, check out this list of their most popular shows in 2020: https://mhzchoiceblog.com/top-10-most-watched-mhz-choice-series-in-2020/.
I signed up with their website and received a free month-long trial via the newsletter, but I didn’t find the MHz streaming app very user-friendly. I would recommend subscribing through Amazon so you can use the Prime streaming app instead.
Engrenages (Spiral) is the best French series ever made. Its only challenger (in the English speaking world or elsewhere) is Breaking Bad. Engrenages is a real thing! It so good it hurts.
My family and all our friends were mesmerized by Un Village Francais. I am surprised you do not include it. It got us through the first month of isolation in the pandemic. We are not French speakers but our French-speaking friends loved it too.
Yes, it’s my favorite French series, after The Bureau! Check out my Amazon Prime section above, where it’s included.
Oops! missed it! sorry….but glad to hear of your approval.
No problem; glad you enjoyed it too!
You can watch it on SBS Australia
They forgot Candace Renoir ! I love it!
Dix pour Cent is not available on Netflix at the moment in Germany. I’ve bought the DVD box and I agree with Ingrid that it is a great show .
Merci Ingrid pour tes recommandations
So glad you’re enjoying it, Björn!
Love these shows and thanks so much! I have been looking for more french shows, as I feel like I have watched all the Nordic Noir shows and now am immersed in the French ones. A few of my French favorites not on this list: Witnesses, Paris Murders, Murder In, Killer by the lake, Mother is Wrong, Munch, Fear by the Lake, Spring Tide, The Crimson Rivers, The Art of Crime (a little cheesy, but I love art, so it’s worth it) No Second Chance, (most of these are found on Amazon Prime Channel MHZ – would love some thoughts on Scandinavian shows also – I have TONs of those I have watched also, and running out of them.
Thanks so much for those recommendations, LeeAnn! MHZ is awesome, although I prefer to watch their shows on Amazon Prime’s player. Haven’t seen too much Nordic noir, although I recently watched Trapped before a trip to Iceland and absolutely loved it.