Can I live in France without knowing French?

My name is Chris and I teach at OuiCommunicate, a school that I started in 2018. We specialize in teaching French to adults.

On this page, I will answer the question “Can I live in France without knowing French?” I will base this on 40 years’ worth of knowledge on France and as a French teacher.

I will share my opinion on whether it is possible to live in France without knowing French and whether it is advisable.

1. The legal side of France

The visitor to France must understand that this country is a Republic whose constitution aims at creating a sense of norm through equality between all the citizens. France has not been known to promote an “anything goes” type of atmosphere. The State weighs heavier than arguments on individual rights such as we see in America.

This is felt in the way France does not accept home schooling because it is seen as anti-Republican. They want one school system for all, one set of Republican values and of course, one language.

Yes, you may have personal convictions and free speech but not to the detriment of the Republic. Another example is seen in their approach to religious headwear or face coverings. It was seen as anti-Republican and therefore outlawed. Naturally, you may do what you want in your own home but not in the public sphere.

They want a central secular State that is not at risk of being dismantled by anti-Republican religious convictions. They also want to engineer a sense of unity and equality through the knowledge of French.

2. Can I use English in France?

Whether you “may” legally try to address French citizens in English is clearly “yes”. It is within your rights to speak English but it is also their right to say “Sorry, we speak French here”. There is only one legal language in France and that is French.

Shopkeepers, lawyers, doctors or restaurant staff may choose to accommodate you and use English but they don’t have to, legally. And if any French person gets annoyed at you for speaking English, they are not being intolerant, they are just being French.

When it comes to the ability to communicate successfully in English it will be very dependent on the level of English of that particular French person. Keep in mind that there is less English in the public space in France than there is French in America. All their films and TV programs are in French and nothing is translated into English.

The average French person will have taken English in school but whether they use it professionally is another matter. For many, it is skill that finds no active use in their day-to-day operations.

3. What practical consequences?

If you are 65 and no longer need to pass a French test to live in France, or if you have a holiday home in France and choose not to learn French there may be several consequences.

The main one is that you will become a spectator of France rather than a participant. Yes, you will enjoy the scenery and the food, but you will also be living in a bubble. In a way, you will be picking and choosing the aspects of France that suit you and leave the actual living and managing to the French. They will become the caterers of France while you become the person who saunters through the streets as in a living museum.

The French will absolutely recognize your behaviour and approach you accordingly. They will see “tourist” and choose not to invest in your friendship, simply because it appears like too much of a cultural gap as well as too much effort. They would be the heartbeat of the country and you would be walking around in it.

Another consequence would be the fact of understanding France on a surface level only. You would see but not properly understand what makes up France. The thoughts of a People necessarily go through the language, and not knowing this will leave you just looking at the furniture, as pretty as it may be.

4. The heavier consequences

People are people, and we are all a bit tribal at our core. We perceive other humans with a complex mixture of chemistry and instinct. Many times, our reactions are not calculated or conscious.

Not knowing French will likely make your stay more expensive. Maintenance and repairs will be more expensive because tradesmen will add a bit on the bill each time. The service you get might also be lesser than if they spoke to someone who showed an interest in their country. They might not “try it on” with someone who has the ability to argue. (even with basic phrases)

You also risk a sense of carelessness from professionals. This may come from a lack of proper understanding but also the perceived fact that it is “too much trouble” to bother getting to the bottom of your idea in broken French, as they fill in the gaps with their English.

Filing a police report in case of a theft or going to a doctor might become extremely laborious. Even by using an online translator (Google) it will still create an obstacle between yourself and a French person. It will be hard to communicate the idea “Take me seriously, I’m here to stay. I’m a citizen just like you”.

Remember than even a native speaker of French like a Belgian or Swiss will be seen as “other” in France. They too will have to explain they are not just sightseeing.

To add to the list, we have a risk of social isolation which for some never sets in due to the rose-tainted glasses they wear in France. But this may well happen in the case of the passing of our spouse or of expat friends. We may find ourselves surrounded by French people with whom we have little in common despite living in their country for many years.

5. Why not do as this lady did?

See the lady in this video? She started from zero, did the exercises on the website and learned French.

She’s still doing French with us today in 2025 and we read classic French literature together in class. She’s happily living in France where she is able to meet many French people from different social backgrounds.

We’re even developing her own French program so that she can teach students. That’s how good she got.