Netflix is a home for numerous foreign shows, including French TV series and movies. Here are 15 shows that you can enjoy while learning new things about French.
Many factors can affect language learning: motivation, support, prior linguistic knowledge, perceived attainability, learning environment, the strategy of teaching, and immersion. Most English tutors and teachers use different resources to maximize the effects of these factors beneficially. One way to do this is by giving a fun activity, such as watching a movie or a TV series.
The booming of digital communication brought significant changes in entertainment and learning. Almost everyone has access to the Internet. Tons of tools and resources for improving language skills had surfaced on the internet throughout the years. Believe it or not, one of these learning tools is Netflix. As one of the major video streaming platforms, Netflix has a wide selection of movies and tv shows available to its subscribers. Support for other languages exists; viewers can choose between a subbed or a dubbed copy. Here’s good news for French learners: there are tons of high-quality French tv shows on Netflix to enjoy during your free time.
The Appeal Of Netflix In French Learning
Just like other skills, learning a language can sometimes be tedious and stale. Practicing words, pronunciation, and increasing vocabulary academically and systematically is not enough to motivate learners. Sometimes, we just want to have fun while getting more proficient in a language study. Picking a new language via watching a TV series seems like an exciting thing to learn.
According to a study done by the University of Bangladesh, English learners can improve their listening and speaking skills when watching English movies. This theory can also apply to other languages like French by consuming French media regularly.
French is a complicated language to enunciate because most sounds are produced nasally. Also, there are sounds in English and other languages that French ignore, such as /h/. Most French pronunciations are not intuitive, so the easiest way to learn is to watch other people speak conversations. And what another way to enjoyably do that than binging on Netflix?
For better results, learners can ask assistance from native French speakers from sites like Justlearn for things that they don’t understand. But for now, check these ten entertaining French TV shows that you can pick up on Netflix.
10 Binge-Worthy French TV Shows On Netflix
1. Dix Pour Cent (Call My Agent!)
Dix Pour Cent is a comedy series featuring French artists Camille Cottin, Liliane Rovere, Thibault de Montelembert, and Gregory Montel. The main characters are part of a talent agency called the ASK or Agence Samuel Kerr. Although the story mainly revolves around the agents’ professional lives, the series often intermingle their private lives with humor to significant effect.
Call My Agent! had its first season in 2015 with six episodes. As of now, the series passed through three seasons. Season four just started last October 16, with episode 1 featuring Charlotte Gainsbourg. All the remaining two episodes of the current season will be out on October 30, so you can still binge-watch just in time for the end season.
Original Release Date: October 2015
Genre: Comedy
For viewers who like: Entourage, Mad Men, Modern Family, Seinfeld, Scrubs, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
2. Marianne
Any horror fans here? You can add Marianne to your collection of bone-chilling horror tv series. The story is about a young novelist named Emma (Victoire Du Bois) who went back to her hometown and realized a big secret. All the creatures in her horror novels also appear in the real world!
Marianne was released in September 2019 with eight episodes. This coming Halloween, you can sit, relax, and enjoy your weekend with this masterpiece. With only one season, this series is very binge-able. If you’re not in the mood to watch 8+ hours of material, you can study these French slangs instead.
Original Release Date: September 2019
Genre: Horror
For viewers who like: Chambers. The Haunting of Hill House, Castle Rock, The Mist, The Chalet
3. Au Service de la France (A Very Secret Service)
At first glance, Au Service de la France looks like your typical spy TV show. Set at the Cold War of the 1960s, Andre Merlaux (Huge Becker) joined the French Secret Services as a trainee. He is under the command of “Moïse” among other elite agents. WIth synopsis alone, this series got some stealthy action vibes.
But when you sit through the first season, you will quickly realize that it’s a comedy series. Each episode shows how Andre learned how to be a better agent with the help of his colleagues. Viewers would also enjoy the in-your-face humor thrown around on each episode. Its last episode was aired way back in 2018, at the finale of its second season. It is not an easy show to learn French for beginners, but it’s one of the funniest on the list.
Original Release Date: October 2015
Genre: Comedy-Drama
For viewers who like: The Kominsky Method, Mad Men, Good Omens, Mozart In The Jungle, Huge In France
4. Le Bazar de la Charité (The Bonfire of Destiny)
Le Bazar de la Charité is a French drama based on a real event. It recalls what happened in a fire in Bazar de la Charite, Paris, in 1897. The main character is Adrienne de Lenverpré (Audrey Fleurot), a married upper-class woman who almost became one of the fire victims. She attended the bazaar but left early to meet with her lover.
The story revolves around the aftermath of the fire and the realization of how the fire affects Adrienne’s life more than she expected. Especially the relationship between her, her niece, and the niece’s maidservant. Who started the fire that killed 126 people? Is it an accident or a planned arson? Let’s find out by binging the eight episodes of this series on Netflix.
Original Release Date: 2019
Genre: Drama
For viewers who like: Cathedral of the Sea, Girls From Ipanema, High Seas, Anne WIth An E, The Road To Calvary
5. Osmosis
Many people like the idea of having a soulmate: someone with almost the same interests and outlook in life. But finding your soulmate is like finding a needle in a haystack. Can you program an algorithm that searches for your soulmate using your brain data with 100% accuracy? In Osmosis, this is their daily reality: technology can access the deepest zone of your mind and put it on the dating app.
Paul Vanhove, the CEO of Osmosis, used the implant as the first beta tester. This high-tech implant seems like a good idea at first. But in the preceding episodes, Pail will learn how the implant can attract unwelcome surprises.
Original Release Date: 2019
Genre: Science Fiction, Futuristic
For viewers who like: Black Mirror, Chambers, Elite, Stranger Things, Westworld
6. Il était une seconde fois (Twice Upon A Time)
Il était une seconde fois is a romance mini-series released in December 2019. It follows the extraordinary journey of Vincent Dauda (Gaspard Ulliel) in winning back Louise Arron (Freya Mavor). Vincent is still depressed and in grief months after he and Louise broke up. Each night, he tried to distract himself by partying living a reckless life.
But things changed one morning when he received a mysterious package that contains a time travel box. With this mysterious tool, he went to the past right before the split. But this time, he will view the events that appended on Louise’s perspective. Will he be successful in getting back his ex?
Original Release Date: 2019
Genre: Drama romance
For viewers who like: Once Upon A Time, The Vampire Diaries, You, Modern Love
7. Zone Blanche (Black Spot)
For those who want to scratch their curiosity, Zone Blanche might interest you. This mystery crime tv drama has two seasons under its belt. The first season was released in 2017, with the second one released two years later in 2019.
The story revolves around Major Laurène Weiss, the head police chief of Villefranche. Although a small town, the murder rate in Villefranche is six times that of the national average. The majority of the murders happen in an isolated and dangerous forest. When Prosecutor Franck Siriani came to investigate, secrets started appearing on the surface.
Original Release Date: 2017
Genre: Mystery
For viewers who like: Secrets and Lies, The Killing, Haven, Rogue, Twin Peaks, Stranger Things
8. Plan Coeur (The Hook Up Plan)
Plan Coeur is a Netflix web tv show released in 2018. It stars Zita Hanrot as Elsa, a woman on the verge of turning 30 but doesn’t have many things going on in her life. She is stuck in a job that she doesn’t find inspiring.
The biggest of her problem? She is still in love with her ex, who broke up with her two years ago. Elsa’s friends decided to help her get through her predicament by hiring a male escort to date her. Will this setup be successful? Will Elsa finally be able to move on?
Original Release Date: 2018
Genre: Comedy
For viewers who like: Bref, Workin’ Moms, The Wedding Date, Romantically Challenged
9. Engrenages (The Spiral)
Engrenages is a police procedural legal drama released in France in 2005 and is still ongoing today. As of now, the series has eight seasons under its belt. Its last episode was aired from September to October this year.
Each season features a new set of stories to tell. All seasons took place at Palais de Justice, located in Paris, except series 8, which took place at Batignolles district. If you don’t mind an ever-changing list of casts, this series can entertain you in the long term.
Original Release Date: December 2005
Genre: crime / police-detective
For viewers who like: The Shadow Line, Collateral, NCIS, Life on Mars, Narcos
10. Marseille
Marseille is another Netflix web released initially in 2016. The series has two seasons to date, with each season containing eight episodes each. Unfortunately, the series was canceled, so there is no room possible for another season.
Actor Gérard Depardieu plays the role of Robert Taro, the mayor of Marseille. He and his former student, Lucas Barres (Benoît Magimel) became the biggest rivals for the mayoral position. Who would win the war for Marseille’s leadership between a political veteran and the new power-hungry protege?
Original Release Date: May 2016
Genre: Drama
For viewers who like: Spin, Pearson, The Mechanism, Gomorrah, Brotherhood, Show Me a Hero
Final Thoughts
And that’s it for the best French TV shows on Netflix at the moment to practice your French.
Tune in for future updates about the latest French series on Netflix.
If you're interested in improving your French skills, you should try some of these cool options:
Check out Babbel for fun, interactive lessons that fit into your day easily.
If you want something more in-depth, there's a great French course on Udemy that covers everything from the basics to more advanced topics.
And if you prefer learning with a personal touch, Lingoda offers classes with native speakers that can really help you practice speaking.
What are the best shows on Netflix to learn French?
1. Dix Pour Cent (Call My Agent!), 2. Marianne, 3. Au Service de la France (A Very Secret Service), 4. Le Bazar de la Charité (The Bonfire of Destiny), 5. Osmosis
Can you learn French with Netflix?
Just like other skills, learning a language can sometimes be tedious and stale. Practicing words, pronunciation, and increasing vocabulary academically and systematically is not enough to motivate learners. Sometimes, we just want to have fun while getting more proficient in a language study. Picking a new language via watching a tv series seems like an exciting thing to learn. According to a study done by the University of Bangladesh, English learners can improve their listening and speaking skills when watching English movies. This theory can also apply to other languages like French by consuming French media regularly. French is a complicated language to enunciate because most sounds are produced nasally. Also, there are sounds in English and other languages that French ignore, such as /h/. Most French pronunciations are not intuitive, so the easiest way to learn is to watch other people speak conversations. And what another way to enjoyably do that than binging on Netflix?
