You might already know this if you’ve been around for a while, but I really do enjoy is watching TV shows and movies from across Europe. Be it something historical, a bit of culture or a good gritty mystery, there’s something endlessly fascinating about diving into a destination through the screen.
Since my last trip was a jump across the English Channel to France, I thought this could be the perfect time to share some of the French TV shows I’ve enjoyed. From quirky comedy to drama based on a shocking true story, here are 7 French TV shows that I’d happily recommend adding to your viewing list.
The Returned (Les Revenants)
Old but gold, The Returned was one of the first French TV shows I watched, and I enjoyed it just as much when I rewatched it recently.
The story unfolds in a small French mountain town where long-dead residents begin to reappear, unchanged in appearance and apparently unaware of their own deaths. I can’t sum this one up without risking giving too much away, but what follows is a slow- burning, mysterious watch that stirs just the right level of delicious unease.
Bonus points for the French lake-and- mountain backdrop that is showcased beautifully by the shows cinematic style.
Women at War ( Les Combattantes)
Set in the small French town of Saint-Paulin, Women at War introduces the viewer to four very different women whose lives begin to intertwine as the chaos of war affects everything around them. From a Parisian prostitute to a nun forced to set up military hospital within the walls of a convent, each woman has her own struggles and secrets.
What I loved about this series was that it kept the focus on the women themselves as strong yet complex characters. Women at War is a compelling mix of historical drama, fascinating storylines and a tribute to the resilience of women in extraordinary circumstances.
A Familiar Stranger ( L’Absente)
What would you do if someone you believed to be missing for years suddenly reappeared? That’s the question posed by A Familiar Stranger, which opens with a young woman suffering amnesia being identified as Marina, a child who went missing a decade earlier. Her family, initially overjoyed at her return, start asking questions. Is this really the girl who went missing? What actually happened all those years ago?
A carefully crafted mystery built around questions of identity, memory and the impact of secrets within families. Highly recommend if you enjoy a character-driven drama that unfolds slowly and where every episode has you questioning where the next one is going.
Bonus points for this one being set on the French coastline around Calais and Gravelines, an area I recently enjoyed exploring.
Anthracite (Anthracite: Le mystère de la secte des Écrins)
Take a quirky female lead, some stunning French Alps scenery and an old case involving a religious cult and some strange rituals and you have Anthracite: the perfect French TV weekend binge watch.
It’s a twisting, modern thriller full of characters you can’t help but get behind- if main character Ida, an ‘web-sleuth’ fighting to keep her own secrets while investigating the death of her father- doesn’t capture your heart, you probably don’t have one.
This show also turns Hadaway’s 90’s pop classic, ‘What is Love?’ into a TV theme tune and earworm. You’ll be singing along by episode two!.
No Time For Goodbye ( Cette nuit‑là)
Just four episodes long, mini-series based on a best selling novel by Linwood Barclay is absolutely gripping.
15-year-old Sofia Legrand sneaks out of the family home following an explosive row with her parents. Upon her return the next morning, she finds both parents and her brother have disappeared. It’s 2001 and the incident is overshadowed by 9/11. The families disappearance remains unsolved.
Decades later we meet adult Sofia- now married with a teenage daughter, but still haunted by the loss of her family. An author, she publishes a book about the case and teams up with journalist Arnaud Fresnel to re-examine the case.
A series of increasingly disturbing discoveries lead to a string of threats and attacks aimed at Sofia and those closest to her. She can sense danger ever closer, but her family are convinced she’s falling into obsession and paranoia. Where is the truth?
This is four episodes of plot twists, red herrings and jaw-dropping reveals. Another one of these French TV shows set in a small mountain town. It all seems to go on in these places!
A French Case ( Une Affaire Française)
October, 1984. Gregory, a four year old boy, goes missing. Hours later, he’s found dead, bound at the wrists and ankles, in the Vologne River.
What follows is a tragedy that will grip France and become one of the country’s most notorious unsolved cases. A French Case is about more than a terrible crime. At its centre is a family drama soaked in grief, suspicion, feuds and accusations that will tear the family and the wider community apart.
The truly shocking thing about this one is that it’s closely based on the true story of Gregory Villemin. Each episode takes the viewer into a tight-knit community to follow the trail of anonymous letters, conflicting statements and shocking revelations. The final episode ends with an update on the real Villemin case; an outcome more shocking than anything that could have been scripted.
A fascinating and unsettling watch that explores not only the investigation of the murder itself but also the impact on those left behind. On a lighter note, worth watching just to see Laurence Arné as Parisian journalist Jeanne Lombardie: an immaculate performance drenched in immaculate French 1980’s style.
Polar Park
For a more fun watch, Polar Park is the one I’d recommend. David Rousseau is a crime writer suffering from a serious case of writers block when he travels to Mouthe, a remote village in eastern France, after receiving a mysterious message connected to his family history.
His search for answers literally hits a dead end when he discovers the sender of the message, a local monk, has been found dead shortly before his arrival. More murders follow, each one staged to resemble a famous work of art. David finds himself becoming part of the investigation, despite the objections of local police officer Louvetot.
There’s murder, mayhem and plot twists aplenty but what I really enjoyed is that Polar Park doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s a lighthearted whodunnit with a quirky cast and an off-beat sense of humour- a murder mystery with a smile!
Prison Island ( L’île Prisonnière)
Out of the mountains and off the Brittany coast- Prison Island, set on the fictional island of Penhic. An armed group seizes control of the island, taking all residents hostage. That would be drama enough, but there’s something particularly unsettling about the takeover: the invaders seem to know everything about the island community, including details about their personal lives and relationships.
However, five islanders are missing. Having been crossing back from the mainland on the islands only ferry service, they evaded capture. Their efforts to save the community sets in motion a story of secrets, survival and unexpected alliances. Throw in a bit of island history and village gossip, and you have a very intriguing watch. I found myself happily caught up in every islander’s life and dramas.
I really enjoyed this one. The island setting creates a bit of drama, the storyline is intriguing and there’s a good mix of village characters to get to know. It has a bit of a soap opera- day time TV feel, in a good way. Prison Island is engaging without being challenging and wraps up with a feel-good ending. Sometimes that’s all you want from a TV series and this one definitely delivered for me!
I hope this has inspired you to give one of these French TV shows a go. I love a good bit of Euro-viewing and, of course, watching a good series often has me itching to pack a bag and explore wherever it is set. Or, even better, when it’s some place I’ve already been, I can shout at the TV: ‘I’ve been there!’
If this look at French TV shows has you dreaming of a trip to France, you can read my French travel guides here.
If you enjoy discovering European television as much as I do, you might also like to read about my favourite German TV shows & movies.
Helen x
We’re not on Netflix, so haven’t seen these. Maybe we should sbscribe, because we often enjoy those French series that come our way. L’Engrenage (Spiral) is a favourite.
Walter Presents has a lot of good French (and other European) series and is free!
Ooooh, I’ve not come across that. Thanks.
I’ll have to look that one up. I watch a lot for free on Walter Presents on 4. I think Netflix is worth the subscription, although it takes a while to start making decent recommendations.
That was our roblem. We didn’t know where to start.
I haven’t seen any of these but I liked Lupin on Netflix and I’ve watched recently another french show there about schools ( in a way) just before these protests started
I need to give Lupin a go, it keeps coming up!
We enjoy French series too and have seen quite a few, including L’Absente. The first two on your list certainly appeal. Have you watched Panda – that’s one that we really enjoyed. Also La Dernière Vague was very good 🙂
I’ve seen the trailer for Panda on WP, I’ll have to look up La Dernière Vague.
Thanks for sharing 🙏.
I do remember watching The Returned actually , which was really good and most unsettling. Haven’t seen the others yet. Have to be in the mood for subtitles. Remember one called La Mante which also enjoyed.