Odds are, you've checked out at least one of Netflix's viral international hits. Often, among the streaming giant's American hits, a show like Money Heist (Spanish title La Casa de Papel) or Squid Game will become a mega-hit, with millions of people exploring a new country's TV offerings afterwards. So if you've seen (and loved) a show like Lupin, the hit French crime drama, then it's time to check out Netflix's French-language offerings.
These French-language shows, from countries including France, Canada, and Belgium, span multiple engrossing genres, from comedies to sci-fi to straight-up horror. Viewers also get to dive into the language (team subs, no dubs), and pick up some basic skills. Here are 14 of the best French-language shows to check out.
Lupin
Inspired by the literary character Arsène Lupin, Assane Diop (Omar Sy) is a thief and master of disguise on a mission to avenge his father, who died imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit. Come for the cinematic heists, stay after falling for the compassionate heart of the titular thief.
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Call My Agent!
This workplace comedy melds reality and fiction. It's set at a fictional talent agency where the clients are real-life French celebrities.
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Osmosis
If you've been craving new episodes of Black Mirror, this one-season sci-fi drama may be just what you need. In futuristic France, an experimental dating app matches singles with their true love with 100 percent accuracy by mining their brain for data.
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The Chalet
This mysterious thriller follows two groups vacationing at a remote chalet in the French Alps: a family in 1997, and a group of friends in 2017. When the guests start disappearing one by one, a deadly secret from the past emerges.
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The Hook Up Plan
Rom-com fans, this one's for you. Elsa is about to turn 30 and still reeling from a relationship that ended two years ago. Her friends Emilie and Charlotte have a unique solution: hire an escort to take her out.
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Can You Hear Me?
This French-Canadian series follows Ada, Fabiola, and Carolanne, three friends who live in a low-income neighborhood in Montreal. The chemistry between the three leads, as they cope with their messy lives in different ways, will make you want to spend more time with your best friend.
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A Very Secret Service
Another great workplace comedy mixed with some espionage, this series follows an office of French intelligence officers in the '60s. Young André Merleaux trains to become a super spy, though his adventures are less like 007 and more like the absurd episodes of Mad Men.
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The Break
The first season of this twisted crime drama follows a police detective who moves to his quiet home town to recover from a traumatic incident. He, of course, gets immediately wrapped up in the murder investigation of a young African football player.
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Vampires
If paranormal romance is your thing, check out this teen drama filled with half-human vampires. 16-year-old Doina is torn between two worlds, as she tries to make it through high school while exploring her bloodthirsty urges.
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The Chef's Table: France
These four documentary episodes take a peek behind the scenes of the French culinary arts scene, following four chefs who make some of the world's best cuisine. So much amazing food!
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Family Business
With France moving toward legalizing marijuana, the struggling son of a dysfunctional family decides to turn their kosher butcher shop into a cannabis cafe. The whole family of larger-than-life characters end up on the wrong side of the law as nothing goes smoothly.
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Marianne
This horror series follows an author in a small French coastal town. When she decides to stop writing her books' central villain, the titular Marienne, she ends up haunted by the character in real life.
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Mortel
Another paranormal teen drama, Mortel follows three high schoolers, Sofiane, Victor, and Luisa, who use magical powers to seek Sofiane's missing brother.
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Into the Night
This Belgian thriller will make even the most frequent fliers squirm in their seats. A group of plane passengers find themselves in the middle of a natural disaster, where sunlight carries a fatal toxin. The fliers have to keep outrunning the sun in order to survive.
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