5 Films You Can Watch for Free on French TV

Because your Netflix can wait

Feb 03, 2026

I spend my days teaching French, so naturally I’m always looking for good resources, especially ones that don’t cost a fortune. So let me share what I found this week. Right now, there are some really good movies you can watch for free. And some of them are classics, like, the kind of films that every French person has seen at least once.

TV5+

The good news is that TV5 Monde+ is accessible from pretty much anywhere in the world. So no need to do anything special for these three.

1. Violette Nozière (1978)

→ Watch here

A Claude Chabrol film with Isabelle Huppert. It’s based on a true story from the 1930s and it’s... disturbing, in a very good way. Great for practicing your French too, the dialogue is really interesting.

2. Des Hommes et des Dieux (2010)

→ Watch here

This one won the Grand Prix at Cannes and, well, for a good reason. It follows a group of monks in Algeria during the civil war and it’s very powerful. I watched it years ago and I still think about it sometimes.

3. La Bataille du Rail (1946)

→ Watch here

This one is a bit older, but don’t let that scare you. It’s about the French Resistance during the war, and what makes it special is that it was filmed with real people who actually lived through those events. They even used real ammunition, which was easier to find after the war. It’s very moving.

Anecdote intéressante : The film was released when France was at war in Indochina against independence fighters. It was quickly removed from cinemas in French Indochina, especially in Saigon, because it showed how Resistance fighters sabotaged railway lines. These methods were later understood and used by the Việt Minh against the French Army. If you like this topic, check my Podcast #26 : Pierre Schoendoerffer, de l’Indochine à Hollywood.

These movies are also available on France TV, but I prefer watching them on TV5+ when possible because the subtitles are better.

France TV

Now, France TV is where things get really good. You can find content from France TV, Arte, TV5+, LCP… The problem is, if you’re not in France at the moment, the website will block you. It’s a geo-restriction thing, very annoying.

The solution? A VPN. Basically, it makes your computer think you’re in France, and then — voilà — you can watch everything on France TV and other channels (TF1, M6, etc). I personally use NordVPN because it works well and it’s not too expensive. It has French servers and France TV works great with it, which is not always the case with other VPNs, in my experience.

Get NordVPN with a special discount (-71%): → Cliquer ici ←

Once you’re connected, you’ll need to create a free account on France TV. It’s very easy, don’t worry. They will ask you for a French zip code when you sign up. Just put 75001, that’s Paris. Done.

Careful, not all the content has subtitles, but most of it does. The ones I recommended are good, though. It’s not exactly what you hear, but nothing’s perfect.

4. Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain (2001)

→ Watch here

Come on, you probably already know this one. But if you don’t, stop everything and watch it. Audrey Tautou is perfect, the music is perfect, Montmartre is perfect. It’s just... un film parfait. Also very good for French learners because the French is not too complicated.

Anecdote amusante : Joseph (Dominique Pinon) — the character who pops plastic bubbles under the table — lives in my town. I even had the chance to sit next to him on the bus from Creil to Compiègne.

5. Peau d’Âne (1970)

→ Watch here

A fairy tale with Catherine Deneuve and Jacques Demy. It’s beautiful, it’s a little weird, and the costumes are incredible. Not exactly what you’d expect from a French film, but that’s exactly why it’s so good.

Seriously, once you’re on France TV, there’s so much to explore. Here are two collections I really recommend:

The Catherine Deneuve Collection — She is, in my opinion, one of the greatest actresses in French cinema. Period.
The Claude Chabrol Collection — If you like thrillers or psychological drama, this is where you need to be.

And don’t forget the documentaries and the series section, there’s honestly something for everyone.

And for Beginners?

If the films and series sound a little too complicated for now, France TV has a children’s section that is actually perfect for beginners. I personally recommend Bluey. It’s adorable, it’s funny, and honestly? Even my daughter and I watch it together. So don’t let the “kids” label fool you.

That’s it for today! I hope this helps. And if you have other recommendations, please share them, I’m always looking for new things to watch.

Discussion about this post

Ready for more?