37 Books Set in + About France

This fictionalized version of the marriage between Ernest Hemingway and Hadley Richardson is poetic and heartbreaking. We know how the story ends for them: not well despite their deep love for each other. But this is a book whose journey you’ll still want to go on. And I really loved the writing in this one. It’s so beautiful! For fans of historical fiction.

This book tells the story of French citizens beginning in 1940, just as the Nazi occupation begins and the characters’ lives are falling apart. But perhaps the most fascinating part of this book is the backstory: Irène Némirovksy was a Jew living in Paris, a successful writer who died in Auschwitz. This manuscript was only recently uncovered after over 60 years. For fans of historical fiction.

This fictionalized telling of the life of composer Erik Satie flings you into la Belle Époque as Satie composes music and lives in the aftermath of his tragic childhood. But it also tells the story of his siblings and friends and the bohemian Parisian world they inhabited. For fans of literary historical fiction.

This award-winning and bestselling novel tells two parallel stories: Marie-Laure is a blind girl living in Nazi occupied France, and Werner is an orphan in Germany who has been enlisted in the army. Like so many other people (it was a bestseller for YEARS) I loved this book. It’s so beautiful, and if you haven’t already made the time to read it, definitely bump it up on your TBR list. For fans of literary and historical fiction.

This wildly popular novel tells the story of women in WWII, particularly two sisters who must use their strength to survive. Vianne must learn to live with the enemy and stay alive, while her sister Isabelle joins the Resistance to fight. For fans of historical fiction.

Set during WWI France, this novel focuses on two women in the French countryside both trying to escape a relationship. Pauline is a Chinese women looking to hide from an arranged marriage. Camille is a French woman wanting to escape an abusive marriage. The two women become friends, but danger lurks for both of them. For fans of historical fiction.

In this book we see the unlikely relationship of a hotel concierge in Paris and a twelve year old girl who lives at the hotel. They each have their own secret interior lives and discover the ways they are connected when a guest from Japan arrives. Content warning for talk of suicide. For fans of contemporary novels with a philosophical bent.

A novel examining the lives of West African immigrants in France, Three Strong Women tells the story of Norah, a French-born lawyer traveling to Senegal; Fanta, who follows her boyfriend to France; and Khady, who is kicked out of her husband’s family. These women’s stories overlap, but really this is about their resilience and how they uncover their own strength. Ndiaye won the Prix Goncourt for this book, the first Black woman to do so. For fans of literary fiction.

Violette spends her time as caretaker of her local cemetery in rural France. But then Julien, a police chief shows up to scatter his mother’s ashes and the discover the ways their lives are connected. For fans of literary fiction and women’s fiction.

After her husband dies in a car accident, Ellie discovers that he had also been having an affair. Driven by both her anger and grief, she cashes in his life insurance policy for an extended stay at a luxury hotel in the French Riviera. But she can’t hide from dealing with her life forever. Plus, there’s a couple at the hotel she and her friend become close to, but is everything as it seems? For fans of contemporary women’s fiction and books about grief and privilege.

You may know Chocolat as a movie, but first it was a book. When Vianne Rocher arrives in a small town in France, her chocolate shop (and the otherworldly powers that comes with it) upends life in the village. For fans of contemporary novels and books with food.

Described as a “love letter to books” The Little Paris Bookshop tells the story of Monsieur Perdu who operates a bookstore on a barge that floats along the Seine. When he reads a letter from a lost love though, he sets out on a journey to mend his broken heart. For fans of contemporary novels, easy reading, and heart warming stories.

Lucy works as a hotel manager at a ritzy NYC hotel. But when her plans for her future fall apart, she moves to France for a chance to start over and takes charge of a hotel in Rennes. But there’s a lot more work to do at the hotel than she expected. Plus there’s a little romance in this one too. For fans of contemporary women’s fiction.

Of course we have to include Les Miserables in any list of books set in France. This classic novel about injustice and love has been a cultural touchstone around the world. And if you want to read it but are feeling intimidated by the length, try tackling just a chapter a day. There are 365 short chapters, most just a few pages long, so one chapter a day will have you completing the book in a year. For fans of classics.

Take a trip with a book! Check out our list of books set in England!

You can’t have a list of books about France without including Hemingway’s classic A Moveable Feast. Here he recalls his days in France, holed up in his writing room, sharing meals and conversation with other writers, and walking through the beautiful streets of Paris. This book made me want to go to Paris as soon as possible, and I also wished I could time travel to Hemingway’s Paris. For fans of memoirs. And don’t let the fact that it’s Hemingway intimidate you: It’s SUPER readable!

When Julia Child arrived in France in 1948 she knew nothing about the country or French food. But then a dish of Sole Meurnière changed her perspective and spurred her onto culinary school at the Cordon Bleu, which changed her life. I really need to re-read this one (especially after watching the HBO show Julia) because when I read it years ago it was slow going for me, but I think that’s just the mood I was in. Really it’s a delightful memoir and will have you running to your own kitchen. For fans of foodie memoirs (and just good memoirs in general).

I think you can learn a lot about a culture by learning about their parenting theories, and that is certainly the case here. From sleeping to eating to childcare, I found this book about French parenting both fascinating and helpful. I read it when I was pregnant with my daughter, and it gave me useful tips and also helped me feel a little more relaxed about parenting in general. For fans of narrative driven parenting books.

This somewhat unusual book doesn’t start in France, but rather in Sri Lanka as the 2006 tsunami strikes. Two families (including the writer’s own) become linked together in loss. Back in France though, there is more loss: a family member dying of cancer, a judge who has tried to make a different in the lives of French citizens. This books examines loss and grief and the kind of impact we make on the world. Plus you’ll unexpectedly learn a lot about the French credit system. This is one of those books that I fell into in an absolute trance, and I thought it was just so beautiful. For fans of really amazing writing.

This book about France takes you to the modern culinary world. Determined to master French cooking, Bill Buford moves his family to Lyon, France. He becomes obsessed with understanding what makes French cooking so loved and tells the story in an accessible and often funny way. For fans of food memoirs.

Of course books set in France have to include pastries. Here, after years of a professional pastry chef career, David Lebovitz fulfills his lifelong dream of moving to Paris. But the city isn’t quite what he expects, and here we read about his adventures in understanding – and cooking in – his new city. For lovers of ex-pat memoirs and books with recipes.

Ann Mah has always been a Francophile, so when her husband gets an assignment in Paris, it’s her dream come true. But then he gets called away for a year (he’s a diplomat) and her dreams of them exploring France together disappear. So she decides to use the time to set out on solo adventures across the country and learn about the different foods of the regions, hoping to staunch her loneliness. This book made me want to book a trip to France, and it’s perfect for readers who love books about food.

While the first part of Me Talk Pretty One Day consists of stories from Sedaris’s childhood in the States, the second part concerns his move to the north of France. In his classic wry humor, he talks about French society and especially about learning the language. For fans of humor collections.

When Peter Mayle and his family move to a stone farmhouse in Provence, they learn to live a little more slowly. From the humorous village happenings to needing patience as they try to get work done on their house, you’ll be transported to France as Mayle and his family learn to live by the seasons. For fans of ex-pat memoirs.

In this non-fiction title, Yandell explore French culture, art, and food and how it contributes to the French joie de vivre (enjoyment of life). And she explores how non-French people can apply those lessons to their own lives to perhaps find more joy. For fans for books about cultural exploration with a self-help bent.

Perhaps one of the most quintessential children’s books set in France, here is the story of Madeline, a little girl living in an orphanage in Paris who is not afraid of anything (until something truly does go wrong). Bonus for adults reading children’s books: I still think all the time about Emily St. John Mandel discussing the timing of this book and how the story takes place right before the Nazis invaded France. Recommended ages: 3 and up.

In this colorful picture book you’ll visit French landmarks and sights, learning how everyone says hello! This book is adorable and a great introduction to the country of France. Recommended ages: 3-7 years.

Walk through the streets of Paris with this classic children’s book. From museums to cafes to gardens, get to know Paris — and its cats! Recommended ages 4 and up.

Take a tour across France with a cat who is trying to find his way back home after the death of his owner sends him off to a new city. Recommended ages: 4-7 years.

In early twentieth-century Paris, Adèle picks her little brother Simon up from school and makes him promise not to loose any of his belonging. But as they make their way home, his possessions are gradually left throughout Paris. Recommended ages: 4-8 years.

In this classic book, French mouse Anatole becomes a cheese connoisseur and unknowingly helps a local factory improve their cheese. Recommended ages: 5-8 years.

Ever since childhood, Coco Chanel was always different. In this picture book about her life, we see how her uniqueness and creativity led her to become a fashion icon. Recommended ages: 5-9 years.

In this adorable chapter book for young readers, you meet Diva, a prissy dog, and Flea, a stray cat from the streets of Paris. Diva thinks she understands the world, but Flea is going to show her just how amazing Paris really is. Recommended ages: 5-8 years.

The popular Magic Treehouse series gives us a book set in France with a Merlin Mission book (a spin-off for slightly older children.) Here, Jack and Annie travel to the 1889 World’s Fair in Paris to find four magicians they must deliver a message to. Recommended ages: 7-10 years.

When 11-year-old Isabelle delivers lace to the Palace of Versailles, she finds herself with a job: companion to the princess. But rumors of revolution are starting to swirl, and Isabelle isn’t sure what side to believe. Recommended ages: 8-12 years.

Armand is an old man living under a Paris bridge. But when he finds three young children there one day, he knows he has to find them a family. This books is set at Christmas, making it a good holiday read. Recommended ages: 8-12 years.

Hugo is an orphan who lives in the walls of a Paris train station and spends his time keeping clocks. He stays safe by staying secret, but this is about to be upended. This is a thick book, but that’s no cause for intimidation; the story is largely told in beautiful illustrations. Recommended ages: 9-12 years.

This books has quickly become a classic young adult romance, popular with teens and adults alike. Anna is not happy about being sent to boarding school in France, especially because she’ll miss out on the opportunity of a relationship with her crush at home. But then she meets Étienne. Recommended ages: 12 and up.