Dating in France.
Long lunches, slow apéros and a café terrace for every first conversation.
Dating in France tends to start slowly: a drink on a terrace, an apéro that turns into dinner, a walk along a canal or a river. Paris draws expats, international students and remote workers from everywhere, while Lyon, Bordeaux and Toulouse have big university and tech crowds, and Nice and Marseille add the Mediterranean. French is the language of daily life, but many younger people and most expat circles switch to English easily. Kismat is a dating app for France in English: you pick an intent first, and people who picked the same come first.
Free sign-up, in about a minute.
Meeting people in France
Paris
The biggest expat and student city in the country, where people meet in the cafés of the Marais, along the Canal Saint-Martin or at a neighbourhood wine bar after work. Each arrondissement feels like its own small town.
Lyon
France's food capital, with traboules in Vieux Lyon, a large student population and plenty of newcomers working in health, biotech and software. Evenings often end on the quays of the Rhône.
Marseille
A sunny, mixed port city that feels very different from Paris, with calanques for weekend swims and the Vieux-Port as everyone's meeting point.
Nice
The capital of the Côte d'Azur, with an international crowd of retirees, students and seasonal workers, the pebble beaches of the Baie des Anges and an old town full of small squares.
Bordeaux
A UNESCO-listed riverside city of pale stone façades, wine bars and a growing community of remote workers who moved here from Paris.
Toulouse
The 'Ville Rose' is home to Airbus and a big aerospace and student scene, so many people arrive for work or study and are building a social circle from scratch.
First date ideas in France
Canal Saint-Martin
Paris
Iron footbridges, tree-lined quays and plenty of small cafés make this a relaxed place to walk and talk, far calmer than the big monuments.
Parc des Buttes-Chaumont
Paris
A hilly park in the 19th arrondissement with a lake, a cliff-top temple and lawns where Parisians picnic on warm evenings.
Parc de la Tête d'Or
Lyon
One of the largest urban parks in France, with a lake, rose gardens and big glasshouses, easy for a long walk on a first meeting.
MuCEM and Fort Saint-Jean
Marseille
The museum's footbridge links to the old fort, and the walkways and rooftop look out over the Vieux-Port and the sea, a good mix of culture and views.
Promenade des Anglais
Nice
Seven kilometres of seafront where you can walk side by side, sit in the blue chairs and watch the sun set over the Baie des Anges.
Miroir d'eau
Bordeaux
A huge, shallow water mirror in front of the Place de la Bourse that reflects the buildings and releases a cool mist, running from spring to autumn.
Local tip: On 21 June the Fête de la Musique turns streets all over France into free concerts, an easy, low-pressure outing for a first or second date. In August many Parisians leave on holiday, so the city is quieter and the coast is busier.
Regions of France
Île-de-France
Paris and its suburbs, the centre of jobs, universities and international life, where most expats in France first land and English is easiest to get by in.
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Lyon, Grenoble and the Alps, where weekends revolve around skiing and hiking and research labs and universities attract international staff.
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Marseille, Nice, Aix-en-Provence and the Riviera, with a slower Mediterranean pace, long summers and a seasonal crowd along the coast.
Occitanie and Nouvelle-Aquitaine
The south-west around Toulouse, Montpellier and Bordeaux, popular with students and with remote workers looking for sunshine and lower rents than Paris.
How Kismat works in France
You pick what you are looking for, something serious, friendship or casual dating, and Kismat shows you people nearby who picked the same first.You set the distance. Profiles can verify with a live selfie, and Private Mode keeps your photos blurred until you match. Signing up is free. The app is in English and German.
Free sign-up, in about a minute.
Dating in France: questions
What is the best dating app in France for English speakers?
Most people in France use apps in French, which can feel hard if you are still learning. Kismat is in English and German: you choose an intent (serious, friendship or casual), people who chose the same come first, and a live selfie check confirms that the person is real. Signing up and chatting are free.
How do expats meet people in Paris?
Many expats in Paris meet people through language exchanges, sports clubs, coworking spaces and friends of colleagues. A dating app in English helps you meet people outside your work bubble, and suggesting a coffee or a walk along the canal keeps the first meeting simple.
What are dating customs in France?
French dating is often less formal than elsewhere: people may not 'define the relationship' with a talk, and a few dates in a row already mean something. Dinner starts later than in the UK, around 8 pm or after, and an apéro before is common. Splitting the bill is normal, especially among students.
Is there speed dating in Nice and other French cities?
Organised speed dating and singles evenings take place in larger French cities, usually in French. If you prefer to meet people in English at your own pace, an app where you set your intent first is a calmer alternative, and you can still meet in a public bar or café.
More in France
Nearby countries
Meet people in France who want the same.
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