CV format in France (2026)

The French CV at a glance

• PhotoOptional but still common, especially in client-facing roles
• Length1 page strongly preferred; 2 for senior profiles
• Personal dataMinimal; age and marital status are disappearing
• LanguageFrench for French companies; English in international groups
• StructureNamed rubrics: Formation, Expérience professionnelle, Compétences

One page and the weight of Formation

French recruiters expect the single page — two pages is tolerated for senior management and technical profiles with long careers, but a junior or mid-level CV over one page reads as unedited. The compression is achieved with tight rubrics rather than tiny fonts: each section carries only what earns its space.

Education (Formation) carries unusual weight. For graduates of the grandes écoles and strong universities, the school name near the top of the CV is a real asset and French convention places Formation prominently — often before experience for early-career candidates. Include the diploma name in French terms (Master, Licence, Diplôme d'ingénieur) since French HR maps candidates onto this system, and the baccalauréat mention disappears after your first degree.

Photo, personal details, and the discrimination debate

A photo remains common on French CVs — particularly in commerce, hospitality, luxury, and client-facing roles — but it is optional and slowly declining. France has debated CV discrimination for two decades (the 2006 law even mandated anonymous CVs for large firms, a provision never enforced in practice), and testing studies repeatedly showed name- and photo-based bias. Larger employers increasingly signal that photos are unnecessary; smaller and traditional ones still expect the classic presentation.

The old état civil block — age, marital status, number of children — is disappearing and should be omitted. Contact details, city, and (for non-EU candidates) work-authorisation status suffice. Driving licence (Permis B) is still conventionally listed when relevant to the role.

Language and the lettre de motivation

Apply in French to French companies — a French-language CV is a baseline competence signal, and CEFR levels for other languages are read carefully. International groups, tech companies in Paris's startup ecosystem, and research institutions commonly run English-language processes; as everywhere, the language of the posting is the language of the application. For international roles, an English CV is fully accepted.

The lettre de motivation retains more genuine importance in France than in most markets: formal in register, structured (vous / moi / nous is the classic frame — your company, my profile, what we'd do together), and expected to be specific to the employer. At traditional French organisations a missing or generic letter still costs interviews, though startups have largely dropped the requirement.

Applying from abroad

Non-French candidates should state French level honestly in CEFR terms — B2 is a common working threshold, and overclaiming is exposed within minutes of a phone screen. Translate your diplomas into French equivalents (a UK bachelor's ≈ Licence, a master's ≈ Master) rather than leaving foreign titles unexplained. For international companies where English CVs are standard, keep the French structural conventions anyway: the one-page discipline and clear rubrics read as respect for local practice.