50 French citizenship test questions with answers (2026 annals)

Here are 50 sample questions from the official 2026 civic test program, answered and explained. 10 per topic across the 5 official areas (Principles and values, Institutional system, Rights and duties, Living in France, History / geography / culture), they replicate the real format: multiple-choice with 4 options, short justification, A2–B1 reading level (the same exam serves the three immigration statuses CSP, CR and naturalization, with the same 80% pass bar in all cases — see the differences between CSP, CR and naturalization to place yours). For the bigger picture, start with our complete 2026 guide to the French citizenship civic test. The test itself is delivered by France Éducation International (FEI), the national operator named in the October 10, 2025 decree.

How to use these 50 questions

Do not read the answers right away. Here is the method that gets the most out of these annals.

1. Print the page or cover the answers. Open it on your phone, scroll to the first question, hide the "Answer" line with your finger or a sticky note.
2. Time yourself. On exam day, you get 45 minutes for 40 questions, roughly 1 minute per question. Target 50 minutes for these 50.
3. Answer everything. No question deducts points: never leave a box blank, even when unsure.
4. Compare and count. Target: 40 correct out of 50, i.e. 80 %, the official pass threshold.
5. Rework your mistakes. A missed question must be reviewed 24 h later, then 3 days, then 7 days. That is the spaced repetition method, the only one that anchors knowledge for good.

Topic 1 — Principles and values of the Republic (10 questions)

Question 1 — Topic 1 What is the motto of the French Republic?

• A) Peace, Labour, Justice
• B) Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité (Liberty, Equality, Fraternity)
• C) Unity, Progress, Democracy
• D) God, Fatherland, Family

Answer: B) Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité. It appears from the Revolution onward and is set out in Article 2 of the 1958 Constitution.

Question 2 — Topic 1 What is the official language of the French Republic?

• A) French and English
• B) French only
• C) French and regional languages
• D) No official language

Answer: B) French only. Article 2 of the Constitution states: "The language of the Republic is French."

Question 3 — Topic 1 What does laïcité (secularism) mean in France?

• A) A ban on all religion
• B) Separation of the Churches and the State, and State neutrality
• C) An obligation to practise a religion
• D) Fusion of the State and the Catholic Church

Answer: B) Separation of the Churches and the State, and State neutrality. The State does not recognise, pay or subsidise any religion (1905 law).

Question 4 — Topic 1 What is the French national anthem?

• A) Le Chant des partisans
• B) La Marseillaise
• C) Le Chant du départ
• D) Le Temps des cerises

Answer: B) La Marseillaise. Composed by Rouget de Lisle in 1792, declared the national anthem in 1795 and confirmed again in 1879.

Question 5 — Topic 1 What are the three colours of the French flag?

• A) Blue, white, green
• B) Blue, white, red
• C) White, red, blue
• D) Red, blue, white

Answer: B) Blue, white, red. The tricolore dates from 1794 and appears in Article 2 of the Constitution.

Question 6 — Topic 1 In what year was the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen adopted?

• A) 1776
• B) 1789
• C) 1848
• D) 1958

Answer: B) 1789. Adopted on 26 August 1789, it is part of France's "bloc de constitutionnalité."

Question 7 — Topic 1 In what year was the law on the separation of Church and State passed?

• A) 1789
• B) 1848
• C) 1905
• D) 1958

Answer: C) 1905. The law of 9 December 1905 establishes laïcité and the religious neutrality of the State.

Question 8 — Scenario — Topic 1 A colleague asks you to remove a visible religious symbol in the post office where you work. Why?

• A) Because the law bans religion in France
• B) Because public officials are bound by religious neutrality
• C) Because it is a courtesy between colleagues
• D) Because the director decided it alone

Answer: B) Because public officials are bound by religious neutrality. Laïcité applies to officials, not to members of the public.

Question 9 — Scenario — Topic 1 Your neighbour says: "Women should not work." What does the Republic say on this?

• A) He is right, the law forbids it in certain jobs
• B) Men and women are equal in rights, including at work
• C) Each family decides
• D) Only the mayor can answer

Answer: B) Men and women are equal in rights, including at work. The principle of equality is constitutional (1946 preamble).

Question 10 — Scenario — Topic 1 At school, a parent refuses to let his daughter attend science class. What does the law say?

• A) School is compulsory and the curriculum is national
• B) Parents freely choose the subjects
• C) Only the teacher can decide
• D) The girl can be excused on simple request

Answer: A) School is compulsory and the curriculum is national. Instruction is compulsory from ages 3 to 16, and the common core applies to everyone.

To go deeper on this topic, see our dedicated article on French Republic values in the citizenship test.

Topic 2 — Institutional system (10 questions)

Question 11 — Topic 2 Who is the head of state in France?

• A) The Prime Minister
• B) The President of the Republic
• C) The President of the Senate
• D) The President of the National Assembly

Answer: B) The President of the Republic. Elected by direct universal suffrage for 5 years since 2000.

Question 12 — Topic 2 How long is the French presidential term?

• A) 4 years
• B) 5 years
• C) 7 years
• D) 6 years

Answer: B) 5 years. The "quinquennat" was introduced by the 2000 referendum.

Question 13 — Topic 2 In what year was the Constitution of the Fifth Republic adopted?

• A) 1946
• B) 1958
• C) 1962
• D) 1981

Answer: B) 1958. Adopted by referendum on 28 September 1958, it founded the Cinquième République (Fifth Republic).

Question 14 — Topic 2 Who votes laws in France?

• A) The President alone
• B) Parliament (National Assembly + Senate)
• C) The Constitutional Council
• D) The Prime Minister

Answer: B) Parliament (National Assembly + Senate). Parliament has been bicameral since 1958.

Question 15 — Topic 2 How many deputies sit in the National Assembly?

• A) 348
• B) 577
• C) 925
• D) 1000

Answer: B) 577. Elected by direct universal suffrage for 5 years, one per constituency.

Question 16 — Topic 2 Who appoints the Prime Minister?

• A) Parliament
• B) The President of the Republic
• C) The people by referendum
• D) The Constitutional Council

Answer: B) The President of the Republic. The Prime Minister directs the government's action (Articles 8 and 21 of the Constitution).

Question 17 — Topic 2 At what age can you vote in France?

• A) 16
• B) 18
• C) 21
• D) 25

Answer: B) 18. The voting age was lowered to 18 in 1974.

Question 18 — Scenario — Topic 2 You receive your voter card. What does it mean?

• A) You must go and vote
• B) You are registered on the electoral rolls and can vote
• C) You owe a new tax
• D) You become a civil servant

Answer: B) You are registered on the electoral rolls and can vote. Voting is a right, not a legal obligation in France.

Question 19 — Scenario — Topic 2 Your mayor has just been elected. For how long?

• A) 3 years
• B) 5 years
• C) 6 years
• D) 7 years

Answer: C) 6 years. Municipal councillors are elected for 6 years, and they elect the mayor from among themselves.

Question 20 — Scenario — Topic 2 Someone mentions a "référendum." What is it?

• A) A presidential election
• B) A direct vote of citizens on a question
• C) A law passed by the Senate
• D) A ruling by the Court of Cassation

Answer: B) A direct vote of citizens on a question. The referendum is set out in Article 11 of the Constitution.

Topic 3 — Rights and duties (10 questions)

Question 21 — Topic 3 How old must you be to run for President?

• A) 18
• B) 21
• C) 23
• D) 18 (since 2011)

Answer: D) 18 (since 2011). Before 2011 the minimum was 23. The organic law of 14 April 2011 lowered it.

Question 22 — Topic 3 In France, at what ages is schooling compulsory?

• A) From 6 to 16
• B) From 3 to 16
• C) From 3 to 18
• D) From 6 to 18

Answer: B) From 3 to 16. Since the law of 26 July 2019, instruction is compulsory from age 3.

Question 23 — Topic 3 What is the approximate monthly net SMIC (minimum wage) in 2026 for a full-time job?

• A) About €900
• B) About €1,430
• C) About €2,000
• D) About €2,500

Answer: B) About €1,430. The net SMIC is around €1,430 for 35 h/week in 2026 (revalued every 1 January).

Question 24 — Topic 3 What does "Sécurité sociale" (social security) mean?

• A) A police service
• B) A protection system against social risks (illness, retirement, family)
• C) A public bank
• D) A compulsory private insurance

Answer: B) A protection system against social risks. Created in 1945, it covers illness, family, retirement, and workplace accidents.

Question 25 — Topic 3 Taxes in France are used to:

• A) Fund the army only
• B) Fund public services (school, health, justice, security)
• C) Repay private banks
• D) Pay only civil servants

Answer: B) Fund public services. Taxation is the foundation of the republican contract (Article 13 of the 1789 Declaration).

Question 26 — Topic 3 Who can marry in France?

• A) Only a man and a woman
• B) Two adults, whatever their sex
• C) Only people of the same nationality
• D) Only with the mayor's agreement

Answer: B) Two adults, whatever their sex. "Marriage for all" has been legal since the law of 17 May 2013.

Question 27 — Scenario — Topic 3 You face workplace discrimination because of your origin. What do you do?

• A) Nothing, it's normal
• B) File a complaint with the Défenseur des droits (Rights Defender) or the Prud'hommes (labour court)
• C) Resign immediately
• D) Change your name

Answer: B) File a complaint with the Défenseur des droits or the Prud'hommes. Discrimination is punishable by law (Article 225-1 of the Penal Code).

Question 28 — Scenario — Topic 3 You are sick. Which card do you show at the doctor's?

• A) The ID card only
• B) The carte Vitale (health insurance card)
• C) The driving licence
• D) The bank card

Answer: B) The carte Vitale. It triggers automatic reimbursement by Assurance Maladie.

Question 29 — Scenario — Topic 3 Your employer refuses to pay your overtime. What do you do?

• A) Nothing, it's his right
• B) File with the Conseil de prud'hommes
• C) Call the police
• D) Leave France

Answer: B) File with the Conseil de prud'hommes. This court settles individual labour disputes between employer and employee.

Question 30 — Scenario — Topic 3 A police officer asks for your papers in the street. What should you do?

• A) Flatly refuse
• B) Present an ID document if you have one with you
• C) Ask for a warrant
• D) Run away

Answer: B) Present an ID document. Identity checks are regulated by the Code of Criminal Procedure (Article 78-2).

Topic 4 — Living in France (10 questions)

Question 31 — Topic 4 What is the capital of France?

• A) Lyon
• B) Marseille
• C) Paris
• D) Toulouse

Answer: C) Paris. Capital since the Middle Ages, seat of the national institutions.

Question 32 — Topic 4 How many metropolitan regions has France had since 2016?

• A) 13
• B) 22
• C) 18
• D) 27

Answer: A) 13. Territorial reform of 16 January 2015, effective on 1 January 2016.

Question 33 — Topic 4 What currency is used in France?

• A) The franc
• B) The euro
• C) The dollar
• D) The pound

Answer: B) The euro. Introduced in France on 1 January 2002, replacing the franc.

Question 34 — Topic 4 What is a TGV?

• A) A high-speed train
• B) A type of court
• C) A transport card
• D) A housing benefit

Answer: A) A high-speed train. The first TGV entered service in 1981 (Paris-Lyon).

Question 35 — Topic 4 What document is required to drive a car in France?

• A) The carte Vitale
• B) The driving licence
• C) The passport
• D) The voter card

Answer: B) The driving licence. Compulsory from age 18 (17 with supervised driving).

Question 36 — Topic 4 Which French tradition is listed in UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage?

• A) Pizza
• B) The gastronomic meal of the French
• C) Kebab
• D) Sushi

Answer: B) The gastronomic meal of the French. Inscribed by UNESCO in 2010.

Question 37 — Scenario — Topic 4 You are looking for housing. Which public benefit may apply to you?

• A) The APL (personalised housing aid)
• B) CAF does not exist
• C) RSA only
• D) None

Answer: A) The APL. Paid by the CAF, subject to income conditions.

Question 38 — Scenario — Topic 4 You find a wallet in the street. What do you do?

• A) Keep it
• B) Drop it off at the police station or town hall
• C) Throw it away
• D) Sell it

Answer: B) Drop it off at the police station or town hall. Appropriation is a criminal offence (Article 311-1 of the Penal Code).

Question 39 — Scenario — Topic 4 In a medical emergency, which number do you call?

• A) 17
• B) 18
• C) 15
• D) 112

Answer: C) 15. The SAMU handles medical emergencies. 112 also works anywhere in the European Union.

Question 40 — Scenario — Topic 4 You want to enrol your child in public school. Where do you go?

• A) The préfecture
• B) The town hall (mairie)
• C) The court
• D) The CAF

Answer: B) The town hall. The commune manages nursery and primary schools.

Topic 5 — History, geography, culture (10 questions)

Question 41 — Topic 5 What is the date of the storming of the Bastille, France's national holiday?

• A) 14 July 1789
• B) 4 August 1789
• C) 26 August 1789
• D) 1 May 1789

Answer: A) 14 July 1789. Symbol of the start of the French Revolution, national holiday since 1880.

Question 42 — Topic 5 Who was Charles de Gaulle?

• A) A 19th-century painter
• B) Leader of Free France during World War II, then president
• C) A king of France
• D) An 18th-century writer

Answer: B) Leader of Free France. Appeal of 18 June 1940, founder of the Fifth Republic, president from 1959 to 1969.

Question 43 — Topic 5 What is France's longest land border?

• A) With Spain
• B) With Germany
• C) With Belgium
• D) With Brazil (via French Guiana)

Answer: D) With Brazil (via French Guiana). About 730 km. In metropolitan France alone, it's Spain (~623 km).

Question 44 — Topic 5 Which river runs through Paris?

• A) The Loire
• B) The Seine
• C) The Rhône
• D) The Garonne

Answer: B) The Seine. It rises in Côte-d'Or and flows into the English Channel at Le Havre.

Question 45 — Topic 5 Who wrote Les Misérables?

• A) Émile Zola
• B) Victor Hugo
• C) Marcel Proust
• D) Albert Camus

Answer: B) Victor Hugo. Published in 1862, an iconic novel of French literature.

Question 46 — Topic 5 Which event marked the end of World War II in Europe?

• A) 11 November 1918
• B) 8 May 1945
• C) 14 July 1945
• D) 6 June 1944

Answer: B) 8 May 1945. Surrender of Nazi Germany. 6 June 1944 is D-Day, not the end of the war.

Question 47 — Scenario — Topic 5 Your child asks why 11 November is a public holiday. What do you answer?

• A) It is the music festival
• B) It commemorates the 1918 armistice (end of World War I)
• C) It is the national holiday
• D) It is the anniversary of La Marseillaise

Answer: B) It commemorates the 1918 armistice. A public holiday since 1922.

Question 48 — Scenario — Topic 5 Friends invite you to a "14 juillet" celebration. What are you celebrating?

• A) The liberation of Paris
• B) The French national holiday (storming of the Bastille)
• C) The armistice
• D) New Year

Answer: B) The French national holiday. Military parade on the Champs-Élysées and fireworks across the country.

Question 49 — Scenario — Topic 5 You are visiting the Eiffel Tower. From what period does it date?

• A) The Middle Ages
• B) The late 19th century (1889)
• C) After World War II
• D) The 18th century

Answer: B) The late 19th century (1889). Built for the 1889 Universal Exposition by Gustave Eiffel.

Question 50 — Scenario — Topic 5 You attend a naturalisation ceremony. What is handed to you?

• A) A voter card only
• B) A naturalisation decree and the Charter of Rights and Duties of the French Citizen
• C) A passport only
• D) A university diploma

Answer: B) A naturalisation decree and the Charter of Rights and Duties of the French Citizen. Official handover at the préfecture since 2012. For a full walkthrough, see our French naturalisation process 2026.

Score yourself and read the result

Count your correct answers out of 50 and check the grid below. The official exam requires 32 correct out of 40, i.e. 80 %. On 50 questions, the equivalent threshold is 40 out of 50.

• 40 to 50 correct — Ready for the real test. You have the fundamentals. Move on to timed practice with a free practice test to confirm under pressure. Once you sit the real exam, the centre issues a certificate — see validity and price of the civic exam attestation before you submit your file.
• 32 to 39 correct — Polish needed. You are close but not secured yet. Identify the 2 topics where you lose the most points and focus on them for 7 to 10 days. Our best study methods article suggests concrete plans.
• Fewer than 32 correct — Real work required. Do not panic. Restart topic by topic, make flashcards, and space your revisions. Count 4 to 6 weeks of preparation at 20 minutes a day.

Write down your mistakes in a notebook. A question missed here is a question that can appear on exam day — it deserves dedicated review.

For more: 1,000+ questions on Cocorico

These 50 French citizenship test questions are a solid starting point. Cocorico ships a full corpus of 1,000+ questions: the 245 official knowledge questions published by the Ministry of the Interior, plus 800+ practice questions written by Cocorico (official scenarios, deep-dive items, classic traps). Each question comes with:

• detailed correction and justification
• native FR audio (helpful for pronunciation and auditory memorisation)
• English and Chinese subtitles (never replacing the official French text)
• a spaced-repetition algorithm that re-presents each question at the right moment
• 5 free lessons per topic, i.e. 25 free lessons without any credit card

Create your account in 30 seconds: free registration on Cocorico.

If you prefer to jump straight into a full timed test under real conditions (40 questions, 45 minutes, stopwatch), launch our free mock exam — the format reproduces the Ministry's exactly.

FAQ — French citizenship test questions

Where can I find the official annals of the naturalisation civic test? The Ministry of the Interior publishes the reference PDF (version of 12 December 2025) on service-public.fr and vie-publique.fr. This is the sole source for the 245 knowledge questions. The 12 scenario questions are never published officially (to avoid rote memorisation): Cocorico offers 40 synthesised scenarios faithful to the format.

Does the format of these 50 questions match the real exam day? Yes. The official 2026 exam has 40 MCQs with 4 options each (28 knowledge + 12 scenarios), 45 minutes, 80 % pass threshold. Our 50 questions respect that exact format. The only difference: on exam day you answer on a tablet at the préfecture, not on paper.

Can these questions be downloaded as PDF? For the printable version plus the remaining 235 questions plus progress tracking, create a free account on Cocorico. PDF export is included in the Pass (€14.90 to €39.90 depending on duration). See our pricing.

Will these questions still be valid in 2027? The Ministry revises the question bank roughly every 2 to 3 years. The current version (12 December 2025) remains the reference for every 2026 session. Cocorico updates your bank automatically as soon as a new version is published, without loss of progress thanks to our stable referencing (officialRef).

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Article updated on 23 April 2026. Official source: PDF "Questions de connaissance" from the French Ministry of the Interior, version 2025-12-12. For a global overview, see our complete guide to the 2026 French citizenship civic test.