Abu Dhabi is Dubai's calmer neighbour: greener, slower-paced, very family-friendly. French culture is everywhere, from the Louvre Abu Dhabi to the Sorbonne, and two large French lycées share the community's children.
Currency
Dirham (AED)
Languages
Arabic (English covers daily life)
Time vs Paris
2 to 3h ahead
Emergencies
998 (ambulance), 999 (police)
FIAFE network
The Accueil for French-speaking families
In each city, a volunteer-run association from the FIAFE network welcomes, informs and helps French-speaking families settling in.
Abu Dhabi Accueil
Since 1988
Since 1988, Abu Dhabi Accueil has connected the French-speaking families of the capital: neighbourhood coffees, a book club, creative workshops and business lunches, with over 400 members.
Where to meet them
Neighbourhood coffee once a month; office in the Al Nahyan district.
The local Français du monde - ADFE section supports French residents of Abu Dhabi with their paperwork and relays their concerns to the consular authorities.
The local French chamber of commerce (CCI France International network) is a real asset for work: networking, job offers and help to restart a career or start a business locally.
CCI France International
CCI France UAE
The Franco-Emirati chamber, active in Abu Dhabi too: over 800 members, a jobboard, regular networking events and hands-on support for families and partners settling into work.
To follow local life in French: news, what's on, good addresses and, often, a directory of French-speaking professionals.
Dubai Madame
MediaIn French
The online magazine for French speakers in the UAE since 2007, cited by the French embassy as a reference medium: settling in, schooling, health, outings, a monthly agenda and a weekly newsletter. Dubai-focused, it also covers Abu Dhabi, with recent guides on life, transport and museums in the capital.
The Abu Dhabi DoctoList: French-speaking doctors and health professionals of the capital sorted by speciality (GPs, paediatricians, gynaecologists, therapists, speech therapists, dentists), checked before publication; the site also keeps a directory of French-speaking addresses and lists of lawyers, estate agents and experts.
The UAE edition of the online daily for French expatriates, published Monday to Friday from Dubai: Emirates news, community, settling in, health, housing, education and events. No dedicated Abu Dhabi edition, but the federal topics (visas, labour law, schools, consulate) concern the whole community.
Expat directory by category (housing, education, health, settling in, jobs), where professionals add their own listing; designed for Dubai, to be filtered for Abu Dhabi.
Free bilingual French-English magazine distributed across the Arabian Peninsula and readable online: culture and exhibitions, lifestyle, travel, home, and a 'helping my child grow' section; many features on the Louvre Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat and the Grand Prix.
Before you even land in Abu Dhabi, Facebook groups are the best shortcut: ask your questions, find a flat, a nanny, a second-hand stroller, and often your first friends.
Very active Public In English
Abu Dhabi Expats
129,300 members · ≈ 183 posts/week
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🌍 Welcome to Abu Dhabi Expats – We don’t just answer questions, we show up for each other. 110k+ strong!
We proudly rank #1 on Google for Abu Dhabi expat communities!
Not only that ChatGPT, Google Gemini, facebook meta and Microsoft Copilot also recommend us first for all expat and Abu Dhabi related Q&A, support, jobs, housing, accommodation, food, and lifestyle needs..
A friendly, active, and supportive community for anyone living in or planning to move to Abu Dhabi. Whether you’re just settling in or a seasoned resident, here you’ll find:
🏠 Housing & Rentals
Connect with fellow expats to find rooms, share apartments, or rent villas. Members frequently post offers and tips on where to look, moving logistics, and roommate searches just like the top expat groups  .
🛠️ Buy, Sell & Swap
Clear out clutter or snap a deal—furniture, appliances, baby gear, or even event tickets. Few topics spark conversations like great bargains!
💡 Tips, Recommendations & Q&A
From visa hacks and local regulations to the best cafés, gyms, or weekend getaways, members share real-world insights—mirroring the valuable advice seen across top AD expat communities  .
🤝 Social Events & Meetups
Planning a café chat, a beach volleyball match, or a cultural outing? Use the group to organize and join casual meetups—similar to successful initiatives in peer communities mixed in with local Reddit advice  .
🌐 Diverse & Inclusive
Welcoming expats of every nationality, background, and life stage. Specialized sub-groups (e.g., Indian expats, Brit expats) exist, but here, all are welcome to mingle and connect .
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🚦 Group Guidelines:
1. Be respectful & kind
This is a harassment-free zone. Treat members the way you’d like to be treated.
2. Relevant content only
Stay on-topic: housing, jobs, events, advice, deals or meetups. No spam or unrelated promotions.
3. No commercial ads
Personal offers are fine; business ads need admin approval.
4. Privacy first
Personal info in PM only. Respect each other’s privacy. no DM’s without permission
5. Security.
Admin has right to reveal identity without any permission
6. Female members are allowed, as per group rules, to publicly share screenshots in the group of any member who sends them unsolicited inbox messages or friend requests. Such behavior is strictly prohibited and may result in immediate removal and permanent ban.
7. Job Posting Approval only on Sunday.
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Join us to:
• Rent or sublet apartments with insider tips
• Buy and sell pre-loved items conveniently
• Discover genuine, experience-based advice
• Meet local and international expats through relaxed events
• Make Abu Dhabi feel like home ❤️
Job Posting Approval only on Sunday
Welcome to ExpatsWorld - the fastest growing global community for people who live or move abroad! Enjoy this group for your posts, comments and communication with other expat members in your city. Also visit our webpage expatsworld.com to read our blog, magazine or to watch our TV Channel.
Your ExpatsWorld Community Team
Buy & Sell, Discuss topics in Abu Dhabi.
This page is not for selling rooms or rentals. Please don’t post business related topics such as selling skin...
This group is for Indians living in Abu Dhabi, UAE
Welcome to Indians in Abu Dhabi (IAD), a vibrant community of Indian expats and nationals living in Abu Dhabi! This group is a platform to connect, share experiences, and exchange information about life in Abu Dhabi. Whether you're new to the city or a long-time resident, join us to build meaningful relationships, explore cultural events, and discover the best of Abu Dhabi.
*Basic Rules:*
*1. Respect and Inclusion:* Treat others with respect and dignity, regardless of their background, culture, or opinions.
*2. No Spam/Self-Promotion:* Refrain from posting unsolicited ads, promotional content, or self-promotional materials.
*3. Relevant Posts:* Ensure posts are relevant to the Indian community in Abu Dhabi.
*4. No Defamatory/Offensive Content:* Avoid posting content that's defamatory, offensive, or harmful to individuals or groups.
*5. Privacy:* Respect others' privacy; avoid sharing personal contact information or photos without consent.
*6. Language:* Use English, Hindi, Urdu , or Any Indian Official Language for posts to ensure inclusivity.
*7. Event Posts:* For event postings, provide clear details (date, time, location, description).
*8. Moderation:* Admins reserve the right to moderate and remove inappropriate content.
*9. Reporting:* Report any violations or concerns to the group admins.
*10. Stay Updated:* Keep your group notifications on to stay informed about important updates and events.
Let's build a supportive and engaging community!
#indians
#indian in Abu Dhabi
#AbuDhbaIndian
#indiansInAbuDhbai
#indian in Abu Dhabi
#india in Abu Dhabi
# indian in AD
#ad indian
Un groupe pour rapprocher les francophones habitants les Emirats Arabes Unis, échanger les bonnes adresses, les tuyaux, s'entraider et faire connaissance. A bientôt 😉
Hi, Welcome to the Abu Dhabi Expatriate club. This is a social club for all the professional expatriates here in Abu Dhabi to get together and network in various restaurants, concerts, clubs and other social events. This club also aims at mutually helping out one another and get settled in the city. Members in this group would also be updated on the latest events that happen in AbuDhabi like Business meets, Sporting events, Club events etc.
What r u waiting for???? JOIN NOW...Spread the word!!!
Compiled from Facebook's public search, links checked in July 2026. Group sizes change all the time.
AEFE network
Accredited French schools
Schools accredited by the French Ministry of Education follow the French curriculum: your child can continue their schooling seamlessly, abroad and back in France.
Source: official AEFE directory, verified June 2026. aefe.gouv.fr
Tutoring and private lessons
To support your children's schooling across two systems, two solutions designed for expat families.
Axiom Academic
Private lessons and tutoring for expat families: French curriculum, IB and British curriculum, at home or online, with teachers who know the schools in your city.
A rare privilege: the Lycée Louis-Massignon is one of the AEFE's directly managed schools, and the Lycée Théodore-Monod (MLF/AFLEC network) completes it on Saadiyat Island. Over 3,000 pupils in the capital's French network.
Good to know
Louis-Massignon (AEFE direct management) follows the agency's fee scales and direct steering: a network reference.
Théodore-Monod, on Saadiyat, attracts families from the northern districts and the island.
Private schools are regulated by ADEK (the local equivalent of Dubai's KHDA).
Apply as soon as the relocation is confirmed: key entry years fill up fast.
French-speaking community
Cultural France is everywhere: the Louvre Abu Dhabi, Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, the Alliance française. The French community is dense, organised and loyal to the capital.
Good to know
Abu Dhabi Accueil (FIAFE network) has animated the community since 1988.
UFE Abu Dhabi runs afterworks and welcome events all year round.
The Alliance française offers a media library and activities in French for children.
Family neighbourhoods: Khalidiya, Al Bateen, Saadiyat and Al Raha Beach.
A place has closed, something has changed?
The arrival reflex
The apps to download when you land
Drop your bags, download these and you're set: the apps everyone in Abu Dhabi uses to get around, get things delivered and organise daily life.
Getting around
Careem
The Gulf's super-app: rides, delivery and groceries in one place; it is the local go-to for booking a car.
The local Carrefour (Majid Al Futtaim group) delivers your groceries within hours; well stocked French aisles make it a comforting landmark for families.
The national digital identity, essential for almost every procedure: banking, visas, signing documents; set it up as soon as you have your Emirates ID.
Abu Dhabi's one-stop government app: water and electricity bills, fines, licences and everyday paperwork; sooner or later everything goes through TAMM.
What mums ask when they arrive in Abu Dhabi, in short, sourced answers.
French or international school: where do we start?
Abu Dhabi has two large accredited French lycées: the Lycée Louis-Massignon, directly run by the AEFE, on Rabdan Street, and the Lycée Théodore-Monod of the AFLEC network, on Saadiyat, from nursery to final year. All private schools, French or international, charge fees and are regulated by ADEK, and key entry years fill up fast: start the application as soon as the move is confirmed. Our Schools and School fees pages detail both options: /en/cities/abu-dhabi/school-fees/.
Source ↗Do we need health insurance for the children?
Yes, and it is compulsory: health insurance is a condition of the residence permit. In Abu Dhabi, the employer or sponsor must cover the employee, one spouse and up to three children under 18; for a fourth child or better cover, it is at your expense. Read the policy before signing (maternity, dental, clinic network). It is all explained on our Health page: /en/cities/abu-dhabi/health/.
Source ↗How do I find a French-speaking paediatrician?
Two public lists exist: the French embassy's, updated in May 2026, and Dubai Madame's Abu Dhabi DoctoList, published in September 2026, which list French-speaking paediatricians, GPs, gynaecologists, therapists and dentists. There is no compulsory family doctor: you book directly, as long as the clinic is in your insurer's network. We list the practitioners useful to families on /en/cities/abu-dhabi/health/.
Source ↗Which number do I call if my child is ill at night?
998 for an ambulance, 999 for the police, nationwide. To go to A&E yourself, Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (public, city centre) and Burjeel Medical City (Mohamed Bin Zayed City) have a dedicated 24/7 paediatric emergency department; Danat Al Emarat sees children without an appointment at any hour, and the 24/7 SEHA Clinics in Al Bateen and Saadiyat are enough for a fever or a cut. Addresses are on /en/cities/abu-dhabi/health/.
Source ↗Which neighbourhood should we settle in with children?
French families follow the schools: Al Mushrif, Al Rawdah and Khalidiya around the Lycée Louis-Massignon, Saadiyat around the Lycée Théodore-Monod, and the compounds of Khalifa City, Al Raha or Yas for space and a pool. The city is over forty kilometres long and everything is done by car: choose the school first, then a home within twenty minutes. Our Settling in page reviews the neighbourhoods: /en/cities/abu-dhabi/settling-in/.
In order: the medical test (for those aged 18 and over) and the biometrics for the Emirates ID, which trigger everyone's residence visa; the health insurance card from the employer; the bank account; a SIM card; the Tawtheeq-registered lease and utilities; then registration with the French consular register, online, free and valid five years. Details on /en/cities/abu-dhabi/settling-in/.
Source ↗Where do we renew the children's passports: Abu Dhabi or Dubai?
In Dubai: the embassy's consular section in Abu Dhabi only handles visas for France, and it is the Consulate General of France in Dubai (Dubai Marina, an hour's drive) that processes passports, ID cards, civil status and the register for the French of Abu Dhabi. Several times a year it comes on a consular tour to the Alliance française in Abu Dhabi, by appointment, to take and hand over documents: watch the dates on the embassy's website.
As a visitor, yes, to rent a car. Once a resident, you need an Emirati licence, and the French licence is on the list of countries whose licences Abu Dhabi exchanges without a test: an eye test at an approved optician, the original licence with its Arabic translation, passport, Emirates ID and photos, then the application on the TAMM portal or with Abu Dhabi Police. Remember seatbelts for all and zero alcohol, strictly enforced.
Source ↗Nursery, nanny, home help: how do you get a little one looked after?
Private nurseries, regulated by ADEK, take children from birth to age 4; TAMM's school finder lists them. Home help is very easy to find and much cheaper than in France, but employing a nanny makes you an employer: recruitment through an approved centre, a contract on the official template, one weekly rest day, 30 days' paid leave a year, health insurance and a return ticket every two years.
Source ↗Is Abu Dhabi really that expensive for a family?
Less than Dubai and less than Paris in Mercer's ranking of cities for expatriates, but two items weigh heavily: rent, paid yearly by cheques with a 5% municipality fee, and school, which everyone pays for. On the other side, no income tax, 5% VAT, petrol at half the French price and museums free for children. Our Settling in page details the budget line by line: /en/cities/abu-dhabi/settling-in/.
Source ↗What do you do with the children when it is 45 degrees?
From June to the end of September, life moves indoors: the Saadiyat museums (Louvre, Zayed National Museum, Natural History Museum), free for under-18s, the Cultural Foundation children's library, the Zayed Sports City ice rink, the Al Qana aquarium and the Yas parks. Parks and beaches are visited after sunset, Umm Al Emarat Park stays open until midnight. Our addresses are on /en/cities/abu-dhabi/family-outings/.
Source ↗Where can I meet other French-speaking mums?
Abu Dhabi Accueil, a FIAFE network born in 1988, runs a monthly neighbourhood coffee for newcomers, a book club and workshops; UFE Abu Dhabi organises afterworks and outings, and the Alliance française in Al Bateen gathers families around its médiathèque and camps. The school gates of the two lycées and the mums' Facebook groups do the rest, and Dubai Madame publishes the French-speaking events and good addresses of the UAE.
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