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Doha

Qatar

Doha offers rare expat comfort: a safe city, short commutes, two large French lycées and a francophone community that is close-knit precisely because it is human-sized. The scorching summer needs planning, the rest of the year is a treat.

Currency
Qatari riyal (QR)
Languages
Arabic (English covers daily life)
Time vs Paris
1 to 2h ahead
Emergencies
999

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.

Doha Accueil

Since 2012

Since 2012, Doha Accueil has gathered nearly 200 members around a very friendly weekly drop-in, monthly breakfasts (sometimes with the French Ambassador!) and discovery workshops.

Where to meet them

Sunday mornings (7:30-9:30am) at La Parisienne, the bakery of the Intercontinental City hotel in West Bay.

Email the association See the FIAFE page

What they offer

  • Sunday morning drop-in at La Parisienne (West Bay)
  • Monthly members breakfast
  • Discovery workshops for kids and grown-ups
  • A support network of about 200 members

The French business network

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 Qatar

The hub for French and French-speaking companies in Doha: Job Booster workshops to find work, networking events and practical help to settle in and launch a partner's career in Qatar.

Visit the website CCI country page

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.

💰 Compare school fees

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.

    Discover Axiom Academic

  • IB Tutor

    Tutors specialised in the International Baccalaureate: online lessons in every IB subject, to aim for top grades from MYP to the diploma.

    Discover IB Tutor

Schools and education

Over 3,600 pupils in the French network: the Lycée Bonaparte (AEFE-affiliated) in West Bay and the Franco-Qatari Lycée Voltaire, spread over three campuses. A rare offering for a city this size.

Good to know

  • Bonaparte (AEFE agreement) is the historic school, right in West Bay.
  • Voltaire spreads its pupils over Al Waab, Salwa and West Bay: check the campus when applying.
  • Plan a year ahead for key entry years: both lycées are often full.
  • The school weekend is Friday-Saturday in Qatar: timetables follow.

Children's healthcare

Health insurance is mandatory for foreign residents, and care is top-level, anchored by Hamad Medical and Sidra, the women and children hospital.

Good to know

  • Check the family coverage of the sponsoring employer's policy before signing.
  • Sidra Medicine is a regional reference for paediatrics and maternity.
  • The Hamad health card opens the public system at reduced rates.
  • 999 is the single emergency number; in summer everything moves indoors.

French-speaking community

That is Doha's strength: a French community small enough that everyone crosses paths, organised enough that no one feels alone. Doha Accueil is its rallying point.

Good to know

  • Doha Accueil (FIAFE network) holds its drop-in every Sunday morning.
  • Family neighbourhoods: West Bay and the Al Waab and Al Gharrafa compounds.
  • The Institut français du Qatar offers classes and cultural events.
  • Facebook groups of French residents in Doha respond fast on practical tips.

Family outings and events

From October to April, Doha is a family playground: Corniche, parks, souq and spectacular museums. The Museum of Islamic Art and its park make the perfect Sunday.

Good to know

  • MIA Park, behind the Museum of Islamic Art, is the family sunset spot.
  • Souq Waqif and its falconers fascinate children; Katara lines up beaches and an amphitheatre.
  • Aspire Park and its lakes offer one of the Gulf's rare large green spaces.
  • The National Museum of Qatar (the "desert rose") has dedicated children trails.

These landmarks change fast: the MumExpat community will keep them up to date.

Coming soon: the full Doha guide.

Verified addresses, paediatricians recommended by mums, a family agenda updated every week. Join the waitlist to discover the Doha page first.

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