Lisbon has won French families over: the light, the ocean, the gentle pace and a renowned French lycée. The flip side: everyone had the same idea, and places are earned, at school as on the housing market.
Currency
Euro (€)
Language
Portuguese
Time vs Paris
1h behind
Emergencies
112
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.
Lisbonne Accueil
Since 1984
Since 1984, Lisbonne Accueil has helped French-speaking families discover the city and the country: cultural outings, Portuguese heritage explorations and meetups for newcomers.
The Lisbon section of Français du monde - ADFE supports French residents of Portugal with their paperwork and represents their interests with 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 Portugal (CCILF)
The largest French-speaking business community in Portugal, based in Lisbon: events, introductions and practical support to find a job or start a business locally.
To follow local life in French: news, what's on, good addresses and, often, a directory of French-speaking professionals.
lepetitjournal.com Lisbonne
MediaIn French
The Lisbon and Portugal edition of the online daily for French expatriates: Portuguese news, community, events, classified ads and practical guides to housing, work, schooling and starting a business.
The expat directory of French-speaking addresses and professionals in Portugal (health, education, services), complemented by a list of French-speaking associations and groups.
The magazine for French-speaking expats in Portugal, a quarterly print edition and website: good addresses, education, health, property, getaways, culture, events and job offers.
The Belles adresses section features Lisbon restaurants, shops and craftspeople; the Health and Education sections add practical articles.
Quarterly magazine and French-language website about life in Portugal: news, culture, activities, food, property and events, with pages dedicated to Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve.
Before you even land in Lisbon, Facebook groups are the best shortcut: ask your questions, find a flat, a nanny, a second-hand stroller, and often your first friends.
We want to create a safe space for people to connect, help each other, answer questions and make life a little bit easier.
To join the group, answer...
Welcome to Expats in Lisbon - the fastest growing global community for people who live in or move to Lisbon! Enjoy this group for your posts, comments...
ExpatFocus.com group for English speaking expats in Portugal. Strictly no advertising. Please answer all questions when requesting membership or your...
O lado positivo e integre, sem contrapartida, grupo que amam Portugal e os Portugueses!
Le coté positif et honnete des gens qui aiment le Portugal et...
This is a place for Expats of all nationalities to connect and support each other throughout Portugal. Feel free to post any questions, thoughts, opinions or tips about Expat life in Portugal.
This is not a group for selling property. Post will be removed and you will be banned if you keep posting.
Don't forget to Like, Follow & Share!! 💚
Welcome to main group for Digital Nomads & Expats in Lisbon! 🌍🔥
Connect, network, and learn from fellow nomads and expats in the vibrant city of Lisbon.
Join us as we share insights, exchange tips, and embark on exciting adventures together. Let's make Lisbon our ultimate hub for the digital nomad and expat lifestyle! ✨💼
Lusobreves Infos Francophones au Portugal a pour objectif d'informer les Francophones résidents au Portugal et dans le monde sur ce qui se passe dans le pays.
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.
The Lycée français Charles-Lepierre, directly managed by the AEFE, is the royal road, and therefore the busiest. Redbridge and international schools offer solid alternatives, and Portuguese public school remains a real immersion option.
Good to know
Charles-Lepierre has long waiting lists: file the application at least a year before the target start.
Redbridge School (nursery to age 16) is the rising francophone alternative, in Campo de Ourique.
Portuguese public school is free and accessible: immersion works well for younger children.
On the Cascais-Estoril coast, international schools attract many expat families.
French-speaking community
The French wave in Lisbon is recent but massive. Between Campo de Ourique, Estrela and the Cascais coast, you hear French in every public garden.
Good to know
Lisbonne Accueil (FIAFE network) has welcomed newcomers since 1984.
Campo de Ourique and Estrela are the central family neighbourhoods; Cascais and Estoril, the ocean choice.
Facebook groups of French residents in Lisbon have become huge tip databases.
UFE Lisbonne and Français du monde complete the associative network.
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 Lisbon uses to get around, get things delivered and organise daily life.
Getting around
Citymapper
The journey planner Lisbon locals swear by: metro, trams, buses, ferries and trains in real time, sharper than Google Maps for public transport.
Portugal's biggest supermarket delivers to your door through this app: reliable slots, and do get the Cartão Continente, the loyalty card everyone carries.
The app for the corner supermarket par excellence: Poupa Mais card, coupons and your store's offers, handy given there is a Pingo Doce on almost every block.
Portugal's default way to pay: instant transfers between friends, online purchases, cardless cash withdrawals; set it up as soon as your Portuguese bank account opens.
The anti-waste app, very active in Lisbon: surprise bags from neighbourhood pastelarias, bakeries and supermarkets at a small price, perfect for snack time.
What mums ask when they arrive in Lisbon, in short, sourced answers.
French lycée or Portuguese school: where do we start?
In Portugal, school is compulsory from 6 to 18 and free in the public system, with placement based on where you live. The Lycée français Charles-Lepierre, directly run by the AEFE, charges fees and is in high demand: apply at least a year before the target start. Our Schools and School fees pages compare the options: /en/cities/lisbon/school-fees/.
Source ↗Do we need a visa or residence permit to move as a family?
No, as EU citizens you settle freely. Beyond three months, however, each family member applies for an EU citizen registration certificate at the Câmara Municipal where you live, within 30 days. The full steps are on our Settling in page: /en/cities/lisbon/settling-in/.
Source ↗What is the first document to get on arrival?
The NIF, the Portuguese tax number. Without it, you cannot sign a lease, open an account, get a phone contract or enrol a child at school. It is requested at the Finanças or online; then come the bank, social security and the health centre.
The national health service (SNS) follows children at the local health centre, with free vaccines; you simply register there to get a utente number. Many families add private insurance to see a paediatrician within days at the CUF, Luz or Lusíadas groups. Everything is detailed on /en/cities/lisbon/health/.
Source ↗My child has a fever at night: where do we go?
For a life-threatening emergency, call 112. Otherwise, first call the SNS 24 line on 808 24 24 24: it assesses and directs you, and saves you the fee if it sends you to A&E. The paediatric emergency department at Dona Estefânia hospital is open 24/7 up to age 18, as is CUF Descobertas in the private sector.
Yes. The French embassy publishes an indicative list of French-speaking doctors: GPs, a paediatrician, dentists, psychiatrists, a gynaecologist and physiotherapists in Lisbon. It is for information only, and the choice of practitioner is free. We list the essentials on /en/cities/lisbon/health/.
Yes, it is the main challenge: the embassy itself mentions a shortage of rental housing and steep rent rises in popular neighbourhoods. Choose the school before the neighbourhood, prepare your NIF, proof of income and sometimes a guarantor, and pay nothing before visiting. Our neighbourhood-by-neighbourhood advice: /en/cities/lisbon/settling-in/.
Source ↗How do I find childcare for a baby or toddler?
Nursery is free for children born from 1 September 2021, in the solidarity network and, when there is no place, in participating private nurseries under the Creche Feliz scheme; places are searched on the Segurança Social portal. For a nanny or babysitter, French-speaking parent groups and Lisbonne Accueil are the best networks.
Source ↗Will my children pick up Portuguese easily?
The youngest, yes, especially at Portuguese school where immersion works well in preschool and primary. Even at the French lycée, Portuguese is taught, and municipal libraries and local activities help bridge the gap. To keep French alive, the Institut français media library offers books and story times: /en/cities/lisbon/family-outings/.
Is public transport practical with children?
Yes, and free until 12: the navegante 12 pass covers all metropolitan-area transport until the month a child turns 13, and under-4s travel without a ticket. Open pushchairs are allowed on Carris buses and trams; only the hills and cobbles make walking harder.
Yes if it is the credit-card format and still valid, but you must declare your address to the IMT within 60 days of settling. An old pink licence with no expiry date, issued before 2013, must be exchanged for a Portuguese one within two years.
Lisbonne Accueil, part of the FIAFE network, has welcomed newcomers since 1984 with outings and meetups; UFE and Français du monde complete the network. The gardens of Campo de Ourique and Estrela, the school gate and the Facebook groups of French people in Lisbon do the rest. Also see the lepetitjournal.com Lisbon calendar and directory.
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