Los Angeles is not a city you visit, it is one you tame: an archipelago of neighbourhoods linked by freeways, where family life revolves around school and the car. The French-speaking community is well established, from West LA to Burbank, and the sunshine does the rest.
Currency
US dollar ($)
Language
English
Time vs Paris
9h behind
Emergencies
911
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.
Los Angeles Accueil
Since 1992
Since 1992, Los Angeles Accueil has gathered the French speakers of the City of Angels: welcome coffees, a baby club, hikes, cultural outings and a monthly agenda of local tips to tame the city despite the distances.
Where to meet them
No fixed premises: contact by email; activities are announced on the website and in the monthly agenda.
Welcome coffee, Club Bébé and Petit Club for young mums
Sport and wellbeing: hikes, beach walks, beach volleyball, yoga
Cultural outings, talks and themed evenings
Monthly agenda of L.A. events and members newsletter
Other support networks
Two large national networks also support the French abroad, each with its local chapter.
UFE
UFE États-Unis Los Angeles
The Los Angeles chapter of the Union des Français de l'Étranger: mutual aid, events and practical advice (tax, settling in) for the French in Southern California.
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
French-American Chamber of Commerce California
California's French-American chamber covers Los Angeles with its network of entrepreneurs, networking events and practical support to build a professional network and find job opportunities locally.
To follow local life in French: news, what's on, good addresses and, often, a directory of French-speaking professionals.
French Morning, édition Los Angeles
MediaIn French
The media outlet for the French in the US, with a Los Angeles edition: local news, outings, practical life (health, taxes, visas) and webinars for newcomers.
Directory of French-speaking professionals across the US, with a health section; Los Angeles listings remain few.
French District's Southern California edition: practical life, expat matters, outings and good addresses in Los Angeles and San Diego, with a dedicated newsletter.
Directory of French doctors and practitioners in Los Angeles and San Diego, sorted by specialty; professionals list themselves.
The Los Angeles edition of the online daily for French expatriates: events, a Living in Los Angeles section (settling in, housing, health, education) and classifieds.
The edition's expat directory, for the city's French-speaking addresses and professionals.
Before you even land in Los Angeles, Facebook groups are the best shortcut: ask your questions, find a flat, a nanny, a second-hand stroller, and often your first friends.
Public In English
Los Angeles Moms
45,600 members · ≈ 18 posts/week
Welcome to our New Moms Group! To join, click + Join Group, answer a few quick questions, and you’ll be approved shortly.
This community is here to help you connect with other local new moms, share resources, ask questions, and support each other through the early stages of parenthood.
While the group is focused on community, we know that housing can be a big part of life as a new mom. If you happen to be looking for a room, trying to find a safe home for your family, or have extra space to rent out, you’re welcome to check out SpareRoom as a helpful option. More info: https://www.spareroom.com
For everyone’s safety, please be cautious and use good judgment when meeting or interacting with anyone from this group.
Ladies of Los Angeles ® is a women’s community group based in LA that hosts events, meetups, connects other women in the area, and more! This group is...
A group where Australians living in LA, holidaying in LA or travelling to LA can meet other Australians to get/give advise on what to do, where to go and...
Facebook nous donne la possibilité de s'exprimer librement, partager des conseils mais surtout s'entraider...
A qui est destiné ce groupe :
TOUT CEUX ET...
For all Frenchies and Francophiles living in LA and around. Share your French "bon plans", events, contacts, practical information, experiences and thoughts related to the City of Angels and South California.
- To join the group your profile must indicate that you live in Los Angeles or in South California. If you DON'T please explain WHY you want to join. An interest in the City of Angels won't be enough.
- Group administrators are not responsible for contents published by other members.
- Content must be related to an activity in Los Angeles or South California.
- No post related to a religion or a political party will be allowed.
- For business promotion (real estate, restaurants,...) only posts related to your own activity will be considered and only one per week will be published.
- Except in cases which are duly justified, posts will be published once.
- Except in cases which are duly justified, posts published won't be deleted by the administrator.
Insulting, racist, Islamophobic, antisemitic, homophobic or misogynist comments will be deleted by administrators and their author will be removed from the group.
Ce site est ouvert a tout Francais/Francophone désirant rester en contact a Los Angeles.
Nous espérons créer une communauté dans laquelle on puissent organizer nos événement, se faire de nouveaux ami(e)s, ainsi que de faire des echanges amicales- Non commercial.
Toutes activité commercial sera pas publie.
Nous ne sommes pas paralegal, agence matrimonial,location de voiture ou propriete.
Nous ne sommes pas une platforme/groupe de marketimg ou de ventes de ticket.
Veuille utiliser les plateformes dediee a ceci.
Westside of Los Angeles, Ca ONLY: Your profile MUST share what exact city you are in or pm an admin to be approved. This is a group with high hopes for...
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.
Two AEFE-accredited schools cover the city from nursery to the baccalauréat: the multi-campus Lycée International de Los Angeles (LILA) and Le Lycée on the West LA side. Here, choosing the school often dictates choosing the neighbourhood.
Good to know
LILA is multi-campus: primary in Los Feliz, Pasadena and West Valley, secondary in Burbank.
The Lycée Français de Los Angeles teaches from nursery to final year on Overland Avenue, in West LA.
Distances are huge: pick the school and the neighbourhood together, the car commute shapes the day.
Free French immersion programmes also exist in some public schools (LAUSD) and are in demand.
French-speaking community
The French community of L.A. is scattered across miles, but it does come together: around the school campuses, at Los Angeles Accueil events and in French-speaking parent groups.
Good to know
Los Angeles Accueil (FIAFE network) has animated the community since 1992, from the baby club to the hikes.
Families often cluster near the schools: West LA and Culver City on one side, Los Feliz, Burbank and Pasadena on the other.
The Consulate General of France and the Alliance Française de Los Angeles provide a French cultural anchor.
Facebook groups of French-speaking parents in L.A. are very active, from nanny tips to gear swaps.
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 Los Angeles uses to get around, get things delivered and organise daily life.
Getting around
Uber
The ride-hailing reflex in Los Angeles, a city where you get around almost entirely by car; your existing account works the moment you land.
Los Angeles runs on traffic: Waze reroutes you in real time to dodge it and flags speed traps and crashes. The GPS everyone opens behind the wheel here.
What mums ask when they arrive in Los Angeles, in short, sourced answers.
French or American school: where do we start?
Two accredited schools cover the city from nursery to the baccalauréat: the Lycée International de Los Angeles (LILA), with three primary campuses in Los Feliz, Pasadena and Tarzana and a secondary campus in Burbank, and the Lycée Français in West LA. They charge fees and are in high demand: contact them several months before term. Free public school depends on your address. Fees are detailed on /en/cities/los-angeles/school-fees/.
Start from the school: in Los Angeles, drive times dictate everything. Around the Lycée Français, families choose West LA, Cheviot Hills, Culver City or Santa Monica; around LILA, Los Feliz, Burbank, Pasadena or the Valley (Tarzana, Encino, Sherman Oaks). Our page /en/cities/los-angeles/settling-in/ details each area.
How much is the security deposit?
Since 1 July 2024, California law caps the security deposit at one month's rent, furnished or not; only small landlords may still ask for two months. Without a US credit history, prepare your job offer, bank statements and passports, and get your employer's help.
Yes, in California: since 2020, every resident must be insured, along with their spouse and children, or pay a penalty on the state tax return. The employer's plan is enough; check family coverage, deductible and network before signing. Everything is explained on /en/cities/los-angeles/health/.
The Los Angeles consulate's medical list includes no paediatrician, but a GP, a dentist and several French-speaking psychologists. For children, first choose an in-network paediatrician, then ask parents at LILA, the Lycée or Los Angeles Accueil. Our selection is on /en/cities/los-angeles/health/.
For first admission from TK to 12th grade: DTaP, polio, hepatitis B, MMR and two doses of varicella, then a Tdap booster on entering 7th grade. Only medical exemptions are accepted. Have the paediatrician read the French health record on arrival: varicella often needs completing.
Source ↗Where do we go at night if my child is ill?
911 for any life-threatening emergency. Otherwise, Children's Hospital Los Angeles has a 24/7 paediatric emergency department; on the Westside, UCLA in Westwood and UCLA Santa Monica, in the Valley, Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana. For a suspected ingestion, poison control answers on 1-800-222-1222.
Rarely with children: distances are huge and schools far apart. The Metro works for downtown, Santa Monica or Pasadena, at $1.75 a ride capped at $5 a day, free for accompanied under-6s and for pupils at participating schools. French licences cannot be exchanged: you will need to pass the California test. See /en/cities/los-angeles/settling-in/.
Source ↗How do we register a baby born in Los Angeles?
A child born in the US is American. For French civil status, declare the birth at the Los Angeles consulate within 30 days (one parent is enough if married), or later request, by post and free of charge, the transcription of the US certificate.
Childcare for under-3s is very expensive: private daycare or preschool, or a nanny, often shared between two families. Word of mouth works best, through Los Angeles Accueil, the French schools' parent groups and the city's French-speaking Facebook groups.
Where can we meet other French-speaking families?
Los Angeles Accueil has animated the community since 1992, from the baby club to hikes. The Alliance Française offers classes, camps and the Dimanche des Petits for 3 to 7 year-olds, and the Théâtre Raymond Kabbaz shows in French. All our addresses are on /en/cities/los-angeles/family-outings/.
Source ↗What does the consulate do for a family settling in?
Register online with the French consular register: it is free, valid 5 years and required for school grants. The consulate issues passports and ID cards, handles civil status and processes AEFE grants; it covers neither medical costs nor US visa procedures.
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