Asking for Directions in French

Knowing how to ask for and give directions in French is an essential skill — whether you’re wandering through the streets of Paris or exploring a small village in Provence. In this lesson, you’ll learn key question and answer structures, plus some useful tips for navigating French towns with confidence.

Sentence Builder: Asking for Directions

Asking Where Something Is

French	English
Où est…	Where is…
Où se trouve…	Where can I find… (slightly more formal)

Examples:

• Où est l’arrêt de bus, s’il vous plaît ? → Where is the bus stop, please?
• Où se trouve la bibliothèque ? → Where can I find the library?
• Où est le parking ? → Where is the car park?

? Tip: Always add s’il vous plaît at the end — it makes your request polite and natural.

Giving Directions

French	English
Tournez à gauche	Turn left
Tournez à droite	Turn right
Prenez la première rue à gauche	Take the first street on the left
Prenez la deuxième rue à droite	Take the second street on the right
Continuez tout droit	Continue straight ahead
Allez jusqu’au rond-point	Go up to the roundabout
Allez jusqu’au carrefour	Go up to the crossroads
Allez jusqu’aux feux	Go up to the traffic lights

Examples:

• Tournez à gauche après la poste. → Turn left after the post office.
• Continuez tout droit jusqu’au carrefour. → Go straight ahead to the crossroads.
• Prenez la troisième rue à droite. → Take the third street on the right.

Saying Where Something Is

French	English
C’est à gauche	It’s on the left
C’est à droite	It’s on the right
C’est à côté du parking	It’s next to the car park
C’est en face de la bibliothèque	It’s opposite the library
C’est près de l’arrêt de bus	It’s near the bus stop

Grammar Tips

1. Using à + le/la/les

When you say “to the” or “at the” in French, à combines with the article that follows:

Before…	You say…	Example
masculine noun (le)	au	au parking → to the car park
feminine noun (la)	à la	à la bibliothèque → to the library
plural noun (les)	aux	aux feux → at the lights
word beginning with a vowel	à l’	à l’arrêt de bus → at the bus stop

2. Using de + le/la/les

When describing where something is located (next to, opposite, near), you often need de (“of/from”) before the noun. These combine too:

Before…	You say…	Example
masculine noun (le)	du	à côté du parking → next to the car park
feminine noun (la)	de la	en face de la bibliothèque → opposite the library
plural noun (les)	des	près des feux → near the lights
word beginning with a vowel	de l’	près de l’arrêt de bus → near the bus stop

Cultural Note: Navigating a French Town

French towns and cities often have clear signposts with arrows pointing toward le centre-ville (the town centre), la mairie (the town hall), or la gare (the train station).

Here are a few useful cultural hints:

• In small towns, locals are generally happy to help — start with a polite Bonjour before asking for directions.
• Le plan de la ville (town map) can often be found near l’office de tourisme (tourist office).
• Streets are often named after famous people — rue Victor Hugo, boulevard de la République, etc.
• In Paris, arrondissements are numbered districts. Street signs show both the street name and the district number.

Common phrases you might hear:

• C’est tout près ! → It’s very close!
• Ce n’est pas loin. → It’s not far.
• Vous allez le voir tout de suite. → You’ll see it right away.

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