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.

Asking Where Something Is

French
English
Use
Où est… ?
Where is…?
A simple, direct way to ask where something is.
Où se trouve… ?
Where is…? / Where can I find…?
A slightly more formal or polished way to ask where something is located.
Excusez-moi, où est… ?
Excuse me, where is…?
A polite way to start a question when asking for directions.
… s’il vous plaît ?
… please?
Add this at the end to make the question polite.

Sentence Builder
Comment demander son chemin ? How do you ask for directions?
Start politely
Excusez-moi, où est… Excuse me, where is…
Excusez-moi, où se trouve… Excuse me, where can I find…
Où est… Where is…
Où se trouve… Where can I find…
Place
la gare the station
la bibliothèque the library
l’office de tourisme the tourist office
l’arrêt de bus the bus stop
le parking the car park
End politely
s’il vous plaît ? please?
merci. thank you.
Où est… ? A simple way to ask “Where is…?”
Où se trouve… ? A slightly more formal way to ask where something is located.
s’il vous plaît Add this at the end to make the question polite.

Giving Directions

French
English
Tournez à gauche.
Turn left.
Tournez à droite.
Turn right.
Continuez tout droit.
Continue straight ahead.
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.
Allez jusqu’au rond-point.
Go as far as the roundabout.
Continuez jusqu’aux feux.
Continue as far as 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 is on the left.
C’est à droite.
It is on the right.
C’est tout droit.
It is straight ahead.
C’est à côté du parking.
It is next to the car park.
C’est en face de la bibliothèque.
It is opposite the library.
C’est près de l’arrêt de bus.
It is near the bus stop.
C’est loin de la gare.
It is far from the station.

Grammar Tips

Grammar Focus: à and de in directions When giving directions, French often combines à or de with the article that follows.
à = to / at / towards
Pattern
Example
English
à + le = au
Tournez au rond-point.
Turn at the roundabout.
à + la = à la
Allez à la gare.
Go to the station.
à + l’ = à l’
Allez à l’office de tourisme.
Go to the tourist office.
à + les = aux
Continuez jusqu’aux feux.
Continue as far as the traffic lights.
de = of / from / near / next to
Pattern
Example
English
de + le = du
C’est à côté du parking.
It is next to the car park.
de + la = de la
C’est en face de la bibliothèque.
It is opposite the library.
de + l’ = de l’
C’est près de l’arrêt de bus.
It is near the bus stop.
de + les = des
C’est près des feux.
It is near the traffic lights.
Remember: The combinations that change are au, aux, du, and des.

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.

Video: The City of the Future

In this video, an architect explains his ideas for the city of the future. This link will open a new window in YouTube.

L’architecte-designer Vincent Callebaut imagine la ville de demain