25 French Love Songs

French is a romantic language, and the music is even more so.

In this post, you’ll get 25 French love songs that have captivated hearts for generations.

Whether you’re brushing up on your French or simply seeking soul-stirring tunes, you’re in the right place.

Join us as we explore the melodies that transcend language, painting vivid portraits of passion, longing and romance.

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1. “Le passé” by Aya Nakamura

English title: The Past
Released: 2018

This danceable number from Aya Nakamura is about letting bygones be bygones in a relationship. The chorus states le passé, c’est le passé (the past is the past). The singer implores her lover to return because they’re destined to be together:

For more from Aya Nakamura, check out “Djadja,” a chart-topper that hit number one not just in France, but also in Romania and the Netherlands. 

2. “Je ne peux vivre sans t’aimer” by Alex Beaupain

English title: I Can’t Live Without Loving You
Released: 2014

This song by French singer-songwriter Alex Beaupain is also featured in the 2012 film “Les bien-aimés” (Beloved), where it’s sung by the famous actress Catherine Deneuve. Something about Beaupain’s songwriting tends to make even the deepest heartache feel cozy:

3. “La vie en rose” by Édith Piaf

English title: Life in Pink
Released: 1947

This is one of the most classic and all-time popular French love songs by legendary French singer and songwriter Édith Piaf. Known as La Môme Piaf (The Little Sparrow), her emotive voice and powerful performances made her an international icon. 

If you’re a fan of Édith Piaf, you should check out the 2007 film “La Vie en Rose,” starring Marion Cotillard as Piaf and the brilliant Sylvie Testud in a supporting role.

4. “Comme moi” by Édith Piaf

English title: Like Me
Released: 1958

“Comme moi” is another spectacular love song by Édith Piaf. It’s grand, soaring and unapologetically over the top. In the song, Piaf paints a dramatic picture of a woman comme moi (“like me”) awaiting and imagining the arrival of her lover:

5. “Et si” by Shy’m

English title: And If
Released: 2012

Here’s a slicker, more contemporary example of a French pop song. This song reflects on the riskiness of love and the emotions that come along with wanting to abandon oneself to it:

If you like this song, check out Shy’m’s “Si tu m’aimes encore” (If You Still Love Me).

6. “Mon amour, mon ami” by Marie Laforêt

English title: My Love, My Friend
Released: 1968

This song by Marie Laforêt proclaims a special love for a particular someone and has an obsessive and delightfully weird quality about it. The lyrics are extremely simple and the tune is so easy to get stuck in your head: 

The song appears in the François Ozon film “8 femmes” (8 Women), which is a musical murder mystery, and it matches the tone perfectly.

7. “Ne me quitte pas” by Jacques Brel

English title: Don’t Leave Me
Released: 1959

This classic by the Belgian songwriter Jacques Brel speaks of abject heartbreak. As in the Nakamura song at the beginning of the list, the singer is imploring a beloved to stay and arguing for letting the past go, only the tone here is decidedly more desperate:

Nina Simone also did a gorgeous cover of this song. 

8. “Proverbes” by Jacques Dutronc

English title: Proverbs
Released: 1969

This rich, folksy love ballad has a deep, devoted quality about it that sounds almost mournful but also assured. Here, the singer talks about how he doesn’t believe the more cynical (or realistic, depending on how you see it) sayings about love and he believes the woman he loves will return to him:

9. “Je t’aime trop tôt” by Vendredi sur Mer

English title: I Love You Too Soon
Released: 2019

Vendredi de Mer, a.k.a. Charline Mignot, is a fascinating Swiss artist known for what might be described as experimental lounge-pop, or as she puts it, “delicate rap.” In this song, she describes the experience of letting “Je t’aime” (I love you) slip too soon:

To hear more from Vendredi sur Mer, check out her album Premiers émois (First Emotions).

10. “Non non non” by Camélia Jordana

English title: No No No
Released: 2010

Camélia Jordana came to fame after appearing on a music competition show, Nouvelle Star (New Star) and has collaborated with Alex Beaupain (see #2) on the song “Avant la haine” (Before the Hate). She put out this delightful track about not wanting to do anything when you’re pining over someone:

11. “Quelqu’un m’a dit” by Carla Bruni

English title: Someone Told Me
Released: 2002

This is a very fun song to sing along with. Incidentally, this song helped Camélia Jordana (above) launch her career when she sang it on Nouvelle Star. In the lyrics, the singer brushes off the negative things people say about life and chooses to focus on just one positive:

12. “Je l’aime à mourir” by Francis Cabrel

English title: I Love Her to Death
Released: 1979

This poignant love ballad expresses an overwhelming love that transcends time, using vivid imagery to convey the depth of emotion. The song’s acoustic charm and heartfelt storytelling have made it an enduring classic, capturing the essence of timeless and all-encompassing love.

13. “Pour que tu m’aimes encore” by Céline Dion

English title: So That You’ll Love Me Again
Released: 1995

This song was written by Jean-Jacques Goldman and sung by the internationally famous Canadian singer Céline Dion. Céline’s powerhouse vocals convey the depths of love and longing, and the lyrics express the relatable willingness to do whatever it takes for a second chance at love:

English title: And if You Didn’t Exist
Released: 1975

English title: Indian Summer
Released: 1975

This is another classic French love song from American-French singer Joe Dassin. The song nostalgically recalls a past romance that blossomed during an Indian summer, lamenting that they have since lost contact:

20. “Mais je t’aime” by Grand Corps Malade & Camille Lellouche

English title: But I Love You
Released: 2020

This captivating French duet offers poignant verses and harmonious melodies that explore the complexities of love with its highs and lows. The song weaves a heartfelt narrative with a mix of singing and spoken words. Its lyrics compare love and relationship to a burning fire:

23. “Ce soir” by Kyo 

How Love Songs Can Focus Your French Studies

If you happen to be a French learner or someone who’s considering acquiring the language, love songs have specific applications when it comes to learning French. Let’s briefly look at how exactly they can help you:

• Practice your personal pronouns. Love songs are often directly addressed to another person, which makes them great for practicing personal pronouns, specifically first-person and second-person (often informal) ones. Keep an eye out for your tus and your tois (second person informal “you” as subject pronoun and stressed pronoun) as well as your jes and your mois (“I” and “me”).

• See different tenses in use. Many sad French love songs use the imperfect to talk about the past, while others describe their current feelings in the present. Some also use future tenses to imagine what will happen with their lover. You’ll be able to find plenty of examples in the songs above.

• Pick up on possessive adjectives. Possessive adjectives, or possessive pronouns, are often used to show your relationship to another person, such as in ma petite amie (my girlfriend). Possessive adjectives may also be used in love narratives in a variety of other ways, such as when reflecting on the searing gaze of tes yeux (your eyes).

In short, learning French with love songs is a great method because it helps you master tricky grammar topics through immersion. And songs are so catchy, so they’ll stick in your memory!

You can get more exposure to French grammar and vocabulary through an immersive language learning program like FluentU.

The artists above give you a great glimpse into the world of Francophone love songs, past and present.

If you explore them in more depth, you’ll only find more beautiful music that tugs on your heartstrings.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

And one more thing...

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