Volunteering in France: who can take part and how to do it
For most missions, no prior experience is required
Missions range from one-off events to longer commitments
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The French government has launched a month-long national campaign called the Summer Tour to promote volunteering and encourage people across France to take part in meaningful local activities.
The programme is part of the platform JeVeuxAider, which connects residents with volunteer opportunities throughout the country. While opportunities are available year-round on the website, the Summer Tour programme, which runs until the end of June, is designed to promote volunteering.
It allows all residents of France, regardless of age or nationality, to volunteer in areas relating to culture, sport, leisure, languages, pet fostering, and more.
To become a volunteer, all you need to do is go to the JeVeuxAider website, click on volunteer opportunities (Trouvez une mission de bénévolat), and set the filters to search for opportunities based on your area of interest, location, and preferred dates and times.
Once the results appear, you can choose the experience you prefer and offer your services.
If you are not yet registered, the site will also ask for your email address and then request your personal and contact information.
Depending on the volunteer opportunity, the number of volunteers required will also be indicated, so you can take part with friends or other members of your family.
Volunteering in France is open to anyone over the age of 16 living in the country, regardless of nationality. While some missions are aimed at younger people, most opportunities are open to adults of all ages, and no previous experience is required. The idea is to make volunteering accessible to anyone with time, motivation, and a willingness to get involved.
For English speakers, volunteering can be especially interesting because it often provides opportunities to contribute even with limited French. Some missions specifically value language skills, particularly in translation, communication, or international-facing events. Others benefit simply from volunteers who can help welcome or support visitors from different backgrounds.
It is also a very practical way to improve French naturally through personal interaction.
There are many examples of things you can do including taking part in festival preparation or being part of a support team during cultural events in places such as Nice or Èze. You can help environmental campaigns, assist sporting events, or support associations working with vulnerable groups.
Some missions involve animal care, such as fostering or helping shelters, while others can be done remotely, allowing you to contribute from home by translating, researching, or helping associations develop their content in different languages.
One reader of The Connexion that volunteered a few years ago described working at a major jazz festival as both exhausting and exhilarating, explaining how she helped manage seating, guided visitors, and supported crowd control during performances.
Although the work was physically demanding and required constant attention, she also highlighted the strong sense of camaraderie among volunteers and the opportunity to meet people from different countries and backgrounds.
“I could not have managed alone, but the best thing about volunteering is the camaraderie: being thrown together with strangers and, between you, finding the best way to do the task in hand,” she said.
Despite the challenges, she described the experience as rewarding and said she would happily do it again.
Volunteering through JeVeuxAider is designed to be flexible, so commitments can range from a single afternoon to several weeks or longer, depending on what suits your schedule. This makes it easy to try out, even if you are not sure how much time you can give.
Overall, it is a simple way to get involved, discover new activities, and contribute to local communities while also gaining experience and meeting new people.
If you are not sure if this would be for you, the initiative also organises a webinar to provide all the information you need to make your decision on June 23 at 11:00.
