Question 1

Do I need a fishing license in France?

Accepted Answer

Freshwater: annual fishing card (carte de pêche) required, purchased from local AAPPMA. Official source: federationpeche.fr (https://www.federationpeche.fr).

Question 2

Where can I buy a fishing permit for France?

Accepted Answer

You can buy permits via: Carte de pêche (freshwater, official) (CarteDePeche.fr); Annual adult permit (CarteDePeche.fr); Weekly permit (CarteDePeche.fr); Daily permit (CarteDePeche.fr or local shops); Junior permit (12–17) (CarteDePeche.fr); No license needed (Sea fishing from shore).

Question 3

What fish species are common in France?

Accepted Answer

Popular target species in France include Pike, Zander, Perch, Brown trout, Atlantic salmon. See the species table on this page for sizes, closed seasons and key waters.

Question 4

What are the main fishing rules in France?

Accepted Answer

Two-category system: Category 1 (salmonid) and Category 2 (cyprinid) waters with different rules. Closed seasons, minimum sizes and bag limits vary by species and water — see the rules tables above.

Question 5

Is catch and release allowed in France?

Accepted Answer

Catch and release is generally allowed but rules differ per water and species. Always verify with Fédération Nationale de la Pêche en France (FNPF); DPMA for marine.

Species	Water	Min size	Bag limit	Closed season	Notes
Brown trout	Freshwater	23–25 cm (varies)	6/day (varies)	Late Sept – early Mar	—
Pike	Freshwater	50–60 cm	2–3/day	Jan 1 – late Apr	—
Zander	Freshwater	40–50 cm	3/day	Mar – May (varies)	—
Atlantic salmon	Rivers	50 cm	Varies by river	—	—
Bass (sea)	Sea	42 cm	2/day	—	—
Eel	All	Prohibited/restricted	—	Varies	—

English	Franska	Scientific	FAO	Min size	Closed season	Methods	Key waters
Pike	Brochet	Esox lucius	FPI	50–60 cm	Jan 1–late Apr	Spin, fly, dead bait	Loire, Rhône, Lac du Der
Zander	Sandre	Sander lucioperca	FPP	40–50 cm	Mar–May (varies)	Jig, vertical	Large rivers, reservoirs
Perch	Perche	Perca fluviatilis	FPE	15–18 cm	—	Spin, drop-shot	All lakes
Brown trout	Truite fario	Salmo trutta fario	TRS	23–25 cm	Late Sep–early Mar	Fly, spin	Pyrenees, Alps, Massif Central
Atlantic salmon	Saumon atlantique	Salmo salar	SAL	50 cm	Varies by river	Fly	Allier, Gave d'Oloron, Brittany
Common carp	Carpe	Cyprinus carpio	CYP	—	—	Bottom, boilies	Lac du Der, Cassien, Orient
Wels catfish	Silure	Silurus glanis	SOM	—	—	Spin, clonk, bottom	Rhône, Seine, Saône, Tarn
European bass	Bar / Loup	Dicentrarchus labrax	BSS	42 cm	—	Spin, fly, bait	Atlantic coast, Med
Rainbow trout	Truite arc-en-ciel	Oncorhynchus mykiss	TRR	23 cm	—	Fly, spin	Stocked lakes
European eel	Anguille	Anguilla anguilla	ELE	Restricted	Varies	—	Heavily restricted
Black bass	Black bass	Micropterus salmoides	LMB	30 cm	Varies	Spin, fly	Southern lakes
Grayling	Ombre	Thymallus thymallus	—	30 cm	Varies	Fly	Jura, Alps rivers

Fishing in France

Licenses & permits

Where to buy

General rules

Species-specific rules

Common species in France

Frequently asked questions about fishing in France