Welcome to the Top 16 Stories From France, a delightful collection of tales designed specifically for kids, children, and anyone who loves a good bedtime story! These stories are available for you to read online or as pdf, and they’re completely free to enjoy. With a simple click, you can download and print these stories for learning, educational purposes, or just for some cozy story time. Our selection of short stories is perfect to tell with pictures and easy for young readers to follow. The best part is that we have audio versions available too, for an enchanting English story time experience.

These fun stories are a perfect way for children to fall in love with the rich and famous tales that came from France. We have carefully chosen a collection of classic fairy tales, moral stories, and fun adventures that are perfect for boys, girls, and anyone who loves a good story. We’ve made sure to include something for everyone, from preschool, kindergarten, elementary students, eyfs, toddlers, and even early years readers.

Reading Stories from France is not just an enjoyable pastime – it’s also an excellent way for children to learn about different cultures, nurture their imaginations, and develop a lifelong love for reading. Story time provides a special moment for parents, teachers, or caregivers to bond with their little ones while igniting their curiosity and broadening their understanding of the world. So why wait? Let’s begin our enchanting journey through the magical tales of France, where each night time will end with a heartwarming and memorable story read aloud, making it an essential addition to every young reader’s bookshelf. Happy reading!

Top 16 Stories From France for kids to read online:

1. Riquet with the Tuft: In this story, a queen is blessed with a baby boy who is ugly but intelligent and funny. Another queen in a neighboring kingdom has twins, a beautiful but dumb girl and an extremely ugly girl who is clever. The boy grows up and falls in love with the elder twin. He offers to gift her his intelligence in return for her hand in marriage. She agrees but forgets her promise when a handsome prince comes to marry her. However, she remembers just in time and fulfills her promise to marry the boy, who becomes the most handsome prince in the world.
2. Bluebeard: A wealthy man with a blue beard desperately wants to marry one of his two neighbors, but both refuse due to his previous marriages resulting in the mysterious disappearance of his wives. He invites them to stay in one of his mansions for a week, and they all have fun together. The youngest neighbor agrees to marry him, but after their wedding, Bluebeard warns her not to enter one particular room. However, she is unable to resist and finds the bodies of his previous wives. Bluebeard discovers her defiance, but her brothers arrive and kill him, allowing her to inherit his wealth and eventually marry a nice man who helps her forget her past.
3. Cinderella: The story is about a kind and beautiful girl named Cinderella whose mother died when she was young. Her father remarried and the stepmother and stepsisters treated Cinderella cruelly, forcing her to do all the chores. Cinderella befriended a little bird and planted a hazel tree on her mother’s grave, which granted her wishes. When the prince held a three-day ball to find a bride, Cinderella went with the help of the little bird and left before the prince could find out who she was. The prince searched the kingdom to find the girl whose foot fits the shoe she left behind, which turns out to be Cinderella. They married and lived happily ever after.
4. Little Thumbling: In this story, set in a time of scarcity, a poor woodcutter’s youngest son, Little Thumbling, saves his brothers from being abandoned in the forest by leaving a trail of pebbles. After their parents try again to abandon them, the boys stumble upon a giant’s house. Little Thumbling saves his brothers by disguising them with crowns and escaping with seven-mile boots. He tricks the giant’s wife into giving him all her money and returns home to his family, who live happily ever after. Overall, the story highlights the resourcefulness and bravery of the protagonist in the face of adversity.
5. Prince Darling: In this story, a king is rewarded by a fairy for showing kindness to a rabbit, and he asks for his son to be a good person. After the king’s death, the fairy gives the son a ring that stings him every time he does something wrong, but eventually the son becomes cruel and throws the ring away. He falls in love with a girl but she refuses to marry him due to his behavior. He captures a wise councilman who tells him his mistakes, and the fairy transforms him into animals that represent his bad qualities. Finally, he transforms back into a human after saving the girl and ruling well with her at his side.
6. Beauty and The Beast: A rich merchant and his three daughters fell into poverty after losing all their money. The merchant found an abandoned palace and picked a rose for his daughter, causing the terrifying Beast to give him an ultimatum: bring his daughter to him, or die. The youngest daughter, Beauty, offered to go in place of her father. She lived with the Beast, got to know him better, and grew to love him. When she left to visit her sick father, her jealous sisters made her stay longer than expected, causing her to fear for the Beast’s life. She returned to him just in time, confessing her love for him and breaking the curse that bound him.
7. Prince Hyacinth and the Dear Little Princess: A king falls in love with a cursed princess. A fairy tells him he must stand on the tail of the princess’s cat to break the spell. The cat turns into a wizard who curses the king’s future son with a long nose. The king marries the princess but dies soon after, leaving the queen with their son, Hyacinth. Hyacinth grows up believing that a long nose is beautiful and becomes deeply attached to the sweet little princess, but the wizard kidnaps her. Hyacinth finds her and realizes that his nose is too long and he has been self-centered. The princess and Hyacinth get married and live happily ever after.
8. The White Cat: This is a story about a king who gives his three sons a task to find the smallest and most beautiful dog, the finest fabric, and the most beautiful princess because he wants one of them to take over as king. The youngest prince seeks the help of a white cat who lives in a castle, and she helps him complete all three tasks. At the end of the final task, the white cat reveals herself to be a beautiful princess, and the youngest prince marries her. They all live happily ever after, and the princess gives her kingdoms to the other princes and their father, declining the crown herself.
9. Graciosa and Percinet: The story is about a king who agrees to marry the wicked duchess Grognon after discovering her immense wealth. Grognon, in return, demands complete control over the kind and obedient princess Graciosa. The jealous duchess then proceeds to bully the princess, who finds solace in Percinet, a young fairy who is in love with her. When Graciosa is mistakenly declared dead, Percinet rescues her and takes her to the fairy realm. Grognon does everything in her power to make Graciosa’s life miserable, but with Percinet’s help, Graciosa completes every task given to her. Eventually, Graciosa lands in a hole, where she dies. However, she finds herself in the fairy realm with Percinet, who she marries and lives happily ever after with.
10. The Yellow Dwarf: The story is about a beautiful princess who is very demanding and refuses to marry anyone who does not meet her standards. The queen seeks the advice of a witch in order to find a suitable marriage candidate for her daughter, but promises her daughter’s hand in marriage to a Yellow Dwarf in exchange for safe passage through the guard lions. When the princess sets out to seek the help of the witch herself, she meets the dwarf and is coerced into promising to marry him as well. In the end, the princess falls in love with a handsome king and is set to marry him, but the witch intervenes and demands that the princess marry the dwarf instead. The king challenges the dwarf to a duel but is knocked unconscious by the witch. The princess is kidnapped by the dwarf and ultimately dies alongside the king on the beach, but they are transformed into palm trees that whisper love to each other for eternity.
11. The Good Little Mouse: A king attacks a happy neighboring kingdom, kills the king, and takes the queen captive, planning to kill her after she gives birth to a girl he hopes to marry off to his son. A fairy assures the queen that she will have a healthy daughter, and the queen cares for the child in captivity with the help of a mouse that later turns into a fairy. The queen makes a basket and strong rope for the child to escape, and a good fairy takes the baby to her castle, but the cruel fairy Cancaline steals her. Years pass, and the kidnapped princess is forced to marry the cruel king’s son. A good fairy rescues the princess, castrates the king and his son, and helps the princess find her prince, restoring peace to the kingdom.
12. Princess Rosette: In this fairy tale, a queen neglects the prediction of the fairies, which declares that her daughter, Rosette, will cost her brothers their lives. Upon hearing this, the queen imprisons Rosette in a high tower for the rest of her life. Later, when Rosette is freed, she declares she will only marry the King of the Peacocks and sends her brothers to find him. The King of the Peacocks agrees to marry Rosette, but a cruel governess puts an imposter in her place. They throw Rosette, her bed, and her dog in the water, but she survives, thanks to a floating mattress. In the end, Rosette and the King of the Peacocks fall in love, her cruel captors are punished, and they all live happily ever after.
13. The Ram: A king has three beautiful daughters, but loves the youngest the most. When he returns from a war, the princesses greet him, dressed in green, blue, and white. The king asks them about their dreams, and is angered by the youngest, Miranda’s, when she dreams of him serving her. He orders her to be killed, but she is left in the forest. She meets a talking ram cursed by a fairy, who takes her to a hidden castle. The two fall in love, but when Miranda attends her sisters’ weddings, the king recognizes her, apologizes, and makes her queen. The ram dies of heartbreak and Miranda is grief-stricken.
14. Donkeyskin: This fairy tale follows a princess who goes into hiding after her father, the king, falls madly in love with her. She disguises herself as a donkey girl and lives on a farm. Despite being teased and bullied, she remains cheerful and kind to the animals in her care. When the prince falls ill and can only be cured by the woman who accidentally baked her ring in his cake, a search begins for the owner of the ring and the princess is eventually found. After revealing her true identity, the princess reunites with her father and is married to the prince, and they all live happily ever after.
15. Diamonds and Toads: The story is about a kind and beautiful young girl who is mistreated by her mother and elder sister because of her appearance and manners, but she receives a magical gift from a fairy that causes flowers and diamonds to come out of her mouth every time she speaks. Meanwhile, her rude and impolite sister receives a curse from the same fairy that causes snakes and toads to come out of her mouth instead. In the end, the young girl marries a prince, while her sister dies alone in the forest.
16. The White Doe: This timeless fairy tale is about a queen who was granted a wish for a daughter but was cursed by the Fountain Fairy and was not allowed to see the light of day until she was 15 years old. When the intended groom, Prince Guerrier, saw Princess Desirée, he was disappointed that she looked nothing like her painting. However, Princess Noire and Longue Epine took advantage of this situation to commit a wicked scheme. Desirée was trapped, and Prince Guerrier was left wandering in the forest until he became bewitched by a white deer. Giroflée, Prince Guerrier’s bridesmaid, eventually found the princess, and a fairy shortened the princess’s transformation time. After a series of events, the prince and princess were reunited, and Guerrier and Desirée married.

In conclusion, the Top 16 Stories From France presents a delightful collection of engaging tales that showcase the rich cultural heritage and history of France. These stories, filled with memorable characters, enchanting settings, and valuable morals, offer children an enjoyable and educational reading experience. By exploring these captivating narratives, young readers will not only develop an appreciation for French literature but also foster an understanding of the timeless lessons that shape our world. So, embark on a literary journey from enchanting castles to magical forests and discover the enduring charm of these classic French stories.