Civic exam
French civic exam scenario questions: practise on real-life cases
Read each scene, pick the response that complies with French law and see the explanation at once, with the rule that applies.
Independent site, not linked to the French Interior Ministry, the préfectures or the exam centres.
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| Practice set of 10 questions |
Knowledge questions: French Interior Ministry, Licence Ouverte 2.0, translated by us. Options, explanations and scenarios: Radif Partners. The real exam is in French only. Not the official exam.
Civic exam scenario questions (mises en situation) describe an everyday scene, at work, at the préfecture, at the doctor's or between neighbours, and ask which response or rule complies with French law. The paper holds 12 of them out of 40, 30% of the marks: 6 under the principles and values of the Republic and 6 under rights and duties. Unlike knowledge questions, the ministry does not publish them, so you need to master the principles rather than memorise answers. They also take longer to read, which matters in a 45-minute paper taken in French only. For expats, they are often the hardest part, because the right answer can differ from what is normal in their home country. The tool above draws ten scenarios from the 68 we wrote from the official civic training sheets, marks each answer and names the rule that applies. The small tool counts the mistakes you can still afford under the pass mark of 32.
How many mistakes can I still make?
Mistakes still allowed
5
| Mistakes allowed in the exam | 8 |
| A blank answer counts | as a mistake (0 points) |
| Pass mark | 32 correct answers |
Answers, dates and costs by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method
What makes a scenario question tricky
A knowledge question you either know or you do not. A scenario has to be reasoned through: the scene often contains a detail that pulls you towards the wrong answer, such as a widespread habit, a custom from another country or a solution that seems convenient. The right option is the one French law requires, even when another feels more natural.
The exam syllabus attaches every scenario to two themes. Their weight is large: together they are worth more than the gap between the pass mark of 32 and a perfect score. Skipping them means giving up any margin.
Five cases from our bank
- You submit an application to the préfecture with a birth certificate written in a foreign language. What must you provide? Answer: A French translation by a sworn translator. French is the language of public administration. An official document in a foreign language must generally come with a French translation made by a sworn (certified) translator.
- A hotel refuses to rent a room to two men because they are a couple. What does the law say? Answer: It is discrimination based on sexual orientation. Sexual orientation is one of the prohibited grounds of discrimination. Refusing a service to a same-sex couple is punished by law, like any discriminatory refusal.
- You bought a television online. Five days after delivery, you change your mind. What can you do? Answer: Return it, because you have 14 days to withdraw. For a distance purchase, the consumer has a 14-day withdrawal period from receipt of the goods, without having to give a reason. Return costs may be payable by the buyer.
- Your neighbour wants to burn the branches and dead leaves from his garden in a barrel. What does the rule say? Answer: It is forbidden in principle; take them to the recycling centre or compost them. Burning garden waste in the open air is forbidden in principle, because it pollutes the air and can cause fires. It is punishable by a fine. Branches and leaves can be composted, shredded or taken to the recycling centre.
- A female employee finds out that she is paid less than her male colleague for the same job and experience. What does the law say? Answer: The employer must ensure equal pay. The Labour Code requires equal pay for women and men for the same work or work of equal value. The employee can go to the employment tribunal (prud'hommes) or the Défenseur des droits.
A four-step method
- Read the question first. "What does the law say?", "Who is right?", "What can you do?": the wording tells you whether a rule, a judgement or a right is expected.
- Name the principle. Discrimination, secularism, equality, child protection, employment law: once named, two options usually fall away.
- Distrust the compromise. An option that accepts discrimination "if everyone agrees" or "by tradition" is a classic trap.
- Tell the official from the user. A public servant must stay neutral; a member of the public may express their beliefs within public order.
Where the rules are explained
The civic training theme sheets set out the principles behind our explanations. Two theme pages on this site cover them from the exam's angle: principles and values of the Republic for secularism, equality and symbols, and rights and duties for freedoms, justice, work and daily life.
Once you handle scenarios well in sets, check your pace in real conditions with the civic exam mock test, where they arrive mixed with knowledge questions, as on the day.