Who this is for. Land roles in mainland France: chefs, hosts and stewards in private villas and event venues. For a ski chalet, see Alpine ski chalets. Working on a yacht instead? See Right to work: France (yacht crew).
Quick answer. Mainland France is in the EU. If you are an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen you can work here with no permit. Everyone else, including UK passport holders, needs a work visa sorted before the job starts. On land there is no seafarer route, so ordinary work-permit rules apply.
Do villa and venue staff need a work permit in France?
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens do not need a work permit. Everyone else needs a work visa and authorisation, which is employer led, before starting. Use the official France-Visas wizard to see exactly what applies to your nationality.
Watch out: French overseas territories
Places like French Polynesia are French but are not in the EU free-movement area, so even EU citizens need a local work permit there. This page covers mainland France; for an overseas territory, confirm the local rules first.
Official source
French government visa portal: France-Visas, and its work section. Confirm the current rules for your nationality before you travel.
What we ask of you
Keep your nationality correct in your profile; it tells us your EU status.
If you hold a work permit for France, tick the work-permit box.
Tell us early if your right to work is not sorted, so we can help before your dates.
Important
Immigration rules change and vary by nationality. This is general orientation, not legal advice, and Quarterdeck is not an immigration adviser. Confirm your own position with the official source above before you travel. We will not place you in France if you do not hold the right to work. See also: Do I need a work permit to work in a chalet or private villa?