Score = Legal 58/60 + Scene 25/40 = 83/100
France ranks #18 of 208 countries and territories in the GayOut Gay Travel Index 2026, with a composite score of 83/100 — a legal safety component of 58/60 and a scene score of 25/40. Updated 2026-08-17 · release 2026.3.
| Criminalization | Legal |
|---|---|
| Partnership | ● Yes (marriage equality) |
| Anti-discrimination | ● Yes |
| Gender recognition | Legal route — recognition possible via medical or administrative process |
| Enforcement reality | Protective — the state actively protects LGBTQ+ people |
Research note: Court route Art 61-5, demedicalized 2016 — GayOut Index 2026.3 legal research (ILGA World / Human Dignity Trust / Rainbow Europe / Equaldex).
Fulfilment per component (100 = maximum). Weights: criminalisation 35% · partnership 20% · enforcement 20% · anti-discrimination 15% · gender recognition 10%.
| LGBTQ+ venues listed | 347 |
|---|---|
| Dedicated gay bars | 86 |
| Gay saunas | 28 |
| Gay bars per million | 1.26 |
| Saunas per million | 0.41 |
| Events per million | 5.82 |
| Cities with a scene | 14 |
| Pride parades | 12 |
| Queer film festivals | 2 |
| Coverage grade | A |
| Scene score | 25/40 (raw scene index 62/100) |
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347 venues tracked in the frozen 2026.3 dataset (all categories) · 218 browsable venue pages in the live directory today.
France is rated Welcoming on the GayOut Gay Travel Index 2026, scoring 83/100 overall with a legal safety component of 58/60. On enforcement reality, the state actively protects LGBTQ+ people.
Yes. Same-sex marriage is legal in France. Overall legal status: Legal.
Yes. GayOut lists 347 LGBTQ+ venues in France, including 86 dedicated gay bars, across 14 cities with a scene, and tracks 12 Pride parades there.
Paris has the largest documented LGBTQ+ scene in France, with 78 venues listed in the GayOut directory, followed by Nice (23 venues).
GayOut currently lists 86 dedicated gay bars and 28 gay saunas in France, and tracks 12 Pride parades there. Counts exclude venues that are merely gay-friendly.