10 French Short Stories You Should Absolutely Read

Short stories might not be as popular as their cousin the novel but they are full of themes, powerful imagery and interesting characters that can actually convince you might like them more. Since they are so short, they are great reads when you are learning a new language. From French literature classics to more contemporary reads, these 10 French short stories are all very different but they are all great reads to explore if you are lacking ideas of things to read.

French Short Stories to Read

La Parure (Guy de Maupassant)

Guy de Maupassant is well known for his novels, but do you know he wrote some of the greatest French short stories? This short story was published in 1884 and first appeared in Le Gaulois, a daily French newspaper. The story is about a housewife who wishes she could live a lavish and ostentation life full of elegance and style. Her husband works for the government and doesn’t make a lot of money but one day he gets invited to a big party that will be filled with affluent people. His wife is very excited and asks her wealthy friend if she can borrow her precious necklace so she can look the part…but unfortunately, things don’t turn out so well.

Pulpe (various authors)

This collection of short stories is perfect to read if you’re interested in spicing up your relationship, Pulpe is a great read for you. What’s interesting is that the collection of short stories is written by 16 different authors who all have different writing styles and the maturity of the subjects. If you enjoy this collection (and it wakes up your libido) you can also read Nu, another collection of erotic short stories by the same editor. Enjoy!

La Vénus d’Ille (Prosper Mérimée)

La Vénus D’Ille is a fantasy short story written in 1835. The story is set in the Pyréneés-Orientales in France and tells the story of an antique dealer and a guide that discover a statue of Venus while uprooting a dead olive tree. The statue seems to have some mystical powers because every time someone hurts the statue in any way, something bad happens to the person who hurt it. The men notice a strange inscription on the statue: “Cave amantem” which means “Take care if she should love you”…Intriguing.

Caravane (Élise Turcotte)

Caravane is not one but about 15 short stories grouped together. Even though they are different stories, they still all revolve around one character named Marie, a 35-year-old woman who thinks back on her life and thinks about specific moments that made her who she is. The stories in the short story collection are not in a logical order but the more you advance in the collection of stories, the more you understand the character.

Titre de transport (Alice Michaud-Lapointe)

This collection of short stories is all about the stories of various people that take the Montreal metro. Every single person that takes this mode of public transportation has a story: some are sad, some are lovely and others are full of hate. The author shows the fast-paced movement of the city and also shows how everyone, even though we are all different, come from the same place.

Le sel et le goémon (Christine Arseneault-Boucher)

If you love the sea then this is a great read for you. This collection of short stories is all about the Canadian Maritimes (which makes total sense since the author is from the Magdalen Islands). If you enjoy poetic texts that are meant to make you think and be read with a critical mind and enjoy getting to know characters in a deeper way. This is the perfect reading material to bring on a long train ride or while at the cottage.

Arvida (Samuel Archibald)

Samuel Archibald was a Finalist for the 2015 Giller Prize for his wonderful collection of funny and scary short stories. Archibald is a great storyteller and you’ll never truly know if these stories are real or not. There are 14 stories in this collection and they are all set in this small model city in the Saguenay region called Arvida. This might not be the best reading material to fall asleep to… You have been warned!

La Grande Bretèche (Honoré de Balzac)

Honoré de Balzac is one of the most celebrated French writers. His short story is a great example of his excellent work. The story starts with Dr. Horace Bianchon who tries night after night to enter an abandoned manor because he is intrigued by it. After many tries, he finally gives up and goes to the local inn to find out the story of this strange place. The man finds out the sad and twisted story of what happened in that house.

La mort de mignonne et autres histoires (Marie Hélène Poitras)

Marie Hélène Poitras is a great Quebec writer who’s won prizes for her writing. Her collection of short stories is a must-read. With 12 different stories about marginalized characters who are on the verge of disillusionment. Poitras writes with such passion and poetic intensity.

Un drame dans les airs (Jules Verne)

Even though this short story is meant for children and teenagers, you’ll still want to read this classic story. Written in 1851, this story depicts an aeronaut who is about to leave for a short ride in his hot-air balloon when a strange man jumps in with him and forces the aeronaut to take his balloon as high in the air as it can get even though it can endanger both their lives. This 32-page short story is full of rich images and imagination.

Would you recommend any other French short stories?