Tenant Notice Letter France: Periods & Template 2026

3 months or 1 month — which period applies?

Under an unfurnished lease (1989 Act), the default notice period is 3 months. It is reduced to 1 month in any of these situations:

1. 1. Zone tendue (rent-controlled area) — the property is in one of France's 28 designated tension zones (Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux, Lille, Toulouse, and others). Verify your address on the French government's zone-tendue lookup tool.
2. 2. Involuntary job loss or professional relocation — redundancy, employer-initiated termination, or relocation imposed by the employer. Voluntary resignation does not qualify.
3. 3. RSA or AAH benefit recipient — active beneficiary at the date the notice is served.
4. 4. Health reasons — a medical condition of the tenant (or a dependant ascendant) requiring a change of residence, supported by a doctor's certificate.
5. 5. Social housing allocation (HLM).

Under a furnished lease, the notice period is always 1 month regardless of circumstances. See our furnished vs. unfurnished lease comparison.

What the notice letter must contain

French law sets no mandatory template, but the letter must unambiguously identify the parties, the property, and the effective end date:

1. 1. Tenant's identity — full name and address of the property being vacated.
2. 2. Landlord's identity — name or company name, correspondence address.
3. 3. Exact address of the property — including flat number or lot if applicable.
4. 4. Effective departure date — the date on which the tenancy ends (= first presentation date + notice period duration).
5. 5. Reason for reduced notice (if claiming 1 month) — the reason must be stated explicitly; the reduced period does not apply by default.
6. 6. Supporting document — employer's letter, CAF notification, medical certificate, depending on the reason claimed.

How to serve it: registered post or nothing

The 1989 Act recognises two valid delivery methods:

• French registered letter (LRAR — lettre recommandée avec accusé de réception) — the most common form. The notice period runs from the first presentation date recorded by La Poste — the date on the missed-delivery notice left at the property — even if the landlord never collects the letter.
• In-person delivery against a signed receipt — the notice runs from the delivery date.

Service by bailiff (huissier de justice) is also valid and recommended when a dispute is anticipated.

Landlord's notice to quit — different rules

Landlords can also serve notice — for a sale, owner-occupancy repossession, or a legitimate and serious reason (persistent arrears, neighbourhood disturbance, etc.). The notice period is longer: 6 months before lease end for an unfurnished tenancy, 3 months for a furnished one. Landlord notices must be served by LRAR or bailiff; a notice given outside the deadline or in the wrong form is void.