Doing business in France, explained in English
Practical guides written by a French chartered accounting firm and checked against official sources.
Starting a company in France: a step-by-step guide for foreign founders
Setting up a company in France follows a fixed sequence: choose a structure, fix a registered office, deposit the share capital, sign the articles of association, publish a legal notice and register online. This guide explains each step, with the official fees that apply in 2026.
French legal structures compared: micro-entreprise, EI, EURL, SASU, SARL and SAS
France offers six common structures for a small business: two forms of sole trader status and four limited liability companies. They differ mainly on three points: how profit is taxed, which social security scheme covers the manager, and how much administration is involved.
French business taxes and VAT: rates, regimes and deadlines for 2026
A business in France deals with three families of tax: tax on profit (corporate tax or income tax), VAT, and local business taxes (CFE and CVAE). This guide gives the rates, thresholds and deadlines that apply in 2026, and the changes already scheduled for 2027.
E-invoicing in France: the 2026-2027 reform explained
Since 1 September 2026, invoices between businesses established in France are moving to a compulsory electronic format, exchanged through platforms approved by the tax authorities. This guide explains who is concerned, the dates, the formats, the penalties and what a small business should do now.
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