Home › Explained sheets
The civic exam sheets, explained simply
In short
The French Ministry of the Interior publishes 227 sheets to prepare for the civic exam (counted on 23 October 2026). Hexaciv explains 219 of them in plain French, English and Arabic: the key points of each sheet, the words to know and 3 questions to test yourself. Each page cites the ministry sheet and the date we read it.
Pick a topic, open a sheet, read the key points in a minute, then test yourself. The exam is in French: the words to know are given in French with their translation.
To practise: the free mock exam or the questions of the ministry's list with explained answers.
Principles and values of the Republic (23 sheets)
The motto of the Republic
- Equality (1/3)
- Equality (2/3): equality between women and men
- Equality (3/3)
- Fraternity (1/2)
- Fraternity (2/2)
- The French motto
- Liberty
The language of the Republic
Secularism (laïcité)
- The definition of secularism (laïcité) (2/2)
- The history of secularism (laïcité)
- The definition of secularism (laïcité) (1/2)
- Secularism (laïcité) at school (1/2)
- Secularism (laïcité) at school (2/2)
- Secularism (laïcité) at work
- Secularism (laïcité) in public space
- Secularism (laïcité) in public services
- Proselytism (prosélytisme)
The commitment to respect the principles of the Republic
The symbols of the Republic
Institutional and political system (19 sheets)
Democracy and the right to vote
- How a law is voted (1/2)
- How a law is passed (2/2)
- Democracy and the Republic (1/2)
- Democracy and the Republic (2/2)
- The principle of multiple political parties
- The conditions for voting in France (1/2)
- The conditions for voting in France (2/2)
Rule of law and separation of powers
- Rule of law and separation of powers: what the rule of law is and the principle of the separation of powers
- Rule of law and separation of powers: the 3 powers (1/2)
- Rule of law and separation of powers: presentation of the 3 powers (2/2)
European institutions
- How Europe works (1/2)
- How the European Union works (2/2)
- The European elections
- The key stages of building Europe
- European symbols (1/2)
- European symbols (2/2)
Organisation of the French Republic
- The administrative division of France (1/3)
- The administrative divisions of France (2/3): the prefect (préfet) and the prefecture (préfecture)
- The administrative divisions of France (3/3)
Rights and duties (23 sheets)
Fundamental rights
- Economic and social rights and so-called third-generation rights
- Introduction to fundamental rights
- Human dignity
- The institutional actors
- Rights linked to the human person
- Freedoms within a couple
- Presentation of the main texts (3/3): the Charter for the Environment (Charte de l'environnement)
- Presentation of the main texts (2/3): the Constitution of the Fifth Republic
- Presentation of the main texts (1/3): the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen
- Citizenship
- A fundamental right: the right to make decisions about your own body
Obligations and duties of people living in France
- The limits of individual freedoms
- Protecting victims of violence
- Human trafficking and prostitution
- The role of witnesses in cases of violence
- The obligations of a French citizen
- Obligations as a resident of France
- The ban on all forms of violence
- The ban on female genital mutilation
- The ban on sexual violence
- Adopting a respectful attitude towards the environment
- Obeying the law: the actors (2/2)
- Obeying the law: offences (1/2)
History, geography and culture (96 sheets)
Atlas of France
- The French economy
- French demography
- France: urban areas and metropolisation
- France, a land of agriculture
- France, an industrial land
- The territory of France
- French rivers (fleuves)
- The borders of France
Culture
- French heritage: access to culture
- French heritage: iconic artists in the world of music
- French heritage: iconic artists who became French
- French heritage: iconic artists among authors (1/3)
- French heritage: iconic artists among authors (2/3)
- French heritage: iconic artists among authors (3/3)
- French heritage: iconic artists among painters
- French heritage: iconic artists among sculptors
- French heritage: the French language in the world
- French heritage: citizens as actors and guardians of culture in France
- French heritage: iconic sites and food of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
- French heritage: iconic sites and food of Île-de-France
- French heritage: landmark sites and food of Occitanie
- French heritage: landmark sites and food in Centre-Val de Loire
- French heritage: iconic sites and food of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
- French heritage: landmark sites and food of Brittany (Bretagne)
- French heritage: iconic sites and food of Corsica
- French heritage: iconic sites and food of Guadeloupe
- French heritage: iconic sites and food of French Guiana (Guyane)
- French heritage: landmark sites and food of La Réunion
- French heritage: landmark sites and food of Martinique
- French heritage: landmark sites and food of Mayotte
- French heritage: iconic sites and food of Normandy
- French heritage: landmark sites and food of Nouvelle-Aquitaine
- French heritage: iconic sites and food of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
- French heritage: iconic sites and food of Hauts-de-France
- French heritage: landmark sites and food of the Pays de la Loire
- French heritage: iconic sites and food of the Grand Est
- French heritage: iconic sites and gastronomy
- A cultural power
The Fifth Republic
- Focus on the Fifth Republic: the abolition of the death penalty
- Focus on the Fifth Republic: marriage for all
- Focus on the Fifth Republic: the right to abortion
- The presidents of the Fifth Republic (Vème République)
France in Europe and in the world
- French agriculture in Europe
- France in the European natural ecosystem
- France in Europe
- France in European transport flows
- France in the world
- French ports
- An air transport system at the heart of the global network
- A maritime power
- A military and diplomatic power
- A tourism power
World conflicts and the new world order
- Rebuilding the world order: the construction of Europe
- Reshaping the world order: decolonisation
- The First World War (1914-1918): the context
- The First World War (1914-1918): the consequences
- World conflicts: the Second World War (1939-1945) (2/3)
- World conflicts: the Second World War (1939-1945) (3/3)
- The Second World War (1939-1945): the consequences
Political regimes since 1789
- From the Merovingians to the Ancien Régime (5th-18th century)
- The Ancien Régime (until 1789)
- The Fifth Republic (Vème République)
- The Second Republic (1848-1851)
- The end of absolute monarchy and the beginning of the First Republic (1789-1792)
- The First Republic (1792-1804)
- The Fourth Republic (1946-1958)
- The Restoration and the July Monarchy (1815-1848)
- The Third Republic (1870-1940)
- The First Empire (1804-1815)
- The Second Empire (1852-1870)
- The Consulate (Consulat) (1799-1804)
- The Provisional Government of the French Republic (1944-1946)
- The Vichy regime (1940-1944)
- Political regimes
The regions of France
- Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
- Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
- Brittany (Bretagne)
- Centre-Val de Loire
- Corsica (Corse)
- Grand Est
- Guadeloupe
- French Guiana (Guyane)
- Île-de-France
- La Réunion
- Martinique
- Mayotte
- Normandy (Normandie)
- Nouvelle-Aquitaine
- Pays de la Loire
- Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Zoom on...
- Focus on the Second World War: the Resistance and the Liberation
- Focus on the Second World War: the Shoah
- Immigration
- French territory over time (1/2)
- French territory through time (2/2)
- French heritage: public holidays
Living in French society (58 sheets)
Administrative procedures
- Appendix: emergency numbers
- Tax in France and the income tax return
- Declaring a death
- The marriage declaration
- The declaration of birth
- The steps to obtain French nationality
- Everyday formalities such as domiciliation (administrative address)
- Everyday formalities such as civil liability insurance
- Everyday procedures such as the driving licence (1/2)
- Everyday procedures such as the driving licence (2/2)
- Everyday procedures such as opening a bank account
- Housing procedures (1/2)
- Housing procedures (2/2)
- Procedures for staying in France (residence)
Employment
- Training (formation) (1/3)
- Training (2/3): having a foreign diploma recognised in France
- Training (3/3): Validation of Acquired Experience (VAE)
- Labour law (1/5)
- Labour law (2/5)
- Labour law (3/5): discrimination at work
- Labour law (4/5): the labour inspectorate
- Labour law (5/5): undeclared work
- Orientation (1/5)
- Orientation (2/5)
- Guidance (3/5): automatic registration with France Travail
- Guidance (4/5): registering with France Travail
- Guidance (5/5): organisations that help you find a job
- Recruitment (1/3): how to send a job application
- Recruitment (2/3)
- Recruitment (3/3): the cover letter
- Types of employment (1/3)
- Types of employment (2/3)
- Types of employment (3/3): creating a business
Parenthood
- Parents' duties and role at school
- Exercising parental authority (1/2)
- Exercising parental authority (2/2)
- School for allophone children (children whose first language is not French)
- The freedom to choose your child's school
- The OEPRE programme
- Parenting support (1/2)
- Support for parenting (2/2)
- The rights of the child
- Childcare options for children under 3
- Withdrawal of parental authority
Health
- Access to care: the general practitioner
- Access to healthcare: the care pathway
- Access to care: on-call doctors and pharmacies
- Access to healthcare: free care centres
- Access to healthcare: emergency services and numbers
- Getting covered: the steps to access universal health protection (PUMa)
- Healthcare cover: the different types of health insurance
- Health prevention and promotion (1/2)
- Health prevention and promotion (2/2)
- Health prevention and promotion: mental health
- Health: coverage during maternity
- Health: coverage when your residence permit (titre de séjour) is being renewed
- Health: coverage and reimbursement
- Health: the rights and duties of the patient
See where you stand with 40 questions like the real exam.
Take the free mock exam (40 questions)Free mock exam · Exam Pass €19 incl. VAT, paid once, no subscription