History
The history of the Serbs in France is deeply intertwined with cultural, educational, and political exchanges between France and Serbia, dating back to the 19th century when France was a hub for Serbian intellectuals and elites. Many Serbs, aspiring to modernize their young nation, studied at French universities, especially in Paris, fostering a generation of "Parisians" who shaped Serbia's political and cultural development. By 1886, this led to the establishment of the "Serbian Reading Room" (Srbadija) in Paris, a cultural hub for expatriates that received Serbian newspapers. This early community was small and elite-driven, focused on education and advocacy rather than mass settlement. [3]
World War I marked a pivotal moment, bringing a wave of refugees and students to France. Between 5,000 and 6,000 Serbian children and youth were educated in over 150 French schools, forming the "Serbian University Battalion" in 1916 with 300 students. Humanitarian efforts flourished: Women's committees in Paris and Nice, led by figures like Delfa Ivanić, sold folk dolls and organized exhibitions to aid refugees, while the magazine "La Patrie Serbe" (1916–1918) rallied French support for Serbia.
The largest influx occurred during the 1960s and 1970s as part of France's post-war economic boom, which recruited guest workers from Yugoslavia via bilateral agreements. Peugeot, facing labor shortages in its Sochaux plant, hired thousands of young Yugoslav men starting in 1965, peaking at nearly 2,800 in 1972 alone. These "Yugoslav" workers, predominantly Serbs in later waves, faced harsh realities: segregated company housing led to tensions with other immigrant groups, while economic pressures like remittances home sparked despair, including suicides during 1973 strikes. [4] Women arrived later, often in low-wage roles like cleaning, under strict surveillance by French and Yugoslav authorities that discouraged union activity or political dissent. Despite challenges, cultural continuity endured through folk dance groups, state-funded Serbo-Croatian schools, and associations that preserved identity amid isolation.
The Yugoslav Wars of the 1990s triggered another refugee wave, with Serbs fleeing conflict and sanctions; many sought asylum in France, joining established networks in industrial cities. This period fractured "Yugoslav" unity, as associations split along ethnic lines, with Serbian-focused groups emerging.
The Serb community is well-integrated in general French society, with second-generation Serbs achieving upward mobility in education and professions. Cultural landmarks, from Orthodox churches to annual festivals, keep historical ties alive, reflecting a story of resilience from elite students to factory laborers and war refugees.
Demographics
According to the 2023 data, there were 74,000 Serbia-born people in France. However, these figures generally do not include the majority of second and third-generation of Serbs in France. [1] The Serbian Ministry of Diaspora estimates that there are around 120,000 people in France with partial or full Serb ancestry. [2]
The Serbian community is mainly concentrated in two areas: the Greater Paris, and eastern regions of Grand Est (with hubs in Strasbourg and Mulhouse), Bourgogne-Franche-Comté (with hubs in industrial cities of Montbeliard and Belfort), and Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (Lyon and Grenoble, in particular).
Serbs in France predominantly belong to the Eastern Orthodoxy with the Serbian Orthodox Church as the traditional church. There is Serbian Orthodox diocese, the Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Western Europe, encompassing 18 parishes across France with 30 places of worship among which 4 churches (2 in Paris and its suburbs, Strasbourg, Nancy) as well as monastery in Uchon. [5]
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