Rue is the most common way to say “street” in French. But, as with many common words, there are several other options depending on the type of street or context.

Whether you're navigating a new city, describing a location, or simply talking about urban life, knowing these nuances can make your French sound much more natural.

Let’s explore 9 different ways to say “street” (and similar concepts) in French!

The standard 'street' – rue

The standard "street" – rue

Rue is the most common and fundamental French word for "street." It generally refers to a public thoroughfare in a city, town, or village, typically lined with buildings.

Rue is a feminine noun. This means that any articles (like la for "the" or une for "a/an") and adjectives that describe it must also be feminine. For example, la rue (the street), une petite rue (a small street), les rues animées (the lively streets).

You'll use rue in almost all general contexts when referring to a street. It's the default term for an urban road where people walk and vehicles drive. It's ubiquitous in addresses and descriptions of cityscapes.

While often interchangeable in casual conversation, une avenue typically denotes a wider, more important, often tree-lined road, frequently leading to a significant monument or point of interest. A rue can be any size, from a narrow alley to a main artery, but generally lacks the grandiosity implied by avenue.

Un boulevard (masculine) refers to a very wide, often multi-lane street, historically built on the site of former city ramparts. Boulevards are usually encircling or major arteries of a city and are typically tree-lined. They are generally grander than a simple rue.

Un chemin (masculine) is more like a "path" or "road" in the countryside, less urbanized. Une allée (feminine) can mean an "alleyway" (a narrow passage between buildings) or a "driveway," or even a tree-lined path in a park. These are distinct from the urban rue.

Rue appears in many common French expressions:<ul><li>Au coin de la rue: At the corner of the street.</li><li>En pleine rue: In the middle of the street (often implying openly).</li><li>Battre le pavé (dans la rue): To walk the streets (often idly or looking for something).</li><li>La rue commerçante: The shopping street.</li></ul>

When giving an address, rue is almost always used. The format is typically: number, rue de + street name (or just rue + street name). For instance, "J'habite au 12, rue Victor Hugo" (I live at 12, Victor Hugo Street).

Streets in France, especially in older cities, often carry historical significance through their names, which can refer to historical figures, events, trades, or even geographical features. Walking la rue is an integral part of French urban life, from daily commutes to leisurely strolls and protests.

💡 * J'habite dans une belle rue. (I live on a beautiful street.)

Quelle est la rue principale de cette ville ? (What is the main street of this town?)

Le magasin se trouve au bout de la rue. (The shop is at the end of the street.)

Il y a beaucoup de monde dans les rues ce soir. (There are a lot of people in the streets tonight.)

Traversez la rue avec prudence. (Cross the street carefully.)

The broad, often tree-lined 'avenue' – avenue

In French, an avenue (pronounced ah-vuh-NOO) refers to a public road, typically broad and often lined with trees. It generally implies a major thoroughfare or a grand approach to a significant place.

Derived from the Old French avenir (meaning 'to come to' or 'arrive'), an avenue historically signified an access way or approach to a grand residence, monument, or public building. This origin still influences its modern connotation of importance.

While rue is a general term for any street, an avenue often implies a more significant, wider, and frequently more prestigious road. It's designed for heavier traffic or as a grand promenade, contrasting with the smaller, narrower rues or chemins (paths).

This distinction is crucial in French urban planning. Avenues are frequently prominent arteries in cities, often meticulously planned with architectural grandeur in mind. They carry a connotation of importance, space, and sometimes elegance.

You'll find avenues in most French cities, often named after famous people, historical events, or geographical locations. The most famous example is undoubtedly the Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris, embodying the grandeur associated with the term.

💡 * L'Avenue des Champs-Élysées est l'une des avenues les plus célèbres du monde. (The Avenue des Champs-Élysées is one of the most famous avenues in the world.)

Nous avons marché le long de cette belle avenue bordée d'arbres. (We walked along this beautiful tree-lined avenue.)

L'hôtel se trouve sur la grande avenue principale de la ville. (The hotel is located on the city's main grand avenue.)

Prenez la deuxième avenue à gauche après la place. (Take the second avenue on the left after the square.)

Les avenues sont souvent conçues pour être plus majestueuses que les rues ordinaires. (Avenues are often designed to be more majestic than ordinary streets.)

The wide city 'boulevard' – boulevard

The wide city 'boulevard' – boulevard

In French, a boulevard refers to a wide, often tree-lined street, typically found in urban areas.

Historically, boulevards were often built on the sites of former city walls or fortifications, explaining their characteristic width and grandeur.

They are generally grander and wider than a typical rue (street) and often feature multiple lanes, broad sidewalks, and sometimes central medians with trees or gardens.

Boulevards serve as major urban arteries, connecting different neighborhoods and often hosting significant commercial or residential activity.

Many iconic streets in Paris and other French cities, like the Boulevard Saint-Germain, are boulevards, symbolizing urban elegance and historical depth.

The word boulevard is a masculine noun; its plural form is boulevards.

💡 * Nous nous promenons sur le boulevard. (We are walking on the boulevard.)

Le boulevard est bordé d'arbres magnifiques. (The boulevard is lined with magnificent trees.)

Il y a beaucoup de cafés sur ce boulevard. (There are many cafes on this boulevard.)

Les Grands Boulevards sont très animés. (The Grands Boulevards are very lively.)

The paved 'road' or main 'thoroughfare' – chaussée

The “paved road” or main “thoroughfare” – chaussée

In French, chaussée refers specifically to the paved part of a road or a main thoroughfare.

It designates the section of a road intended for vehicles, distinguishing it from sidewalks (trottoirs) or shoulders (accotements).

While often translated as 'road', chaussée emphasizes the paved surface and is more precise than route (a general term for a road) or rue (a street within a town).

💡 * Attention à la chaussée glissante. (Watch out for the slippery road surface.)

La chaussée est étroite ici. (The road is narrow here.)

Il faut traverser la chaussée avec prudence. (One must cross the road with caution.)

Les travaux bloquent la chaussée. (The roadworks are blocking the carriageway.)

C'est une chaussée à double sens. (It's a two-way road.)

The general 'way' or 'lane' – voie

The French word voie is a versatile noun that translates broadly to 'way,' 'path,' 'lane,' or 'track.' It describes a designated course or direction, whether physical or abstract.

While often referring to a physical route, like a road or a lane, voie can also denote a method, a means, or a general direction one takes.

You'll encounter voie in many specific contexts. For instance, a voie ferrée is a railway track, a voie rapide is an expressway or fast lane, and a voie piétonne is a pedestrian lane.

Beyond literal routes, voie is frequently used in figurative expressions. For example, 'suivre la voie de la sagesse' means 'to follow the path of wisdom,' indicating a course of action or a moral direction.

It's important to note that voie is a feminine noun, so it will always be preceded by feminine articles and adjectives (e.g., la voie, une voie, cette voie).

In summary, voie is a fundamental word for describing various kinds of paths, routes, methods, and directions in French, encompassing both concrete and abstract concepts.

💡 * La voiture a changé de voie sur l'autoroute. (The car changed lanes on the highway.)

Nous devons trouver une nouvelle voie pour résoudre ce problème. (We must find a new way to solve this problem.)

Le train roule sur la voie ferrée. (The train is running on the railway track.)

Elle a choisi sa propre voie dans la vie. (She chose her own path in life.)

The 'alley' or tree-lined 'walkway' – allée

The “alley” or tree-lined “walkway” – allée

In French, allée is a versatile noun derived from the verb aller (to go), meaning a path, walkway, or alley. It typically refers to a defined passage, often with a specific purpose or aesthetic.

Most commonly, an allée evokes images of a picturesque, tree-lined path in a park, garden, or leading up to a grand house or château. These are often designed for pleasant strolls or as ceremonial entrances.

In urban settings, allée can denote a narrower passage, similar to an alley or a pedestrian street. Unlike a rue (street), an allée often implies a more intimate, less trafficked route, sometimes exclusively for pedestrians.

While it can be an 'alley' in the English sense, allée often carries a more refined connotation than a dirty back alley. It also appears in specific terms like an allée couverte, referring to a Neolithic passage grave.

💡 * Promenons-nous dans l'allée du jardin. (Let's walk down the garden path.)

L'allée des platanes mène au château. (The plane tree-lined avenue leads to the castle.)

Nous avons garé la voiture dans l'allée. (We parked the car in the driveway/pathway.)

L'allée piétonne est très agréable pour flâner. (The pedestrian walkway is very pleasant for strolling.)

Il y a une petite allée entre les deux bâtiments. (There's a small alley between the two buildings.)

The 'passageway' or narrow 'passage' – passage

In French, the word passage (masculine) is a versatile noun commonly used to describe a physical 'passageway' or 'passage'. It refers to a route or path, often narrow, that allows movement from one point to another.

A passage can be an internal corridor, an alleyway between buildings, or even a covered arcade. It implies a route specifically designed or used for traversing a space, often shorter or more direct than a main street. Unlike rue (street), passage often suggests a more confined or specific route.

You'll frequently encounter passage in terms like a passage souterrain (underpass) or a passage piéton (pedestrian crossing). In Paris, famous passages couverts (covered arcades) are historic examples of these narrow, often glass-roofed pedestrian routes.

💡 * Le chien a trouvé un passage étroit sous la clôture. (The dog found a narrow passage under the fence.)

Nous avons pris un passage secret pour éviter la foule. (We took a secret passage to avoid the crowd.)

Le passage couvert est plein de petites boutiques. (The covered arcade is full of small shops.)

Il y a un passage piéton juste devant l'école. (There's a pedestrian crossing right in front of the school.)

Ce passage mène directement à la rivière. (This passage leads directly to the river.)

The 'dead-end street' or 'cul-de-sac' – une impasse

The French word impasse primarily refers to a 'dead-end street' or 'cul-de-sac'. It's a feminine noun.

Beyond its literal meaning, une impasse is very commonly used figuratively to describe a 'stalemate', 'deadlock', or 'impasse' in a situation, discussion, or negotiation. It signifies a point where no further progress can be made.

A frequent and important expression is être dans une impasse, meaning 'to be at a dead end', 'to be in a deadlock', or 'to be in an impasse'. This highlights the figurative use in everyday language.

💡 * La voiture est entrée dans une impasse et a dû faire demi-tour. (The car entered a dead-end street and had to turn around.)

Les négociations sont dans une impasse. (The negotiations are at a deadlock.)

Nous devons trouver une solution, car nous sommes dans une impasse. (We must find a solution because we are at a dead end.)

Ce projet a atteint une impasse technique. (This project has reached a technical dead end.)

The 'quay' or 'embankment' street along a waterway – quai

The French word for a "quay" or an "embankment street along a waterway" is quai. This term specifically refers to a reinforced bank or a paved platform built alongside a body of water, such as a river, canal, or port, for mooring boats and often serving as a public thoroughfare.

You'll frequently encounter the word quai in cities with rivers or harbors, like Paris with its famous quais de la Seine. These areas are often vibrant streets lined with shops, cafes, and residential buildings, making them significant parts of urban life and navigation.

Quai is a masculine noun. Its plural form is quais (pronounced the same as the singular). When referring to specific places, it's often used with definite articles, e.g., le quai (the quay) or les quais (the quays).

Beyond its literal meaning, quai can appear in phrases like être à quai (to be at the dock/platform) or faire le quai (to walk along the quay). It's a fundamental word for describing urban landscapes near water.

💡 *Nous nous sommes promenés le long des quais de la Seine. (We walked along the quays of the Seine.)
*Le bateau est amarré au quai numéro 3. (The boat is moored at quay number 3.)
*Il y a de nombreux cafés sur ce quai. (There are many cafes on this quay.)
*Attendez-moi sur le quai, je serai là dans cinq minutes. (Wait for me on the platform/quay, I'll be there in five minutes.)
*Les quais sont souvent animés le soir. (The quays are often lively in the evening.)

Are there other ways to say 'street' in French?

Are there other ways to say “street” in French?

Our list features the most common ways to say “street” in French. But there are other terms, from old-fashioned ones, to regional ones, to up-and-coming slang ones this middle-aged author might not even be aware of!

You can also do an online search for “comment dire rue en ___” followed by a specific Francophone country or region.

You might find some interesting synonyms for rue on this list. Of course, make sure to check a word’s definition and try to see it used in context before you use it.

Pay attention as you read, watch, and listen to things in French — you may discover different ways to talk about streets and urban spaces.

And if you’re looking for ways to talk about different kinds of streets, or words related to urban areas in French, the WordReference entry for rue is a great place to start!

I hope you found this article helpful. Here’s what I think is a fitting quote to finish it with, courtesy of Victor Hugo: Paris est un vrai océan. Jetez-y la sonde, vous n'en connaîtrez jamais la profondeur. (Paris is a true ocean. Cast in your lead, you will never know its depth.)

9 ways to say "street" in French