Romani People in France

Romani People In France

French Romani people are generally known in spoken French as "Manouches" or "Tsiganes". The terms "Romanichel" and "Gitan" are considered pejorative, and "Bohémien" is outdated. The French National Gendarmerie tends to refer to "MENS" ("Minorités Ethniques Non-Sédentarisées"), a neutral administrative term meaning "Travelling Ethnic Minorities".

Approximately 400,000 Romanies live in France as part of established communities. Additionally, French Romani rights group FNASAT report that there are at least 12,000 Roma (Romani subgroup) who come from Romania and Bulgaria living in illegal urban camps throughout the country. French authorities often close down these encampments. In 2009, more than 10,000 Roma were sent back to Romania and Bulgaria.

In 2009, the European Committee of Social Rights found France to violate the European Social Charter (rights to housing, right to protection against poverty and social exclusion, right of the family to protection) in respect of Romani population.