France 3

France 3
Logo used since 2018
CountryFrance
Broadcast areaFrance
EMEA
Programming
Language(s)French
Picture format1080i HDTV
(downscaled to 576i for the SDTV feed)
Ownership
OwnerFrance Télévisions
Sister channels
History
Launched31 December 1972 (1972-12-31)
Former names
  • Troisième Chaîne Couleur de l'ORTF (1972–1975)
  • FR3 (1975–1992)
Links
Websitewww.france.tv/france-3
Availability
Terrestrial
TNTChannel 3
TNT in Overseas FranceChannels 3, 4, or 5
Streaming media
FilmOnWatch live

France 3 (French: [fʁɑ̃s tʁwɑ]) is a French free-to-air public television network. The second flagship network of France Télévisions, it broadcasts a wide range of general and specialized programming.

France 3 is structured as a regional service with 13 regions, each of which carrying programmes of regional interest alongside the national schedule. These include local news and current affairs programmes, programmes highlighting the region, and in some areas, programmes presented in regional languages. Since the 2020s, France 3 has also collaborated with Radio France's regional service Ici, with France 3's news bulletins falling under the Ici title, and the two services simulcasting the breakfast programme Ici Matin.

The network first launched by the Office de Radiodiffusion Télévision Française (ORTF) on 31 December 1972 as the Troisième Chaîne Couleur. In January 1975, as part of the separation of the ORTF, the network became the independently operated France Régions 3 (FR3). In September 1992, FR3 merged with Antenne 2 to form France Télévision, with the channel rebranding as France 3 as a result. In 2000, France Télévision was merged with the remaining public channels to form the present-day France Télévisions.

In 2018, France 3 was the third most watched television network in France.