Bars & Pubs · Our pick in London
The French House
Soho’s French pub
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Matt Brown · CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia CommonsAbout The French House
The French House is one of Soho’s best-loved pubs. It became a meeting place for the Free French in London during the Second World War, and later for artists and writers. The house rules are part of its charm: beer comes in half-pints, there is no music, television or phone use, and the walls are covered in photographs of regulars. There is a small dining room upstairs.
Why it's on our list
- Beer by the half-pint
- No music or TV
- Soho history
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with The French House before you go.
What’s nearby
Distances from The French House are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 15 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Nearest stations
- Leicester SquarePiccadillyNorthern0.2 mi3 min walk
- Tottenham Court RoadNorthernCentralElizabeth line0.2 mi5 min walk
- Piccadilly CircusPiccadillyBakerloo0.2 mi5 min walk
Nearest taxi ranks
- Taxi rank, Coventry Street0.2 mi4 min walk
- Taxi rank, Whitcomb Street0.2 mi4 min walk
Black cabs can also be hailed in the street: a lit yellow TAXI sign means the cab is available.
Key sights
- Leicester Square0.2 miWalk 3 minCycle 1 minCar or taxi 4 min
- Trafalgar Square0.4 miWalk 7 minCycle 2 minCar or taxi 6 min
- Covent Garden0.4 miWalk 8 minCycle 3 minCar or taxi 6 min
- The British Museum0.5 miWalk 10 minCycle 3 minCar or taxi 7 min
- London Eye0.8 miWalk 17 minCycle 5 minCar or taxi 9 min
- Westminster Abbey0.9 miWalk 19 minCycle 6 minCar or taxi 10 min
- Buckingham Palace0.9 miWalk 19 minCycle 6 minCar or taxi 10 min
- Harrods1.6 miWalk 33 minCycle 11 minCar or taxi 15 min
- The Shard2.0 miWalk 41 minCycle 13 minCar or taxi 18 min
- Tower of London2.4 miCycle 16 minCar or taxi 21 min
Main rail terminals
- Charing Cross0.4 miWalk 8 minCycle 3 minCar or taxi 6 min
- Waterloo1.0 miWalk 20 minCycle 7 minCar or taxi 11 min
- Euston1.1 miWalk 22 minCycle 7 minCar or taxi 11 min
- Victoria1.2 miWalk 25 minCycle 8 minCar or taxi 12 min
- King’s Cross St Pancras1.3 miWalk 26 minCycle 8 minCar or taxi 12 min
- St Pancras International (Eurostar)1.3 miWalk 27 minCycle 9 minCar or taxi 13 min
- Paddington1.9 miWalk 38 minCycle 12 minCar or taxi 17 min
- London Bridge2.1 miWalk 42 minCycle 13 minCar or taxi 18 min
- Liverpool Street2.1 miWalk 43 minCycle 14 minCar or taxi 19 min