Are there dangerous snakes in France and what should you do if you spot one?

Reader Question: I am scared of snakes and am concerned after a neighbour said she spotted one in her garden. Are snakes in France dangerous?

There are many types of snakes in France and most of those you may spot in your garden are likely to be harmless (depending on where your property is located) to humans. 

However, four species of viper do exist in France – mostly in the south and centre – which can be venomous to humans, and even those harmless to you may be poisonous to pets and other animals you own such as chickens.

In around half of bites, however, a venomous snake does not actually inject any venom, according to official information from French medical website ameli.fr and in most cases, where it does, any symptoms are mild unless the person has an allergic reaction to it. 

It is, however, recommended to call the emergency services in the event of it happening, so as to be on the safe side.

What to do if you see a snake

Killing a snake in France is illegal, even if the animal is a viper – those who do kill a snake risk a fine and even a prison sentence is possible (previously vipers were exempt from the rule). 

This is because snakes are considered to play a vital role in local ecosystems.

If you see a snake, there are helplines you should call instead of interacting with the animal yourself. 

Calling the emergency services (sapeurs-pompiers) as well as the SPA animal protection charity are options, but they may not respond unless a person is in danger or the animal is in distress. 

Alternatively, you can call the SOS Serpents helpline run by Cistude Nature if you are in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, on 06 40 98 42 04. 

If this is not possible, a local herpetologist (herpétologue), an expert in reptiles and amphibians, may help. You can use an internet search to find one in your department. 

Even interacting with a snake is illegal unless you have a licence to do so (as a herpetologist does). 

In most cases therefore, leaving the snake alone is the best advice, especially if it is not directly in your way or trapped. 

Further advice from a herpetologist can be found in our article below

Read more: Close encounters with a French serpent and what to do if it happens to you

Keeping snakes as a pet 

For those who have a liking for the animals, it is legal to keep a sake as a pet in France, and there are online exotic pet shops and animal refuges that can provide them. 

However, additional paperwork is required, including a document validating the origin of the pet (to be provided by the place of purchase). 

Certain snakes (those that grow to be over three metres in length, for example) are classed as non domestiques, and prospective owners are required to prove prior to purchase or adoption that they can adequately care for the animal, via a certificat de capacité d'entretien.

Protected species also need to be documented on the I-Fap database.

Read more: More snakes kept as pets in France - some are escaping