The French state may refer to:

• The Republic of France (i.e. the state of France)
• Vichy France, 'French state' was the official name of the regime first directed by Philippe Pétain, explicitly opposed to the French Republic

Vichy France (or Government of Vichy, following its relocation to the town of Vichy) it was the free part of France after the German invasion on France, headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain from 1940 to 1944 during World War II. During this period, Paris remained the de jure capital of France. From 1940 to 1942, while the Vichy regime was the nominal government of France as a whole, Germany militarily occupied northern France. Following the Allied landings in French North Africa on 8 November 1942, southern France was also militarily occupied by Germany and Italy on 11 November 1942 through the enactment of Case Anton. The French government remained in existence, but was very aware that it had to please Germany.