Do France passport holders need a visa to visit CF?

Yes, French passport holders need a visa to enter the Central African Republic for tourism. There is no visa-free access and no reliably confirmed government eVisa or visa-on-arrival channel for French nationals; apply in advance through a CAR diplomatic mission or via the French diplomatic mission that handles CAR visa applications. France (ordinary passport) is NOT among the small group of countries exempt from Central African Republic (CAR) visa requirements, so a visa must be obtained before travel for a short tourist stay. The CAR's visa-exempt list is limited mainly to neighboring/regional states (Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Republic of Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Israel, Liberia, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal). French citizens apply at a CAR diplomatic mission or a French diplomatic mission that handles CAR consular services. Official sources cite a standard tourist visa fee around EUR 75, typically single-entry, valid for a short stay of roughly 30-90 days. A third-party "eVisa" website (evisa-centrafrique.com) advertises online tourist visas, but it is not an official government portal and its terms are not confirmed by CAR authorities, so it should not be relied upon. Visa-on-arrival is only an exceptional option, requires prior express authorization, and is intended for travelers from countries with no CAR diplomatic representation, which does not apply to France. Travelers without a valid visa on arrival face a penalty of about 200,000 FCFA (approximately EUR 300). A yellow fever vaccination certificate is mandatory for all travelers. Given conflicting and unofficial eVisa information, the conservative and accurate verdict is visa-required via embassy/consulate. CAR is not in the Schengen area, so the Schengen 90/180 rule and ETIAS do not apply.