Abstract. France’s position has been marginalized in Syria, more than eight years after the beginning of the crisis in 2011. Russia?s military intervention saved Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from being toppled by his contenders, some of whom have been supported by Paris. At present, whereas the military intensity of the conflict has deescalated, Russia has had the upper hand on the process of the political settlement and, in the meantime, seeks to promote the reconstruction agenda. Paris pays the cost of political choices and an uncompromising posture under the Francois Hollande administration. Nevertheless, the more realistic and “deideologized” approach of President Emmanuel Macron has so far been able to avoid further tensions with Moscow on the Syrian context. Having few grips on the dynamics of the Syrian crisis, France is left with very few options: to put a high political price for its support in the reconstruction phase and to bet on an eventual clash between Iran and Russia in Syria.