This paper examines the place of oral heritage in France. The first section provides an overview of oral collections in France from the early 1900s to the present. The study of oral materials is then discussed in the second section, including: research centers within universities or high schools; activities of the Ministry of Culture; development of a network of museums; the role of associations; the Metive associative network, comprising a museum, a hall, sound and audiovisual studios, exhibition, training and meeting rooms, and a center of research and documentation on orality; and the Datsum association, focusing on the oral traditions and music of Bretagne. The third section addresses orality in the library, including public library collections, legal aspects, and collections of the audiovisual department of the national library. (MES)