The French Mission was organized 18 June 1850. Soon after French publications of Church works began. The publication of Étoile du Déséret began in May 1851 and ran until April 1852. The French translation of the Book of Mormon, overseen and completed by officers of the French Mission, came off the press in January 1852. The mission closed in 1864, though missionary work did continue under the direction of the other missions in Europe.
On 15 October 1912 the mission was reorganized. It was decided that the French Mission would encompass not only France but also French-speaking areas of the Swiss-German and Netherlands missions. The outbreak of World War I forced the mission close two years later, on 18 September 1914.
The French Mission was reorganized on 1 December 1923 with France, Belgium, and the French-speaking parts of Switzerland. The headquarters was in Geneva, Switzerland. The outbreak of World War II would give way to another closure on 14 December 1939.