Arthur Miller’s The Crucible premiered in France in 1954, when Raymond Rouleau directed a successful adaptation of it entitled Les Sorcières de Salem, penned by Marcel Aymé and starring Yves Montand and Simone Signoret. It was not uncommon at the time for renowned French artists to champion American art on stage – though perhaps their presence was also meant to compensate for any flaws, in the eye of critics who readily hinted at Europe’s superiority in terms of drama. This essay explores the French cast and crew’s interpretation of Miller’s play, and the conception of it which they presented to Parisian audiences. Looking at a combination of factors – the actors’ personalities, Rouleau’s realistic directing, Aymé’s efficient but ironic adaptation, and the press’s tendency to universalize The Crucible’s political stakes – I attempt to define the modalities of the play’s introduction in France, between enthusiasm and reluctance, recognition of its narrative qualities and distrust of its literary merits.