A friend and myself are interested in coming to france from Canada and working there for about 3-6 months. Can anyone assist me with links to websites about staying in france. I also have no idea on the type of visa we would both need, so if anyone knows about that as well, could you please help.

We're not planning on going until spring 2013, but would like to get some details set in stone early. Any one with any information would be greatly appreciated.

My understanding is that unless you have EU citizenship you cannot work in France without special permission, which I understand is very difficult to get unless one has specialized skills a Frenchman cannot perform.

First thing to do is contact the nearest French embassy or consulate and ask them about visa / work permit requirements.

The magic words are "Permis Vacances Travail"

http://www.ambafrance-ca.org/spip.php?article1950

Yes, many Commonwealth countries have a Work Holiday Visa agreement with France.

I assume from your post that you are a Canadian resident. Here is what your government says:
http://www.international.gc.ca/exper...ang=eng&view=d
You can also get information on the Student Work Abroad Program -- SWAP -- from TravelCuts, the student agency which has offices on a number of college campuses as well as other retail locations. http://www.travelcuts.com/Layout_B.a...=work%20abroad
SWAP won't find jobs for you but provides orientation and help with the paperwork. A major benefit of going through proper channels rather than under-the-counter is that you will be eligible for the health benefits of the host nation.