The terms “ethics” and “fieldwork” are rarely associated in French geography, even nowadays. The topic is seldom discussed, as most French social scientists seem to think that the ethical conduct of research is just an obvious matter of “decent” conduct, and remain unaware of the many issues involved. This paper focuses on fieldwork ethics, as most ethical guidelines and other “Principles” revolve around this specific moment of a research project. From a recollection of the author’s first encounter with fieldwork ethics during her PhD research in Northern Canada, the paper unfolds through a discussion of ethics policies in North America, their achievements and what still remains unsettled. The main point of the argument is that, if taken seriously, ethics in social sciences has, or should have, a deeper impact on fieldwork than is usually thought. Not only does it change the way the work is designed and later conducted, it also potentially changes the role fieldwork plays in the research framework and the definition of scientific knowledge itself.