Entrance French painter signalling at first (7)
I believe the answer is:
ingress
'entrance' is the definition.
(I know that entrance can be written as ingress)
'french painter signalling at first' is the wordplay.
'french painter' becomes 'ingres' (I've seen this in another clue).
'at first' indicates taking the first letters.
The initial letter of 'signalling' is 's'.
'ingres'+'s'='INGRESS'
(Other definitions for ingress that I've seen before include "Means of access" , "The act of entering" , "Singers provide a means of entry" , "coming in" , "right of entry" .)