Learning the language in a foreign city is the quickest way to integrate yourself into daily life. Happily for those keen to learn French in Paris, there are numerous excellent language schools here.
(Photo: Alliance Francaise)
Whether you’re upping sticks for work, study, or anything else, picking up the local lingo is vital for getting the most of your stay. Dotted across Paris are a wide number of French language schools offering a variety of courses to suit differing preferences and needs. We’ve done some research and picked out four of the best, based on a number of factors including range of courses available, pricing and student reviews.
Accord
(Photo: Accord)
Over thirty years old, Accord is one of Paris’s most well-established language schools. Situated in a new location since March 2021, a few minutes’ walk from Champ de Mars, the Eiffel Tower and a number of other notable Parisian landmarks, the school offers a variety of programmes of different lengths, intensity and focus, including courses for absolute beginners. The school’s bright and spacious classrooms are fully equipped with audio-visual equipment and everything a student needs for a productive learning environment.
Among those suitable for visitors only planning to stay in Paris for a short period is the General Language Intensive course, which can be booked for 1 week or more and features 5-6 daily lessons of 45 minutes. For leisure, the school runs dance classes for enrolled students. There’s also a dedicated accommodation service.
Course prices from €70 per week / More info at www.accord-langues.com
Lutece Langue
Photo: Lutece Langue
Established almost 25 years ago, Lutece Langue offer a wide range of French language courses of all levels, for professional and personal use. The school is situated at Solférino, in Paris’s 7th arrondissement, near the Saint Germain area, and within walking distance from Assemblée Nationale, Musée d’Orsay, the Eiffel Tower and Champs Elysées.
Equipped with 10 classrooms, the focus is on providing a personalised teaching plan for each student, and class sizes are deliberately kept to a strict limit to ensure everyone can play an active role in lessons. The school also places a strong emphasis on flexibility and tailored learning, meaning that teachers aren’t bound by curriculums and can instead choose the teaching materials that meet individual students’ needs and requirements. A study space for students and a kitchen facility where you can enjoy free coffee and tea can also be found here.
Course prices from €72 per week / More info at www.lutece-langue.com
Alliance Francaise
Located in an historic building close to Paris’s Quartier Latin, Alliance Francaise Paris is one of the city’s longer-standing language school having been founded back in 1883. The school offers a wide range of French courses for adults. Courses are a touch more expensive here than at other schools owing to its recognition of excellence, and include intensive and extended courses, as well as evening courses, across several proficiency levels, starting at ‘Discovery’ level and rising to ‘Master’ level.
Over 90 qualified teachers use accredited learning methods, along with new technologies. Most classrooms are equipped with interactive smart boards, and there’s also a phonetic laboratory and multimedia room. An accommodation service helps you find a place to stay, and there’s also an on-site restaurant and café and a busy programme of cultural and social events.
Course prices from €150 per week / More info at www.alliancefr.org