Teach yourself French

You can choose to learn French on your own before or during your stay in the country. There are many resources available to you: traditional and multimedia libraries, MOOCs, free educational materials online, cultural outings, and fun activities.

Publicly available resources

Find out about the library services (e.g., bibliothèque, médiathèque, or centre de documentation) available in your neighbourhood, town, or city in France. They will give you access to a variety of tools for exploring French language and culture. The library staff can guide you in your search for resources (e.g., books, audio-visual materials, and/or videos). You can use these resources on site or check them out to spend more time with them at home. Head to your city hall or the city hall’s website to find out where the nearest library can be found.

Useful links

• Online directory of French libraries
• Addresses of public libraries

Via MOOCs

MOOC stands for massive open online course. These online courses are massive because they are accessible to an unlimited number of learners, and they are open because they are free or inexpensive. There are MOOCs on a wide range of topics. Some MOOCs allow you to earn a certificate of completion or even a degree. The average MOOC lasts 6–8 weeks and involves 2–6 hours of learning per week.

Here are two examples of MOOCs for learning French: 

• FUN MOOC—The French platform FUN MOOC offers courses tailored to students with different levels of proficiency and/or that are focused on specific themes, such as “Living in France” or “Working in France”. 
• Coursera—This US-based platform offers a MOOC in intermediate French (B1/B2) for students who wish to pursue post-secondary studies in France.

On specialised websites

There are websites that specialise in providing educational resources to FLE students. These tools are classified by language level or theme. Here are two examples: 

• FLE Nantes makes available learning materials that are organised around different themes (French pronunciation, vocabulary, and culture).
• Plaisir d’apprendre helps people learn French through fun activities. Designed for teachers, this site lists original resources that can also be used to learn French from home.

Using audiovisual resources

A rapid way to improve your language skills is to keep abreast of French news and world news in French. Here is a sampling of links to explore: 

• TV5 Monde—a French TV channel
• TV5MONDEplus—a streaming service that offers a variety of free programming in French (e.g., movies, series, documentaries, concerts, debates, panel discussions); subtitles are available in five languages (English, Spanish, Arabic, German, and French)
• RFI (Radio France Internationale)—a French public radio station
• Le point du FLE—a website with a list of French media and texts produced by native speakers (e.g., newspaper articles, excerpts of radio and TV programmes)

By watching funny videos

You can improve your understanding of French language and culture in a much less formal way. We encourage you to make the learning process even more fun. There are plenty of humorous resources available online! As a start, it is worth checking out the following:

• Sebastian Marx’s comedy series The French language explained by an American
• Paul Taylor’s channel La Bise
• Campus France shares a number of humorous videos about French customs

Through activities

In many French cities and towns, there are activities or events where you can learn French by interacting with native speakers or by conversing in French with people from different linguistic backgrounds. Examples include the following: 

• Language exchanges bring together small groups of people who want to talk about a variety of subjects in a foreign language. These events take place at various locations. Not only do they offer you the opportunity to practice speaking French, but they are a great way to meet new people and make new friends.
• Local Alliances Françaises centres organise activities and meet-ups for foreigners to help them learn French and ease into French society. 
• Becoming a member of a local non-profit organisation (une association) is a great way to improve your French while learning more about French culture and building relationships within your community. Associations focus on shared interests, such as cultural events, leisure, sports, entertainment, volunteer work, or environmental causes.
• EURAXESS centres frequently organise social and cultural events specifically for foreigners.
• Greeter France is a directory of locals who are passionate about their city and/or neighbourhood and volunteer to take visitors on free walks of 2–3 hours. A stroll with a greeter gives you a chance to practice your French, discover your surroundings, and immerse yourself in local culture.