Studying French in Paris – what’s like to study at Alliance Française de Paris

July 11, 2025

Written by Laura Peruchi

Did you know that French is the fifth most spoken language in the world? And it is spoken over five continents – yes, including North America and South America. And I don’t know how that started, but I’ve been amazed by the French Language since I was a teenager – in fact, it was the second language I was interested in learning, after English. Back in those days – more than two decades ago – studying abroad was just a dream so far from being achieved. Fast forward to 2025 – I just got back from Paris, where I spent a month studying French at Alliance française de Paris, one of the most respected institutions in the world when it comes to learning French. And this is my second study-abroad experience this year – back in January, I spent a month in Madrid studying Spanish. I genuinely believe it’s never too late to chase new or old dreams. And there’s something special about chasing dreams from your younger self. It feels special.

In this post, I will share my honest review about Alliance française de Paris and useful tips to make the best of your time in Paris, whether you are spending some time or are a new resident.

Studying Spanish in Spain – My honest review about LAE Madrid + everything you need to know!

My background and my journey with the French Language

If you are new here, nice to meet you! I’m originally from Brazil, and I’ve been living in NYC since 2014.

So, the first thing you should know about my journey trying to learn French is that the language was never part of the curriculum while I was at school, and I don’t believe it is to this day. When my mom was at college-yes, she only went to college after she had me and my siblings – I remember she mentioned one of her colleagues was a French teacher. And that made me interested, so one day she came back with a photocopy of a book to learn French, which belonged to her colleague. The book featured sentences and dialogues in French, always with 3 lines: how it’s written, how it’s pronounced, and the translation. I don’t recall this, but my sister told me she remembers I would study in my room, by playing the CD and repeating and laughing at myself. What a joyful memory.

My first French resource 🙂

Later, when it was my time to apply for college, I chose Journalism as my first option and French language and literature as my second – I remember contacting the university to ask if I needed to speak French in order to attend the classes, and they said it was not necessary. Unfortunately – or fortunately, cause I don’t regret my career choices – I didn’t pass the exams you need to take in order to attend that university.

I only thought about French again after graduating from college, when I had more time and money to pay for classes. First, I enrolled in English classes, then in Spanish, and finally in French, through a very affordable language course offered by the university where I graduated from. I had classes once per week, for three months, and of course, I forgot everything.

First time in Paris, in 2012 – Bonjour and Merci were the only French I knew.

But my wish to learn the language has never died. And the destiny brought me to NYC – and also brought my sister to Paris, where she moved to pursue a PHD in Linguistics – that later she gave up on it to dedicate to her career as a photographer. I have no doubt she made the right choice, as you can see on her IG page. And because of that, and my then-frequent trips to Paris to visit her, I started to have that feeling about the French again. “When I have the time, I will start to take some classes”.

In January 2024, I decided not to wait for the perfect timing, so I started taking private classes with a French teacher. And not a long time after that, I started to consider the idea of studying in Paris – I mean, my sister lives there, so that would help a lot. She encouraged me, as well as my teacher. By the end of May 2025, I boarded a plane to Paris, where I spent 4 intense weeks studying French in one of the most prestigious French institutions: Alliance française de Paris.

Alliance française de Paris

I guess that even if you have never thought about studying French, there’s a chance you’ve heard about Alliance française. It was founded in Paris in 1883. The Paris location – Alliance Française de Paris – is at the heart of a worldwide network of more than 800 establishments (133 countries), led by the Fondation des Alliances Françaises, its main partner. Their essential missions are to offer French courses, in France and in the world, to all publics, to make French and Francophone cultures better known, and to promote cultural diversity.

Alliance Française de Paris is located in the 6th arrondissement, near Jardin du Luxembourg, and it welcomes over 10,000 students of more than 120 different nationalities each year. That’s a lot of people! Here’s what you expect from Alliance française de Paris:

Courses & classes

Courses for all levels (A1-C2) – you have the option to choose between intensive, semi-intensive and hybrid General French Courses.
Workshops in Oral Communication, Phonetics and Grammar – to improve your vocabulary and grammar skills and/or nailing the French pronunciation.
Online courses – study French from anywhere with the world’s leading French language teaching organization.
Exam Prep & Certifications (DELF / DALF / TCF / TEF) not to mention the Professional & Teacher Trainings.

Prices: Prices vary according to the selected course. The Grammar workshop, for example, starts at 157.50 € (2 weeks/6h week) while an intensive course (72h / 4 weeks) costs 1,400.00 €. Check their website for more information!
Class sizes – It ranges from 8 to 15 students.
Schedule – they offer monthly and fortnightly courses (during the summer in France).

My experience at Alliance française de Paris

Since my plan was to stay for a month and make the most of it, I opted for an intensive course. That means I had classes from Monday to Friday, from 9am to 1pm (with a 20-minute break) – please note that each monthly session of intensive courses consists of 72 hours – 18 days of 4 hours each, and 2 days off.

One thing you should know is that although I started taking French classes in January 2024, my level was still very beginner. I didn’t study much outside of my weekly class, besides starting to listen to some intermediate French podcasts some months ago. So, I didn’t have high expectations when I received the link for the placement test from Alliance française de Paris. To my surprise, my results put me in B1.1 – which made me super happy!

In case you are curious, the test is online and it takes 1h-1h30 min to be completed, analyzing your writing, listening, speaking, and reading skills. It was a tough one, but remember: don’t be hard on yourself with the placement test. The test is designed to “measure” your level and your familiarity with the language in order to place you in the best class. It is super normal not to know all the answers when you are a beginner or intermediate! But yes, I must tell you that I was super nervous and insecure on my first day of class. Although I consider my comprehension skills great, my speaking skills were so poor. And the Alliance française de Paris team checked with me on how I was feeling about it, and over the week, there was some rotation in our class, with some students coming from other rooms and levels. So, even if you don’t feel 100%, don’t worry: you can always talk to them and change to a level that feels right for you. My class, though, ended up being the perfect level for me. By the end of my first week, I realized I was not alone – there were other students that have the same speaking skills I had. Also, I realized that, at least for me, the challenge was good. I was getting out of my comfort zone – I mean, it was an immersion, an intensive course, it was not supposed to be easy. If it’s too easy, then it means you’re not at the right level.

homework, homework, homework

Now, regarding the classes, I couldn’t ask for better colleagues. I met people from the US, from Chile, from India, from the UK… and another encouraging thing is that there were people of all ages – from 19 years old to 57 years old. So, don’t ever think that learning a language abroad is only for the youngest ones! Everyone was super nice and we had so much fun during our classes. Our teacher, Karine, was incredible. The classes were never restricted to the book and textbooks. She brought us so many extra materials while she covered grammar, reading, listening, writing, and speaking. Topics like arts, love, and food were part of our classes, with the help of music, videos, and games. Another thing to notice is that there was homework every day. Yes, every day. Although I was super tired when I got home and the last thing I wanted was dealing with more French, I can’t deny how much the homework has helped me to fixate on the topics we were learning during the classes, especially when it comes to grammar.

Another thing that helps is that Alliance française de Paris offers extra activities and workshops so you can learn more about French culture and practice the language in a fun way – I participated in a wine workshop – and there were other activities like museum tours, movie sessions, and even workout classes! Also, they have a library where you can study and take advantage of French books.

Extra activities – learning more about French wines and improving my vocabulary.

Where to stay in Paris

Although I stayed at my sister’s place for most of the time (in a town close to Paris), I also had a very local experience in the city towards the end of my period in Paris, when my husband joined me. We stayed in a Blueground apartment in the Marais neighborhood, and this platform is an excellent solution for anyone looking for a place to stay for a long or short-term period. This was the unit we stayed in.

If you are not familiar, Blueground is a housing platform that specializes in fully-furnished, medium to long-term rental apartments in major cities around the world. The places are designed for busy professionals, digital nomads, and anyone seeking a turn-key living solution. And although for a long time they only offered 30-day minimum stays, they now offer short-term stays in select cities – DC, Miami, Mexico City, Paris, Athens, London, Dubai, Chicago, Austin, Vienna, Zurich, Barcelona, Lisbon, Seattle, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo. So, if you are thinking of studying French in Paris like I did, or you are planning a week’s trip to the city of lights and you need a place to stay with all the comforts and convenience, Blueground is the perfect solution for that.

One thing I love about Blueground is that you don’t need to worry about furniture, utilities, a TV, dinnerware, cookware, bed sheets, or towels. So, when they say the units are ready to move, it’s because these units have pretty much everything you need in a home. Our apartment in Paris had the perfect size for my husband and me, featuring a kitchen and a living room, bathroom, and bedroom, and amenities like washer/dryer, dishwasher, and coffee maker.

Our home sweet home in Paris.

Here’s what I love about it:

Convenience: Apartments are ready to move in, so there’s no need to worry about furniture shopping, setting up utilities, or dealing with a lengthy rental process.
Flexibility: whether you need a place for a couple of days (in select cities) a month, or a year, they offer terms that are tailored to your needs – in fact, that’s perfect for relocations, extended travel, or temporary work assignments.
Premium Locations: Blueground properties are in nice neighborhoods, usually near public transportation, restaurants, and main city attractions.

Whether you are moving to a new city, and you need a place to stay while you settle in, whether you are spending some time in a place to learn a new language, to pursue a MBA or even to have an experience as a local for some specific time, or whether you are just traveling for fun and want to have a local experience, Blueground is such a convenient solution for that – especially considering these stays usually last less than a year and, in some places, it can be really hard to get a lease for less than 12 months.

Ready to book your apartment from Blueground? Use my discount code LARbg651 to get $100 off your less than 6-month bookings and $200 off your 6+ month bookings or $25 off on your less than a month booking! Click here.

This was our second experience with Blueground – back in December 2024, we stayed in one of their apartments in Barcelona, and it was amazing! You can check more details by clicking here. I believe it’s a clever solution for anyone looking for apartments for medium to long-term stays in cities like Tokyo, Paris, London, Madrid, Los Angeles, New York City or any of the other cities where they have units – make sure to check their website to see the full list. Especially in New York City, where I live today and I’m pretty familiar with the hassle of renting a place when you just arrive or when you are a student, it’s such a convenient solution!

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Tips to get around in Paris and get the most of your experience

Gym: a non-negotiable for me while away from home is keeping my exercise routine. For short-term stays, I usually stick to running outside and doing some quick strengthening sessions at home with elastic bands. But for longer stays, I like to find a gym. In Paris, I ended up signing up at Basic-Fit – they have a lot of locations around the city and, depending on the plan you choose, you can use all the locations. But be aware of the cancellation policy – if you are going to use it for only a month, I recommend canceling right after you sign up, cause there’s a 30-day notice. I ended up spending around 80€ on the signing-up fees + a month.
Transportation in Paris: although the best way to explore Paris is by foot, sometimes you will need to rely on the public transportation and I think their public transportation system is excellent – although most subway lines don’t have air conditioning, lol. Subways and trains are fast, and the frequency is also incredible. Buses also work well. I highly recommend downloading the Bonjour RATP app so you can buy your tickets directly from your phone and add them to your Apple Wallet. Each ticket costs 2-2,50€, depending on the type, and you can transfer within the network. You can also use Uber and Bolt for ride-sharing services, and I recommend always checking both, cause the price difference can be significant. But be aware: traffic in Paris is not the best. Plan accordingly!

Running with this view was not bad at all!

Grocery stores – when in Paris, take advantage of the boulangeries (for breads), boucheries (meats), patisserie (pastries), fromagerie (cheeses), and fruit stands. The Parisians don’t shop for everything at one place – they go to specific and specialized places to get the best of the best in terms of freshness, quality, and prices. For groceries in general, there are tons of Carrefour and Franprix locations all over the city – small and big ones, with the small ones being more like convenience stores.
Bookstore – one thing I did that really helped me with my studies was getting a dictionary and a verb dictionary to use during classes and help me with homework. Yes, you can always use Google Translate, but I’m old school – plus, I think it can be distracting to look up your phone every time you need to check a word. My recommendation is visiting Gilbert Joseph bookstore – not only do they have a huge variety of books, they offer the used books right next to the new ones – meaning bargains. I spent around 5€ on the two dictionaries I mentioned.
Where to eat – every day, I would have lunch near Alliance française de Paris, so I tried different fast-casual spots around. I’m sharing all my tips on the map you can find at the end of this post.

Studying French at Alliance française de Paris – was it worth it?

You know how people say that immersing yourself in a language can cause a big jump in your learning? It’s true. I’ve always heard that – and it’s not that I had ever doubted it, but experiencing that myself was eye-opening and incredible. I learned so much.

I must warn you: it’s intense. You will be tired, you will doubt yourself, things won’t make sense – but be patient! Language learning is a marathon, not a sprint. We didn’t learn our mother tongue in two weeks – so, have some mercy, lol.

And please note: my benchmark is myself. I try not to compare my learning journey to other people—I only compare myself to who I was before, through my previous experiences in Paris, and how much more I started to understand, how I’ve become able to handle small tasks, and how much more confident I feel with the language. What before was just a couple of sounds with lots of R’s started to have some meaning, some rhythm, and to make some sense in my head.

There’s another thing that adds to the experience of taking classes every day: the fact that you are in a city where everything is, mostly, in French, exposes you to the language every single second, so it’s easier to absorb and retain it. I’ve become more confident handling everyday tasks—like going to the grocery store, for example—and now I feel even more motivated to keep studying. It always amazed me to learn some adverb, noun, or verb in the morning and identify it in the afternoon by listening to a train announcement.

Also, try to make your best to stick to French when you are feeling confident. Practice telling people you are a student – all the times I shared that, I had good experiences. And yes, there were some other days when I switched to English, and that’s ok!

So, I guess my verdict is: if this is something you’ve been considering, GO FOR IT! Immersing yourself in the language is such a rewarding adventure. Yes, it can cause some anxiety, but realizing you actually understand something in another language just hits differently.

Make sure to check the Alliance Française de Paris website to learn more about their classes and courses!

Check my map with recs on places to eat in Paris!

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Laura Peruchi

Content creator and journalist in New York City. Here, I share lifestyle, beauty, NYC tips, thoughts, and the struggles about living in the most amazing city in the world! I’m not gonna pretend to be another person: I’m a Brazilian immigrant and I think this is my soul, it is part of who I am. I hope you enjoy my content! Follow me on Instagram!