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Susan Clough
Sep 16, 20215 min read

Parlez-vous Français?



It is so important to be able to speak some French to help you settle in and make the most of life in and around Manosque. The more confident you feel in your French, the easier you will find it to make friends and integrate into local life. But where to start?


You can take French classes locally, either in groups or with a private teacher. This is a great option for meeting other French learners in the area, and for making sure that you practise speaking French rather than just learning passively from a book or app. However, you will need to have time to commit to regular classes in order to make the most of them, which may not be easy for people with work or childcare commitments.


You can choose self-study online or through books and apps. This is a much more flexible option, but requires you to have the willpower and patience to work independently, and does not give you the opportunity to interact with other people.


You can also choose a more immersive method, by volunteering with a local French association (club). If you have skills to share, such as community gardening, dog-walking for an animal shelter, sorting donated clothes, playing in a sports team, etc., you will be welcomed by the locals! This can feel very scary at first, but it is amazing how quickly your French will improve in this kind of environment. And you get to have fun!



Classes in the local area






  • AVF in Manosque – volunteer-run conversation classes in Manosque city centre, 31 Rue Grande. Classes are weekly and you have to be a member of AVF (€32 /year). You then buy a booklet of tickets and in effect pay €1 per session. avf.04100.manosque@gmail.com



  • Pole Emploi in Manosque (or your local town) – Pole Emploi offers courses for non-French speakers. You need to register with your local branch of Pole Emploi as a jobseeker. While you may not be eligible for jobseeker benefits, you can gain access to relevant training courses including language courses. Make sure you ask specifically for “cours de francais” when you meet your advisor.



  • Sufle in Aix en Provence – the language school connected to Aix University. You can choose a full-time course (between 18 and 20 hours a week, for one or two semesters), or a part-time course (3 hours per week). Full-time courses cost €1650 for one semester or €2800 for two. https://www.univ-amu.fr/en/public/actualites/sufle-all-news




Private lessons

A private tutor (either 1-1 or in a small group) is a great way to make quick progress and to make sure you learn the French you need for your personal situation. Finding a local tutor who teaches at home will probably cost you around the same as taking courses at a large language school. In Manosque, you can find adverts for private tutors near the International School (e.g. business cards in the boulangerie opposite the school), or by asking around in the local non-Francophone community.


For a local French tutor, you can try to post on Expats In And Around Manosque Facebook group to try and find someone near you.


You can also look for someone who might be interested in a conversation exchange – you spend a certain amount of time speaking your native language with a French person who is learning your language, and then an equal amount of time speaking French together. Try putting up a notice in your local boulangerie or supermarket to find people who might be interested. There are also often adverts for conversation exchanges at the BookInBar English bookshop in Aix-en-Provence.


Useful websites, apps, and books for self-study


  • Médiatheque (local library) – joining the local médiatheque is cheap (just €15/year) and gives you access not only to books, but to a whole wealth of online resources, including free online French lessons which you can access from home via the DLVA médiatheques website. https://mediatheques.dlva.fr/



  • Duolingo – the world’s most popular language learning app. This is excellent for beginners, and it’s good to get into the habit of doing a little bit of French every day


  • Netflix - watch shows in French with French subtitles. This really helps you to make the link between the pronunciation and spelling of a word, which is not always easy when you’re learning. Children’s shows are a good place to start, or just a 10-minute clip from a show you like.


  • Languages Online app (for beginners) – This app is designed for children and is great for complete beginners. It covers numbers, colours, telling the time, etc. Download the app for Iphone, Windows or Mac here: https://www.education.vic.gov.au/LanguagesOnline/


  • YouTube – there are loads of options here. Popular channels are Comme Une Francaise, Piece of French, Inner French, Coffe Break French and Francais avec Pierre. Test a few and find what suits you. Inner French and Coffee Break French also do podcasts.



  • Italki - this website pairs you up with a native speaker for conversation exchange. It’s a good opportunity to practise your French from the comfort of your own home, but I would recommend getting out and connecting with a real native speaker locally if you can. https://www.italki.com/


  • Books – some people still prefer a physical book with exercises rather than an online app. Here are some recommendations:

* CLE international publishes a highly regarded series of teaching books (all in French). Choose your level under “adolescents” or “adultes.” They offer vocabulary books, grammar books and communication books. For complete beginners, the “communication progressive” book is a good place to start. https://www.cle-international.com/communication-progressive-du-francais-niveau-debutant-complet-livre-cd-livre-web-nouvelle-couverture-9782090382105.html


*Collins Easy Learning French Grammar is a very clear guide to French grammar, written in English, suitable for beginner and intermediate learners. There is a companion book called Collins Easy Learning French Conversation which comes with downloadable audio files.


* For intermediate/advanced learners, French Grammar and Usage by Roger Hawkins (published by Routledge) is my favourite French grammar book. Buy the accompanying workbook with exercises too.



This is an evolving list – if you have any tips to add, please comment below!


Which methods worked best for you? Tell us!



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