Category: Blog

Paris in August: what not to miss if you’re studying French at ACCORD this summer!

As every student at ACCORD school will tell you, Paris doesn’t suddenly become a ghost town in August! There is so much to do and see: pop-up beaches on the banks of the Seine, museum exhibitions, outdoor concerts and festivals in the French capital’s leafy parks. You’ll soon see that Paris is jam-packed with excuses to get outside the classroom, explore the city and practise your French in a convivial and relaxed atmosphere.

Whether you want to spend time studying Matisse or Delacroix paintings, experience the thrill of the European Aquatics Championships or enjoy an outdoor concert one evening in August, here is a selection of events which must not be missed this month in Paris.

Events

• Paris Plages (jusqu’au 30 août)
• Championnats d’Europe de Natation au Centre Aquatique Olympique (1 au 15 août)
• L’Esports World Cup à l’Expo Porte de Versailles (jusqu’au 23 août)

Exhibitions

• Matisse, 1914-1954 au Grand Palais (jusqu’au 2 août)
• Madame de Sévigné, Lettres Parisiennes, au musée Carnavalet (jusqu’au 23 août)
• Clair-obscur, Art moderne, à la Bourse du Commerce-Pinault (jusqu’au 31 août)
• Exposition générale à la Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain (jusqu’au 23 août)
• Chiens et Chats, Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie (jusqu’au 30 août)
• Giovanni Segantini, musée Marmotan Monet (jusqu’au 16 août)
• Beyond the Street, à la Grande Halle de La Villette (jusqu’au 30 août)
• Eugène Delacroix, musée Delacroix (jusqu’au 11 septembre)

Concerts & Festivals

• Arènes Lyriques (jusqu’à mi-août)
• Festival de Cinéma en plein air de la Villette (jusqu’au 16 août)
• Rock en Seine (26 au 30 août)
• Jazz à La Villette (jusqu’à fin août)
• Festival Silhouette (jusqu’au 6 septembre)
• Festival Classique au Vert (jusqu’à début septembre)
• Paris Jazz Festival (jusqu’à début septembre)
• Cinéma sur le toit (jusqu’à mi-septembre)
• Festival de Théâtre en Plein Air (jusqu’en septembre)

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Why the 15th Arrondissement Is One of the Best Places to Study French in Paris

Study French. Experience Paris. Live the Language.

When people imagine studying French in Paris, they often picture elegant cafés, lively markets, beautiful boulevards and conversations on sunny terraces. The good news? You don’t have to imagine it. In the 15th arrondissement, this is everyday life.
Located on the Left Bank of the Seine, the 15th is one of Paris’s largest and most welcoming neighbourhoods. It combines everything international students look for: safety, excellent transport connections, authentic Parisian life and a vibrant atmosphere, without the overwhelming crowds found in some of the city’s busiest tourist districts.
It is also the neighbourhood where an accredited French language school such as ACCORD Paris welcomes students from around the world every year.

Experience the Real Paris

One of the greatest advantages of the 15th arrondissement is its authenticity. Unlike neighbourhoods designed primarily for tourists, the 15th is where Parisians live, work, shop and meet friends.
As you walk through its streets, you’ll quickly discover local bakeries filled with the aroma of freshly baked croissants, independent food shops, bustling cafés, family-run restaurants and neighbourhood squares where everyday Parisian life unfolds.
For students learning French, this creates countless opportunities to hear and practise the language naturally. Every visit to a bakery, every coffee ordered in French and every conversation with a shopkeeper becomes part of your learning experience.

A Safe and Comfortable Environment for Students

Choosing where to study abroad is about more than selecting a course, it is also about feeling comfortable where you live.
The 15th arrondissement is widely appreciated for its residential character, clean streets and friendly atmosphere. Families, professionals, university students and local residents all contribute to a neighbourhood that feels welcoming throughout the year.
Whether you are travelling alone or studying abroad for the first time, the area offers the reassurance of a lively yet relaxed environment where students quickly feel at home.

Discover One of Paris’s Best Outdoor Markets

Few experiences are more French than shopping at an open-air market. Several times each week, the neighbourhood comes alive as colourful market stalls fill the streets with seasonal fruit and vegetables, artisan cheeses, fresh seafood, flowers, pastries and regional specialities.
For language learners, these markets are much more than places to shop. They are living classrooms. Listening to conversations, asking questions, discovering new products and interacting with local vendors provide authentic opportunities to improve your French while experiencing an important part of everyday French culture.

Learn French Between Cafés and Brasseries

Some of the best language lessons happen after class. The 15th arrondissement is filled with traditional cafés where you can enjoy a coffee while reading the French newspapers, reviewing your notes or simply listening to conversations around you.
As evening arrives, the neighbourhood takes on a different rhythm. Friendly wine bars, cosy restaurants and classic Parisian brasseries welcome both locals and visitors, creating the perfect atmosphere for practising French with classmates or simply enjoying Parisian life. Language learning becomes part of your social life.

Close to the Eiffel Tower—Yet Wonderfully Local

One of the great pleasures of studying in the 15th arrondissement is its location. The Eiffel Tower is only a short walk or métro ride away, allowing students to enjoy one of the world’s most famous landmarks whenever they wish.
Yet despite this proximity, much of the neighbourhood has preserved its authentic local character. You can spend the afternoon visiting one of Paris’s iconic monuments before returning to quiet residential streets, neighbourhood cafés and local shops where everyday Paris continues at its own pace. It is the perfect balance between discovery and daily life.

Excellent Connections Across Paris

Paris has one of the world’s most efficient public transport systems, and the 15th arrondissement is particularly well served. Several métro lines, buses and nearby train connections make it easy to reach museums, universities, theatres, monuments and every other district of the capital.
Whether you want to explore Montmartre, the Latin Quarter, Le Marais, Le Louvre museum, Notre Dame cathedral, La Saint Chapelle or Saint-Germain-des-Prés after class, the entire city is within easy reach.

The Ideal Place to Learn French

Learning French is not only about what happens inside the classroom. It is about hearing the language every day. Speaking it. Living it. The 15th arrondissement naturally encourages this immersion.
From ordering your morning croissant to chatting with market vendors, relaxing in a café or discovering local restaurants with friends, every day offers new opportunities to gain confidence and improve your French.

Study French in the Heart of Paris

Choosing an accredited French language school located in the 15th arrondissement means studying in one of the city’s most enjoyable neighbourhoods. Here, your classroom extends far beyond the school itself. Paris becomes your teacher. Its streets become your vocabulary book. Its cafés become conversation practice. Its markets become listening exercises. Its people become part of your learning journey.
The French language school is fully air-conditioned!
And long after your course has ended, you may discover that what you remember most is not only the French you learned, but the Paris you experienced.

Ready to experience French where it is spoken every day? Discover our accredited French courses in Paris and start your own language journey in one of the world’s most inspiring cities.

Study French. Experience Paris. Live the Language.

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Learn French Through Music: 40 French Songs to Sing Along With ACCORD Paris

Looking for a fun way to learn French? At ACCORD, our French school in the heart of Paris, just a short walk from the Eiffel Tower, we believe that learning French should be both effective and genuinely enjoyable.

This is why we’ve put together a playlist of French songs, including some of the most famous ones out there. Whether you’re a fan of Piaf, Trenet, Higelin, Lavilliers, Gainsbourg, Barbara or Goldman, our music selection will help you improve your French while having fun, singing along and learning the lyrics as you go.

Why learn French through music?

Listening to music is a particularly effective form of language immersion: it encourages you to discover and memorise new vocabulary and improves your listening comprehension.

Listening is great, really great, but repeating song lyrics (and singing along with the artist!) really helps with your pronunciation without you even noticing. In almost all of the video clips below, the lyrics are shown karaoke-style, but you’ll always hear the original singer performing the song.

Learn French with…

Female singers

Edith Piaf – La vie en Rose  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPU8mENUBXk

Edith Piaf – Hymne à L’Amour  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgBldNsK-xw

Edith Piaf – L’Homme à la moto  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-c-w6SBe_E

Barbara – L’aigle noir  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-d1-783aA0

Françoise Hardy – Tous les garçons et les filles  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPkBMqehr5k

Dalida – Le Temps Des Fleurs  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gO_YzK5dTjg

Sylvie Vartan – La plus belle pour aller danser  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBWfklvlUAE

Juliette Gréco – Sous le ciel de Paris  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MtkiiF6YMo

Juliette Gréco – Un petit poisson, un petit oiseau  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fj_LzQYyaAM

Marie Laforêt – Viens, viens  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HUW2Zcpdlk

Brigitte Bardot avec Serge Gainsbourg – Bonnie and Clyde  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgBqyNJwjqE

Brigitte Bardot – Harley Davidson  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzhtfFfuL84

France Gall – Poupée de cire, poupée de son  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1H0UPA_bixs

France Gall – Ella, Elle l’a  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaFFlu_QQxE

Male singers

Serge Gainsbourg – Ce mortel ennui  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyMqgv5Djf0

Serge Gainbourg – Couleur Café  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etTcm6b4y3A

Serge Gainsbourg – Je suis venu te dire que je m’en vais  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uN-Kk5dFt9s

Charles Trenet – La mer  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ka–QM_tJ-s

Charles Trenet – Que reste‐t‐il de nos amours ?  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muTtoG399kM

Charles Trenet – Douce France  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsEw0kcx8yE

Jacques Higelin – Pars  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MO6xE1j0axQ

Bernard Lavilliers – Les mains d’or  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_FrCekiYSY

Jean-Jacques Goldman – Quand la musique est bonne  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_7G-FXQK3c

Jean-Jacques Goldman – Comme Toi  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvzFxSoiLBY

Jean-Jacques Goldman – Là-bas  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWNnf5-hhU8

Joe Dassin – Et si tu n’existais pas   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMR8S154_zA

Joe Dassin – Les Champs Elysées  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FNJtKRL20s

Jacques Brel – Ne me quitte pas  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0tPRFMBZ98

Jacques Brel – Amsterdam  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bn2KkqTue1Q

Jacques Brel – La Chanson des vieux amants  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_0RZ4WzFUg

Florent Pagny – Savoir aimer  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlAjOjtbI9Q

Jean Ferrat – La montagne  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JBeO0RhzQY

Jean Ferrat – Aimer à perdre la raison  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpjcSFNj4BQ

Alain Bashung – La nuit je mens  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0KOBTkNrWE

French pop-rock bands

ANGE – Ces gens-là (chanson de Jacques Brel)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHVU6dQBkKE

Téléphone – Un autre monde  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NE4Pf24pfEg

Téléphone – La bombe humaine  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgfoOJziPfc

BIJOU – Rock à la radio https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWxuMXM8UWs

Noir Désir – Le vent nous portera  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cd-Gga7Smyg

TRUST – Antisocial  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2MChYplYeM

Indochine – J’ai demandé à la lune  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ot4aDt3j1RE

Learning French through music is also a great complement to a language stay in France. At ACCORD, our French courses draw on a wide range of materials: songs, but also newspaper and magazine articles in French, French films and role-playing exercises. Our goal is to help you progress as quickly as possible while immersing you in French culture.

Dynamic French courses open to all levels

Our French language school in Paris offers French courses for all levels, from complete beginner to advanced. Depending on your goals, you can choose from our 9 intensive courses, our 2 semi-intensive courses, our exam preparation courses (DELF, DALF, Abitur, A/AS Level, ILC), or our specialist courses such as Business French or Legal French. See the full list of our French courses in Paris.

While you wait to join us at ACCORD Paris, learn French through music with ACCORD Paris, sing along with the 40 songs we’ve put together for you today!

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The best French sweet pastries and cakes to try during your stay in Paris

France is world-renowned for its gourmet cuisine and sophisticated sweet treats. Whether you’re a fine foodie, enjoy trying local specialities or just want to practise your French, sampling our local specialities is all part of experiencing a language stay in Paris.

ACCORD French language school in Paris actively encourages students to practise their French outside the classroom. Visiting a bakery, ordering a cake, asking the baker for a recommendation and chatting with the staff and customers are golden opportunities to use your French in real-life situations.

Some French pastries and cakes s are famous all over the world, others are local gems that overseas visitors are yet to unearth. Here’s a mouth-watering selection that you won’t be able to resist ticking off your to-do list after your French class in Paris.

Did you know…
The French don’t class croissants and pains au chocolat (also known as chocolatines) as pâtisseries in France; they call them viennoiseries. They’re made using puff pastry and traditionally served for breakfast or as an afternoon snack, whereas pâtisseries tend to be served as dessert or as a sweet treat.

French pâtisserie classics

Éclair
Éclairs are one of the most iconic French cakes. They’re made with choux pastry filled with crème pâtissière with a glossy glaze on top. Chocolate and coffee are classics but pâtissiers make them in all kinds of flavours, including vanilla, caramel and pistachio.
Lightbulb moment: éclair means lightning in French, so does it take its name from the fact that we eat it at lightning speed?

Millefeuille
Millefeuilles are made up of three crispy puff pastry layers with vanilla crème pâtissière sandwiched between each layer. Its white glaze adorned with chocolate feathering make it instantly recognisable. It’s named after the many layers created by the puff pastry or feuilletage. Are there really one thousand? Find out for yourself!

Tarte Tatin
A Tarte Tatin is essentially an upside-down cake from the 19^th century. The apples are caramelised in butter and sugar in a pan before being given a pastry top and baked. When it’s ready to serve, the tart is turned over so the apples are on top and the pastry is on the bottom.
Legend has it that the recipe came about from a happy accident when the Tatin sisters overcooked their apples at their inn.

Paris-Brest
This sweet treat was designed in 1910 to celebrate the famous Paris-Brest-Paris bike race, which is why it looks like a wheel. Its choux pastry ring is filled with praline cream and decorated with almond slivers. It’s a wheel French pâtisserie classic.

Opéra
Sleek and stylish Opéra cakes are made up of delicate layers of Joconde biscuit, coffee buttercream, chocolate ganache and a glossy chocolate glaze.
The beautiful balance between chocolate and coffee makes it a popular dessert and its good looks make it a regular in Parisian pâtisserie shop windows.

Fraisier
The French love a fraisier in spring for its light sponge, crème mousseline and fresh strawberries. It’s a favourite at birthday parties and family get-togethers.

Religieuse
This cute concoction has two choux buns, one on top of the other, filled with chocolate or coffee crème pâtissière and topped with a chocolate or coffee glaze. Why’s it named after nuns? Just take a look at the shape… doesn’t it remind you of a nun’s traditional headdress?

Unmissable French treats

If you want to try something different once you’ve sampled France’s signature sweets, push the boat out and try some of our regional specialities during your time in Paris. The French may know and love them, but not many people have heard of them overseas. Our regional cakes capture the diversity and variety of French pâtisserie in all its glory.

Kouign-amann
The kouign-amann from Brittany is often said to be one of the most indulgent cakes in France. Its name means gâteau au beurre or butter cake in Breton. It’s made using bread dough and lots of butter and sugar, making it crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Saint-Honoré
The Saint-Honoré was first concocted in the 19th century in tribute to the patron saint of bakers. It has a puff pastry base with lashings of whipped cream and a ring of little caramelised choux buns. Look out for this chic showstopper in the best cake shops and tea rooms in Paris

Flan pâtissier
If may look simple, but the flan pâtissier is a French pâtisserie favourite. The indulgent creamy filling is made using eggs and vanilla in a shortcrust or puff pastry case. Locals love serving it for dessert or grabbing a slice of flan for an afternoon snack.

Pithiviers
This frangipane-filled puff pastry cake hails from the town of Pithiviers in the Loiret (not to be confused with the savoury meat-filled pithiviers pie). Bakers score pretty patterns into the crust with a knife before baking it until golden.
Can you tell the difference between a pithiviers and a galette des Rois?

Tropézienne
The Tropézienne comes from 1950s Saint-Tropez and is a soft brioche filled with whipped cream and topped with sugar crystals. It shot to stardom after the release of the Brigitte Bardot film, And God Created Woman, and is the perfect summer dessert.

Merveilleux
A merveilleux is the perfect combination of crisp meringue, whipped cream and chocolate shavings. It’s light as a feather and melts in your mouth. It originated in Northern France and Belgium and is popular all over France. It’s certainly merveilleux!
Foodies describe the merveilleux as a cake that looks as good as it tastes!

Gourmet glossary

France is home to a few different types of shop:

• A boulangerie sells bread, pastries and a few cakes too.
• A pâtisserie specialises in sweet treats and desserts.
• A boulangerie-pâtisserie brings the two together.
• A salon de thé is the place to go for cake with coffee, tea or hot chocolate.

French phrases to use when you’re in a Parisian pâtisserie

These phrases could come in handy during your stay in Paris:

• Bonjour, je voudrais…
• Qu’est-ce que vous me conseillez ?
• Je vais prendre cette pâtisserie.
• Est-ce que je peux manger sur place ?
• C’est à emporter, s’il vous plaît.
• Combien je vous dois ?
• Merci beaucoup. Bonne journée !

Practise your French in real-world situations as you explore the wonderful world of French pâtisserie.

A mouth-watering must-do during your language stay in Paris

No trip to Paris would be complete without visiting the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Montmartre and the French capital’s bakeries to sample a French speciality and make chit-chat with the shop owners. These slices of everyday life are often the best way to improve your French as they help you broaden your vocabulary, build your confidence and get to grips with French culture.

ACCORD FLE language school encourages its students to squeeze every drop out of their immersive language experience. So once your French lessons have finished for the day, why not plan a gourmet tour visiting the pâtisseries in 15th arrondissement, Le Marais, Saint-Germain-des-Prés or Rue de Rivoli?  It will satisfy your appetite for culture, French practice and sweet treats!

Come hungry!
Which of all the French bakes and cakes we’ve mentioned are you the most excited to try?
Feel free to ask your teacher or ACCORD staff for advice: they are only too happy to recommend a few great little spots near the school!

Bon appétit et à bientôt chez ACCORD à Paris!

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Learn French Through Music with ACCORD Paris: French Pop-Rock

Many French rock bands chose to sing in English, hoping to reach an international audience. But some choose to do the opposite: writing and recording in French, even if it meant staying largely unknown beyond our borders. And that’s exactly what makes their catalogue so valuable to you, these are songs written in French, playing on words with expressions and vocabulary that are genuinely French.

After our first playlist dedicated to great French singers, here’s a selection focused entirely on Pop-Rock bands who sang in French. Another way to build your vocabulary, train your ear, and get a feel for French music culture, beyond the hits already heard everywhere in the world.

Discover these French Pop-Rock bands

Dynastie Crisis
A French rock band from the 70s, Dynastie Crisis remains a little-known but well-regarded name among fans of French rock, known for ambitious compositions and a distinctly French identity.

Dynastie Crisis – Vivre Libre: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkXXq6i2XwY&list=RDKkXXq6i2XwY&start_radio=1

Dynastie Crisis – Faust 72: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r03hzBWESyU&list=RDr03hzBWESyU&start_radio=1

Atoll
A French progressive rock band from the 70s known for elaborate compositions, swinging between dreamy atmospheres and more theatrical pieces, as shown in the track below.

Atoll – L’Araignée-Mal (Le photographe exorciste): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weA1bYu2V3o&list=RDweA1bYu2V3o&start_radio=1

Téléphone
Arguably one of the most iconic French rock bands. Téléphone defined the late 70s and early 80s with energetic rock, entirely sung in French. Their lyrics and sound had a deep influence on French rock as a whole.

Téléphone – Hygiaphone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ah3ayYdRO5A

Téléphone – Cendrillon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tHbSMQeCdk&list=RD_tHbSMQeCdk&start_radio=1

Téléphone – Un autre monde: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NE4Pf24pfEg&list=RDNE4Pf24pfEg&start_radio=1

Indochine
Formed in the early 80s, Indochine has grown over the decades into one of the most popular French rock bands, still active today with a loyal fanbase that spans generations.

Indochine – Trois nuits par semaine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mtpnv1D-HXo&list=RDMtpnv1D-HXo&start_radio=1

Indochine – Le chant des cygnes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAmOCXgc76U&list=RDZAmOCXgc76U&start_radio=1

Triangle
A French pop-rock band from the 70s, Triangle found popular success with catchy melodies and very explicit lyrics.

Triangle – Peut-être demain: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJ2K9cb9L_E&list=RDjJ2K9cb9L_E&start_radio=1

Triangle – Viens avec nous: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODzH_CKGdU4&list=RDODzH_CKGdU4&start_radio=1

Martin Circus
An iconic French pop band from the 70s, Martin Circus is remembered for catchy, often humorous tracks — like this hit that still gets airplay today.

Martin Circus – Je m’éclate au Sénégal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61RHnHAERS4&list=RD61RHnHAERS4&start_radio=1

Bijou
A pioneering French rock band from the late 70s, Bijou defined its era with raw energy and lyrics firmly rooted in everyday spoken French.

Bijou – Rock à la radio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzdlgzh7Fm4&list=RDtzdlgzh7Fm4&start_radio=1

Au Bonheur des Dames
A French pop band from the 80s, Au Bonheur des Dames found huge popular success with light, danceable songs, very representative of France’s pop mood in that decade.

Au Bonheur des Dames – Oh les filles !: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS8b9mACAWM&list=RDfS8b9mACAWM&start_radio=1

Louise Attaque
Formed in the 90s, Louise Attaque left its mark on French rock with an original sound blending guitars, violin and folk-rock energy. Songs that are ideal for improving your French.

Louise Attaque – J’t’emmène au vent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9L_dmSMBvU&list=RDk9L_dmSMBvU&start_radio=1 

Trust
A major name in French hard rock, Trust made its name with hard-hitting lyrics entirely in French, still quite rare within the hard rock genre.

Trust – Antisocial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-s6951-hT0

Les Rita Mitsouko
An iconic duo from the French rock scene of the 80s, Les Rita Mitsouko stood out with a singular musical world blending rock, pop chanson and Latin influences, plus an unforgettable stage presence.

Les Rita Mitsouko – Marcia Baïla: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zWlnzFXcKY&list=RD1zWlnzFXcKY&start_radio=1

Mano Negra
An iconic band from the late 80s and early 90s, Mano Negra blended rock, punk and Latin American sounds, carried by the infectious energy of Manu Chao and his brothers.

Mano Negra – Pas assez de toi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSxoxqDB0OI&list=RDeSxoxqDB0OI&start_radio=1

Another way to learn French

These bands may not have always crossed French borders, but that’s exactly what makes their catalogue so rich for you as a French learner: lyrics written and thought through in French, with no concessions made to an English-speaking audience. By listening to them, you’re training your ear to authentic French, the kind you’ll hear every day during your stay at ACCORD Paris.

So don’t hesitate to add these tracks to your playlist, sing along with the lyrics, and ask your teachers to explain any expressions that still escape you!

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In French, saying “thank you” and “you’re welcome” isn’t as simple as memorizing two words. Politeness in France comes with layers: formal or casual, warm or distant, spoken or written. Get it wrong and you might sound too stiff with friends or too relaxed with a stranger. Here’s how to navigate the subtleties of French gratitude so you sound natural, not like a phrasebook.

Merci, but how much?

The base word is merci. Easy enough. But the French rarely leave it there. To soften it or make it warmer, you’ll often hear merci beaucoup (thank you very much) or the more emphatic merci infiniment (thanks a million, literally “infinitely”).

When you want to thank someone for something specific, use merci pour with a noun, or merci de with a verb. So it’s merci pour le café (thanks for the coffee), but merci de m’avoir aidé (thanks for helping me). This distinction trips up a lot of learners, and getting it right makes you sound noticeably more fluent.

The polite ways to say you’re welcome

Here’s where things get interesting. There’s no single translation for “you’re welcome” in French. The right choice depends on the situation, the relationship, and even the region. The most common replies you’ll hear:

• De rien : “It’s nothing.” Casual, friendly, used everywhere.
• Je vous en prie / Je t’en prie : Polite and slightly formal. The vous version is what you’d use with a stranger or in a professional setting.
• Avec plaisir : “With pleasure.” Warm and genuine, increasingly popular.
• Pas de souci : “No worries.” Very casual, common among younger people.
• Il n’y a pas de quoi : “There’s no reason to thank me.” A bit old-fashioned but still heard.

Each one carries a different temperature. De rien works in almost any everyday situation, while je vous en prie is your safe bet when you want to show respect.

When formality really matters

The big divide in French politeness is tu versus vous, and it affects everything, including how you respond to thanks. With a colleague’s boss, a shopkeeper, or anyone older you don’t know well, stick with je vous en prie. It’s elegant and signals respect without being cold.

In a professional email, the rules tighten further. You’ll often close with something like Je vous remercie de votre attention (Thank you for your attention) followed by a formal sign-off. Dropping a casual de rien in a business message would feel out of place, almost careless. Context dictates tone here, and the French are quite sensitive to it.

Regional and generational habits

Language lives, and the way people say you’re welcome shifts depending on where you are and who you’re talking to. In Quebec, for instance, you’ll commonly hear bienvenue as a response to merci, a direct calque from English that would sound odd in Paris.

There’s a generational split too. Pas de souci has spread fast among younger French speakers, sometimes to the irritation of older generations who find it sloppy. Meanwhile, avec plaisir has become a favorite in cafés and shops, especially in the service industry, where it adds a touch of warmth. Listening to how locals actually speak teaches you more than any rulebook.

Common mistakes foreign learners make

The most frequent slip is treating bienvenue as “you’re welcome” in France. It almost always means “welcome” (as in welcoming someone to a place), not a reply to thanks. Another classic error is overusing merci in writing without varying the structure, which quickly sounds robotic.

Learners also tend to forget that responding to thanks is expected. Staying silent after someone says merci can come across as rude. A quick de rien or je vous en prie keeps the social exchange flowing. These small reflexes are exactly what you pick up through immersion, when you actually live the language rather than study it on paper.

Practicing the real thing in Paris

Reading about these nuances is one thing; using them without hesitation is another. The fastest way to internalize when to say avec plaisir versus je vous en prie is to be surrounded by French speakers every day. That’s where structured lessons combined with real-life immersion make the difference.

At ACCORD French Language School, located in central Paris near the Eiffel Tower, students from all over the world build exactly this kind of practical fluency. Whether you choose an intensive French course, a semi-intensive program, or an exam preparation for the DELF, you’ll practice politeness and conversation in real contexts, not just textbook exercises. Open year-round and welcoming students from age 16, the school turns these everyday subtleties into second nature.

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You learned “bonjour” and “au revoir” in your first French lesson. Good start. But the moment you step into a Parisian café or chat with a colleague, you’ll notice the French juggle a whole range of greetings depending on the time, the person, and the mood. Knowing when to use each one matters just as much as knowing the words. Here are 10 ways to greet people and say goodbye in French, so you sound natural instead of like a textbook.

Bonjour, the one you can’t skip

Bonjour is your safe bet in almost any situation. You say it to the baker, the bus driver, your boss, or a stranger in an elevator. In France, walking into a shop without saying bonjour first comes across as rude, so make it a reflex.

It literally means “good day” and works from morning until late afternoon. After that, switch to bonsoir (good evening). There’s no hard rule about the exact hour, but once the sun starts setting, bonsoir takes over. Get these two right and you’ll already blend in better than most beginners.

Salut, for friends and casual moments

Salut is the friendly, informal cousin of bonjour. You’ll hear it constantly among friends, classmates, and younger people. The handy thing? It works both ways: salut means hello and goodbye depending on the context.

Just don’t use it with someone you’ve just met in a professional setting, or with an older person you don’t know well. Stick to bonjour there. Salut is for people you’re comfortable with, the same way you’d say “hey” in English rather than “good morning.”

Coucou, the affectionate one

Coucou is very casual, almost playful. It’s what you say to close friends, family, or your partner, often with a smile. You’ll see it a lot in text messages too.

Saying coucou to your bank manager would feel strange, even funny. Keep it for the people you genuinely like. It carries a warmth that salut doesn’t always have, and picking up on these differences is what helps you sound like a local rather than a tourist reading from a phrasebook.

Greetings that depend on time and people

French greetings shift depending on who’s in front of you and what time it is. Here’s a quick overview:

• Bonjour : universal, daytime, formal or casual
• Bonsoir : evening, all situations
• Salut : informal, friends and peers
• Coucou : very informal, close circle
• Allô : only on the phone, never in person

That last one trips up a lot of learners. Allô is only for answering the phone. Saying it to greet someone face to face would sound completely off. Small details like these are easy to miss on your own, which is why practicing with native speakers makes such a difference.

Au revoir and its everyday alternatives

Au revoir is your standard goodbye, polite and appropriate everywhere. It literally means “until we see each other again.” Like bonjour, you can’t really go wrong with it.

But the French rarely stop there. À bientôt (see you soon), à plus tard (see you later, often shortened to à plus in speech), and à demain (see you tomorrow) all add a little precision. If you’re leaving a friend you’ll see the next day, à demain sounds far more natural than a flat au revoir.

Bonne journée and the art of well-wishing

Here’s something the French do constantly that beginners often forget: they wish you a good rest of your day when you leave. Bonne journée (have a good day) and bonne soirée (have a good evening) come right after the goodbye.

So a complete, natural exit sounds like: “Au revoir, bonne journée !” Shopkeepers say it to customers, neighbours say it to each other, and you should too. There’s also bonne nuit (good night), but careful: it’s only used when someone is actually going to sleep, not just leaving for the evening.

À tout à l’heure and the “à” family

The little word “à” opens up a whole set of friendly goodbyes that signal when you’ll meet again. À tout à l’heure means “see you later today,” while à tout de suite means “see you in a moment,” when you’re literally about to come right back.

In everyday speech, you’ll hear French people shorten these to à tout’ or à plus’. These casual versions are everywhere among friends, and using them shows you’ve moved past the basics. The fastest way to pick all this up is to spend time surrounded by people who use these expressions every day, which is exactly what learning French in Paris with us is built for.

 

You’ve been learning French for months. You feel confident. Then you tell someone you’re excité about your trip to Paris, and they look at you strangely. What happened? You just walked straight into the false friends trap. These words look familiar, sound like English, but mean something completely different. They’re everywhere in French, and even advanced learners get caught. Here’s how to spot them before they sabotage your next conversation.

What exactly is a false friend?

A false friend (or faux ami in French) is a word that looks or sounds almost identical in two languages but means something different. French and English share thousands of words thanks to their tangled history, which is great news when you’re building vocabulary. The problem is that some of these shared words drifted apart over the centuries.

Take librairie. It looks like “library,” so you’d expect a place full of books you can borrow. Wrong. A librairie is a bookshop, where you buy books. The actual library is a bibliothèque. 

One small mix-up, and you’re asking to borrow a book in a shop where everything’s for sale!

The classics that catch everyone

Some false friends are so common that nearly every English speaker trips over them at least once. They feel natural precisely because they’re so close to English, and that’s what makes them dangerous. You don’t stop to question them.

A few worth memorising right away:

• Actuellement doesn’t mean “actually.” It means currently or “at the moment.” For “actually,” use en fait.
• Attendre isn’t “to attend.” It means to wait. To attend an event, you assister à.
• Sensible means sensitive, not “sensible.” Telling someone they’re sensible is a compliment about their feelings, not their judgement.
• Rester means to stay, not “to rest.” If you’re tired and want to rest, you need se reposer.

When a false friend gets embarrassing

Some mistakes are harmless. Others make a room go quiet. The word excité is a perfect example. In English, “excited” is positive and innocent. In French, excité has a sexual connotation. So when you say je suis excité about visiting the Louvre, you’re saying something you definitely didn’t mean. To express enthusiasm, go with je suis content or j’ai hâte.

Another classic landmine is préservatif. It looks like “preservative,” the kind you’d find in processed food. But a préservatif is a condom. Read a French food label and ask about the préservatifs, and you’ll get some very surprised looks. The word for a food preservative is conservateur.

Why French is full of them

This isn’t a coincidence. After the Norman conquest in 1066, French poured into English on a massive scale. Both languages then borrowed from Latin independently over the following centuries. The result is a huge overlap of vocabulary where meanings drifted apart on each side of the Channel.

That’s why words like demander (to ask, not “demand”), passer un examen (to take an exam, not “pass it”), or blesser (to wound, not “bless”) feel so deceptive. The roots really are shared. The meanings just went their separate ways. Knowing this history won’t make the words easier to remember, but it explains why French has so many traps compared to a language with no connection to English at all.

How to stop falling for them

You can memorise a list, but false friends only really stick once you’ve used a word wrong in conversation and felt that awkward pause. Those moments teach you faster than any flashcard. 

The trick is to stay suspicious when a word seems too easy. If a French word looks exactly like English, that’s your cue to double-check rather than assume.

Reading in French helps a lot here. When you see éventuellement used in context, you realise it means possibly, not “eventually” (which would be finalement). Context does the heavy lifting that translation alone can’t. This is also where structured lessons earn their keep, because a teacher catches your false friends in real time and corrects them before they harden into habits.

Learning French where it actually clicks

You can study false friends from a textbook anywhere in the world, but nothing beats hearing how French people actually use these words. 

At ACCORD French Language School in central Paris, our courses put you in real conversations where these tricky words come up on their own. From intensive French courses to DELF exam preparation, you learn the language the way it’s genuinely spoken, mistakes corrected and all.

Whether you’re a beginner still confusing librairie and bibliothèque, or an advanced student polishing your fluency before a TCF exam, immersion in Paris gives you the daily practice that turns false friends into words you’ll never mix up again. Once you’ve ordered a coffee, asked for directions, and chatted with locals, those tricky words stop being traps and start feeling like second nature.

 

You’ve started learning French and someone asks if you’re “B1” or “A2”. You nod politely, but you have no idea what those letters mean. Don’t worry, you’re not alone. The CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) is the standard scale used across Europe to measure language ability, from absolute beginner to near-native. Here’s what each level actually means, and how to figure out where you stand.

What is the CEFR and why does it matter?

The CEFR was developed by the Council of Europe to create one shared way of describing language skills. Before it existed, every country and every school had its own grading system, which made comparing levels a nightmare. A “good” level in one place meant nothing somewhere else.

Today it’s used everywhere: universities, employers, immigration offices and language schools all rely on it. When you take a recognized exam like the TCF, your result comes back as a CEFR level. So understanding these levels isn’t just academic. It affects your studies, your job applications and sometimes your visa.

The three broad groups: A, B and C

The framework splits learners into three main groups, each divided into two levels. Think of it as a ladder with six rungs:

• A, Basic user (A1 and A2): you can handle simple, everyday situations.
• B, Independent user (B1 and B2): you can manage on your own in most contexts.
• C, Proficient user (C1 and C2): you communicate with ease, almost like a native speaker.

The jump between groups is bigger than it looks. Going from A to B means you stop relying on memorized phrases and start producing your own sentences. Reaching C means you handle complex, abstract topics without much effort.

A1 and A2: the beginner stages

At A1, you’re just getting started. You can introduce yourself, ask basic questions about where someone lives or what they do, and understand simple sentences spoken slowly and clearly. Think ordering a coffee, giving your name, asking for directions. It’s survival French, but it’s a real foundation.

A2 takes you a step further. You can describe your background, your daily routine and your surroundings. You handle short social exchanges like shopping, talking about your family or making plans. You still need people to speak clearly, but you’re no longer completely lost in a conversation.

B1 and B2: becoming independent

B1 is often the turning point. This is where you can travel through a French-speaking country and manage most situations on your own. You can talk about your experiences, your plans and your opinions, and follow the main points of a clear discussion on familiar topics. Many universities and immigration processes set B1 as a minimum requirement.

B2 is where things get serious. You understand the main ideas of complex texts, you interact with native speakers naturally enough that neither side struggles, and you can argue a point of view in detail. B2 is frequently the level required for university enrollment in France or for professional work. Reach B2 and you can genuinely live and work in French.

C1 and C2: the advanced levels

At C1, you express yourself fluently and spontaneously without searching too hard for words. You understand long, demanding texts and pick up on implied meaning. You use the language flexibly for social, academic and professional purposes. This is the level expected for demanding university programs and high-level professional roles.

C2 is the highest rung. You understand virtually everything you read or hear, you summarize information from different sources without effort, and you express yourself with precision even in complex situations. C2 doesn’t mean “perfect” or “native”, but it’s extremely close. Few learners need to reach this point. It’s mainly the benchmark for translators, interpreters and certain academic careers.

How to find out your own CEFR level

Self-assessment is a fine starting point, but it’s rarely accurate. People tend to overestimate or underestimate themselves. The most reliable way is to take an official placement test or a recognized exam. At ACCORD French Language School, we assess every new student before they start, so they join a class that matches their real level instead of one that’s too easy or too hard.

If you want an official certificate, the TCF is the way to go. ACCORD is an official TCF exam center, including the TCF IRN, TCF TP, TCF Québec and TCF Canada. Your result places you precisely on the CEFR scale, which is exactly what universities, employers and immigration authorities want to see.

Choosing the right course for your level

Knowing your level is one thing. Progressing is another. The right course depends on where you are and where you want to go. A beginner at A1 needs a different pace than someone at B2 preparing for a French university. That’s why we offer intensive, semi-intensive and super intensive French courses, alongside exam preparation, Business French and specialized programs.

The key is matching the course intensity to your goal and your timeline. If you need to reach B2 for your studies within a few months, an intensive program makes sense. If you’re learning at a steadier pace while living in Paris, a semi-intensive option fits better. Whatever your starting point on the CEFR scale, the right structure makes all the difference.

All our French language courses for adults at ACCORD Paris.

 

If you’re learning French, one question probably keeps tripping you up: should you say tu or vous? Pick wrong and you risk sounding rude, stiff, or just awkward. The good news is it’s not that complicated. Once you understand the logic, you’ll know which one to use in almost any situation.

What’s the difference between tu and vous?

Both tu and vous mean “you.” That’s the whole problem: English doesn’t distinguish between them, so French learners have no instinct to fall back on.

Tu is the informal, singular form. You use it with people you’re close to or on equal footing with. 

Vous is the formal version, and it’s also the plural, which adds another layer to think about.

So vous does double duty. When you’re talking to a group, you always use vous, no matter how close you are to them. When you’re talking to one person, that’s when the real decision happens: are you on tu terms with them, or not?

When to use tu

Use tu with someone you have a relationship of familiarity or equality with:

• Family members (parents, siblings, cousins, grandparents)
• Friends and close acquaintances
• Children and teenagers, or really anyone significantly younger
• Classmates and colleagues your own age, depending on the workplace
• Pets (yes, your dog gets the informal treatment)

In casual settings, tu is the default among young people. At a party or chatting with someone your age in a relaxed context, jumping straight to tu is usually fine and even expected. Using vous in these moments can come across as cold.

When to use vous

Vous is your safe bet whenever there’s distance, hierarchy, or someone you don’t know yet:

• Strangers, especially adults
• Your boss, professors, or anyone in a position of authority
• Older people you’re not close to
• Service staff, shopkeepers, officials, and anyone in a professional interaction
• Any group of people, formal or not

The rule for beginners: when in doubt, use vous. Being too formal is a minor slip at worst. Being too familiar with the wrong person can genuinely offend someone. Address a stranger or an authority figure with tu by mistake and you might get a raised eyebrow or a frosty reply.

How do you switch from vous to tu?

Here’s something that surprises a lot of learners: moving from vous to tu is a real, conscious step. There’s even a verb for it, tutoyer (to use tu with someone), and its opposite, vouvoyer.

Usually the older person, the one with more seniority, or the host is the one who offers to switch. You’ll often hear “On peut se tutoyer?” (“Can we use tu with each other?”) as a signal that things have relaxed. Once that invitation happens, switching back to vous would feel strange or even rude. So pay attention to that moment!

Where learners usually slip up

The trickiest spots are the in-between cases. Take the workplace. In a startup full of twenty-somethings, everyone says tu from day one. In a traditional law firm, vous rules until someone tells you otherwise. There’s no universal answer, so listen to how your colleagues speak to each other before you decide.

Online communication is another classic trap. On social media and in casual digital spaces, tu is everywhere, even between strangers. But in a professional email, you stick with vous. And don’t forget the plural: even your closest friends become vous the moment you’re addressing two or more of them at once. That one catches almost everyone off guard at first.

A simple mental shortcut

For a quick rule that works most of the time, ask yourself: would I be on a relaxed first-name basis with this person in English? If yes, tu is probably right. If the situation feels more like “Mr.” or “Mrs.” territory, go with vous.

The best way to build real instinct, though, is to immerse yourself and listen. At ACCORD French Language School in Paris, you practice these subtleties in real conversations with native teachers, so choosing between tu and vous stops being a calculation and starts feeling natural. 

After a few weeks surrounded by the language, you won’t be translating in your head anymore: you’ll just know.