French Courses

(updated 24/08/2026)

The “Apprendre le français par l’art” (“Learning French through art”) programme supports the integration of exiled artists through learning written and spoken French, and through acquiring social and cultural codes, via an approach centred on the immediate needs of newly arrived artists combined with current French and international cultural, social, and political affairs. The programme is designed to align with the CEFR framework for FLE (topics covered, objectives, socio-linguistics, morphosyntax, etc.) and with the National Reference Framework of the ANLCI (French National Agency Against Illiteracy) for the Alphas (literacy) course.

Various artistic practices are also used to develop oral skills (theatre techniques) and written skills (literature, poetry).

Learners may sit an official exam (DELF B1/B2) at a centre accredited by France Éducation International at the end of the course.

Courses are free for artists who are members of aa-e (to become a member, a membership process is required: contact contact@aa-e.org); they are also open to the general public at accessible rates (subject to availability)*.

Classes take place at 106 rue Brancion, 75015 Paris. People with reduced mobility can follow the course remotely. The class can be relocated to the ground floor (wheelchair accessible) if needed. Please contact ecole@aa-e.org for further information.

French course (FLE) fees and schedule 2026-2027*

French courses — Semester 1 (2026-2027)

Level A1 – Beginner 5h/week · 70h over the session · €300 (membership included) Start: 29 September 2026 — End: 24 June 2027

  • Tuesday 4pm-6pm: FLE
  • Thursday 1:30pm-3:30pm: FLE
    • 1 additional hour of oral practice (before or after, time to be confirmed)

Level A2 – Elementary 6h/week + 24h of civic training · 96h/semester · €400 (membership included) FLE + oral + exhibition visits Start: 7 September 2026 — End: 24 June 2027

  • Wednesday 10am-12pm: FLE
  • Wednesday 12pm-1pm: Oral
  • Thursday 1:30pm-4:30pm: FLE
    • 24h of civic training (time slot to be confirmed)

Level B1 9h/week · 144h/semester (including 32h of general culture and civic training) · €670 (membership included) FLE + conversation + general culture and civic training + exhibition visits Start: 7 September 2026 — End: 24 June 2027

  • Monday 10am-1pm: FLE
  • Tuesday 10am-1pm: FLE
  • Tuesday 1:30pm-3:30pm: General culture and civic training
  • Tuesday 3:30pm-4:30pm: Conversation

Level B2 9h/week · 144h/semester (including 32h of general culture and civic training) · €670 (membership included) FLE + conversation + general culture and civic training + exhibition visits Start: 7 September 2026 — End: 24 June 2027

  • Monday 2pm-5pm: FLE
  • Tuesday 1:30pm-3:30pm: General culture and civic training
  • Wednesday 1pm-2pm: Conversation
  • Wednesday 2:30pm-5:30pm: FLE

Subject to availability.

Placement tests from 3 August 2026

→ Information, registration, and placement test: ecole@aa-e.org

Registration follows these steps:

  1. Fill in the registration form
  2. The school contacts the candidate
  3. A placement test followed by an interview is arranged to assess the learner’s needs
  4. The candidate joins a group and signs a professional training agreement, then makes payment as indicated above, or on a pro-rata basis depending on the registration date

Registration validation for association members

Don’t forget to pay your association membership fee to validate your registration for the French course.

Registration link:  https://forms.gle/SXezKuKWhuf8Nrv79  Association membership payment link:  https://www.helloasso.com/associations/atelier-des-artistes-en-exil/adhesions/adhesion-artistes-membres-2025

This registration process applies only to those who have been supported by the association for less than 3 years. If you have been supported for more than 3 years, please arrange a review (contact accueil@aa-e.org) before registering.

2026-2027 Calendar

Session 1 — 7 September 2026 to 21 January 2027 Holidays: Toussaint (week of 26 Oct.) · Christmas (20 Dec. → 4 Jan.) Public holidays: 11 November · 1 January

Session 2 — 26 January to 3 June 2027 Holidays: Winter break (week of 15 Feb.) · Easter (week of 12 Apr.) · Ascension bridge (week of 10 May) Public holidays: 29 March, 1 May, 6, 8 May, 17 May

Exhibitions — Session 1

Objectif A2 Kurt Schwitters — Musée Picasso Cézanne — Grand Palais

Objectif B1 & B2 André Malraux — Musée Picasso Vies minuscules — Panthéon

Objectif B1 Remember Me — Bourse de Commerce

Objectif B2 Stan Douglas — Jeu de Paume

The programme

The programme is built around 4 pillars:

  • Cultural partnerships: visits to museums and art centres (Centre Pompidou, Bourse de Commerce – Pinault Collection, Jeu de Paume, Musée Picasso, Palais de Tokyo, etc.) are prepared in class beforehand
  • Teaching resources developed from original documents provided by cultural partners
  • Artistic practices to develop oral skills (theatre techniques) and writing skills (literature, poetry)
  • An online teaching blog to extend learning, centralise resources, and make them accessible from any device

The training programme

The aa-e Paris school offers 4 level groups. Students are placed according to their placement test results. A training session lasts 16 to 17 weeks, i.e. around a hundred hours of classes (following the Zone C school calendar).

Literacy (on request)

  • Introduction to the alphabet and phonetics, up to mastery of basic language skills
  • Spiral teaching, repetition, simplicity, and use of visual and concrete materials
  • Method based on the principles of MNLE (Natural Reading Method, formalised by Danielle de Keyzer and inspired by Freinet pedagogy), combining literacy tools, FLE learning, and adult illiteracy support

A1

  • Weekly programme (5h): 4h – FLE class (reading and writing comprehension/production, listening comprehension, mastery of language structures); 1h – oral expression and interaction
  • Course duration: one session
  • Work on two exhibitions per session (in-class preparation and visit)
  • Learners take a mock DELF (A1) exam in class at the end of the course

A2

  • Weekly programme (6h): 5h – FLE class (reading and writing comprehension/production, listening comprehension, mastery of language structures); 1h – oral expression and interaction
  • Course duration: one to two sessions
  • Work on two exhibitions per session (in-class preparation and visit)
  • Learners take a mock DELF (A2) exam in class at the end of the course
  • A2 pass rate (2025): 100%

B1

  • Weekly programme (9h): 6h FLE class (reading and writing comprehension/production, oral comprehension/production, mastery of language structures; introduction to art analysis and commentary); 2h of general culture and civic training class, “Text and context” module: French through literature, poetry, theatre, and song; 1h of conversation
  • Course duration: two sessions
  • In-depth work on one exhibition per session (“talking about art”): discovery visit – themed encounter – public speaking
  • Learners take an official exam (DELF B1) at an accredited centre at the end of the course
  • B1 pass rate (2025): 100% — National average (2024): 77.50%

B2

  • Weekly programme (9h): 6h FLE class (reading and writing comprehension/production, oral comprehension/production, mastery of language structures; introduction to art analysis and commentary); 2h of general culture and civic training class, “Text and context” module: French through literature, poetry, theatre, and song; 1h of conversation
  • Course duration: two sessions
  • In-depth work on one exhibition per session (“talking about art”): discovery visit – themed encounter – public speaking
  • Learners take an official exam (DELF B2) at an accredited centre at the end of the course
  • B2 pass rate (2025): 100%
  • National average (2024): 70.33%

Brochure aa-e_2026-2027

Teaching team

The teaching team is multidisciplinary, for a comprehensive approach to the French language. Each teacher brings their own knowledge, passions, and areas of expertise: literature, arts facilitation, theatre, language sciences, film, teaching methodology, documentary film, poetry, translation…

Pedagogical coordinator & FLE instructor: Imen Amiri

FLE instructors and oral workshops:

  • Jade Mroueh: B1-B2 FLE classes
  • Eugénie Dumas: B2 FLE classes
  • Véronique Gauthier: B1-B2 conversation workshop
  • Virginie Séba: A2 oral expression through theatre

Website: French school blog

The use of digital tools allows for great flexibility in learning. All lessons are posted weekly on the school’s teaching platform, accessible from any mobile device. This allows anyone who has to miss a class due to an administrative matter, a health issue, or work commitments, to catch up through self-study.

A blended learning format can also be arranged to reconcile language training with certain learners’ particular work commitments (touring, artist residencies, etc.).