French classes at Alliance Française in Lyon

I am sadly coming to the end of my month of studying French in Lyon, with only a few more days of class to go.

I have really enjoyed my time at the Alliance Française in Lyon. I took the ‘Extra intensive General French’ package which consisted of 20 hours of French per week in two classes. The first -- a mix of grammar, oral comprehension, and writing – runs 9am to 12 noon Monday to Friday. The second is a conversation class offered four afternoons a week from 12.30 to 1.45. 

On the first morning, students gathered eagerly around a noticeboard to check lists of names for which rooms they would be in. Apart from French, there were all kinds of other languages being spoken, adding to the multi-national atmosphere.

Two teachers took a share of each of the morning and afternoon classes. For example, with the conversation class, one teacher taught for Monday and Tuesday, while another teacher took Thursday and Friday. The transition between teachers was relatively seamless and it was interesting to compare their different styles.

Initially the morning class had around 18 students, but was quickly divided into two separate classes with a much more comfortable number of students and more chances for teacher contact.

My class (level A2N1) used the textbook Alter Ego plus, published by Hachette. The package, available for sale from Alliance Française, included a textbook, activity book, and CDs of audio material. I didn’t have my book for the first class and the teacher very kindly copied the relevant pages for that day.

The classrooms are roomy and bright. Each is fitted out with a computer and projector which teachers use in an interactive way to display pages from the textbook, write notes on the enlarged pages, and play audio clips. This system really helped to enliven the textbook and gave the feeling that all elements were integrated. There is also plenty of traditional whiteboard space for writing new vocabulary.

The teaching styles varied between individuals, but all the teachers displayed a high level of professionalism and enthusiasm for French. All the classes were conducted in French and the teachers went to good lengths to use relatively simple French language to explain instructions and concepts. Where students really struggled, The occasional English or other language words arose in class, often from fellow students who wanted to help. Other students were a natural source of information and encouragement.

I was impressed with the extent teachers would go to explain, for example, certain grammar points when one or more of the class was a bit lost. I myself benefitted from this extra attention and explanation, which really helped me to come to grips with some concepts that initially had me baffled. In this regard it is really important to keep up with the homework and do extra reading as necessary.

The conversation classes where not quite as I had imagined, but were very good all the same. I had thought, rather improbably, that these classes would involve continuous chatting. Given the level of French and some natural shyness or lack of confidence in speaking, however, it was very necessary for teachers to take a structured approach. This often involved students first sharing what we knew on a topic. This was followed by a review of key vocabulary and conversation exercises around the topic, including in small groups and in front of the class.

One of the most fun activities for me, in conversation class, involved each student writing the name of a famous person or character on a notepaper and passing it to their neighbour to wear but not look at. Sitting in a circle, each student had to guess who they were by asking yes or no questions of the other students. It was such a fun game that the usual shyness barriers to speaking were quickly broken down. 

Although I have only been at Alliance Française a short time, I feel that I have made noticeable progress, both in terms of grammar, listening comprehension and speaking. Although I am sure I only speak in very basic and broken French, at least now I feel more confident than before to say some simple things. Being able to comprehend this personal progress is incredibly rewarding and I feel that I have a firm base for future progress. 

If you want to really improve your French, then I thoroughly recommend the Alliance Française in Lyon. Not only will the school help a lot, but also living in a French environment adds an important intangible: You have to be ready to speak French at any time! 

Morning class: One of the teachers and most of the students (a few were away this day).

Conversation class: One of the teachers and most of the students (a few were away this day).

Living at the résidence and getting to French class

I arrived in Lyon at the end of March ready to start a month of learning French at the Alliance Française in Lyon. 

Due to the availability of flights, I arrived two days before I could move into the student résidence on 1 April. I stayed at two of the several hostels in the city travelling easily by public transport (a combination of tram, metro, and funicular). 

The first night was at the Hostelling International hostel, on the historic Fourvière hill, which features dorm rooms for up to six people. The second night was more comfortably spent in a single room at Éthic Étapes which is however further out from the city centre. 

Résidence Jussieu, which I was to call home for the next month, is a collection of multi-story student accommodation blocks opposite the campus of the Institut national des sciencés Appliquées de Lyon (INSA) in the north-east suburb of Villeurbanne. I found the office and completed the check-in procedures in a mixture of French and English.

My room is on the top (fourth) floor of one of the blocks. No elevator unfortunately, so I lugged my case up via the stairs.  The room is basic and small (10 m2) but has a large desk with a window overlooking trees and the sky. There is also a small fridge, shelves, a narrow cupboard, a slat bed, and an ensuite containing a wash basin, shower, toilet, and an outlet for an electric razor. The ensuite appears to be a modular unit that was added to the room at a later date. It is amazingly small, yet very usable and gives the room the feeling of a tiny apartment or even a train sleeper compartment. It is possible to rent a cheaper room without ensuite, or alternatively a studio, which is more expensive.

Each floor of my block has a shared basic kitchen featuring a sink, bench, microwave, and stovetop elements (no oven). Some of the kitchens also feature a table with chairs. If you want to cook, you will need to provide your own cooking utensils along with cleaning materials like dishwashing liquid. A supermarket and a boulanger are nearby, and every Sunday there is a local market.

Apart from the stairs and hallway, the kitchen is the main place at the résidence to meet other students. I found that a number of other Alliance Française students are living here, including several from my class.

Generally speaking, the résidence blocks are equipped with wifi, but unfortunately my building was not included in the network and only offered internet via cables. This is fine if you have a laptop, but not so useful if you are using a tablet or smart phone. 

Although the résidence is some way from the Alliance Française and the city centre, it is well linked by trams 1 and 4.  A tram stop is just across the road. Another transport option, which I use extensively, is the public bicycle service Vélo’v. One of the city’s 345 bike stations is beside the tram stop and another is only a few minutes walk from the school.

To go to and from classes I bike through the large Parc de la Tête d’Or and along the Rhône River. It is a picturesque route which includes the unusual bonus of being able to see giraffes and other wild animals at the park zoo. An additional advantage of this route is that it uses cycleways and avoids motor traffic as much as possible. Depending on the availability of bikes, the weather, the traffic conditions, and how fast I am going, the journey typically takes 30-40 minutes.