I spent three weeks during June 2017 studying French at the
Alliance Française in Rouen, the
capital of Normandy. I wish it could have been longer!
I’ve been learning French through evening classes and
weekend classes, when they have been available, over a long period. Progress
has been slow. I spent a month at the Alliance Française in Lyon in 2015 and
that was a real boost. (See the post: ‘French classes at Alliance Française in Lyon’)
I felt that it was time to do another intensive course in
French. I wanted to learn a lot and also get a better idea of my level. I chose Rouen because I had visited before and really liked it.
Registering online with Alliance Française de Rouen was very easy and efficient. I did a
test of my level online before arriving at the school, which was established in
1986 and holds the coveted FLE Qualité label.
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| View of the school from the street. |
The Alliance Française in Rouen is a relatively small school, compared for example,
to its counterpart in Lyon. Centrally-located (about a five minute walk from
the train station) and housed in a stylish three-floor building with a small resource centre, I found the school to be just right for me.
I had chosen 25 hours of classes per week, but that option
was not available, so I ended up doing 20 hours a week. On reflection I’m glad
of the fewer hours, as it left more time for homework – which was assigned
every day – to take part in school activities, to look around Rouen and
Normandy, and to do my own revision.
The 20 hours per week was broken down into general French (three
hours a day) and ateliers (workshops) of one hour a day. The general French
classes run in six-week sessions. For post-beginners, it’s possible to join
classes every Monday, while for absolute beginners, there are set starting
dates throughout the year.
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| The cool staircase. |
My class had no more than nine people at any one
time and often fewer students. I found the grammar classes to be very instructive
and helped me to build on my existing knowledge, as well as consolidate the
basics. A test at the end of the session gave me a good sense of my level. We also
discussed the DELF exams.
I really liked the ateliers – led by a variety of teachers
-- because they were varied, interesting and challenging. The hour just seemed
to fly by. Topics included a debate, a quiz on the history of France,
preparation for a movie excursion, analysis of a short film, understanding a
music video and creative writing.
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| A free concert at the school. |
The school offered additional activities, some of them free.
These included a classical music concert, a degustation (French food tasting),
a weekly film (with French subtitles) and a very informative guided tour of
Rouen.
I stayed with a host family, which was an enriching
experience, with daily opportunities to practice French, learn about French
culture, society and history, and, not least, get a firsthand experience of
what French people eat when they are at home. My host family was very welcoming
and I felt just like one of the family. The house was on the bus route and about
a 30 minute walk to school.
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| The resource centre, with books, internet-equipped computers and wifi. |
Rouen itself is a great place with friendly people. As a
city it is neither too big nor too small, with plenty of museums, cultural
activities, shopping opportunities and open-air markets. Rouen is also
well-placed for visits to other parts of Normandy, and to nearby Picardy and
Paris, the latter being just 1 hour and 15 minutes away by train.
In summary, I found Alliance Française de Rouen to be a very
welcoming school, with friendly, enthusiastic and knowledgeable teaching and
administration staff. I learned a lot – including extending my understanding of
imparfait and passé composé -- and I enjoyed the extra-curricular activities
and the experience of living with a host family.
I thoroughly recommend this school and, for myself, I hope
to attend again soon.
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