French School in Rouen, France

Alliance Française de Rouen:
Since 1981, we have been welcoming 600 students from 70 different countries each year at our Rouen school in the North of France.The Alliance Française is present in 133 countries and has 800 schools. Each year 444 000 students attend for lessons. We are a non profit-making association, whose dual mission and passion is the teaching of the French language and the spreading of French-speaking culture.

Our teaching methods are lively and effective due to the variety of methods and the relaxed atmosphere based on sharing and discussions. They are arranged around four fundamental competencies: oral comprehension, written comprehension, oral expression and written expression.  Learning a language is also about identifying a certain vision of the world. The Alliance Française provides every opportunity to broaden the knowledge of the language (performances, talks, press, radio, television, songs, etc.). 

The teaching consists of :
• basic language courses; and
• complementary workshops which reinforce the skills acquired in the basic course.

All the teachers have extensive experience in teaching French as a second language and are committed to the students making maximum progress in the minimum amount of time.  The courses are delivered in accordance with the Cadre Européen Commun de Référence pour les Langues.

Basic French Courses; Intensive French Classes; Superintensive French Classes; Busines French Courses; French for Specialized Purposes; Exam Preparation Courses; French for Seniors; French Cultural Program; Painting and History of Art; Didactic Programme for teachers.

The Alliance Française de Rouen will assist you find accommodation and offers several solutions:
• Half-board with a homestay family, which enables you to live the true French life with breakfast and dinner;.
• Renting a room or studio (furnished, sheets and crockery supplied); and
• Hotel room.

Homestay families, members of the Alliance Française, are carefully chosen, and regularly visited. For the French family as for the students, the exchanges, the meals, the conversations, promote mutual growth. The homestay provides students with the opportunity to improve their understanding of French culture and daily life through first-hand experience as well as providing additional opportunities to further enhance their language skills through practical application.

Each month a cultural programme of activities and visits are scheduled.

Visits
• Guided tour of beautiful Rouen: Rouen, the medieval capital city of Normandy, is rich in cultural and architectural treasures and is an ideal point of departure for excursions to Mont Saint-Michel, Monet's Garden at Giverny, Bayeux, Honfleur, Saint-Malo, Etretat, Deauville, the Somme and the D-Day Beaches.
• Le Havre: Guided visit of the port and town
• Giverny (from beginning of April to end of October) : Claude Monet’s house and gardens
• Bayeux (Tapestry) and Mont Saint Michel (1 day)
• Bayeux, Mont Saint Michel, Saint Malo and the D-Day landing beaches (week-end)
• Rouen museums: Fine Arts, Ceramics, Ironworks and Flaubert
• La Côte d’Albâtre: Fécamp, Etretat (les cliffs) and Honfleur (1 day)
• Château de Versailles (1 day)
• Versailles and the fêtes de nuit (Saturdays in summer from 1.00pm to midnight)
• Paris: Principal monuments / Major exhibitions / Thematic visits
• Amiens at night (summer and Décember): Illuminated cathedral
• Châteaux of the Loire: (3 days)

Activities
• Wine and cheese tastings
• Preparation of French dinner
• Lectures: Maupassant, Madame Bovary, Normandy

Question 1: What is the average age of the students?
The average age is 25 years. The minimum age requirement is 16 years. A parental disclaimer is obligatory for students between 16 and 18 years of age.

Question 2: What are the nationalities represented?
The Alliance Française de Rouen has approximately 600 students each year originating from 70 different countries. The principal nations representing more than 75% of the students are: Japan, China, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Germany, United States of America, Brazil, Guatemala, Australia, Vietnam, Great Britain, Mexico, Poland, and Thailand.

Question 3: How many students are there in a class?
8 to 15 students are registered per class, and on average, the classes have 9 students.

Question 4: What teaching methods are used?
Alter Ego (Hachette) is the method most used. The teachers also have access to all types of supporting aides (audio, video...)

Question 5: I want to sit a French exam. Will the Alliance Française de Rouen be able to assist?
The Alliance Française de Rouen is a training and exam centre for DELF, DALF and TCF.

Question 6: Must I pay exam fees in advance?
Yes, registration fees must be paid one month before the date of the exams.

Question 7: What are the days and opening hours for registration?
The registration service is open all year, from 8.00am to 6.00pm, Monday to Friday, except public holidays in France.

Question 8: Do I have to complete a pre-registration?
It is not compulsory, except in the event of requesting accommodation. If you don’t need a visa, you can simply register and pay the tuition directly to the school no later than the Friday for a class commencing the following Monday.

Question 9: How must I pay the pre-registration fees?
You can pay:
• Online, on our internet site, with your bank card,
• By bank cheque drawn up in euros and accompanied by the registration application form,
• By bank transfer (you must send to us, by fax or by mail a copy of the transfer order with the registration application form),
On receipt, we will send you a receipt for your payment and pre-registration certificate.
Attention: Bank fees are always the student’s responsibility.

Question 10: Do I need a visa de séjour in France?
• You are a citizen of a country in the European Union or the Espace économique européen or Switzerland. You do not need a visa.
• You are a citizen of country that does not require a tourist visa. You can come to study in France without a visa for a period of less than or equal to 3 months.
• In all other cases, you must obtain a visa before leaving your country.

Question 11: I hope to come to France as an au pair. Can the Alliance Française offer me a course?
We offer courses adapted to the needs of au pairs. Contact us for more information.

Question 12: I am a salaried worker in France. Can the cost of the tuition be covered in accordance with Formation Professionnelle Entreprise (F.P.E.) ?
The cost of tuition for people who reside in France and perform a salaried activity may be covered by their employer in accordance with professional training subject to a prior agreement between the employer and the Alliance Française.