What we’re about
Hi. Welcome. I’m François Normandeau, founder of The French Club.
We have over 7,000 members in 14 MeetUp groups around the world (New York, Paris, San Francisco, Amsterdam, Dallas, Montreal, Atlanta, Mumbai, Chicago, Sydney, Toronto, Washington DC, Tokyo, Vancouver).
If you want the same thing most adults want, a clear path to real, practical French you can actually use when speaking, then this is the right place!
And your free gift is ready: the full A1 French course (50 modules), now available on our platform. It’s the equivalent of 1,200+ pages of explanations, examples, exercises, and homework, with extras like audio and video to help you build pronunciation and real speaking reflexes. No catch, no gimmick, no obligation, no credit card needed.
Start here:
https://www.frenchclub.net/
To unlock it, two quick steps:
1. Create your account.
2. Enroll in the Free Plan (the A1 course is included in the free plan, but it requires enrollment).
Step-by-step guide (account setup + free A1 enrollment):
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fSyoLZDxM2QdHXO0TnDh1UVFP_QjWTXA1Hj-qwcIIMM/
Once you’re in, begin with Module 1 right away.
The goal is momentum, not perfection.
What The French Club is
The French Club is a global community of French learners with live events on Meetup and a structured learning platform on frenchclub.net.
We focus on real-world fluency through:
- Structured courses from A1 to B2 (50 modules per level).
- Skill workshops that fix the real sticking points (pronunciation, listening speed, writing accuracy, confidence, etc.).
- Conversation events (A1 to B2), including practice sessions and student-led events.
- Small-group immersion experiences.
Meetup is where you’ll discover and join live events.
Our site frenchclub.net is where your learning path is organized in one place (courses, materials, and enrollment).
See you at an event soon !! ツ
— François Normandeau
Founder, The French Club
***
Links
Winter Academic Program 2026:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vjF6aQHIlpKUqaofeFEcv3wZcW1bPRaI_nToY9r4-Tw/
Website + free A1 course: https://www.frenchclub.net/
Meetup hub: https://www.meetup.com/pro/learning-speaking-french/
Welcome video: https://vimeo.com/1148335419
Substack: https://substack.com/@frenchclub
Upcoming events
209
- CA$280.00
⭐ French A2 Course – Intermediate Beginner Level (10 Weeks) ⭐
·OnlineOnlineThe French Club (all chapters) : already 400+ events completed
(Sept. 1, 2024 — Oct. 1, 2025)
Upcoming events :
https://www.meetup.com/the-french-club-montreal/events/
Testimonials :
https://www.meetup.com/meetup-group-frenchclub/feedback-overview/
Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@the-french-club
***
⭐ French A2 Course – Intermediate Beginner Level (10 Weeks) ⭐
in a SMALL group setting with 7 students maximum
***
Overview
This A2-level course is designed for learners who already have a basic understanding of French and want to build greater fluency and accuracy in everyday communication.
Over 10 weeks, students will strengthen their ability to speak, understand, read, and write in French through real-life contexts and guided practice.
The course offers structured lessons, engaging conversation practice, and regular feedback to help students become more independent and confident in using French at an elementary level.
Students will learn to describe their daily life in more detail, express preferences and opinions, talk about the past and future, and navigate social and practical situations.
Classes are dynamic, interactive, and supportive — ideal for learners who want to expand their vocabulary, solidify their grammar, and feel more natural when speaking.
***
Target audience
This course is ideal for:
* Learners who have completed an A1 course or have basic knowledge of French
* People preparing for immigration, studies, or work in a French-speaking environment
* Students seeking a structured, intermediate-level program to improve fluency, accuracy, and communication skills
* Adults who want to speak with more confidence and better handle common everyday situations
***
Details of the A2 French course
* Duration: 10 weeks
* Weekly Class Time: 2.5 hours (live on Zoom)
* Schedule: Tuesdays, 7:00 – 9:30 PM NY time (150 minutes)
* Group Size: Maximum 7 students
* Self-Study Strongly Suggested: Minimum 10 hours/week
* Total Learning Time: ~125 hours
No new admissions once the course starts in early January 2025.
***
Next Session Start Date
Schedule:
Starts on Tuesday, January. 6, 2026 (week #1)
Ends on Tuesday, March 10, 2026 (week #10)
***
Learning Outcomes for A2 Level Course
By completing this A2-level French course, you will be able to:
* Communicate about personal experiences and future plans with more details and fluency
* Express opinions, preferences, and feelings in conversations (e.g., likes, dislikes, comparisons)
* Understand and use past tenses (passé composé & imparfait) to describe past events and experiences
* Make suggestions, give advice, and express necessity (e.g., Tu devrais..., Il faut..., Si j’étais toi…)
* Handle everyday situations with greater confidence, including shopping, travel, and work interactions
* Engage in longer dialogues and role-plays, including formal and informal conversations
* Read and understand short articles, emails, and everyday texts (e.g., travel guides, reviews, personal stories)
* Write structured paragraphs, including emails, personal narratives, and informal messages
This course will boost your fluency and confidence in real-life social, travel, and professional situations while reinforcing key grammar and vocabulary.
***
Curriculum & Study Materials
* Each week, you receive a comprehensive PDF (~80–120 pages) divided into 5 modules.
* Each module includes structured lessons, vocabulary, grammar, examples, and exercises.
* Highly recommended: 2 hours of daily self-study (10 hours/week).
* Weekly study guides and homework sections included in each weekly document.
* Each week concludes with an optional self-assessment exam and answer key.
* If you have questions during the week, you can ask in the dedicated WhatsApp group.
***
Class Structure
Each weekly 2.5-hour session is divided into two parts:
1. Review and clarification of core concepts (70 min. or less)
2. Practice through exercises and live conversations (70 min. or more)
Each group meeting will include a 10-min break about halfway.
This B2 French course (over 10 weeks) is given in a semi-private setting (7 students maximum) where interactions will be encouraged via exercises done each week during the classes, along with assisting students with their pronunciation.
The personalized attention and small group setting explain the fee for the course.
***
Communication & Support
* All materials and announcements are shared in a dedicated WhatsApp group. You will need the WhatsApp app in order to receive the documents and updates.
* Students can ask questions and exchange messages throughout the course.
* Course documents and reminders are sent via WhatsApp before each class.
***
Cost & Payment Options
The preferred option is full payment at least one week before the course begins to secure your spot (providing that the course is not sold out).
If your budget is tight, you may choose a weekly plan: $28 CAD per week, due at least 24 hours before each class (including the first session). If payment isn’t received on time, you won't be allowed in the goup class.
Please select the weekly plan only if you intend to complete the full course. If you choose the weekly option and skip two group classes (consecutively or not), your enrollment will be ended (to prevent people from jumping in and out whenever it suits them).
* Full Course Fee: $280 CAD for the complete 10-week program
* Weekly Option: $28 CAD per class (paid 24h in advance, one class at a time)
Comparable courses over 10 weeks cost approximately $700 CAD in Toronto and NYC, with the Alliance Française or other schools.
Therefore, this course is less than half price, compared to competitors.
Additionally, not all schools could guarantee that you would be in a small group setting (with a total of 7 students).
***
Refund Policy
If you choose the full payment option and decide to withdraw from the course, refunds are calculated as follows:
If you attended 2 group classes or less than 2:
- Refund of the full $280 CAD.
If you attended 3 group classes or more:
- No refund available
In any case, if you end the group classes, you will no longer have access to the WhatsApp group or receive the course materials for the remaining sessions.
***
Registration Starts and Ends?
Registration for the 10-week semi-private (paid) group classes (A1 to B2) are open as of October 5, 2025, and operate on a first-come, first-served basis.
Once a group reaches its maximum number of participants (7), registration for that group closes, and this can happen at any time.
Securing your spot early by completing payment is the only way to guarantee your place. Simply expressing interest or waiting until the last moment does not guarantee availability.
The final deadline to register for the upcoming January 2026 10-week session (for any semi-private group class) is December 31, 2025 at midnight (NY time). After this date, no new registrations will be accepted, regardless of your circumstances.
***
Accepted Payment Methods
1. Stripe (International Debit or Credit Card Payments) :
* Pay per week ($28 CAD): https://buy.stripe.com/eVqfZi3gNdo3ePA8Zcgbm00
* Full 10-week course ($280 CAD): https://buy.stripe.com/5kQ14o9Fb1Fl8rcb7kgbm01
2. PayPal (International payments) : @M2TradingUniversity
3. Interac E-Transfer (Canada only) : f_normandeau@protonmail.com
***
Access & Attendance
* Only participants who have completed payment in advance will be admitted.
* Zoom access closes 10 minutes after class starts to maintain class flow
* Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5456313643
* Password: galaxy
* Camera use is expected for a better group learning experience
* Zoom call etiquette: Ensure that you will have a stable and fast internet connection, and that you will be in a distraction-free environment, in order to not disturb the other attendees while attending the group class.
***
Extra Practice & Community Support
To further enhance learning, students are encouraged to organize their own informal study groups during the week.
While I will not be present for these peer-led sessions, they are highly recommended as a way to collaborate, share insights, and stay motivated throughout the 10-week journey.
***
Course Outline – 10 Weeks of Learning
Week 1
- Module 1: Revision: Present tense of regular verbs
- Module 2: Revision: Common irregular verbs (avoir, être, aller, faire, voir, prendre)
- Module 3: Introduction to passé composé (avoir)
- Module 4: Passé composé with être
- Module 5: Talking about recent experiences using time expressions (hier, la semaine dernière, déjà, encore
Week 2
- Module 6: Adjectives for personality & emotions, agreement
- Module 7: Describing emotions and feelings, moods and states.
- Module 8: Expressing opinions (Je pense que, à mon avis, selon moi)
- Module 9: City and nature descriptions
- Module 10: Comparative adjectives and some adverbs (plus, le plus, moins, aussi, tellement)
Week 3
- Module 11: Vocabulary: Daily activities & routines, Time expressions for the future (demain, dans une semaine, l’année prochaine), Making suggestions and invitations
- Module 12: Futur proche (aller + infinitive)
- Module 13: Futur simple: Introduction and conjugation
- Module 14: Talking about holiday and weekend plans
- Module 15: Writing emails about future plans
Week 4
- Module 16: Verbs expressing preferences (aimer, préférer, détester), discussing hobbies & interests
- Module 17: Expressing agreement/disagreement, Using parce que and donc to express opinions and reasons
- Module 18: Verbs followed by infinitive (aimer + infinitif, préférer, vouloir)
- Module 19: Introduction to conditional (je voudrais, tu aimerais)
- Module 20: Writing a review (film, book)
Week 5
- Module 21: Vocabulary: Shopping, clothing, customer interactions, asking for assistance or help
- Module 22: Imperative (giving instructions and commands), Role-playing customer interactions
- Module 23: Direct object pronouns (me, te, le, la, l’, les, nous, vous, les)
- Module 24: Indirect object pronouns (me, te, lui, nous, vous, leur)
- Moule 25: Expressing necessity & obligation (il faut, devoir + infinitive), Writing formal emails (requests and complaints)
Week 6
- Module 26: Booking accommodations and tickets, Travel-related vocabulary (transport, hotel, etc.)
- Module 27: Expressing preferences when traveling (J’aimerais, Je préfère), Asking for and giving directions
- Module 28: Using pronouns “y” and “en” (Il y a, J’en veux, J’y vais)
- Module 29: Using prepositions with locations (à, en, chez, dans)
- Module 30: Writing a travel itinerary
Week 7
- Module 31: Vocabulary: Events, vacations and memories, Common storytelling expressions (Autrefois, quand j’étais petit(e), il y a longtemps), Expressing duration in the past (pendant, depuis, il y a)
- Module 32: Passé composé vs. imparfait: Differences and usage
- Module 33: Imparfait conjugation and usage
- Module 34: Passé composé conjugation and usage
- Module 35: Narrating past events and stories, Writing diary entries and short narratives
Week 8
- Module 36: Vocabulary: Health and well-being, problem-solving
- Module 37: Conditional tense, for giving advice (je voudrais, tu devrais, si j’étais toi, j’irais)
- Module 38: Using devoir, pouvoir to give recommendations
- Module 39: Hypothetical situations (si j’étais toi, je ferais…), Making hypothetical suggestions (Si j’étais toi, je ferais…)
- Module 40: Writing advice to a friend
Week 9
- Module 41: Educational vocabulary and talking about studies
- Module 42: Workplace, job applications, educational goals
- Module 43: Relative pronouns: qui, que and dont
- Module 44: Using relative clauses to add details (La ville où je vis, Le travail que j’aime)
- Module 45: Writing a formal email (Cher Monsieur/Madame…)
Week 10
- Module 46: Review: Key verbs, present and future tense (futur proche & futur simple)
- Module 47: Review: Key verbs and past tenses (passé composé, imparfait)
- Module 48: Review: Key topics from the course
- Module 49: Role-play: Everyday real-world dialogues
- Module 50: Final assessment (Speaking practice & writing task)
***
About Me
I was born in Montreal (QC), Canada and studied psychology and international finance. I have worked as a professional commodities trader from 2000 until January 2025.
In the past 30 years, I have lived and worked in Hungary, Italy, Spain, Mexico and Antigua and Barbuda.
In 2017, while learning Spanish and Catalan, I was hired as a French teacher by a university in Spain.
Since March 2020, I’ve had the pleasure of teaching French
to 750 students from many countries, delivering more than
5,400+ French lessons, online and in person (as of July 15, 2025).
For some info about me as a teacher, and testimonials, see:
https://www.italki.com/F_Normandeau
or https://www.italki.com/en/teacher/7237721
I look forward to assisting you soon.
François Normandeau
.9 attendees 
🌟 C'est la vie !! : The French Arts Club 🌟
·OnlineOnlineImportant Availability Note:
This event will be free and open to everyone for the winter 2026 period:
10 weeks, from January 1 until March 15, 2026.
Starting mid-March 2026, this will become available only to Starter ($25 USD/mo.) and Premium ($75 USD/mo.) plan holders on The French Club language platform (currently in development).
***
🌟 C'est la vie !! : The French Arts Club 🌟
A new series hosted by François Normandeau — all in French — for French learners who love culture, stories, and creativity. This is dedicated to ART, in all shapes, forms and modes of expression.
Each week, we dive into a different art form – cinema, literature, painting, music, architecture, photography, sculpture, drawing, etc. – and use it as a springboard to explore French language and culture from France and French-speaking countries and regions.
This is not a technical art class: it is a relaxed French Club where you watch, listen, react, and create a little, all in good company.
If you enjoy French, are curious about the arts, and are willing to spend almost two hours mostly in French, this is for you.
You need to have a level of French sufficient to read a book in French, watch a movie in French, give a summary in French, interact and ask and answer questions in French, etc. in order to participate fully and understand the ongoing conversations. This is usually a high A2/low B1 level (at the very least) and higher.
***
Each session includes:
- Intro
- Guided exploration of the work
- Language and culture discussion where each member can express themselves
- Mini creative activity sometimes
- Takeaway and final feedback from the participants
***
Who can attend?
This session is open to all members of The French Club.
We expect around 15 dedicated and motivated participants and everyone is welcome.
The entire event will be in French mostly (English used as a last resort).
Zoom call details:
Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5456313643
Passcode: galaxy
It is the same passcode for all events hosted by F. Normandeau
***
Schedule and details .....
Week 3: Peinture (21 January 2026)
🌟 Claude Monet – Les Nymphéas
Why? Universally loved, calming, accessible, iconic impressionism that even beginners can appreciate visually & culturally.
- Explore Monet’s life & the birth of impressionism.
- Virtual tour through Giverny or Musée de l’Orangerie.
- Language activity: describing colors/light/emotions.
- Creative task: photograph something with “impressionist light” at home and describe it.
***
Week 4: Musique (28 January 2026)
🌟 Francis Cabrel – Je t’aimais, je t’aime, je t’aimerai (1994)
Why? Classic French singer; clear diction; poetic lyrics.
Great for learners because it’s slow and understandable.
- Short intro to Cabrel (major figure in French chanson).
- Analyze metaphors in chorus.
- Vocabulary: love, time, memory.
- Creative task: rewrite one line using your own metaphor.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVM_OE7xJic
🌟 Stromae – “Papaoutai” (2013)
Why? Modern, powerful, globally known; rhythmic, great for discussion.
- Discuss Stromae’s Belgian-Rwandan identity & influence.
- Analyze the visuals/music of the video.
- Explore the language: colloquial French in the lyrics.
- Creative task: transform one lyric into a positive message.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiKj0Z_Xnjc
🌟 Jacques Brel – “Ne me quitte pas” (1959)
Why? One of the most famous French songs ever created.
Emotional but universal.
- Discuss Brel’s dramatic performance style.
- Listen and identify key lines.
- Explore core themes: heartbreak, poetry, desperation.
- Language: metaphors, emotion verbs.
- Activity: rewrite 2 lines in a hopeful or positive tone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_bq5mStroM
***
Week 5: Architecture (4 February 2026)
🌟 Gustave Eiffel – La Tour Eiffel (1889)
Why? The ultimate “crowd pleaser”— even non-art people care.
- Discuss why Parisians hated the tower at first.
- Explore plans, structure, and innovations.
You can include engineering, tourism, culture. - Analyze language: heights, shapes, comparisons.
- Creative task: design/describe a monument representing your city.
***
Week 6: Cinéma (11 February 2026)
🌟 My Internship in Canada (2015)
Why? Gentle political comedy film about cultural adaptation, identity, and the everyday challenges of living and working abroad. An idealistic young Haitian travels to rural Quebec to intern for an independent Member of Parliament when a national debate erupts. The independent politician is thrust into the parliamentary spotlight and has to rely on his Haitian intern to help him navigate the complexities of Parliament Hill. Ideal for international audiences, students, and anyone who has experienced migration, study, or professional transition.
https://www.netflix.com/ca/title/80084092
***
Week 7: Photography (18 February 2026)
🌟 Robert Doisneau – Le remorqueur du Champ-de-Mars (1943)
Why? Iconic French photography; immediately readable, human, and humorous.
Robert Doisneau is one of France’s most beloved humanist photographers.
- Explore Robert Doisneau, why he is so closely associated with simple, authentic moments of Parisian everyday life, and the “photographie humaniste” movement.
- Analyze the scene: setting, characters, movement, contrast between the ordinary and the monumental (the Eiffel Tower).
- Discuss core themes: daily life, work, humor, scale, and the poetry of the ordinary.
- Language: describing images, spatial vocabulary, present tense, making hypotheses (on dirait que…, peut-être que…).
- Creative task: invent a caption or short story explaining what is happening before or after the photo.
https://enfantphotohumaniste.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/diaporama1926-le-remorqueur-du-champs-de-marspar.jpeg
***
Week 8: Sculpture (25 February 2026)
🌟 Auguste Rodin – Le Penseur (1904)
Why? Instant recognizability + deep cultural resonance.
- Who was Rodin? The rebel sculptor. Discuss.
- Explore Le Penseur and its relationship to La Porte de l’Enfer.
- Analyze vocabulary: human body, attitudes, emotions.
- Creative task: describe your “thought” (could be an interpretation).
https://histoire-image.org/sites/default/files/2021-11/rod7_penseur_001f.jpg
***
Week 9: Dessin (4 March 2026)
🌟 Bring out the artist in you – Drawing 2 scenes or objects 🌟
Why? Very accessible, relaxing, and playful — you only need curiosity, not experience. Perfect to close the series gently.
- Short warm-up with simple shapes and lines, following easy French instructions.
- Guided drawing of 2 scenes (for example: a small French café + a simple still life or a corner of your room).
- Language: basic drawing and position vocabulary (lines, shapes, objects, in front of / behind, next to) + simple adjectives and opinions.
- Creative task: personalize one drawing with a funny or very “French” detail and present it briefly in French.
***
Week 10: Cinéma (11 March 2026)
🌟 La Vie Scolaire (School Life) (2019)
Why? Warm, humorous, and hopeful. La Vie scolaire offers a modern, compassionate look at middle-school life in a disadvantaged area. It celebrates empathy, mentorship, and the quiet power of believing in students — without being naïve or moralizing.
- Explore themes: Education and social inequality, authority vs. empathy, adolescence and self-image, the role of adults in young lives.
- Discussion: What makes a school supportive? Can one adult really make a difference? How are students labeled — and why does it matter? Compare this school to your own experience.
https://www.netflix.com/ca/title/81191429
***
We look forward to seeing you there!
— François Normandeau
Founder, The French Club16 attendees
Past events
655
