Throughout the year, the Alliance française de Paris organizes events open to both students and the general public, such as literary encounters, concerts organized as part of Jazz à Saint-Germain-des-Prés, and special events such as the 140th anniversary festival in 2023 and the exhibition "Ecrire en français. Histoires de langues, voyages de mots", to be held from June 21 to October 10, 2024. 

These events are free of charge and aim to promote cultural exchanges, introduce artists and works from elsewhere and support French language learning with strong cultural mediation actions.

Since 2017, the Alliance Française de Paris has organized literary encounters known today as "En français dans le texte", during which Bernard Magnier interviews authors from elsewhere who write in French (43 guests from 2017 to the end of May 2024). These rich interviews are broadcast in Alliances françaises and Instituts français around the world. 

The idea for the exhibition grew out of these encounters: it highlights over 100 authors from around the world who have chosen to write in French. Visitors will find panels of quotations on 4 themes, alternating with portraits. The exhibition is punctuated by very short interviews.

The texts were designed and selected by Bernard Magnier, while the art direction and illustrations were created by Raphaelle Macaron.

Support programs for people in exile

Competence in the French language is the primary means of integration in France: it enables people to become independent in their day-to-day activities and to find a job more quickly. People in exile who can communicate in French have better prospects and access to a wider range of employment opportunities.

The Alliance française de Paris has set up two programs to help and support people in exile with limited financial resources, who want and need to learn French in order to integrate better in France. The Alliance française assists them either to reach level A2, which is one of the conditions for obtaining a residence permit, or to reach levels B1 (the level required to obtain French nationality) or B2.

Alliance française de Paris scholarship program for people in exile

This program, supported by ADP, the BNP Paribas Foundation, L'Oréal and Kering, offers several scholarships a year to people in exile who wish to learn French and/or perfect their level of French: 3 scholarships for people wishing to go up to level A2 and 6 scholarships for people who have acquired level B1 and wish to reach level B2.

Learning French in a socially and culturally mixed environment, accompanied by the discovery of French culture and codes to enable successful socio-professional integration in France: this is what the Alliance française de Paris offers these people in exile, thanks to its donors and sponsors.

Thot-Alliance française de Paris social and professional integration program

The Alliance française de Paris has set up a partnership with the Ecole Thot, a French language school for exiles who have no diploma and speak little or no French. The aim is to offer students certified at A2 level by the Ecole Thot the opportunity to continue learning French at the Alliance française de Paris up to B1 or B2 level, the level required to apply for French nationality. The stakes of such a program are high. Faced with growing immigration to France, the aim is to contribute to the integration of an increasingly vulnerable population: social, professional and cultural integration. 

The Alliance française has set up a Circle of Patrons who wish to support the organization in all its actions and adhere to its values: passion for the French language and French and French-speaking cultures, respect for cultural diversity, solidarity, tolerance, conviviality and openness. 

Members of the Circle of Patrons