Coucou les French learners,

Do you remember being told fables when you were little? Those enchanting stories with talking animals that captivated your imagination?

When I was a child in France, we would have to learn these fables by heart at school. These weren’t just any stories, but the timeless works of the famous French fabulist and poet, Jean de La Fontaine.

Born in 1621, La Fontaine was a master storyteller who adapted fables from various sources into French free verse. His works, published in the 17th century, became classics of French literature.

Find out about his incredible life. Click here!

La Fontaine‘s goal was to entertain and educate his readers, using animal characters to reflect human nature and teach valuable life lessons.

Why Fables Are Great for French Learners

Fables typically have simple plots and limited characters, making them easy to understand for language learners.

Fables are also engaging and interesting, causing you to “forget” you are listening to or reading in another language. They are compelling.

They contain a wide range of vocabulary and language structures, from everyday terms to more advanced words. This richness provides you with valuable linguistic input.

Many fables use repetition and rhyme, which aid in memory and pronunciation, making them ideal for French acquisition.

Introducing Our New Free Video

My Dear Man & I have just released a new free video about the famous French fable “La cigale et la fourmi” (The Cicada and the Ant).

This fable, written by La Fontaine, tells the story of a carefree cicada who sings all summer while the hardworking ant prepares for winter. When winter comes, the cicada finds itself without food and begs the ant for help.

Watch the video of me telling the fable using the Story Listening approach.

Alongside the video, you’ll find its transcript and audio available on our website, perfect for learners at every level. Click here, it’s FREE!

To get the most out of this video, first try to understand the gist of the story.

Then try to narrate it back to yourself in French or in your native language, if you are a total beginner.

Let me share with you the first verses of this fable in French:

“La cigale, ayant chanté
Tout l’été,
Se trouva fort dépourvue
Quand la bise fut venue.”

In English, this means: “The cicada, having sung all summer, found herself very destitute when the north wind came.” I still remember these verses from my childhood, and they’ve stayed with me all these years.

Join Our Community

Become part of our dedicated community of French learners.

Our approach combines the power of Story Listening with Charlotte Mason’s narration, providing a natural and effective way to acquire French.

Don’t just take my word for it! here’s what Alan had to say on Trustpilot:

“Listening to and reading through stories has significantly improved my French comprehension. Adding shadowing and active recall to the mix makes the learning process incredibly effective. The price and value are truly remarkable. I’ve also watched Alice on her YouTube channel and really enjoyed her teaching style. She has a deep understanding of the challenges people face when learning French, which makes her lessons even more engaging and relatable.”

So why not give it a try?