CILFA is a French language school located in exceptional surroundings between mountains and lake in the historic town of Annecy. CILFA is located less than 40 km from Geneva. CILFA specializes in teaching the French language to foreign students of all levels. In 2022, CILFA’s French courses welcomed 120 people from 47 different nationalities with ages ranging from 18 to 72. Regardless of your nationality or level of French, CILFA, Centre International de Langue Française d’Annecy (Annecy International Center of French Language) offers courses and activities in French as a foreign language, as well as DELF exam preparation classes. Since June 1999, CILFA has been an examination center for DELF and DALF certification thanks to an agreement with the “Université Savoie Mont Blanc”.

Our French courses are taught by certified instructors who are all used to teaching French as a foreign language. The small student-to-instructor ratio encourages individualized instruction so that each student can improve rapidly according to her/his needs and desires. Particular emphasis on communication.

All our French courses are based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL).

Upon your arrival at school, on the first day, you will be given a written and oral placement test which will determine your group for the French lessons.

A certificate of attendance is delivered at the end of the session.

If you wish to, you can take the DELF exams at CILFA during the academic year at the end of your session in March, June and December.

“Approche actionnelle”. The four skills (oral and written comprehension, oral and written productions) are taught in a balanced way while focusing on interactions, in particular during group work.

Numerous learning activities are offered: role play, debates, presentations, authentic French documents, songs, DVD excerpts, games, etc. Writing a diary is also encouraged, notably for levels A1 and A2 (individual correction available on request).

CILFA offers courses all year to A1, A2, B1, B2 levels. (C1 and C2 levels on demand).

Single rooms : “résidence Bernard Chevron.”

For one month : 403 euros subject to availability.

Studio apartment:  “résidence Jean Monnet”

For one month, 1 person, 612 euros subject to availability.

Host family, carefully selected.

B & B : from 640 euros per month

Half board (breakfast and dinner) : from 840 euros per month

CILFA is located near Annecy Lake.

An average-sized city (80,000 inhabitants) surrounded by mountains and renowned for the pure waters of its glacier lake, Annecy is the ideal location to combine study with tourism.

Annecy-le-Vieux has a commanding view of the lake, less than three kilometers from the old city of Annecy.

In the afternoon or on week-ends, you can water-ski or sail on the lake, indulge in the joys of skiing, hiking or climbing and discover a region that offers a very rich cultural heritage.

Examples of educational activities:

-A guided tour of Annecy

-“Café voyages” : presentations and discussions about travelling

-A presentation of various Savoyard cheeses and wines followed by a tasting

-Mountain hike on foot or with snowshoes

-A meal to discover French gastronomy or a meal to discover regional specialities

-Practice playing a typically French game : la pétanque

-A visit to a castle, the Bell Museum or the Alpine Lake Observatory

-A film in a cinema followed by a debate in a café

-Cook and taste a French recipe

-Cruise on Lake Annecy to get a sense of the surroundings mountains and villages

-A visit to a farm where “reblochon” (cheese from Savoie) is made

-“Café actualités” : to examine some of the differences between the French and the

foreign press

-Entertainment or exhibition according to the town’s cultural programme

-A bicycle tour along Lake Annecy with discussion of cycling in France and abroad

-A visit to a natural site in Annecy’s surroundings

-A trip to Chambé