Salut!

This winter, our French Literature and Conversation class will read three crime novels, including a terrific noir novel by master Georges Simenon.

The novels we've chosen are punchy and quick reads with lots of dialogue -- a great way to build your comprehension of colloquial French and your vocabulary. We'll spend three weeks on each short novel, discussing the characters, plot, and cultural context -- along with related grammar and vocabulary.

Is this class for you?

Our Advanced Conversation course is for people who are fairly fluent (able to understand most of what they hear and to communicate what they need to say) and are looking to enhance fluency and practice conversation.

Grammar is corrected and reviewed as needed, but the course is structured primarily around the discussion of reading assignments rather than presentation of grammar.

Over the ten-week course, we'll read and discuss three French novels, including the classic Un Echec de Maigret, by Georges Simenon, and the contemporary thriller Fatale, by J.P. Manchette.

About our courses

Idlewild’s language courses are both fun and practical, and have been recommended by Daily Candy and New York Magazine.

The classes are taught in our beautiful new space in Brooklyn, not a stuffy classroom, by dynamic and experienced native speakers. Class size is limited, so everyone gets a chance to speak in every session.

Our French classes are taught by Maurice Jean-Baptiste Brochet, a native of Paris with more than 10 years’ experience teaching in New York, including at Berlitz and the Rennert School.

Our teachers employ a dynamic method that emphasizes grammar and vocabulary but is focused primarily on spoken profiency and oral comprehension.

There are no make-up classes. On the first day of class, each student will receive a syllabus that lists the weekly assignments so you can keep up with your studies if you have to miss a class.

If you wish to cancel your registration, you must contact Idlewild by telephone or email at least seven days before the start date of your class to receive a refund. 

If you wish to postpone your registration to a later session, you must contact Idlewild by telephone or email at least three days before the start date of your class to receive a credit toward a future session (good for one year).