I won't even pretend to not be biased. French is one of those languages that mesmerizes even the most stoic ears. I volunteered for one of their holiday events a couple weeks ago and almost moved all my earthly possessions into a broom closet. I like the building that much. The unrealized 'yupster' in me likes the entire neighborhood, actually. The Black girl in me can't get with anything gentrified. I still cringe when I order at Starbucks. Hell, is it even gentrification? Boston's so old, we could probably just call it natural change. Anyway, they offer language classes and a discount for members that teach French. They also take on volunteers and interns for all who are interested. It's a nice environment and they have an amazing library. C'est tout. read more

French Library - Adult Education Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

This is apparently the second-largest French library in the US. It's in an old house and so the lay-out is rather quirky, but that just adds to the charm. Surprisingly, the focus is on non-fiction, although you'll also find both adult and children's fiction. There is also a relatively small DVD collection. There are a couple of comfy reading rooms for perusing books on the spot, but if you want to check out any books you must first become a member, which at $60 a year will probably scare away all but the most francophile. The membership does however also give you discounted rates on special events (lectures, film screening, etc.) as well as invitations to some member-only events. read more

We have a family membership, as our kids are in a french language program in our local public elementary schools. We stop in for books in French, the occasional program, and I have taken Saturday classes here as well. There are loads of great cultural programs - being a busy parent no longer living in Boston proper, we don't get to many. One more benefit - members get discounted Saturday daytime parking at the Boston Common Garage. Just buy a sticker at the front desk to put on your ticket. read more

I attended the Bastille Day festival sponsored by the French Cultural Center both last year (2010) and again this year (2011). I highly recommend this event. There's plenty of great French food offered by local French and French-influenced restaurants. This year's restaurants included places such as Chez Henri, Sandrine's Bistro, Dore Creperie and Terenga. The Dore crepes were insanely popular; I stood in line for over 20 minutes for a crepe. It was worth it, however. The entry price: $35 at the event, $28 before, is a bit steep, but IMO, it can be worth it for the really great musical acts. This year featured Rupa and the April Fishes from San Francisco. Awesome music and in French! read more

My family has taken classes at the FCC since moving to the Boston area from abroad several years ago. We searched for classes for my young daughter to continue her learning of French, and decided to give them a try. And, very glad we did. The classes are engaging, fun, well- structured, and led by dynamic teachers. She enjoys attending on the weekends, and meeting new friends. After taking several school-year classes, we enrolled her in a week of summer camp, which she also enjoyed, even though she is far from fluent (similar with some students in class...). Summer camp weeks are also full on immersion, and also take advantage of nearby green spaces. Last year, and dependent on the class, the FCC summer camp takes advantage of nearby institutions (e.g., during one of the weeks, the class focused on the 'fine arts,' and visited an MFA exhibit that tied in with the curriculum). Membership affords you class discounts, both for kids and adults, and is a benefit. I have found adult level classes good value (and challenging, in a good way!), and with much emphasis on building conversation skills. Find exciting events for all (from young to older...) throughout the year, some in French, but not all so English speakers welcome, and many open to members and non-members. Highlights of the year include a fabulous Bastille Day fete on Marlborough street in July, a lively holiday market in Dec., to name just two. We Recommend. read more

My daughter took the french courses here for 4 years. We continued despite the lack of quality, because it was important for her to receive a certificate. At a certain point, we gave up because the classes were so awful and she hated going. The teacher turnover is shockingly high. There is a new teacher each semester, most of whom have little experience teaching. Some of whom are not even native speakers. There are no evaluations, no effort to provide continuity, no communication with parents. It was incredibly disappointing. My daughter began her studies there, knowing some french and excited to learn more. She left hating language learning and never wanting to take french classes again. Such a horrible disservice. As a french person myself, it's a travesty that this is the option many of us seek when we want our children to learn our language. We were better off saving our time and money and seeking out a private tutor. I recommend looking elsewhere for french studies. read more

So much love for the French cultural center! I've been having French classes there for a while and never had a bad experience. Teachers are all very sweet and helpful and the building itself is beautiful and classy. It's not a cheap school but it's worth every penny. I have tried other schools in the area as well as in other cities but nothing beats this one in terms of quality, location and overall experience. French cultural center, je vous adore! read more

I love this place. I have taken a French class there, and come to various events. They have a good range of ability of French speakers. They are a very inviting and active organization. read more

This is a review only about the summer language program for teenagers. Three hours a day, five days a week for two weeks in August. PROS: My son is sort of in the middle - not quite a beginner, but not ready for something other than a beginners level. The school started him in the lower level, but moved him up to a higher level once they could more fully assess his skills. He feels he did learn a lot and it straightened out some grammar issues for him. CONS: This is not a dynamic, conversational, make-your-child-want-to-learn-French program. It was very dry teaching style that included a lot of worksheets. The teachers were very knowledgeable and clearly knew the language - they just didn't do much to engage the students. I wanted him to HEAR the language, SPEAK the language. That really didn't happen. My other rather major disappointment is that they did not provide an end of course evaluation. Nothing was provided to indicate what was covered, what your child learned, if your child behaved in class, what you should do next. It was a lot of money and I think they should be provide you with something that lets you know if your child's skills have improved or not. So, while I believe it did give him a better foundation for this year's school program, I don't think I will use it again. read more

This review is specifically about the Bastille Day event on Marlborough St. We attended this year after reading a positive review here and were pretty disappointed for the steep cover price (around $30 pp with the ticketing fees). Once inside the gated area we could buy food (mostly $3-5) from local French restaurants, which was OK, but not very extensive; and as enthusiasts of French cuisine we were extremely disappointed with the wine selection. For $7/glass we decided to skip that entirely. We had gone mainly interested in the food / wine, not because we were big devotees of either of the bands that played. We left within an hour, feeling that we'd blown a lot of money between the tickets and food samples. We wished we'd splurged on a nice French restaurant meal instead. read more

Review of adult one week intensive course at the French Library. I hoped that a week long intensive would jump start my spoken language skills. It turned out to be a grammar intensive taught in French. I did not gain fluency, as the on-slot of tenses overwhelmed me. I would not recommend this unless the student were preparing for an exam. Teachers were excellent, well prepared . read more

I renew my membership every year. The library is amazing and I love the magazines downstairs that you can check out except for the most recent issue. Great collection of movies and NEW CDs. I have come a long way with my French here too and if you compare the price of a class here to say Harvard Extension this is a much better deal. read more

The French Cultural Center is THE place for all great French-related events in Boston, plus some good events for anyone. We have a family membership, and though the price may seem high, it's included when you sign up for the classes (which are GREAT) and gives you many discounts to events as well as around retailers and restaurants (like La Voile or Petit Robert) around town. We find the people there really friendly and the ambiance is fun. The place IS a very charming old brownstone on Marlborough Street, very pretty and it does have "quirky" details. The Bastille Day party is not to be missed in the summer, they bring in amazing bands from Africa and France to play, and restaurants sell street food for everyone to enjoy. AND there is wine! On the street! In Boston, that is pretty unique and very French! This is a GREAT place for francophiles, and people who just want a little piece of culture and Europe in Boston. read more