• about
  • City Guides
    • Europe
      • Czechia
      • England
      • France
      • Germany
      • Iceland
      • Italy
      • Scotland
      • Slovenia
      • Spain
      • Switzerland
    • Canada
    • Caribbean
    • Middle East
    • New Zealand
    • USA
      • Atlanta
      • Chicago
      • COMO
      • Dallas
      • Destin
      • Kansas City
      • Los Angeles
      • NYC
      • Orlando
      • San Francisco
      • Seattle
      • St. Louis
      • Waco
      • South America
  • Tips + Tricks
  • Lifestyle
    • Blogging
  • shop

round trip travel and lifestyle blog

9 French Movies to Help You Learn French

March 30, 2020
Pin3
Share1
Share
Tweet
4 Shares

The French language is so dang beautiful. Even after learning French for nearly a decade, I am still enamored with its sound and structure, and one way I love learning it is through French movies. It behooves me as to why so many people dread learning a foreign language. Sure, there’s many ways you could learn a subject such as math or biology whether it’s worksheets or experiments.

But when it comes to learning a foreign language, the sky is truly the limit. You can read a book, you can follow a YouTuber, you can follow an Instagram account, you can practice with a native speaker, you can make a Duolingo account. Literally, there are a million ways to learn a foreign language, but here are my 7 favorite ways.

One of these ways is watching foreign language movies. I’ve had the privilege of taking several film classes and have seen some great French movies over the years. If you’re looking to learn French in a fun way (perhaps in quarantine), here are my 9 French movies to add to your list and where to stream them.

Pro tips:

I always watch with subtitles, even with English movies sometimes. Adding subtitles in English is a great way to start learning a language, and once you’re ready for a challenge, put the subtitles in French.

Another pro tip is get a Kanopy.com account. It’s where I access the majority of my foreign language films, and it’s through your public library card, which means it’s free. (They also have plenty of English-language films.)

Pépé Le Moko (1937)

Filmmaker Julien Duvivier brings his viewers into a complicated love story in Algeria. Pépé runs about the Casbah where he tries to hide from the police. And in the process, this gangster played by the dreamy Jean Gabin falls in love with a Parisian. I’m a sucker for old French films, and Pépé Le Moko is no exception and is a great way to learn French in the process.

Where to watch it: Available to rent on iTunes for $3.99. Also available on the Criterion Channel with subscription.

© Courtesy Rialto Pictures

Diabolique (1955)

During my sophomore year of high school, my French teacher showed our class this film, and I remember how much our 15 year-old selves loved this thriller. Made in 1955 by Henri-Georges Clouzot, this murder mystery will have you on the edge of your seat and teach you French along the way.

Where to watch it: 99 cents on Amazon Prime

Source: imdb

Les Quatre Cents Coups (1959)

Made by François Truffaut, this French film is my all-time favorite. This New Wave film is a loose biography of Truffaut’s own troubled childhood told through Antoine, a child who’s dealing with difficult parents and teachers. Les Quatre Cents Coups was nominated for a smorgasbord of awards, including ones at the Cannes Film Festival and the Academy Awards. This is a classic French film of Truffaut, a major influence in the New Wave Movement.

Where to watch it: Available for free on some Kanopy.com memberships. Also available on YouTube, Vudu, Google Play, Amazon Prime and iTunes from $2.99.

Source: imdb

À Bout de Souffle (1960)

Another leader in the New Wave Movement, Jean-Luc Godard made his mark on French cinema with À Bout de Souffle. If I had to describe this classic, I’d call it avant garde as this filmmaker has a very distinct artsy style. The film follows a French man and his relationship with a New Yorker living in France.

Where to watch it: Available for free on some Kanopy.com memberships. Also available on YouTube, Amazon Prime, Google Play, Vudu and iTunes from $2.99.

Source: imdb

Jules et Jim (1962)

Another masterpiece by François Truffaut, this film follows a love triangle of three friends and their very complicated existence, which takes place in the Austrian countryside. It’s a classic among French movies by Truffaut (one of my faves!) and helps you learn French along the way.

Where to watch it: Available for free on some Kanopy.com memberships. Also available on Amazon and iTunes from $3.99 and the Criterion Channel with subscription.

Source: imdb

Les Parapluies de Cherbourg (1964)

Think old French movies are a thing of the past? Not so, at least for Damien Chazelle. He says he watched this Jacques Demy film hundreds of times and that it inspired his own work, La La Land, according to The Guardian. This colorful musical made brings you into a story of young love, wartime and a disapproving mother. From the score to the camera angles, the film is both whimsical and delighted. And it stars the well-renowned Catherine Deneuve in her earlier days.

Where to watch it: Available for free on some Kanopy.com membership. Also available on YouTube, iTunes, Amazon Prime and iTunes from $2.99.

Source: imdb

À la Folie… Pas du Tout (2003)

Starring Audrey Tautou, this more recent film draws viewers in for a very complicated love story of a young woman who’s in love with a married man with a child on the way — and a crazy big plot twist. The English title was translated to “He loves me, he loves me not,” and oh boy, does filmmaker Laetitia Colombani take this to a new level!

Where to watch it: Available for free on some Kanopy.com memberships. Free on YouTube.

Les Choristes (2004)

Set during the 1940s, this heartwarming story takes you into a boys’ boarding school and one teacher’s quest to share his love of music with them. If you need a cheery pick-me-up and want to learn French at the same time, this is the film for you.

Where to watch it: Available on Amazon, Google Play, Vudu and Fandango from $3.99.

Hors de Prix (2006)

I ain’t saying she’s a gold digger — no, actually she is. Set in southern France, this film follows Audrey Tautou’s character, who is confronted with the dilemma of love versus money.

Where to watch it: Available for free on some Kanopy.com memberships. Free on YouTube and Vudu.

Like this list on Letterboxd to see full film descriptions and where you can stream them.

Whew, you’ve got a lot of movies to watch — a fantastique way to spend your quarantine hours. From the 1930s to present day, here are my top 9 French movies to help you improve your French. On y va !

Download my free 50 Most Used French Verbs flashcards and Quizlet

* indicates required

Author Signature

Share with a friend & save for a future adventure!

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
Pin3
Share1
Share
Tweet
4 Shares
0
2 Comments

My Fave Finds

Previous How to Work from Home and Be Productive in Quarantine
Next 13 Ways to Travel At Home During Quarantine

Related Posts

My Bucket List

When Traditions Fail Us

Basic French for Travelers

Reader Interactions

Trackbacks

  1. 50 Most Used French Verbs to Know + Free Flashcards - round trip says:
    August 16, 2020 at 12:37 pm

    […] you’re looking to learn even more French, here are 9 French films you’ll want to add to your watch list. And check out these helpful French phrases to […]

    Reply
  2. 11 Things to Do in Cannes + Day Trip to Antibes - round trip says:
    November 7, 2020 at 7:42 am

    […] along the hand imprints on the sidewalk, including Catherine Deneuve’s. (If you haven’t seen her in Umbrellas of Cherbourg, you absolutely must change […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

Bonjour

Hi, I'm Kristin. I'm a content creator teaching English in southern France. I'm all about exploring new places, practicing my French and sharing blogging tips. Allez-viens!
learn more about my story

Ad

Top Posts & Pages

  • 50 Most Used French Verbs to Know + Free Flashcards
  • The Beginner’s Guide to Universal Studios
  • bonjour
  • Useful French Phrases
  • 40 Things to Do in St. Louis

About

Hi, I'm Kristin. I'm a content creator teaching English in southern France. I'm all about exploring new places, practicing my French and sharing blogging tips. Allez-viens!
learn more about my story

Want free access to my 30-minute travel budgeting course?

Why is being present so hard?!🙈Double tap if yo Why is being present so hard?!🙈Double tap if you agree!

It's so easy for me to get stuck in the past or focused on the future — so much so that I made this quote my lock screen for a looooong time. It's funny how forgetful we are as humans: We long for the future, but once we're there, we crave the past.

🌍I love how travel reminds me to be present. When you've saved up, planned and dreamed about a trip for so long, OF COURSE you want to savor each moment. But it's a great lesson for our everyday life, too.

❓How do you keep yourself in the present? I like keeping a gratitude journal. Tell me in the comments!

 #blogginglife #dametravel #dametraveler #blogger #girlswhotravel #travelquotes #quotes #inspirational #bloggerunder5k #bloggerlifestyle #bloggersofinstagram #bloggervibes #bloggersgetsocial #travelblogger #instablog #microinfluencer #microinfluencers #quotable #eze #ezefr #tapif #assistantdelangue #tapifusa
Not to be dramatic or anything, but those nine day Not to be dramatic or anything, but those nine days truly changed my life😍 About 7 years ago, I was taking AP European History and heard about a summer trip to Europe with my high school. London, Paris, Florence and Rome.

Yep, we were that group of students walking around Europe with our lanyards and headsets. I got those jitters when I saw Europe in its glory for the first time. And I still do.

If you would’ve told me then that I’d move to France during a global pandemic, I’d tell you you’re complètement fou.

But here’s the thing: that trip with @EFtours stirred something inside of me, and it has yet to settle. It was a longing to see and experience the world with my own two eyes. And it inspired me to start my travel blog, to continue with my French studies, to study abroad and to move to France.

This ain't sponsored (but I sure wish it were!), and I mean with my whole heart those few days in high school set me onto this path. And for that, I am beyond grateful.

🤔What about you? Can you point to a specific moment or experience that set you on the path you're on today, all these years later? Tell me about it⬇️

@ef #eftours #efabroad #educationfirst #inspo #inspiring #efgapyear #efexplorer #completementfou #expatlife #whereicamefrom #expat #expatdiary #microinfluencer #microinfluencers #bloggersunder5k #bloggersunder2k #bloggersunder10k #francophile
One thing you rarely hear about life abroad: so mu One thing you rarely hear about life abroad: so much dang paperwork and many complicated processes🙈

💰I have several bank accounts in the U.S. and France. I'm paid in euros, but I still have recurring subscriptions on my American credit card. I'm also all about growing my savings and getting those credit card points on my American account.

What👏to👏do?👏

❌I tried sending money directly from my French bank account to my American credit card bill. It worked, but there was bigger fee. And it was only to pay off charges, not grow savings.

✅But then a friend introduced me to @TransferWise and now I am set! I can easily transfer between my different checking accounts for the lowest rates I ever did see. Plus,  I'm still able to grow my savings and investment accounts in America.

❓OK but what is it?! @TransferWise is a third-party site that transfers money between accounts from all over the world. They price compare their rates with other companies. Their site is super easy to use and explains the whole process. And the rates were crazy low and not as high as the transfer I made directly through my banks.

🔗Bop over to link in bio for the link to get a free account and the other 5 things every expat needs.

#expat #expatlife #americanabroad #americansabroad #assistantsdelangue #eslteacher #teflteacher #tefl #esl #englishteacher #americaninfrance #americansinfrance #bloggersunder5k #bloggersunder2k #bloggersunder1k #microinfluencer #wanderlust #tapif #tapifusa @tapifusa @assistantsdelangue #albi #albifrance #france
Have you ever had one of those “it’s a small w Have you ever had one of those “it’s a small world” moments?🌏

☀️Back in 2017, I spent a summer in Toulouse. One weekend, my friends and I went on a road trip to a slew of villages in southwestern France. They were truly some of the best days of my life: we stayed in my friend’s castle🏰(casual), we swam in the river + sunbathed, we drank wine + played games, we explored idyllic villages.

One of my favorite spots with the sweetest of nostalgic memories was in a small village called Laguépie. Population: ~600. Whenever people asked me my favorite place in France, nobody ever knew where I was talking about. It wasn’t in the magazines or travel blogs. (Ahem, it’s on mine!)

➡️Fast forward to 2020. I’m preparing to leave for France and am keeping a close eye on my teaching program’s Facebook page. An American girl posted in the group about her time in Marseille, and we began messaging. She helped me with a million and one things during my move to France, and we’ve stayed in touch and become good friends.

Earlier this month, I visited Albi to see her along with her French boyfriend, who’s from a small village. He never told me the name, but as we were sipping wine and eating saucissons, he said something about Laguépie.

“WHAT?! Did you say Laguépie? I’ve been there and fell in L O V E!” He said, no, we can’t be talking about the same place, no one ever goes to my hometown😂 But after showing him my photos, including ones the village’s castle @chateau_louvielcastel reposted, it was one and the same.

Can someone queue “Invisible String” because what a small world this is that we’re all connected. Do you have any wild stories like that? Tell me in the comments⬇️

#laguepie #laguépie #viaur #franceprofonde #lafranceprofonde #microinfluencer #tarn #garonne #occitanie #frenchvillage #vivelafrance #stmartinlaguepie #bloggersunder5k #bloggersunder2k #bloggersunder1k #bloggersunder10k #itsasmallworld #smallworld #jaimelafrance #patrimoine @occitanietourisme
What do you like searching for on Pinterest?📌 What do you like searching for on Pinterest?📌

✈️I love finding travel destinations + itineraries, easy recipes and decorating ideas. My guess is that you've found some blogs and ideas you love through this site. 

😍I'm even more obsessed with how @pinterest serves to grow my blog and brand.

Currently kicking myself for not getting on the Pinterest for Business train sooner because this site is truly a game changer. I went from a personal account with a wedding board and gluten-free board with recipes I’d never tried to a bustling business board with more than 400,000 monthly visitors. And most of that is not from advertising.

📈I took a free @jennakutcher webinar on how to use Pinterest for Business and saw massive growth. And the best part? You can schedule out content for an entire week in just 30 minutes to an hour. 

⏩Pinterest is my top driver of traffic, and if you want to upgrade your blog like a pro, this is where you need to invest your time, hands down.

Want to learn how you can use Pinterest to grow your blog, brand or biz? Head over to link in bio for my best blogging tips💯

#bloggergirl #blogginglife #blog #blogger #girlswhotravel #bloggingtips #bloggingadvice #getrich #sidehustle #sidegig #monetize #monetizeyourblog #bloggerunder5k #bloggerlifestyle #bloggersofinstagram #bloggervibes #bloggersgetsocial #travelblogger #instablog #monetizeyourbrand #monetizeyourpassion #cassis #france #cassisfr
Best day trips from Nice No. 4: Èze🏰 This med Best day trips from Nice No. 4: Èze🏰

This medieval village enchanted me so much so I almost teared up as we left because I just didn’t want to go. If there are castles, sea views and charm, I’m so there. And Èze checks all these boxes✅ 

😍This medieval village is a labyrinth of cobblestone and windy paths, but the steps are worth it. There are shops and restaurants along the way to the top where you get sweeping views of the Mediterranean Sea. 

🌵Once you make it to the top, you have to pay to enter the Jardin Exotique d’Èze, and I can't recommend it enough. (Be sure to ask about the combo deal that includes both the garden in Èze and the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild nearby.)

🚗🛤️Distance from Nice: 30-minute drive or 15 minute train ride

Craving more photos + day trip ideas from Nice? Head over to link in bio ❤️

#nicefrance #nicefr #nice #southernfrance #eze #èze #ezefr #ezefrance #ezevillage #medievalvillage #seaside #seasidedining #seasidelunch #mediterraneansea #mediterranean #oceanviews #microinfluencer #tapif #tapifusa #assistantsdelangue #assistantdelangue #tefl #esl #eslteacher #teflteacher #teachabroad #teachabroadfrance #jardinexotique #microinfluencer
How's your sense of direction?↪️🗺️I am th How's your sense of direction?↪️🗺️I am the queen of getting lost — and not on purpose😂

When I lived in Toulouse in 2017, I took a day trip to a nearby town to visit a friend. Wanting to get the best deal, I booked the 6 a.m. train. Unfortunately, I didn't think it all the way through🙃

I left my apartment on time, but when I got to the metro, it hadn't started running yet. I was nervous about getting to the train station on time, but if I hurried, I could make it.

Alas, I made it to the metro stop where I was supposed to switch metro lines. I had one job, and I failed🙈

⚠️I went the wrong direction, and once I realized it, I quickly got off the next stop and ran up to the street. I was unbelievably lost, and the sun hadn't even come up. Eventually, I made it to the train station but had completely missed the train.

And defeated, I sat down in the bakery, cried and FaceTimed my mom. Some kind French girl saw my tears and approached me to help me book a new train.

Since then, I've gotten lost many more times😆 But it's taught me to not be so hard on myself because getting lost is part of the journey. (And if it's not a good time, it's a good story, eh?😜)

 #blogginglife #dametravel #dametraveler #blogger #girlswhotravel #travelquotes #quotes #inspirational #bloggerunder5k #bloggerlifestyle #bloggersofinstagram #bloggervibes #bloggersgetsocial #travelblogger #instablog #microinfluencer #microinfluencers #quotable #eze #ezefr #tapif #assistantdelangue #tapifusa
Copyright © 2021 round trip
Theme by SheShoppes
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.