Français Authentique: The Perfect Method to Go from Intermediate to Fluent

After moving to Austria and learning German from scratch, Johan came back to France and created Français Authentique, a blog where he posts authentic French content.

At the core of the Français Authentique method is the idea that exposure to authentic French is the only way to reach fluency. That’s why the packs 1, 2 and 3 from Français Authentic are exclusively in French.

The goal is to help people who understand French reach fluency. Is it a success? That’s what you will discover in this review of Pack 1 and Pack 2.

Disclaimer: Johan sent me review copies of Pack 1 and Pack 2. This article also contains affiliate links. This means that if you buy a Français Authentique pack after using my link, I receive a commission.

How does the Français Authentique method work?

packs français authentique

Français Authentique is all about immersion. Pack 1 contains articles in which Johan discusses different topics in French (wine, typical day…), while pack 2 is focussed on everyday conversations (solving problems with a hotel reservation…) and contains dialogues.

In each pack you have:

  • The conversation or article (audio and transcript)
  • Explanations about the vocabulary (audio and transcript)
  • Pronunciation exercices (audio and transcript)
  • A story using words you already learned

Unlike many other French courses, Français Authentique is completely in French. This is not for beginners, but could be what you need if you understand French but would like to become fluent or to fain confidence when you speak.

In the first pack, Johan speaks a little slower than normal. This is great to understand what he says and gain confidence. However, in Pack 2 the conversations are at normal speed. This allows you to slowly transition from slow French to normal French.

What did I like and dislike about the method?

What I really liked is that Johan gives you a ton of advice on how to learn French. He understands that learning French is also about motivation and does everything he can to keep you motivated. He also tells you exactly what to do to use the packs as efficiently as possible, and you never have to wonder what to do next.

You can clearly see he made this course knowing exactly what French learners struggle with.

I love the focus on authentic French content. As intimidating as it may be, this is the best way to go from intermediate to fluent. Johan speaks clearly and you can use the transcripts to read at the same time which makes it easier to follow. Unlike other courses that sometimes contain strange expressions, these packs only teach you authentic French, the kind of French you will actually need in daily life rather than business French.

The courses are based on the comprehensible input hypothesis, so every article and conversation is designed to be understandable, but contains words and sentences you don’t know. This is ideal because you understand enough to stay motivated, but learn enough to keep the course useful and challenging.

The vocabulary explanations are clear, in context and will show you how to use the vocabulary you learnt. Finally, the stories allow you to review the words and sentences you learnt in a new context.

For the pronunciation part, Johan speaks and ask you to repeat. This is the only part where I would suggest a few improvements. Repeating what you hear is good, but I think it would be even more useful to have the IPA pronunciation and maybe even a video available so you can see how to move your lips when you speak. In addition to repeating, I advise you to record yourself and compare your pronunciation with Johan’s pronunciation, or even better, find a native French speaker who can correct your pronunciation.

I liked: 

  • Authentic French content
  • No English which forces you to immerse yourself and think in French
  • Clear explanations
  • Based on science

I didn’t like:

  • The pronunciation exercises may be too basic

Do I recommend Français Authentique?

Yes!

If you want to go from intermediate to fluent, Français Authentique is THE course to buy. You will learn authentic French, and immerse yourself into the language. Learning with a Français Authentique pack is like having a virtual French immersion.

This is the first time I feel I can completely recommend a French course. Well-done Johan :).

And you, what do you think about the Français Authentique method? Would you recommend it?

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Benjamin Houy

Benjamin Houy is a native French speaker and tea drinker with a BA degree in Applied Foreign Languages and a passion for languages. After teaching French and English in South Korea for 7 months as part of a French government program, he created French Together™ to help English speakers learn conversational French.