Ideal for students who want personalised attention.
Not ideal for young students, the average student age is 25+.
The good
- Modern but rustic aesthetic in a historic building (with a protected WWII wall).
- Very diverse study body, no nationality makes up more than 10% of the students.
- Extensive range of unique courses, i.e. General French course combined with food, art or wine.
The bad
- One of the most expensive schools in Paris.
Date of my inspection visit at Elfe (École de Langue Française) Paris: May 16, 2024
My overall take
Elfe (École de Langue Française) is a small school in a beautifully renovated, sizeable building. In the 2nd arrondissement, Elfe is arguably in one of the best locations in Paris, within walking distance of the Musée du Louvre, the Jardin du Palais Royal, and many more. It is also only a 3-minute walk from the popular metro station Châtelet-Les Halles, making it accessible to all parts of Paris.
They probably have the most extensive range of courses I have seen offered at a language school in Paris, which is unusual for such a “small” school. Some of their most unique courses include “French through Hypnosis”, one of their newer courses. If you want a different experience, this school will have the perfect course catering to your needs. The school offers personalised attention to students with a very personal approach and considers themselves the “Elfe family”, and the students are not anonymous.
Their social programme is minimal, which is quite understandable because it’s a small school. Most options, if not all, are cultural visits based in Paris and only happen once a week. This is probably because the average student is over 25 and usually more independent.
If you are a mature student (25+) who would like to be surrounded by like-minded individuals, this would be your ideal school.
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Elfe (École de Langue Française) Paris at a glance
| Rating of former students | 4.0 (30 ratings) |
| Class size | Lingo Traveller rating: Very Small/Average Max. 10 students in Standard French course Max. 15 students in French Au Pair course |
| Diversity of nationalities | Lingo Traveller rating: Excellent diversity. No nationality more than 10%. Top nationality: Swiss |
| Learning intensity | 2.5-5 hours of homework per week (depending on the level) |
| Number of students | 50-100 adults in July 20 adults in January |
| Minimum student age | 18 years |
| Accreditations | Label Qualite FLE, Qualiopi |
| Course range | General French Course, Combi Course, Combi Course CIV + Excursions in Paris, Accelerated French (Mini Group), Semi-Private Lessons, 50+ Language Experience, General Course for Long Stays, Evening Course, Summer Evening Course, Written Evening Course, Accelerated French (One-to-One), Private Lessons, General Course + Internship , Au Pair Course, General Course + Business, General Course + Fashion, A-Level/Abitur Exam Prep Course, General Course + Food, General Course + Art, General Course + Wine, Teacher Refresher Course |
| Accommodation types | Homestay, Residence, Hostel |
| Price | |
| Standard Group course 15 lessons/week: 60min/lesson | 1 week: €450 3 weeks: €1350 |
| Additional fees | Inscription fee: €90 Course material fee: €30 |
| Price level – Standard Group course (based on 3 weeks incl. all fees) | €32.70 per 60 minute tuition |
My tour of the school & video review
Student voices
Unfiltered comments from random students I met at the school and asked about their experience.
“I began to speak French 3 or 4 months after beginning my studies, so I’m very happy about this.“
Nina
from Ukraine
“In my class, it’s very international. I am the only Italian in my class. It’s very interactive; we work in groups or with 2-3 other classmates.“
Roberto
25 years from Italy
Questions to school director
Excerpts below from my conversation with Sophie Yar, the Agent and Corporate Booking Manager of Elfe (École de Langue Française).
Me: “What sets your school apart from others in the city?“
School: “Elfe has been in existence for well over 40 years. We cater to adults, young Au Pairs, students, and professionals coming for evening classes. We offer personalised attention to all our students, so students who want to be pampered will find us a good fit for them.”
Me: “Is there a particular type of student for whom your school is especially suitable?
School: “Students who are looking for a personalised environment. We are very close to the students; we like to know them personally, and maybe if you’re looking for a place where you’re going to be anonymous, then this is not the place to be.”
School inspection report
Classrooms
Classrooms vary in size; all are brightly lit, with windows. All the classes have large tables and comfortable chairs.
Facilities
There is a classroom that converts into a computer room, a modern student lounge on the ground floor and a mini kitchen area with a vending machine, water dispenser, and microwave.
Surrounding area
Elfe is in the 1st arrondissement within walking distance of several Parisian landmarks. It is also only a 3-minute walk from the popular metro station Châtelet-Les Halles.
Social activities
They offer mostly cultural excursions but do have suggestions of activities students can partake in independently. The downside is there is only one activity organised a week, one of the most limited social programmes in all Parisian language schools.
Trusted student ratings of Elfe (École de Langue Française) Paris on the web
| Total | 4.0 (30 ratings) |
|---|---|
| Boa Lingua | 4.2 (17 ratings) |
| ESL | 3.9 (10 ratings) |
| LanguageCourse.net | 3.3 (3 ratings) |
Ratings as of June 28, 2024
Why no Google or Facebook ratings? Schools may have requested Facebook, Google or Trustpilot reviews only from those students that previously gave positive after-course evaluations. I only trust ratings from independent booking platforms/agencies, that allow exclusively clients who booked via their platform to rate the schools. I have checked each of these sites above and they have no disproportional number of positive vs negative reviews.
