Private French lessons for creative people, curious about French culture and lifestyle
Your words
Thank you so much to all our great students!
Violaine is an exceptional teacher and a consistently supportive presence. She makes learning French exciting by focusing on the interests and the passions of her students. She's fun to be around, compassionate and curious, and an incredible wealth of knowledge about things to see and do in Paris and beyond. I'm super grateful for the time we spent together and for how much I learned.
Visité en octobre 2021
Andrew Simon, playwright, stage director (New-York City)
I had such a lovely experience studying French with Chloé, through Bespoke French Lessons. We met for 10 private lessons throughout the summer, each time in a different neighborhood of Paris - it was an excellent way to quickly improve my conversation skills, and also a very fun way to get to know a new city. I felt that the course was perfectly tailored to my level and interests, that I was continually challenged, and that my french improved a lot over the course of the summer. I would highly recommend Bespoke French Lessons to anyone spending time in Paris!
Josephine Holasek (Manager of strategic analysis New-York City Ballet)
"Bespoke" perfectly describes the type of service Violaine provides. There's nothing rote or formulaic about her lessons; each one is tailored to a student's particular interests and language level. For example, I recently released a book on the topic of shame and Violaine provided texts in French from various sources on that topic. When I expressed an interest in French politics, she brought videos and extracts regarding "la France insoumise" and the current political climate. Because I'm a writer, she made use of extracts from many literary prize nominees during La Rentrée Littéraire for our lessons. Her close attention to the gaps in my vocabulary and grammar skills helped me progress to an advanced level. And if all that weren't enough, she's a charming and vivacious person, very warm and curious and giving. I cannot recommend Violaine highly enough!
Dr Joseph Burgo, writer, psychoanalyst
As a veteran of numerous and varied language courses around the world, I am pleased to write this tribute to my gifted professor, Violaine Donadello Szapary. My recent six-month course with Violaine was nothing less than exhilarating. The one-on-one format is, in my view, the most effective way to learn or refine one’s skills in a language. For me, there was never a dull moment. We covered current events, politics, literature, gossip, French life and of course French grammar! My French was rusty, the last proper encounter having been at boarding school in Paris in 1961! Under Violaine’s expert guidance I achieved my three goals: 1) to reach a high level of fluency in everyday life; 2) to hold my own at a French dinner party; and 3) to be able to tell stories and even jokes in French. With her help I moved from an inconsistent B1 to a solid C1 (C2 being the apex). She also assigned me essays and analyses on a variety of topics for homework and encouraged me to write a Chronique de Paris detailing my daily experience of life in the city, all of which greatly enhanced my French writing skills.
Thank you Violaine for an unforgettable experience.
I would recommend the program without reservation. In a word: Magnifique!
June 2019, Cleveland, Ohio
Mrs Patience Humphrey (author)
I never write reviews for anything! -- but I'm making an exception in this case because I had such a positive experience with this company and my wonderful tour guide, VIolaine. We spent two delightful hours last week wandering the streets around the Palais Royale. Violaine was an excellent guide in every respect: she met me at exactly my level of French, using simple vocabulary but still managing to convey many interesting aspects of the area's history and architecture, without overwhelming me with facts or figures. We even talked about politics and the ongoing demonstrations in Paris, which alone was worth the price of the tour! If you want to practice your French in a relaxed and beautiful setting, and learn something you never knew about a city you love, I can not recommend this highly enough!
Neva Grant (journalist)
Violaine is a fantastic teacher, a knowledgeable guide, an excellent conversationalist, a beautiful story-teller and writer, and spending any time in class or on a city walk with her in her home city of Paris will be worth your time and money! The time just flew by, and I got to discover some gorgeous hidden gems of Paris, little streets I would not have found wandering by myself, historical markers of a past-long-gone in plain daylight I would have walked passed without noticing, details of buildings and architecture I got to appreciate because we spent time looking and commenting... Paris neighborhoods have become so alive and rich because of the time we spent together, and I am so grateful! Oh, and all the while, my French has taken some serious steps forward, with the help of not only the enriching conversations during our city walks, but also our sit-down-and-study classes in a neighborhood cafe, with grammar, reading, pronunciation, vocabulary, on-point corrections, homework between lessons, and suggestions for books, articles, and resources. Merci merci merci, Violaine!
Annette Bauer (musician in the cirque du soleil)
I highly recommend Violaine. I just completed 30+ hours of private lessons to help "make French my own," and they were the best investment I've ever made in my French education. Violaine is a highly skilled and delightful instructor who developed an engaging set of lessons on topics we both enjoyed. Over time, I realized that I was beginning to use naturally a more native French approach to expressing myself. I definitely plan to engage Violaine again soon, once my work schedule allows!
Carol Carmichael (academic, independent advisor)
Violaine has been the best French tutor I have had to date. She makes the subject fun by getting to understand what you like and need to learn. Unlike many French teachers she is encouraging of you speaking without being overly critical, only getting more critical once you develop confidence and a basic command of the language. I learned very quickly with her and learned loads about Paris in the process.!
Megan Gwatney (Fashion designer in Paris)
Violaine is a fantastic teacher and is super knowledgeable. Taking a class with her is so much more than a language experience! She makes learning French so much fun, because she clearly enjoys sharing her love for the language and puts it into a Parisian cultural context. Her enthusiasm for art, music, history, literature, cinema and the different culinary delights are infectious. Her hidden secrets and tips about the different Parisian neighborhoods bring all of Paris alive and are invaluable if you are looking to experience the many faces of the city comme un(e) parisien(ne). I learned more with Violaine in two weeks (1 1/2 hrs a day) than most people do in two months and certainly more about Paris than in any travel guide! Thank you, Violaine! You are truly the most engaging, interesting and best prof I have ever had!
Claudia Arietta ( Spanish Teacher,
New -York City)
Violaine is an exceptional and enthusiastic teacher. She is very engaging with her students and she integrates the Parisian culture and context during her lessons. She always ensures that everyone in the classroom has contributed in some way during class participation. She is lovely tour guide and is very friendly. She is always willing to provide tips and advice on the best places to go to in Paris. She is personable and always made me feel valuable during her lessons. I am truly grateful to have had French lessons with her ! She is truly one of the best !
Christiane Borotro (Teaching assistant in University of Waterloo)
Arts works : Philippe Parreno, Georges de La Tour, Myriam Cahn, Elsa Sahal, Christian Dior, Pierre Mignard, Il Corregio, Eric Dietman, Kerry James Marshall