French Institute of the United Kingdom 17 Queensberry Place, London SW7 2DT

"I’ve been here before and it’s been OK, but I’ve recently done a French course and the tutor was frequently rude and put students down. It really isn’t the way to get the best out of people. Hopefully at least it’s prepared me for the exam that I need to take. I’m here to watch a film now and I’ve just been told off for being here 20 minutes before the film is due to start, which I don’t think is an excessive amount of time. Also, all the doors are open, if they don’t want people going in to take their seats then maybe they should lock them…"

"The premises have the cafe tangerine and cine lumiere. The staff were very helpful. Mayamada provided access to digital games, board games and VR for ticket holders. This promoted games for difference ages and languages. Very nice atmosphere and pretty premises."

"It was Autumn 2020. When pandemic and lock down almost suffocated me, I found that London Film Festival was taking place. Excitedly, I went to the premiere of the Pixar movie 'Soul' in the Institut francais (French Institute of the United Kingdom). The film itself needs no more description – it is talked about everywhere in 2021. Touched by the film's great story, I left the institute with tears but optimism, and a positive first impression. It is a cozy yet exquisite place with spaces designed for both entertainment and educational purposes. My mind lingered in the story for a few hours, when I entered the Hyde Park, about 15 minutes' walk away – although I certainely did not pay attention to where I was going. Through the park entrance, a mountain of golden-yellow leaves filled my eyes (Picture 1), and I smiled like a child immediately. Immersed in the nature's beauty, I played in the park for almost 2 hours until my stomach sung. Then I picked up a few leaves home and put them on my musical notation (Picture 2). Well, it is more than a story about movie and leaves. As a PhD student I was struggling with my research data collection during the pandemic. I was supposed to complete half of that by Autumn 2020 already, yet I did not. The calm & gentle atmosphere in the Institut francais, the wonderful & touching film, and the bright & soft leaves uplifted the then devastated me. After that day, I regained my strength and motivation to continue my research, and I succeeded in having all the data that I need. Now I am in the final stage of my PhD. And I could not be more thankful for this uplifting experience. Thank you, the Institut francais, I am very happy that I have come to meet you. Hope we can meet again in future. *Picture 3: Open your heart, you will find that 'the Great Beyond' is not the end."

"I attended the intensive in-person lessons with Tatiana Pogossian and with Annie-Laure Jeandot. Both were exceptional teachers and they provided a good foundation for the basics of learning French. Most importantly, Annie-Laure Jeandot made lessons the most fun learning spaces where we could practise and consolidate Tatiana's morning classes. Annie-Laure therefore goes down as perhaps the best teacher I've ever had! Would highly recommend both teachers. The institute itself is in need of renovations but overall a wonderful introduction to a beautiful language. Merci beaucoup!!!"

"I've had a terrible experience with this school and posting a review to warn others. My experience has been that they frequently cancel classes with short notice (48 hours) and ask you to switch to another day/time. This is challenging for me as I often work evenings and need to arrange my schedule in advance. In one case, I wrote 10 days before the class was due to start to confirm, and I was told it was confirmed and then it was cancelled anyway. I'm still having difficulty getting a refund for a class I paid for in April but did not run in Summer or Fall terms. Lots of hoops to get your money back if the class is cancelled. There is another French school across town that seems more organized and responsive. I would not recommend Institut Francais."