Two great newspapers to help you learn French

Newspapers are an incredible resource when you are learning a language. No, seriously. Even if you find world news currently too miserable and foreboding, there is something interesting (or even maybe escapist?) to read in our newspapers. Don't believe us? Then let us try to convince you! Here are some newspapers written in French that we think will help you learn the language.

 

 

Le Journal de Montréal (et Le Journal de Québec)

Yes, we are giving you a Canadian two-for-one since both of these publications come from the same source. Both Le Journal de Montréal and Le Journal de Québec have the same layout making these newspapers easy to navigate no matter which you choose to read. Your newspaper sections are to the left of the page giving you everything from enquêtes (investigations) to monde (world) news.

The landing page is beautifully laid out, and surprisingly uncluttered considering each story is a clickable image with a simple headline. Each article is simply formatted with supporting images and videos depending on the nature of the story, and to the side there are smaller images with links to other stories you might find of interest. To get a taste of the style, try this story on Bombardier selling its stake in Airbus Canada. There are also archives, like this one from the opinions section, that give you ample things to browse through if you aren't sure what you feel like reading.

 

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We like évasion because this section is all about travel. These are easy pieces to read with lots of beautiful imagery to entice you into booking your next holiday. Here is an article on winter fun in Maine to give you an idea. And if you are looking for something small to start with, you could try the section entitled en 5 minutes which gives you a visual with small chunks of text; give this one on dinosaurs a look to see how it works. En 5 minutes even has an audio version on QUB Radio; double the practice! All in all, these two newspapers are visually appealing, simply laid out, and not intimidating for those who are first venturing into using newspapers as French realia. 

 

 

Le Monde

Le Monde is one of France's daily national newspapers, and is typically the easiest French newspaper to obtain outside of the country should you want a physical copy to study with. It has all the typical sections you would expect from a newspaper across the top of the page; things like economics and culture if you are looking for something familiar. Beneath these is a long blue strip that has links to the most up to date news complete with timestamps, so you can know exactly when each article was posted. And of course, beneath that there are other headline articles to read, one prominent with a larger image and plenty of smaller ones to its side and beneath. Try this one about Syria to get an idea of the style of writing if you aren't sure where to start.

If headline news is a little daunting then the section you are looking for is M Le Mag. Here you will find articles on food, travel, fashion, and many more besides. These are no less well written than main articles but might be a little less intimidating than world news events for your first French article to read! Try this one on ecodesign to see if these articles would help you with your French studies.

Another section we really like is the video section. You get a short story about a topic that could be about anything from world history to the environment, followed by a short article piece that is perfect for a quick read. Videos are between around four and seven minutes in length, and their associated articles between about two and four paragraphs; perfect for a short French lesson! Try this article on the potential collapse of the French Alpes to get a taster. In short, Le Monde is a really helpful newspaper for those wanting some realia to learn French with.

Excited about your French learning now you have so much more to read? Let us help you keep that enthusiasm going! With our native-speaking tutors you can study a tailormade package of French no matter your schedule, level, or needs. Drop us a quick enquiry to see how our courses work.