À Moi Paris Method – Beginner

I am incredibly happy with this audiobook series. For 3.5 years, I’ve been trying to resurrect all the French I knew as a kid (I took it for 13 years and then forgot much of what I learned). I’ve tried working with language partners, taking French yoga classes via Zoom, and reading French books for learners. All of that has helped a little, but this series is a thousand times more effective. My favorite aspects:

• The free audiobook was quite a generous gift to people trying to decide if the series was right for them. I started learning right away!
• The stories are interesting, fun, and well written. I love how they build on each other—and how the characters tease each other.
• I love that I have been able to start from scratch, relearning the basics and quickly advancing to more sophisticated material. It has been a relief to have someone break down a massive amount of information into small, digestible bits.
• It’s terrific that each story has a new thematic focus in terms of vocabulary, as well as new grammar points.
• I love the way Camille encourages us to speak out loud in French and to push past the fear of that. I do so while walking my dogs, and I’m sure I seem “folle,” but I don’t care!
• I love how Camille has expert insight into what learners get wrong and how she warns us not to make the same mistakes. Nevertheless, she’s always respectful of learners. I don’t feel talked down to at all.
• Despite all the French I was exposed to when I was young, I never heard “Je suis” pronounced the way Camille does. The emphasis on modern French pronunciation is invaluable.
• No matter how basic or advanced the lessons are, there’s something for me to learn. And there’s a lot I already know. Realizing that makes me more confident.
• The explanations are incredibly clear/logical. Maybe they’ll stick this time!
• For me it’s essential to rely mainly on my ears, only glancing at the written material when I have a question. I am not terribly auditory, and I’ve spent far more time reading French than hearing it, so listening to an audiobook exercises my weakest muscles. And I’m so much stronger already!

I have spent many happy hours with these audiobooks, and I know I have many more to come. I can’t praise them highly enough, and I’ve already spread the word to friends. One sighed and said, “But where do you start? There’s just so much to relearn.” I told her that that’s what’s great about this series—someone has figured out how to organize the mess for us!

The only word of caution I would offer a prospective customer is that although this series is perfect for someone who has studied French in the past, it would not be suitable for someone who knows no French at all. That person would need to go much more slowly.