Learn French in Toulouse
Toulouse is a fast-growing aerospace and university city with Occitan written into its streets. This page covers the French you'll need there, the accent and local words, and where to take official exams in the city.
French in Toulouse
Toulouse had 514,819 residents on 1 January 2023 according to INSEE, just behind Lyon, and it grew by about 1.2% a year between 2017 and 2023. French is the official language, but Occitan has a visible place in the city: a good share of street names in the centre are shown in Occitan too, and the Tisséo metro announces stations in French and then in Occitan. Occitan is also taught in some public bilingual schools and in Calandreta immersion schools. In practice it is a heritage language, and French is what you need for work, study and administration.
Why people in Toulouse learn French
Toulouse is the home of Airbus, whose headquarters is in neighbouring Blagnac, and of a large aerospace and space sector that includes the CNES space centre. International engineers may use English on technical teams, but life outside work, from renting a flat to talking with a child's teacher, happens in French. The city's universities and engineering schools teach most programmes in French, which brings many international students who need a recognised level. Rugby is a big part of local culture, and following Stade Toulousain with friends is easier when you understand the banter.
The French you'll hear
Toulouse French has a warm southern accent: the final e is often pronounced, and nasal vowels can end with a slight ng sound, so pain sounds a little like peng. As elsewhere in the south-west, a pain au chocolat is a chocolatine. The city's nickname is la Ville rose, after its pink brick buildings. Occitan has left traces in place names you'll use every day: the metro terminus Borderouge comes from the Occitan for red farm.
- Une chocolatine et un café, s'il vous plaît.A pain au chocolat and a coffee, please.
- Je descends à Borderouge.I'm getting off at Borderouge.
- Je travaille dans l'aéronautique à Blagnac.I work in aerospace in Blagnac.
- On se retrouve place du Capitole ?Shall we meet on the Place du Capitole?
- Tu as vu le match du Stade Toulousain ?Did you see the Stade Toulousain match?
French exams in Toulouse
The Alliance Française de Toulouse is approved by France Éducation international as a DELF exam centre and as a test centre for the TCF and the civic exam. It holds several sessions a year for DELF A1 to B2, the TCF IRN and the TCF Tout Public. The centre also warns about fake websites selling TCF and DELF registrations, so book only through an accredited centre's own site. For DALF C1 or C2, look up another accredited centre on France Éducation international's list.
Check dates and fees with the exam centre directly; they change every session.
Where to start in the course
French Ultimate is an online course, so you can follow it from Toulouse or anywhere else. These topics are the most useful here:
Questions about learning French in Toulouse
Do I need French to work in aerospace in Toulouse?
It depends on the role. Some technical and international teams work largely in English, and the big aerospace employers recruit worldwide. Even so, French is the language of the city, of many subcontractors and of daily life, so most people who stay long term find they need it. A B1 to B2 level makes meetings, small talk and paperwork far easier.
Should I learn Occitan in Toulouse?
It isn't needed for daily life, since everyone speaks French. Occitan is worth knowing about: you'll see it on street signs, hear it in metro announcements and find it taught in some schools. Start with French, which you need for work and administration, and treat Occitan as a cultural extra once you're settled.
Can I prepare for the DALF with French Ultimate?
Yes. French Ultimate is an online course, not a school in Toulouse, and its higher levels include DALF C1 and C2 preparation with mock exams. The Alliance Française de Toulouse currently lists DELF up to B2, so for the DALF itself you'll need to find another accredited centre on France Éducation international's list.
Learn French from Toulouse, at your own pace
Animated video lessons that stop for your answers, speaking practice, graded stories and DELF/DALF mock exams, from A1 to C2. Start with the free placement test to see where you are.
Take the placement test