A space for learning French, cultural exchange and international connections: Alliance Francaise returns to Coimbatore

“Our return is not simply a reopening,” says Lorenzo Biagini, head of Coimbatore centre — Alliance Francaise of Madras. After its exit in 2023, the centre is back in a new form, hoping to go beyond language lessons and become a space for learning, cultural exchange, and international connections. “We see it as an opportunity to build a stronger and more sustainable presence, adapted to the needs of today’s Coimbatore. The city has a very strong educational ecosystem, a dynamic industrial and business community, and a growing interest in international mobility.”

The timing, he believes, is significant. The demand for French, remains strong among students, professionals and families. The new centre caters to children, teenagers, adults and professionals, with French positioned not merely as a language for those aspiring to study or settle abroad, but also as a valuable professional skill. “France and European French-speaking countries like Belgium and Switzerland offer excellent opportunities for higher education. Students and professionals eyeing Canada can opt for a Fast Track programme designed to take beginners to B2 proficiency in six months and prepare them for examinations such as TEF and TCF Canada,” he explains.

Durgaprasad Timirikann, president of Alliance Francaise of Madras
and Lorenzo Biagini, head of Coimbatore centre with students
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

While for those staying back in India, French can open doors to opportunities, particularly in sectors such as IT, engineering, aeronautics, customer service and hospitality. Biagini points to the presence of IT companies. “French language can become a real professional asset when companies operate internationally,” he says, adding that learning the language also brings an understanding of culture and communication styles.

The centre is keen to develop programmes tailored to local industries and professionals, while partnerships with educational institutions will form another important part of its outreach. It is already working with institutions in the city to expand collaborations across primary, secondary and higher education. It’s role also extends to certification. The Alliance Francaise is an authorised centre for DELF and DALF examinations, the official French-language proficiency diplomas awarded by the French Government and recognised internationally.

The centre also has plans for weekly French film screenings with English subtitles, conversation clubs, workshops, exhibitions and other cultural events, many of them free and open even to those who do not speak French. The Coimbatore centre will also be able to bring French and Francophone artists, filmmakers, writers, chefs and other cultural practitioners to the city through events organised in India.

Biagini sees the Alliance Francaise as a bridge between students, teachers, researchers, artists, entrepreneurs and professionals in Tamil Nadu and their counterparts in France and the wider Francophone world. “We want French and Francophone cultures to meet the extraordinary cultural richness of Tamil Nadu,” says Biagini. His ambition is for the centre to become a place where people come not only to learn French, but also to read, watch a film, attend an exhibition, participate in a conversation, meet others or simply discover something new. He adds, “In a few years down the line if people in Coimbatore think of the Alliance Francaise as a place that belongs to the city’s cultural landscape, a place for learning, curiosity, dialogue and friendship, then I think we will have achieved what we set out to do.”

Alliance Francaise is located at 336, Thadagam Main Rd, Near GCT College, (Opp. Mayflower Apartment). To know more, call 6384104054 or email coimbatore@af-madras.org