« Languages can make you feel at home anywhere. »
Edmund de Waal
Over 60 years of French language courses
Created in 1962, the Richelieu Institut is a French school structured on a human scale. It is ideally located in the center of Lausanne, the Olympic capital of the world which was crowned « the best small city in the world » by the British magazine Monocle.
To celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2022, Institut Richelieu has reinvented itself and now welcomes you in its beautiful premises in the heart of the city, with a young and dynamic team driven by the enthusiasm and expertise of its new management. You will benefit from the pedagogical skills of your trainers, all native French speakers with solid experience in teaching adults. They will guide and support you every step of the way to help you reach your goals.
Résolument tourné vers l’avenir, l’Institut Richelieu garde à cœur d’entretenir l’esprit de famille et la convivialité qui le caractérisent depuis sa fondation. Vous apprécierez les activités originales qui vous seront proposées en plus de vos cours (visites, dégustations, découverte, …) : une immersion complète au service de vos progrès en français !
Five good reasons to choose us
Founded in 1962, Institut Richelieu is a human-sized French language school that has trained several generations of French language enthusiasts. A testament to its excellence, this longevity was recognised by the EDUQUA certification for over a decade — the Swiss quality label for continuing education. Since July 2025, Institut Richelieu has been certified ISO 21001, the international standard for management systems in educational organisations.
All our trainers have been teaching in their mother tongue for many years. Their experience and expertise guarantee you optimal support throughout your learning journey.
At Institut Richelieu, you are an active participant in your French learning journey, not a passive observer!
Institut Richelieu means truly personalised follow-up, a team attentive to your needs, a warm and friendly atmosphere, discovery activities, and support with your administrative procedures (student visa, residence permit, and other formalities).
Experience the French-speaking part of Switzerland!
You will be studying in the heart of Lausanne, the cultural center of Vaud. We regularly organise visits, excursions, and tastings of regional products (chocolate, cheeses, and other typically local specialities).
Benefit from discounts when enrolling for several terms:
From the 2nd full term, a 5% discount is applied;
From the 3rd full term, you are entitled to a 10% reduction!
Five good reasons to learn French
More than 300 million people speak French across the 7 continents. Our French courses will open cultural and professional doors rich in opportunities.
Speaking and writing in French allows you to build connections and navigate more easily in your daily environment or when travelling in a French-speaking country.
Literature, cinema, gastronomy, fashion, theatre, dance… The importance of French simply cannot be overlooked. The language of Molière will allow you to experience a part of world history and discover major cultural works.
Speaking French opens the doors of universities and prestigious institutions (UNIL, ECAL, EPFL, hotel management schools, etc.). Our intensive or private courses are perfectly designed to bring you to the required level.
Le français est à la fois langue de travail et langue officielle à l’ONU, dans l’Union européenne, à l’UNESCO, au Comité International Olympique, à la Croix Rouge Internationale, etc. Si la diplomatie, les sciences politiques ou l'actualité internationale vous intéressent, vous serez régulièrement en contact avec cette langue.
Our French courses
We offer French courses for all levels, but also for all study rhythms. Discover our range of courses and choose the one that best suits your needs and schedule, whether intensive, semi-intensive, private, or online French classes.






- introduce yourself
- ask personal questions
- interact in a simple way
- understand simple messages
- write simple texts
- fill in a form
- understand a simple everyday conversations
- describe your intersts
- explain your plans for the future
- understand a simple news articles
- write a personal letter
- describe a past event
- understand a television program
- follow a presentation
- recounting an event, an experience
- develop an argument
- understand everyday texts
- write short essays
- understanding long speeches and lectures
- give a detailed explanation of your point of view
- participate in a discussion
- read articles and reports
- write clear and detailed texts
- summarize


Our philosophy
The key to the quality of our French courses?
A philosophy shared by every member of our team, dedicated to your success!
01
TeachingFor us, teaching French means supporting your everyday French needs. We see teaching as an active collaboration: we are mediators of knowledge, you are actors in your learning. We favor an action-oriented approach, centered on your daily needs and real world documents that give meaning to your learning. With us, motivation and pleasure go hand in hand with practice and progress.
02
HumilityWe will never be responsible for the personal growth of individuals. Our role is to trust in each person’s potential, to help them reveal it, and to support them in their journey of making the French language their own.
03
AutonomyOur mission is to promote the autonomy of our students: We help you gain confidence in your abilities and feel comfortable expressing yourself in French, even in the early stages of your learning, which gives you the means to be and feel 100% responsible for your growth process.
04
AcceptanceWe work with people in a non-judgmental way. This means helping them to recognize and accept both their difficulties and their successes as sources of learning. Mistakes are an integral part of the learning process, especially for languages. Every student learns French in a unique way, partly shaped by their own culture, and we do everything we can to help them adopt learning techniques suited to their individual identity.
05
RespectWe respect people’s individual journeys, their beliefs and their pace in mastering the skills being taught. With this perspective, we are able to respect ourselves, our needs, imperfections and weaknesses. The French language itself is the result of many cultural encounters throughout history, such as Latin and Gallo-Romance. It gave rise to many other variants, including Breton, Corsican, and Creole languages.
06
OpennessWe are always open and willing to share the richness of each individual person: learning a language means revealing oneself, so it is essential that each person be open-minded and tolerant so that everyone feels comfortable and confident. La langue française elle-même est le fruit de nombreuses rencontres culturelles au fil de l’histoire, comme le latin et le gallo-roman. Elle donna naissance à bien d’autres variantes telles que le breton, le corse ou encore les langues créoles.
07
TransparencyWe can only function properly and effectively through transparency both relational and intellectual. We accept problems and tensions, welcoming these confrontations as opportunities for growth.
08
ConsistencyWe are committed to continuously questioning our practices, doing what it takes to improve our teaching methods, and teaching only French — our mother tongue — to guarantee you an authentic immersion.


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Nos Certifications
Nos certifications vous garantissent un niveau scolaire reconnu mondialement. Apprendre le français à L’institut Richelieu, c’est la promesse d’une qualité d’enseignement supérieure. découvrez nos cours pour en savoir plus.

The ISO 21001 standard helps all types of educational institutions — from schools and universities to training centres and corporate learning departments — to improve the quality of their educational services and better meet the needs of learners and other stakeholders.

Approximately 100’000 students attend one of the 240 FSEP schools and, represent more than a hundred nationalities.

Valuable diplomas recognized worldwide, confirming the quality and reputation of a Swiss education.
60+
YEARS OF EXPERIENCE7000+
TRAINED STUDENTS5500+
DIPLOMAS GRANTED24000+
TESTS TAKENTestimonials
Activities
Students are welcome to take part in our various activities and excursions.
I
Swiss Art of Living WorkshopsLearning French also means learning how to live in the French-speaking part of Switzerland. Our workshops immerse you in daily life in Lausanne:
- strolling through the narrow streets of the old town,
- strolling through the narrow streets of the old town,
- an introduction to fondue and raclette,
- tasting wines from the UNESCO-listed Lavaux region.
Each outing is both a language and a cultural lesson — because French is lived as much as it is learned.
II
Excursions: Heritage, Vineyards & Lake GenevaTerraced vineyards, Lake Geneva, artisanal chocolate, punctual trains — the French-speaking part of Switzerland is a unique learning environment. Our excursions take you to explore its emblems:
- visiting the Lavaux vineyards,
- discovering local customs and traditions,
- an introduction to regional culinary specialties.
You practice French in real-life situations, with
locals and shopkeepers, far from the classroom. A total immersion in Swiss culture and daily life.
III
Meet Lausanne: Local Life & ConnectionsLausanne is a human-sized, international, and welcoming city. We help you feel at home here:
- understanding social codes,
- navigating administration,
- deciphering a restaurant menu,
- and chatting with your neighbors.
Our language exchanges connect you with locals ready to share their language and culture. Open to all our students, and often the start of beautiful friendships. More information available on our contact page.



























