French is the official language of France and is spoken by over 160 million people across the globe as their main language. It is also the official language of the Olympics and organisations such as the United Nations (UN) and the International Red Cross.

Over 70 regional languages are also spoken within France, the major ones being Alsatian (in Alsace), Basque (the Pyrenees), Breton (Brittany), Catalan (Roussillon), Corsican (Corsica), Gascon (in the south-west) and Occitan (in Languedoc). Some schools may teach in the relevant regional language as well as in French. Local dialects and accents can be difficult for even the most fluent French speakers to comprehend!

Fluency in the native language of any country is a tremendous asset, especially if you intend to live there for any length of time. If you are planning to move to France quite a way in the future, you and your family should use the time remaining to brush up on your French language skills.

You could buy revision guides, audio tapes and other self-teach learning material, or perhaps take French at evening class. If you have children, you might arrange for them to have extra French lessons through school.

All school lessons in France are taught in French, so it is vital for children to learn the language as soon as possible. When your child enrols at a French school, they may be asked to start a year lower, to catch up on reading and writing the language. This can be a blessing in disguise, as it eases children into the system at a pace they find easy and comforting whilst there is great change going on in their lives, adjusting to life in a new country. In some areas, free initiation classes (CLIN) are on offer, which provide intensive tuition for non-French speaking children. These classes may even be compulsory for children starting in secondary education.