Dear French Story Listeners,

Have you ever noticed how a child learns to speak without a single grammar chart or vocabulary list?

They simply listen, absorb, and one day—almost like magic—the words flow.

Your brain hasn’t forgotten how to do this. It’s still wired for language, waiting for the right nourishment.

This Week’s Story: Une histoire d’ogre

Step into the world of young Arthur Laventure, a clever boy who escapes from an ogre and his wife not once, not twice, but THREE times!

Marie Tenaille’s delightful tale is exactly the kind of rich input your brain craves.

No forcing. No cramming.

Just a good story that feels like a warm cup of hot chocolate for your mind.

Watch here: https://youtu.be/q5nEKp8oPAM

Your Gentle Tip This Week

As Arthur outsmarts his way to freedom, you’ll naturally encounter “il s’en va” (he goes away) woven throughout the story.

This is Story Listening at work honoring how your brain actually acquires language.

Here’s a simple way to help this beautiful structure settle into your mind:

After you’ve listened to the story, try making up your own sentences using this same pattern.

Perhaps “Le chat s’en va” (the cat goes away) or “Marie s’en va au marché” (Marie goes away to the market).

Creating your own sentences helps the structure become yours—not through memorization, but through gentle, natural assimilation.

You’re Not Alone in This

Vic Lloyd recently shared on Trustpilot:

“I have been struggling to learn French for years but can’t seem to get beyond A2/B1 with traditional methods. It makes so much sense to learn a new language in the same way that we learn our first. With interesting subject matter, easily found current ability level, and Alice Ayel’s superb, rare teaching methods, suddenly the task seems confident and fun!”

You see? The struggle isn’t you—it’s the method. And now you’ve found a better way.

Settle in this week, listen with gentle attention, and let the language come to you as it will.

Your brain knows what to do.

Alice 💕

P.S. Ready to go deeper? My Members receive exclusive story resources, guided lessons, and a whole library of comprehensible French content designed to meet you exactly where you are. Because language learning is always better when you’re not doing it alone. Explore Membership & Lessons here → https://www.aliceayel.com/