The Alliance française is a non-profit organisation whose mission is to promote French language and culture outside France. Its primary concern is teaching French as a second language. It is headquartered in Paris.

The Alliance was created on July 21, 1883 by a group of eminent Frenchmen, including Paul Cambon , Ferdinand de Lesseps and Louis Pasteur.

It finances most of its activities from the fees it receives from its courses and from rental of its installations. The French government also provides a subsidy covering approximately five per cent of its budget. (This amounted to nearly 665,000 euros in 2003.)

Close to 400,000 students learn French at one of centres run by the Alliance, whose network of schools includes:

• a centre in Paris
• locations throughout France, which receive foreign students
• 1000 locations in 131 different countries

The branches outside France are locally, independently run "franchises". The Alliance française "brand" is owned by the Paris centre.

See also

• British Council
• Goethe-Institut
• Instituto Cervantes

External link

• Alliance française