Coffee Break French
Coffee Break French is a partly free French podcast for beginner to advanced learners (A1–C1). The clearest free start for absolute beginners; switch to something all-French by season 3.
Checked October 2026 on the official site ·
Coffee Break French is a course in podcast form: a teacher and a learner work through French in English, season by season, from absolute beginner in season 1 to advanced in season 4. The audio is free. The lesson notes, full transcripts (seasons 4 and En Route), bonus audio and videos come with the paid course, sold one season at a time. It suits a beginner who wants to be walked through French in English, ten or twenty minutes at a time. It is not immersion: much of each early lesson is English, so it does little for understanding French spoken at natural speed.
| Type | podcast |
|---|---|
| Level | A1–C1 (beginner to advanced) |
| Price | Free podcast; course £199 / $269 per season |
| Free to use | Yes, at least in part |
| Transcripts | Paid |
| Real-speed French | No |
| Taught in | English, French |
| Where | Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Website |
Verdict: The clearest free start for absolute beginners; switch to something all-French by season 3.
Listed in
- French podcasts for beginners
- Intermediate French podcasts
- Advanced French podcasts
- French podcasts on Spotify
- Free French podcasts
Related podcasts
- Duolingo French Podcast: Great storytelling for A2 to B1; no new episodes since February 2024.
- The Learn French With Alexa Podcast: Friendly guided listening for A2 to B1 fans of Alexa's lessons.
- FrenchPod101: A huge structured library for beginners; the free podcast feed is just a sampler.
Deeper dive
A longer guide on this topic from French with Amélie: read the guide.