Discover the Origin and Evolution of French Through a New Cultural Space

French, one of the most commonly spoken languages around the world, has a particularly interesting history. The language descended from Latin, and it first appeared in writing in 842 AD. A more elaborate history of French could now be accessed through the International French Language Centre.

According to an article by Theo Farrant, the International French Language Centre is “a new cultural space entirely dedicated to the origin and evolution of the French language.” The space is located in the Villers-Cotterêts Castle in Aisne, which has undergone a significant makeover over the past three years. One of President Macron’s biggest cultural projects, the transformation costed more than 210 million euros.

Paul Rondin, the director of the International French Language Centre, says that the center is “not just for those who speak French, it’s also for those who are learning it or simply for those who love French culture in all its aspects, including the sound of the language.”

Upon entering the castle, tourists will find a “lexical sky” in the Court of the Jeu de paume, the suspended words chosen in collaboration with the local residents.

Continuing along this path, the King’s staircase leads tourists up to a permanent exhibition showcasing the spread of the French language worldwide, its standardization processes, and the diversity of its uses. According to Farrant, after that, tourists will “enter a cubic ‘magic library’ containing thousands of books and receive personalized reading recommendations from an artificial intelligence machine.” Interactive activities such as spelling tests will also be offered.

The cultural space is continually being improved upon, with new features assisting cultural exchange being added on consistently. The International French Language Centre welcomes everyone to visit and to learn more about the French language.