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Looking for books in French to help you improve? Discover our reading recommendations!
Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced learner, many students regularly ask us for reading suggestions. While easy French books exist to support foreign students, many of you want to take on the challenge of “reading in French” in a more authentic and immersive way.
If you are also looking for captivating reading suggestions suited to your level, we have prepared a special selection for you. Our teaching and administrative teams have put all their expertise into providing you with valuable reviews.
Ready to dive into books that will help you improve while keeping you entertained? Follow the guide!
My cult favorite book is “Globalia” by Jean-Christophe Ruffin (2004), a speculative novel that develops a dystopia. It takes place in a future that is not so far away and explores themes such as freedom, totalitarianism, and globalization.
My 2023 book is “Tristre Tigre” by Neige Sinno, very violent and raw (almost unbearable). A deeply moving testimony that seeks to explain, analyze, and understand the unthinkable.
My cult favorite book: “Ensemble, c'est tout” by Anna Gavalda, about living together despite our differences.
My 2024 book: “La liste 2 mes envies” by Grégoire Delacourt. A reflection on money and our fundamental needs.
A wonderful novel that I’ve often given as a gift: "L’ombre du vent" by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. Magnificent, starting with its cover. In Barcelona in 1945, a teenager must choose a book in a library, and this novel will change his life. A coming-of-age, historical, and above all imaginative and fantastical novel—unlike anything I had read before!
A magnificent debut novel: "Leurs enfants après eux" by Nicolas Mathieu. It takes place in eastern France, in Virginie’s region. It begins in 1992 with a group of teenagers listening to Nirvana and unfolds over four summers, following their lives. It’s the France of beer, of Johnny Hallyday, of funfairs, mid-sized towns, men worn down by work or unemployment, and girls faded by the age of twenty. A bit nostalgic, very political, far from globalization.
"La Horde du Contrevent" by Alain Damasio. A masterpiece that people either love or hate, a story all about the wind that begins with the end!
"Hyperion" by Dan Simmons, in four volumes. A must-read in science fiction: a sweeping saga full of twists, beautifully written, with an incredible ending.
I’ve read it in French, Chinese, and sometimes in English so that I could read it immediately on the day it was released, without waiting for translations. It was adapted into a series of seven films which, in my opinion, are only very average adaptations of the books. A TV-series format would have allowed the many storylines to be developed better and to capture the depth of the characters; in fact, a series adaptation is currently underway.
Have you guessed which books I’m talking about?
Of course, it’s the Harry Potter saga by J. K. Rowling, which I especially recommend reading in French for those who have already read it in their own language.
This is an approach I always recommend to my students, because starting to read a novel can often be frustrating. It requires a great deal of effort to understand and visualize the story, and many people give up before reaching the end.
If you’ve already read Harry Potter in your own language, you already know the plot and have the images in your mind—so rediscovering your favorite saga in French will be much easier!
Happy reading!
I’ll start with Laurent Gounelle, my favorite author ❤️. Through the form of a novel, he always invites us to become aware of who we are and of our potential. His books encourage us to gain confidence and improve our relationships 💪🏻 so we can feel better with ourselves and with others.
The book that marked me the most is "Dieu voyage toujours incognito". A true coming-of-age novel that helps you reveal yourself to yourself and to others!
Easier to read for students are "L’homme qui voulait être heureux" and "Le Philosophe qui n’était pas sage".
More recently, his novel "Intuitio", released in 2021, is an experience to be lived. I had the opportunity to experience it in June 2024 when Laurent Gounelle came to Montpellier. There were 300 of us, and almost as many were able to connect with his thinking through his introduction. Intuition is not a belief but an ability that we can all develop!
The three books by Laetitia Colombani ("La tresse", "Cerf-volant", and "Les victorieuses") are great 😊.
They are rather feminine readings about life and the difficulties faced by women around the world. Very poetic and touching, they can be devoured in no time. "La tresse" was adapted into a film, but I haven’t seen it.
For me, it’s "Le bal des folles" by Victoria Mas. It tells the story of women confined in the Salpêtrière hospital at the end of the 19th century. A very touching book that describes the period and the place of women in society at that time extremely well.
"La Civilisation, ma mère!" by Driss Chraïbi. The narrative is light and the characters are very endearing. At a time when Morocco was colonized, a mother discovers life thanks to her children. A tribute to all the mothers of the world!
"Le Passé simple" by the same author. In this novel, the author describes Moroccan society against a background of colonialism, poverty, corruption, and religious pressure. "Le Passé simple" portrays a difficult past that is still present for many people today.