French Uncovered
A beginner French course built around a story you won't want to put down, so you finally understand native speakers and hold a real conversation.
Even if every app and class has left you stuck, and you think you're just not a language person.
Then a one-time payment, not a subscription.
From L'Homme au Chapeau, the story at the heart of the course.
From the desk of
Olly Richards
Creator of StoryLearning · Author of the bestselling Short Stories series (2 million+ books sold)
Can I be honest with you?
I've learned 8 languages. And I've failed at most of them, spectacularly, before figuring out what works.
So I know exactly what you're going through right now.
You downloaded the app. You did the daily streak. You memorised le chat, la table, Bonjour. You even took a class or two.
And for a while, it felt like progress.
But then you tried to actually use your French, with a real person, at real speed, and the whole thing fell apart.
I've been there. Staring at someone, nodding politely, pretending I understood. It's not fun.
But here's the thing I wish someone had told me years ago:
There's a reason you're still stuck. And it has nothing to do with talent, age, or how many hours you've studied.
It has everything to do with how you've been learning.
Let me show you what I discovered instead.
Bon courage,
Olly Richards
Creator of StoryLearning
Inside one chapter
From the first time you press play to the moment it all clicks.
The Story
"Ils sont tous rassemblés dans la bibliothèque. Marta est scientifique. Tony est archéologue. David étudie les langues..."
You don't understand everything. But you understand more than you expected. Scientifique... scientist. Archéologue... archaeologist. You got those without studying a single word.
And you want to know what happens next. That's the feeling.
Cognates
Next, your course tutor shows you the words hiding in plain sight. Voyager? Think "voyage": it means "to travel." Économiser? "Economise": to save money. Utile? That's "useful."
These are cognates, French words that look like English ones. There are thousands of them scattered throughout the story, and you can guess their meaning using context and a little imagination.
This is the moment students say: "Wait, I can actually do this."
Grammar
Meet Diane, your French tutor. You've already heard this in the story: Marta est scientifique. Diane walks you through it, est means "is," and you've just discovered the verb être, the most important verb in French.
No grammar tables. No abstract rules. Just real sentences from the story you just read, pulled apart so you can see how they fit together. You learn grammar naturally, using words you've already met in the story, not by memorising rules.
7 days free. Cancel anytime.
Pronunciation
Diane is a native French speaker certified by the Alliance Française, with over 12 years of teaching experience. She shows you exactly how to shape your mouth for sounds that don't exist in English. Not robotic textbook pronunciation, the real rhythm and music of spoken French.
Culture
France's regional diversity, from Normandy to Provence. Its history, cuisine, and cultural traditions. Because you can't truly speak a language without understanding the people who speak it.
The Payoff
You listen again. And this time, sentences that were opaque at the start of the chapter suddenly make sense.
You can hear where one word ends and another begins. You understand why the characters said what they said. You're not translating, you're understanding.
And just like that, you've started reading French, understanding grammar, and hearing the rhythm of the language.
Every chapter, the same rhythm
This is what learning through stories looks like.
The magic of StoryLearning is what makes words unforgettable, chapter after chapter, all ten of them. It's the last French course you'll ever need.
Everything you just saw is in your 7-day free trial. Full access to the entire course: story, videos, exercises, the lot.
A personal tour
Watch Olly give you a personal tour of French Uncovered:
Real students, real progress
Nisha G. NairIndia"I believe regular consistency with French Uncovered has got me to lower intermediate (A2/B1) in 3 months, which other courses could not do in 2.5 years."
PamHouston, TX"I've learned so much in the last 4 weeks than in the last 4 years of learning on my own. I am actually understanding native speakers!"
Gigi GilmourStudent"I believe the StoryLearning course is equivalent to two semesters at a university. The quality of the material is at a university level."
The StoryLearning Method
Stories aren't just entertainment. They're the oldest learning technology we have.
Stories came first. They still work best.
Stories are how you learned your native language.
Nobody handed you a grammar table when you were two. You learned through immersion, through context, through stories told to you by your family and friends. Stories that held meaning and made you care what happened next.
That's exactly what StoryLearning does. Here's the science behind why it works so well.
Dual Coding
You don't sit through a story, you live it. Learn through narrative and your brain encodes more deeply, forms stronger memories, and recalls far more than it ever does from a list.
The scienceDual Coding Theory shows memory is strongest when you encode information both verbally and through imagery. Stories create vivid mental pictures, which is why you remember story words but forget flashcard words.
Context
You don't remember random words. You remember the moment the detective found the note, the look on Marta's face when she heard the news. Words attached to a story stick, because they mean something.
The scienceContextual Learning Research consistently shows that words learned in meaningful context are retained two to three times longer than words learned in isolation. Every word in StoryLearning arrives with a scene, a character, and a reason to care.
Comprehensible Input
Instead of handing you a rule to apply, StoryLearning lets you meet a pattern naturally, then shows you what you just discovered. You work it out, so you own it. That is why you never forget it.
The scienceDr. Stephen Krashen, Professor Emeritus at USC and one of the most cited linguists in history, proved that language is acquired through comprehensible input, understanding messages in the target language, not through grammar study. StoryLearning is built on this principle.
And the experts agree
"Olly's top-notch language-learning insights are right in line with the best of what we know from neuroscience and cognitive psychology about how to learn effectively. I love his work, and you will too!"
You have options. Here is how French Uncovered compares with the usual ways people try, and keep failing, to learn French.
| Language apps | Evening classes | Private tutor | Best fit for you French Uncovered | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Understand real native speech | ✗ | ~ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Learn words in context, not lists | ✗ | ~ | ~ | ✓ |
| Go at your own pace, any time | ✓ | ✗ | ~ | ✓ |
| Driven by a story you actually enjoy | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| One payment, no monthly or hourly fees | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
Who you'll learn from
Your StoryLearning creator
I'm Olly Richards. I've spent my life working out how people actually learn languages, and StoryLearning is the result: the method behind French Uncovered and my bestselling Short Stories series.
It has helped over 100,000 learners across our courses. For French, I brought in someone special to teach you.
Your French teacher
Diane is the teacher you'll spend 60+ video lessons with, the kind who makes you forget you're studying. She has taught everyone from complete beginners to CEOs and professional athletes.
Her love of teaching comes from her love of learning, and you'll feel that warmth and encouragement from your very first lesson.
StoryLearning isn't for everyone, and that's by design. Here's how to know.
This is for you if
It's probably not for you if
Where this leads
Picture yourself ordering in a cafe and being understood the first time. Following a French film without reaching for the subtitles. Reading a novel for the pleasure of it, not as homework.
That is the other side of this. Not perfect, not overnight, but real. And far closer than years of apps ever got you.
A few words from the 10,000+ people now learning French with StoryLearning.
"I'm finding the French Uncovered programme stimulating and an excellent resource to improve my French. I particularly like the focus on learning vocabulary and grammar in context using natural dialogue."
"I have been listening to the French story for a few weeks now. There is so much that I now recognise in everyday French that I didn't get in my formal lessons. I have gained so much from this program. I don't want it to end!"
"Just a great way to learn French. You are not memorising words but following a story and getting comfortable with sentence structures. Would highly recommend this method to anyone learning a new language."
"I believe the StoryLearning course is equivalent to two semesters at a university. The quality of the material is at a university level. The lessons are a lot more fun than sitting in a lecture hall."
"I love the way we can learn things that are in the context of a story, and remember it because of the story. This is beyond my expectations."
"French Uncovered is the best language learning tool and method that I have ever encountered. The videos are extremely helpful and easy to understand. I've learned so much in the last 4 weeks than in the last 4 years of learning on my own. I am actually understanding native speakers! Thank you Olly Richards!"
"After trying to learn French on & off for 15+ years I was determined never to buy another programme, app or book but then along came French Uncovered. IT'S THE BEST!"
"We have been living in SW France for 10 years. Eight years of grammar lessons and we can just about converse with our neighbours. Both ex primary school teachers who know the power of story. Your course was made for us. Thanks."
"I got French Uncovered for beginners. I tried other methods before but felt lost and overwhelmed. With French Uncovered I easily practice reading, listening, grammar and speaking. I highly recommend it."
"I believe regular consistency with French Uncovered has got me to lower intermediate (A2/B1) in 3 months, which other courses could not do in 2.5 years. Now constantly working to improve."
"I can thoroughly recommend French Uncovered. The method of combining story telling with good video grammar/vocabulary lessons is unbeatable. Other courses just have one or the other and fall short of what a student really needs."
"If you tell me a good story, I'll follow you anywhere. What better way to learn a language than through asking what happens next? This is a challenging, well-designed course that never bored me. And I learned a lot of French."
The story at the heart of it
L'Homme au Chapeau (The Man in the Hat). Three friends, Marta, Tony and David, chase cryptic clues from Rouen to Bordeaux, Paris to Lyon, hunting a mysterious figure who has left a trail just for them.
The story pulls you deeper into the language with every chapter, and you won't put it down until you know who he really is.
The same student, real text from the course. Watch how much more you understand as the story unfolds.
"Ils sont tous rassemblés dans la bibliothèque. Marta est scientifique. Tony est archéologue. David étudie les langues."
Even as a complete beginner, you recognise scientifique, archéologue, and bibliothèque. You already understand more than you expected, and you want to know what these three friends are up to.
"L'avion décolle de l'aéroport de Cardiff, à destination de Rouen, en Normandie. Les trois amis prennent l'avion pour la France et sont assis à l'arrière de l'avion. David a le livre spécial entre les mains."
The plane takes off for Rouen... the three friends are sitting at the back... David has the special book in his hands. You're following full sentences with verbs, prepositions, and descriptions, and the mystery is pulling you forward.
"C'est sûr. Quelqu'un nous a suivi et a caché les morceaux de papier juste pour nous. Il a aussi mis le livre dans la bibliothèque de Swansea. C'est l'homme au chapeau, j'en suis sûre."
"Someone followed us and hid the pieces of paper just for us..." You're reading past tenses, pronouns, and complex dialogue, and you understood every word, because the story carried you here.
One payment, lifetime access
10chaptersEvery chapter with complete native audio, in both European and Canadian French.
60+videosGrammar, vocabulary, cognates and culture, all taught in the context of the story.
Plus everything that helps it stick
All of it is yours the moment you join, and free for your first 7 days.
No payment today, and no catch. Here is exactly how your free week works.
You're in. The entire course unlocks, the story, all 60+ videos, every exercise, with nothing charged to your card.
Try it for real. Start the story and meet Diane, and find out whether this is finally the method that clicks for you.
Decide with zero pressure. Most people know by now. If it's working, simply carry on, there's nothing you need to do.
Changed your mind? Cancel in one click before the week ends and pay nothing. No forms, no awkward emails.
Seven days to be sure. The only thing you risk is staying stuck.
No payment today. Take the whole course for a free week, and you're covered by a full-year guarantee after that.
I'm confident French Uncovered will work for you. But I also know that confidence comes from experience, not promises.
So here's my guarantee: Try the course. Work through the chapters. If at any point in the next 365 days you decide it's not for you, email us and we'll refund every penny. No questions. No awkwardness. No hassle.
You have a full year to decide. That's how confident I am that you'll love learning this way.
Olly Richards
A private French tutor runs $50 or more an hour. A year of evening classes runs into the hundreds. French Uncovered is a single payment, and your first week is free.
Lifetime access, one payment
$397$297
Less than $1 a day over a year, and equivalent to two university semesters.
Start with a 7-day free trial. Full access. Cancel anytime.
Start today and you could read your first French story tonight.
"After 15+ years I was determined never to buy another programme. Then along came French Uncovered. It's the best."
A few things people often ask before starting their free trial.
One decision left
You've read this far. That tells me something.
It tells me you haven't given up on French. That somewhere, underneath the frustration of apps that don't work and classes that didn't stick, there's a part of you that still believes you can do this.
You can.
The spark you feel right now, the one that made you read this page. It fades. Not today, maybe not tomorrow. But it fades.
Start the trial while it's still here.
7-day free trial. 365-day guarantee. Nothing to lose, except the momentum you've built today.
Your future, French-speaking self will thank you for it.
Olly Richards
Creator of StoryLearning
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