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Russian Schools in the South of France

Russian-language supplementary education schools operate across the South of France — in Nice, Marseille, Montpellier, Toulouse, and also in Aix-en-Provence, Nîmes and Avignon. Most classes are on Saturdays, for children aged 2.5 to 15, with a focus on language, arts and cultural heritage.

24 June 2026 · 7 min read

For Russian-speaking and CIS families who have settled in the South of France, maintaining the heritage language in children is one of the most pressing practical challenges. The French school environment absorbs the minority language surprisingly fast: within a few years many children start responding to their parents in French by default. Weekly Saturday schools are the minimum “anchor” that linguists describe as the supporting mode for balanced bilingualism.

The numbers, briefly. There is no single official statistic for “how many Russian schools there are in France” — these are independent associations, not a state network, and nobody counts them centrally. In the South of France, the area this directory covers, we found and verified 11 supplementary education schools and clubs across seven cities: 2 each in Nice, Marseille, Montpellier and Toulouse, plus one each in Aix-en-Provence, Nîmes and Avignon. On top of that come Russian-language sections at French lycées (for example, Lycée Joffre in Montpellier and Lycée Thiers in Marseille) and online options for cities with no in-person school.

Why Saturday school matters — the short version

Regular weekly lessons are the minimum threshold for sustaining a minority language in bilingual children. Beyond language, Saturday school gives children a Russian-speaking social circle — peers with whom they can speak their heritage language without embarrassment. For parents, a practical bonus: Saturday classes do not compete with weekday French school.

Schools and clubs by city

All data below has been verified against official association websites. We recommend contacting each school directly before enrolment — schedules and addresses are updated at the start of each September.

Nice

Solnyshko / Alliance Russe

The first official Franco-Russian school on the Côte d’Azur, established in 2006. Since 2023, Alliance Russe also runs a bilingual primary school (50% French / 50% Russian) — the first officially accredited one in the South of France.

  • Address: 29–31 avenue de la Marne, 06100 Nice
  • Ages: 18 months to 18 years (toddler, pre-school and school-age groups)
  • Format: Wednesdays and Saturdays, 9:00–18:00 (depending on group)
  • Also: bilingual primary school (Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri) for children aged 2–8
  • Phone: +33 (0)6 18 04 15 21
  • Website: alliancerusse.fr

Matryoshka

Russian school in Nice since 2009. Language classes, gymnastics and creative workshops.

  • Address (registration): 12 Place Garibaldi, 06300 Nice; also 3 bis rue Guigonis, 06300 Nice (Wed 16:00–17:00, Sat 12:00–13:00)
  • Phone: +33 (0)6 27 10 26 38
  • Email: gorohova@hotmail.fr

Marseille

One frequent question worth clearing up: the Russian embassy school operates in Paris; there is no embassy school in Marseille — the nearest options in the South are listed below.

Teremok (association Perspectives)

Supplementary education school in operation since October 2008, with support from the town halls of Marseille’s 9th and 10th districts.

  • Address: Maison de quartier Saint-Tronc, 134 rue François Mauriac, 13010 Marseille
  • Getting there: Metro Sainte-Marguerite Dromel, then bus 16 to Saint-Tronc stop
  • Ages: 3–15, groups by age and level
  • Schedule: every Saturday, 9:00–16:30 (excluding school holidays)
  • Curriculum: Russian language and literature, English (ages 6–12), theatre studio (ages 6+), folk dance (ages 5+), fine arts (ages 4+), chess club (ages 6+)
  • Phone: +33 (0)4 91 75 01 92 / +33 (0)6 21 55 35 76
  • Email: shkola.teremok@gmail.com
  • Registration: online via Google Form on the association website

Azbuka / Association Maison Russe

Language classes, drawing, folk dance, music, theatre, piano. Adult groups also available.

Montpellier

Lastochka / Amitiés Russes

The Amitiés Russes association has been active since 1992. Their Lastochka school accepts children from 2.5 years old. Curriculum: speech development, Russian language and literature, history, music, dance and theatre, arts and crafts, and Russian for French-speaking children.

Les Enfants Russes de Montpellier

Association registered in September 2017. Five teachers covering Russian language, music, theatre, speech development and crafts.

Toulouse

Toulouse Gramota

Association founded in 2019, promoting the Russian language and culture in Haute-Garonne through children’s language courses, traditional celebrations and cultural events.

  • Address: 2 impasse de la Dépêche, appt. 19, 31100 Toulouse

Toulouse-CEI

Language courses for adults and older teens (6 levels, beginner to advanced).

  • Address: 38 rue Pargaminières, 31000 Toulouse
  • Phone: 05 61 21 18 74
  • Hours: Friday and Saturday, 15:00–18:00

Aix-en-Provence

LECREPA / Langue et Culture Russes en Pays d’Aix

An association active since the 1990s, promoting Russian language and culture in Aix-en-Provence; it runs a children’s supplementary school as well as adult courses.

  • Address: Maison des Associations, 33 rue Emile Tavan, 13100 Aix-en-Provence
  • Ages: 4–14 (plus adult groups)
  • Schedule: Wednesdays and Thursdays (language, literature, culture)
  • Phone: 07 82 14 01 16
  • Email: contact@lecrepa.com
  • Website: lecrepa.com

Nîmes

KALINKA — Association Franco-Russe de Nîmes

A Franco-Russian association founded in October 2010; it runs a Russian supplementary school for children, plus piano, solfège and dance clubs.

  • Address: Maison des Associations, 2 Impasse Jean Macé, 30900 Nîmes
  • Ages: 4–12 (pre-school and school-age groups)
  • Schedule: Saturdays
  • Email: association.fr.kalinka.nimes@gmail.com
  • Website: kalinka-nimes.fr (check the site for a phone number — contact details on other listings are unclear)

Avignon

Provence-Russie

A law-of-1901 association that develops Franco-Russian cultural ties: Russian-language courses for all levels (geared more toward adults and families than a standalone children’s school), cooking workshops, and cultural events.

  • Venue: Salle de la Durance, 3237 avenue de la Croix Rouge, 84140 Avignon
  • Schedule: Wednesdays, 3 levels through the day (3:15 PM advanced, 5:00 PM beginners, 6:30 PM intermediate), except during school holidays
  • Price: €12 per class (1.5 hours)
  • Phone: 06 62 20 54 56
  • Website: provence-russie.com

Other cities

In the South of France, some international lycées run EIE (extracurricular language instruction) sessions in Russian. In Marseille, Lycée Thiers offers EIE on Thursdays (16:16–18:20). In Montpellier, Lycée Joffre teaches Russian as LVA and LVB within the regular curriculum (2–4 hours per week depending on the programme stream).

Online options

Online lessons are a genuine alternative when no local school exists:

  • Diaspora tutor — lessons via Zoom with a native-speaker teacher living in France or abroad. Ask in the community chat or search Superprof.fr.
  • Online groups at existing schools — some of the schools listed above (e.g. Teremok) run online groups for children aged 7+ when enough students register.
  • International platforms — specialist live-lesson services for bilingual children exist; verify current availability independently, as the market changes quickly.

The advantage of online is flexibility and access from any city. The downside is the absence of an in-person Russian-speaking peer group, which Saturday school provides naturally.

Russian in the French lycée: LV2 and CNED

Russian is part of the French national curriculum. For a child already in a lycée, there are several pathways:

  • LV2 or LVA — Russian as a second or first foreign language within the standard programme. At Lycée Joffre in Montpellier, Russian is taught continuously at 2–4 hours per week depending on the stream.
  • LV3 (optional) — Russian as a third, non-compulsory language in the lycée.
  • CNED — if the local school does not offer Russian, the student can take distance learning courses through CNED (Centre national d’enseignement à distance) as a supplement to their regular school. Enrolment and pricing at cned.fr.

For current enrolment news and teacher recommendations, the community chat is the fastest source.

Vibe Sud France Telegram community chat — Russian-speaking families in the South of France

See also

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Russian Saturday school cost in France?
Most associations are non-profit. Fees vary by school and are updated each year — budget for a token membership fee plus a per-class charge (for reference: Provence-Russie’s courses in Avignon cost €12 for a 90-minute class). Contact each school directly when registering.
Are there Russian schools in Aix-en-Provence, Nîmes or Avignon?
Yes: LECREPA in Aix-en-Provence (children 4–14, Wednesdays and Thursdays), KALINKA in Nîmes (children 4–12, Saturdays), and Provence-Russie in Avignon (courses for all levels, on Wednesdays — geared more toward adults and families than a standalone children’s programme). Contacts and schedules are in the section above.
What if there is no Russian school in our city?
Three options: (1) online lessons with a teacher from the diaspora or a specialist platform; (2) CNED — distance Russian as LV2 alongside the French state school curriculum; (3) find a private tutor through the Vibe Sud France community chat.
My child attends a French school. Can they also learn Russian?
Yes. Saturday schools do not interfere with weekday lessons. Additionally, some lycées in the South of France offer Russian as LV2 or LV3 within the standard curriculum.
What age do Russian schools accept from?
The youngest intake is 2.5–3 years (early development groups at Montpellier’s Lastochka and Nice’s Solnyshko). The upper limit is generally 15. Adult courses are available at Azbuka (Marseille) and Toulouse-CEI (Toulouse).
What does a typical Saturday school lesson look like?
Usually a mixed format: a Russian language and literature class, followed by a creative activity — theatre, drawing, folk dance, music or chess. Schools aim to make Russian feel like a pleasure, not an extra burden.
Where can I find current enrolment information?
Enrolment usually opens in September, sometimes in June. Follow the schools’ social media pages and the Vibe Sud France community chat, where members share fresh news about new intakes.

This is your chat in the South of France

Questions about moving, housing, doctors, schools, where to buy buckwheat — and just good company. ~400 people in the chat answer in Russian every day. Free.

Open the Vibe South of France chat on Telegram @vibe_sud_france