A1 French Stories
Practice reading at A1 with graded stories, audio, images, vocabulary support, and comprehension quizzes.
The White Horse of the Bottomless Lake
A young boy encounters a mysterious white horse at a deep mountain lake and learns a valuable lesson about magic and safety.
Le Dernier Tampon du Carnet de Compostelle
A story about a pilgrim who receives her final travel stamp after a long journey to the city's cathedral.
The Path Washed Away by the Mont-Saint-Michel Tide
A story about a girl named Léa who learns about the danger of the rising tide at Mont-Saint-Michel.
La Médaille dans la Boîte à Chaussures de Pépé
Léa discovers a hidden medal in her grandfather's attic and learns about its emotional history.
Le Village Breton qui Refusait le Mois d'Août
Marie discovers a seemingly empty French village and learns where everyone disappears to during the month of August.
Le Flamant Rose qui ne Voulait pas Partir
A story about a flamingo who stays in the Camargue instead of migrating, forming an unexpected friendship.
The Closed Eye in the King's Official Portrait
Léa discovers a strange detail in the King's portrait that reveals a hidden royal secret.
La Carte Postale Sans Réponse de Mamie
Clara sends a postcard to her grandmother and waits for a response, only to discover a sweet reason for the silence.
The Engagement Ring in the Desk Drawer
Claire is alone in Marc's apartment and accidentally finds a ring while looking for a pen, forcing her to hide her discovery.
Le Micro Éteint de la Chanteuse de Rue
A street performer in a busy market discovers her microphone doesn't work and must find a new way to share her music.
The Clock Stopped on Armistice Day
In a small French village, a clock stops at exactly 11 o'clock on the morning of November 11, 1918 — and one woman decides it will never tick again.
La Tarte Tatin de Ma Grand-Mère Disparue
A young person searches for a secret family recipe in their late grandmother's kitchen.
Le Voisin qui Rentrait Toujours à Minuit
A woman discovers the secret of her mysterious neighbor who arrives home at the exact same time every night.
L'Accordéon Retrouvé dans le Grenier d'un Café de Belleville
A quiet, tender story about what music can outlast when a red accordion is discovered in a café attic.
Le Winstub que les Alsaciens Refusaient de Montrer aux Touristes
In Strasbourg's tourist-packed streets, Emma is hungry for something real — but the best table in Alsace has no sign on the door, and the woman guarding it isn't sure a stranger deserves to walk in.
Le Premier Tour de Piste de Camille
Camille overcomes her fear and runs her first track lap against her friend Inès.
Le Meunier que la Rivière n'a Jamais Rendu
A story of quiet, creeping dread about a miller who broke a village rule and the mill that continues to turn in the dark.
Le Dernier Jambon de la Foire de Bayonne
At the famous Foire au Jambon de Bayonne, a grandmother and her granddaughter search for one specific ham, leading to a tender family revelation.
The Last Tram Before the Binche Carnival
Léa finds a ribbon on the way to Binche and helps her brother Hugo get ready for the carnival.
The Drum Forgotten by the Rebels of Baou Bullen
A young village guard hides an important drum from soldiers to protect the rebels and the village.
The Blue Tracks on the Snow of Piton des Neiges
Maya follows mysterious blue tracks in the snow and helps an injured boy find his way back.
The Cracked Bowl of the Pistou Soup Contest
Lina enters a village soup contest and learns that generosity matters more than a perfect bowl.
La Boulangerie qui Refusait de Fermer
A young girl named Clara finds comfort and a special loaf of bread at a bakery that stays open late for a touching reason.
The Stone That the Dahu Never Crosses
Émile searches for his lost goat and learns that the dahu cannot cross the black stone.
The Out-of-Tune Piano at the Saint-Flour Ball
A young pianist finds a creative way to save the village dance when an old piano plays a wrong note.
The Last Shuttle to the Frioul Islands
Lina finds a lost bag and helps its owner before catching the last shuttle to the Frioul Islands.
The Metro Ticket Hidden in the Library Book
Nora finds an old metro ticket in a library book and makes an honest choice before her work appointment.
The Ibex That Blocked Zinal's Last Bus
Lina helps two ibexes and almost misses her train while traveling from Zinal to Lausanne.
The Two Hot Baguettes on the Empty Platform
At an empty station platform, Nina follows clues from two hot baguettes to help Clara reunite with her father.
The Pennant Exchanged Before the First Match of Les Bleues
This story describes the first official match of the French women's football team and the respectful exchange between the two captains.
The Dry Ticket After the Storm at the Braderie de Lille
At the Braderie de Lille, Léa searches for her grandmother’s camera after a storm, and a dry ticket helps reveal what happened.
The Red Ribbon Tied to the Tarasque's Boat
A brave girl uses her red scarf to calm the legendary Tarasque and save the houses by the Rhône.
The Missing Token of the Québec Carnival
Léa searches for her missing effigy at the Québec Winter Carnival and discovers the value of helping others.
The Lost Gris-Gris Before the Wrestling Match in Dakar
Malick loses his mother's lucky charm before a wrestling match in Dakar but discovers that his real strength is inside him.