A2 French Stories
Practice reading at A2 with graded stories, audio, images, vocabulary support, and comprehension quizzes.
Le Chapeau de Napoléon Vendu aux Enchères
A collector named Marc attends a high-stakes auction to buy a historic hat once worn by Napoleon Bonaparte.
Le Gouffre de Padirac qui Murmurait à l'Aube
A young woman visits a mysterious chasm early in the morning and experiences something profound.
The Forgotten Blower Under the Opera Stage
Marcel, an invisible prompt worker at the Paris Opera, saves a nervous tenor during a performance of Carmen.
The Wyvern Who Guarded the Burgundy Vineyard
A young winemaker discovers a legendary serpent guarding his family's struggling vineyard and must make a difficult moral choice.
The Old Bayonne Post Office's Stamp Album
Inès visits an old post office in Bayonne and discovers a surprising connection to her late grandmother through a stamp collection.
The Missed Goal of the '98 Final
Marc Leroy, a substitute player for the French national team, experiences the intense emotions of the 1998 World Cup final.
The Traboule the Guide Refused to Show
A tour guide in Lyon keeps a secret about a specific private passageway in the Croix-Rousse neighborhood.
Le Violon Muet du Luthier de Mirecourt
An elderly violin maker in Mirecourt reveals the mystery behind a silent instrument that has sat on his shelf for thirty years.
La Vigne que les Soldats ont Plantée à Verdun
A young soldier from Burgundy buries a vine cutting in the devastated soil of Verdun as a symbol of hope and survival.
La Lettre Non Envoyée à Lyon
A family uncovers a hidden secret while packing up an old apartment in Lyon.
Le Billet de Première Classe dans la Poche du Mendiant de Limoges
A worn beggar outside the Limoges train station is holding a €185 first-class ticket he says a stranger gave him, which becomes crucial evidence in a robbery.
Le Dernier Billet de la Ligne 12
A young woman on a late-night metro trip receives a mysterious envelope that leads to a touching family reconciliation.
The Weather Telegram Ignored Before the Paris-Madrid Race
This story recounts how an ignored weather warning led to a deadly dust-filled car race in 1903.
The Suitcase Unloaded at the Wrong Stop of the Train des Pignes
Léa loses her red suitcase on the Train des Pignes and receives help from several people to recover her grandmother’s ravioli recipe.
L'Empreinte de Pouce sur le Vitrail de Chartres
A long-time guide at the Chartres Cathedral discovers a mysterious thumbprint on a world-famous stained-glass window high above the floor.
La Lettre Glissée Sous la Mauvaise Porte
A woman named Camille finds a misplaced letter under her door and decides to deliver it to her elderly neighbor.
The Red Marker Buoy Carried Away by the Saint-Pardon Tidal Bore
Léa tries to protect two tourists when a red marker buoy is carried away just before the powerful tidal bore arrives.
The Substitute Goalkeeper of the Casablanca Derby
This story follows Yassine, a substitute goalkeeper who unexpectedly plays in the Casablanca derby and reconnects with his brother.
The Erased Message on Grandma's Voicemail
After an erased voicemail, Lucie helps her mother Claire and grandmother Jeanne reconcile before the family dinner.
The Broken Pencil of the First Female Filmmaker Alice Guy
This story follows Alice Guy as a broken pencil inspires her to propose and create a film with a story.
The Forbidden Recipe of the Commercy Madeleine
A young baker tries to save her family's bakery by uncovering her grandmother's secret recipe for the perfect madeleine.
The Broken Shoelace at the Start of the Diagonale des Fous
Before a mountain race on La Réunion, Elodie receives unexpected help from her rival and learns the value of friendship.
The Bell of Gorée Island That Rang at the Wrong Time
A young guide investigates why the bell on Gorée Island rings nine times at the wrong hours.
The Empty Cooking Pot of the Yam Festival
Ama finds the yams missing before a village celebration and discovers that sharing can create a meaningful feast.
The Displaced Cairn in the Vercors Fog
A park guard helps a lost hiker find his dog and restores a trail marker before a storm arrives.
La Photo Retournée sur le Buffet de Tante Hélène
A story about a family silence, the courage of one phone call, and the small act that might begin to repair what was broken.
The Night When Django Reinhardt Played with Two Fingers
This story tells how Django Reinhardt overcame a serious hand injury and developed a new way to play the guitar.
La Judoka que son Club Avait Oubliée
A passionate young judoka arrives at a regional championship only to find her name missing from the list due to her coach's mistake.
The Letter That Fell from the Paris Mail Balloon
During the siege of Paris, a young man risks a dangerous journey to deliver a letter from a soldier to his mother.
The Three Stamped Tickets on the Empty Tram in Brussels
A young tram driver finds three mysteriously stamped tickets and discovers a lonely passenger with a touching family story.
The Pirogue Returns Without Its Basket on the Senegal River
Awa and Ibrahima follow clues to find Moussa and recover a basket of medicine before Awa’s mother becomes more ill.
The Canoe Blocked by Water Hyacinths on Lake Nokoué
Awa must cross a lake to bring medicine to her sick grandmother, but water hyacinths block her canoe until a fisherman helps her.