French Institute

Founded in 1946, the Institut français d’Ecosse is the Scottish outpost of the French Embassy in the United Kingdom.

Within its Edinburgh base, it combines: a cultural venue with a seventy-seat theatre for shows, concerts, theatre plays, conferences, cinema screenings, and an art gallery; a French-language centre with about 1,500 students per year, more than 150 classes and 15 teachers; and a resource centre both physical, with our multimedia library, and online, with the e-library Culturethèque.

The Institut français d’Ecosse has four major aims: to promote the French language, by providing a high-quality range of French courses for everyone, including businesses; to promote French culture in Scotland, by programming ambitious, inventive events in its building in Edinburgh—thanks to film screenings, art exhibitions, concerts, artistic performances, and various other cultural events, the IFE aims to be a centre for French Culture on the Scottish stage; to encourage cross-cultural exchange between France and Scotland, in cooperation with Scottish Francophile institutions; and to develop exchanges between France and Scotland in Education.

Contact

West Parliament Sq, Edinburgh, EH1 1RF

Visit Website

0131 226 6558

View map

Opening times

Daily, 10am–5pm

Visitor information

  • Wheelchair Accessible
  • Accessible Toilets
  • Toilets
  • Babychange
  • Café
  • Shop

Nearest bus stop

Victoria St, South Bridge

COVID Safety

All festival venues have safety measures in place to follow the latest Government advice and guidelines

Find out more

Ticket information

Free, advance booking advised
Drop-ins welcome

Header image credit: Courtesy of Institut français d'Ecosse

French Institute

West Parliament Sq, Edinburgh, EH1 1RF