What Le Chinois Facile does

Le Chinois Facile is a Paris-based sole proprietorship (profession libérale) founded in 2003 by Meifen CHEN — a Chinese-born educator with a Master's degree from Nanjing University (1984) and 16 years of experience as a French-language interpreter near Shanghai — that delivers Mandarin Chinese instruction to French-speaking individuals, corporations, and secondary schools. The offering combines in-person seminars with a WordPress-based online learning platform (lechinisfacile.fr) hosting 107 structured lessons organized into four formulas: Formule Socle (€150), Palier 1 / HSK 1 (€350), Palier 2 / HSK 2 (€350), and Pack Complet (promotional €399, listed €750). The proprietary "Méthode Le Chinois Facile," registered with France's INPI in 2012, addresses three pedagogical pillars — Chinese writing, logic, and vocabulary — through features including semantic-group phrase decomposition (syntagmes), per-character audio recordings, visual character decomposition, and cultural annotations. Students receive lifetime access under a one-time payment model, supported by WhatsApp coaching.

The commercial model spans four distinct channels: direct-to-consumer e-commerce (individual one-time purchases), CPF (Compte Personnel de Formation) funding pathway for working adults, the Espace Entreprise B2B channel for corporate group training, and the Espace Établissement Scolaire channel for LV2/LV3 school curriculum support. Since 2003 the company has trained more than 2,000 learners and publicly cites more than 25 named enterprise clients including Dassault Aviation, Air France, Carrefour, Sanofi, PSA Group, Accenture, SNCF, and French public entities (Assemblée Nationale, Ministère des Affaires Étrangères), plus editorial coverage in Marie Claire. The business operates exclusively in France, has no disclosed external funding, no parent organization, and no disclosed headcount beyond the founder.

Name

Le Chinois Facile

Legal name

Le Chinois Facile – Profession libérale

Website

https://lechinoisfacile.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Paris-based sole proprietorship delivering Mandarin Chinese courses to French-speaking individuals, enterprises, and secondary schools via an INPI-protected proprietary method, a 107-lesson online platform, and in-person seminars.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Language Learning

NAICS

Language Schools (61163), Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Integrated Tutoring + Learning Content Platforms (Curriculum + Tutors) (EDANAGAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Exam Preparation Language Programs (IELTS/TOEFL/DELE/DALF/HSK, etc.) (EDAIAEAD), Foreign Language Subject Tutoring (School Coursework) (EDANAAAF)

Keywords

• Online Chinese courses
• Mandarin language training
• Chinese language learning
• HSK exam preparation
• Corporate language training

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. One-time course package sales: Individual learners purchase one of four course formula packages (one-time payment) to access lessons for life. No monthly subscription. Customers pay upfront for the formula corresponding to their level and goals.
2. CPF-funded professional training: Individual professionals use accumulated CPF (Compte Personnel de Formation) government training credits to finance their enrollment. Company provides administrative support for CPF dossier completion.
3. Corporate group training: B2B enterprise training contracts through dedicated Espace Entreprise contact form, targeting company employees requiring Chinese language skills for business purposes.
4. School/educational institution training: Educational institution contracts through dedicated Espace Établissement Scolaire contact form, serving school students as LV2/LV3 Chinese language support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Le Chinois Facile delivers structured online Mandarin Chinese courses built around a curriculum of 107 lessons organized into four progressive course formulas (Formule Socle, Palier 1/HSK 1, Palier 2/HSK 2, and Pack Complet – Solution Optimale), taught through an INPI-protected proprietary teaching method developed by founder Meifen CHEN. Beyond self-paced individual learning sold as a one-time purchase with lifetime access, the company provides CPF-funded professional training, corporate group training, and in-school Chinese language support at the LV2 and LV3 levels.

Product overview

Le Chinois Facile is an online Mandarin Chinese language learning platform built around a proprietary methodology protected by INPI. The platform is organized as a single unified product with four progressive course formulas — Formule Socle (Lessons 1–30), Palier 1/HSK 1 (Lessons 1–60), Palier 2/HSK 2 (Lessons 61–107), and Pack Complet – Solution Optimale (all 107 lessons) — along with free trial lessons, CPF-funded professional training, HSK exam preparation, in-person seminars, and free pedagogical resources including a Pinyin chart, writing sheets, and cultural content.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Formule Socle Foundation-tier formula that introduces learners to Mandarin Chinese using the proprietary INPI-protected teaching method, suitable for absolute beginners or those seeking a structured entry point.
• Palier 1 / HSK 1 Intermediate progression formula in the curriculum that prepares learners for the HSK 1 proficiency level, building on the foundation through the same structured teaching method.
• Palier 2 / HSK 2 Upper progression formula that prepares learners for the HSK 2 proficiency level, extending the curriculum's structured approach to more complex Mandarin content.
• Pack Complet – Solution Optimale All-inclusive bundle that grants learners access to the full 107-lesson curriculum spanning every formula (Socle, HSK 1, HSK 2), positioned as the optimal solution for acquiring complete Mandarin proficiency in one purchase.
• Formation en CPF (CPF-eligible Professional Training) CPF-funded professional Mandarin training aimed at French employees and individuals seeking to finance their Chinese language learning through their personal training account, with the curriculum adapted to professional use cases.
• Formation Entreprise (Corporate Group Training) Tailored group Mandarin training delivered to companies and their employees, structured around the same proprietary method and adapted for workplace communication needs.
• Cours en milieu scolaire (LV2/LV3 School Support) Chinese language support delivered within French secondary schools under the LV2 and LV3 curricular tracks, helping students progress alongside their formal schooling using the proprietary method.
• Séminaires (in-person seminars) In-person Chinese language seminars led by Meifen CHEN that complement the online curriculum, providing face-to-face interaction for learners who prefer live instruction.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,000+ students trained since 2003 in in-person and online courses
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers24 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Dassault AviationminorOthersDassault Aviation employees received corporate Chinese language training from Le Chinois Facile. One of 25+ enterprise clients listed on the company's references page.
• Cirque du SoleilminorOthersCirque du Soleil employees received corporate Chinese language training from Le Chinois Facile.
• Assemblée NationaleminorOthersFrench National Assembly staff received Chinese language training from Le Chinois Facile.
• CarrefourminorOthersCarrefour employees received corporate Chinese language training from Le Chinois Facile.
• AccentureminorOthersAccenture employees received corporate Chinese language training from Le Chinois Facile.
• Air FranceminorOthersAir France employees received corporate Chinese language training from Le Chinois Facile.
• SNCFminorOthersSNCF employees received corporate Chinese language training from Le Chinois Facile.
• SanofiminorOthersSanofi employees received corporate Chinese language training from Le Chinois Facile.
• ESSEC Business SchoolminorOthersESSEC Business School students received Chinese language training as part of their business education program.
• Marie ClaireminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarie Claire magazine featured Le Chinois Facile as a recommended Chinese language learning provider during the Chinese New Year of the Tiger, providing editorial media endorsement and visibility.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Preply: Online language tutoring marketplace offering 1:1 Mandarin lessons with native speakers, including corporate training packages. Comparable as a competitor for the Chinese-learning B2C and corporate-training segments Le Chinois Facile serves, with a marketplace/tutor model rather than a proprietary method.
• Berlitz: Global language school corporation offering in-person and online corporate language training including Mandarin for enterprise clients. Directly comparable to Le Chinois Facile's enterprise training motion (Espace Entreprise) and competes for the same French and international corporate clients.
• EF Education First: Large international language education company offering Mandarin courses for adults, students, and corporate clients globally. Comparable as a broad incumbent competing for both individual learners and corporate Chinese-training contracts in France and across Europe.
• iTalki: Global online language learning marketplace connecting learners with tutors across 150+ languages, including Mandarin Chinese. Comparable as a Chinese-language acquisition channel competing for the same French-speaking learner demand, though operating a tutor marketplace model rather than proprietary content.

Emerging players

• HelloChinese: Mobile-first Mandarin learning app with gamified lessons, speech recognition, and HSK-aligned curriculum. Comparable as a Chinese-language learning product competing for the same French-speaking self-learner segment, but delivered via freemium mobile app rather than one-time-purchase structured courses.

Direct peers

• LingoDeer: Mobile-first language learning app specializing in Asian languages including Mandarin Chinese, with structured curriculum and HSK-aligned content. Comparable to Le Chinois Facile as a structured Chinese learning product, though delivered through a gamified subscription app rather than a one-time-purchase course platform.
• Yoyo Chinese: Online Mandarin learning platform offering structured video courses, HSK preparation, and character instruction for Western learners. Comparable to Le Chinois Facile in delivering tiered paid course formulas with HSK-aligned outcomes and lifetime/extended access.
• ChinesePod: Long-running online Mandarin learning platform offering audio/video lessons across proficiency levels with structured curriculum and tiered subscriptions. Comparable to Le Chinois Facile as a digital-first Chinese school targeting adult self-learners with progressive lesson architecture.
• Mandarin Blueprint: Premium online Mandarin learning platform built around a proprietary character-learning method with structured curriculum, audio, and visual components. Closely comparable to Le Chinois Facile in its method-based, content-heavy, paid-course approach, although its audience is English-speaking rather than French-speaking.

Others

• Alliance Française: International network of French language and cultural centers with a parallel institutional model (centralized method, local delivery, government and corporate clients). Thematically comparable to Le Chinois Facile as a method-driven language school anchored in a Francophone ecosystem, though teaching the reverse direction (French to foreigners).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/le-chinois-facile

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Le Chinois Facile