A brief history of the French Institute
The French Institute of Cambodia opened in 1990 under the name of Alliance Française first and then Centre culturel français. As an operator for the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it plays a key role in the cultural, artistic, and educational cooperation between France and Cambodia and promotes French literature, movies, and language as well as ideas and knowledge.

Cultural sharing
Under this two-fold mission of artistic and cultural cooperation and promotion, the French Institute offers a diverse cultural program which places a great importance on scientific, technical, and professional topics. It offers cultural events (exhibitions, shows, concerts, etc.), conferences, and debates all year long and also movie sessions in French with English or Khmer subtitles. The café-restaurant Le Bistro gives the opportunity to enjoy and discover the French tableware and cooking in a convivial atmosphere in accordance with the French Institute’s motto: exchange your cultures.

Learn French
Every year, about 5000 students choose to learn French at the French Institute’s language center.The courses being offered are aimed at precise purposes and meets the training demands of various groups such as companies, young professionals, and international organizations. It can be adapted to specific needs or to precise language skills: preparation to go in France to study, work in a French-speaking company, work with French clients, and improve French guide language skills.

La Médiathèque: the media library
The media library essentially provides a window to modern France. It offers more than 25,000 multimedia documents (books, DVDs, and ebooks). The digital library Culturethèque provides Médiathèque members a new opportunity to access the best French online news media on their computers, tablets, or smartphones.

Along with the main representation of the French Institute in Phnom Penh, two other annexes share the same goals and objectives in Siem Reap and Battambang.

A few key dates 

• October 1990: opening of the Alliance française
• April 1992: the Alliance française became the Centre culturel français(CCF)
• September 1994: opening of the annex in Battambang
• September 1996: opening of the annex in Siem Reap
• January 2011: the Centre culturel français of Cambodia became the French Institute
• 2012: renovation of the French Institute
• March 2014: inauguration of the new garden and the Bistrot of the French Institute