This A2 Elementary retelling of Aucassin et Nicolette keeps the plot clear for learners while still giving the story some atmosphere and momentum. Il habite à Beaucaire, en France. Aucassin veut se marier avec Nicolette.
This version teaches French through English and includes clickable word help inside the story, full story audio, and lesson notes after the reading. It is free to use on Yak Yacker and is designed to feel natural, readable, and manageable for learners.
Aucassin est un . Il habite à , en France. Son père est le comte. Aucassin aime une . Elle s'appelle Nicolette. Mais Nicolette est une . Elle vient d'un .
Aucassin veut se Nicolette. Il dit à son père : « Père, j'aime Nicolette. C'est la plus belle et la plus douce. Je veux l'. » Le comte est en . « Non ! Elle n'est pas pour toi. Tu es le fils du comte. Elle est une , une captive. »
Aucassin est très . Il pleure dans sa chambre. Le comte Nicolette dans une haute tour. Il dit à ses gardes : « Gardez cette fille. Elle ne doit pas voir mon fils. »
Mais Nicolette est et . Une nuit, elle prend ses draps et fait une longue . Elle attache la corde à la fenêtre et . Elle court dans les rues sombres. Elle arrive sous la fenêtre d'Aucassin.
Nicolette appelle doucement : « Aucassin ! Aucassin, mon ami, es-tu là ? » Aucassin ouvre sa fenêtre. Il est surpris et heureux. « Nicolette ! Comment es-tu sortie ? » Elle répond : « Avec une corde. Viens avec moi. Partons ensemble. »
Aucassin prend aussi ses draps et fait une corde. Il descend et Nicolette. Ils se tiennent la main et courent vers la forêt. « Nous sommes ! » dit Nicolette. « Oui, ensemble pour toujours, » répond Aucassin.
Dans la forêt, ils rencontrent trois . Aucassin demande : « S'il vous plaît, pouvez-vous nous aider ? Nous cherchons un endroit où vivre. » Les bergers sont gentils. Ils donnent du pain et du lait. Un berger dit : « Prenez ce cheval. Il est vieux, mais il peut vous . »
Ils continuent leur . Après plusieurs jours, ils arrivent dans un village calme. Les gens sont gentils. Aucassin et Nicolette s'installent là. Ils sont heureux. Un jour, le comte apprend où ils sont. Il vient les voir. Il voit leur amour et leur bonheur. Il s' : « Mon fils, j'ai eu tort. Revenez au château. » Aucassin et Nicolette retournent chez eux. Le comte accepte le mariage. Ils se marient avec joie et vivent heureux.
Aucassin is a young man. He lives in Beaucaire, France. His father is the count. Aucassin loves a young girl. Her name is Nicolette. But Nicolette is a captive. She comes from a distant land.
Aucassin wants to marry Nicolette. He tells his father, "Father, I love Nicolette. She is the most beautiful and sweetest. I want to marry her." The count is angry. "No! She is not for you. You are the count's son. She is a foreigner, a captive."
Aucassin is very sad. He cries in his room. The count locks Nicolette in a high tower. He tells his guards, "Guard this girl. She must not see my son."
But Nicolette is brave and clever. One night, she takes her sheets and makes a long rope. She ties the rope to the window and climbs down. She runs through the dark streets. She arrives under Aucassin's window.
Nicolette calls softly, "Aucassin! Aucassin, my love, are you there?" Aucassin opens his window. He is surprised and happy. "Nicolette! How did you get out?" She replies, "With a rope. Come with me. Let's leave together."
Aucassin also takes his sheets and makes a rope. He climbs down and joins Nicolette. They hold hands and run towards the forest. "We are free!" says Nicolette. "Yes, together forever," replies Aucassin.
In the forest, they meet three shepherds. Aucassin asks, "Please, can you help us? We are looking for a place to live." The shepherds are kind. They give bread and milk. One shepherd says, "Take this horse. It is old, but it can carry you."
They continue their journey. After several days, they arrive in a quiet village. The people are kind. Aucassin and Nicolette settle there. They are happy. One day, the count learns where they are. He comes to see them. He sees their love and happiness. He apologizes, "My son, I was wrong. Come back to the castle." Aucassin and Nicolette return home. The count accepts the marriage. They marry joyfully and live happily.
This romantic tale is packed with useful French words. Here are some you'll want to tuck into your vocabulary pocket.
Notice common themes: family roles, emotions, and action words. The characters are described with simple, powerful adjectives.
- Un jeune homme / une jeune fille - a young man / young woman
- Le comte - the count (a nobleman)
- Une captive - a captive (someone held prisoner)
- Courageux / courageuse - brave (masculine / feminine)
- Une corde - a rope
- Se marier - to get married (reflexive verb: je me marie, il se marie)
- En colère - angry (literally "in anger")
- Ensemble - together
You may have noticed that the entire story is told in the present tense, even though the events happened long ago. This is a common style in French-it makes the action feel immediate and vivid, as if it's happening right now.
For A2 learners, this is great news: you can tell stories without mastering the past tenses! Just focus on the present tense conjugations you already know.
- Regular -er verbs: il pleure (he cries), ils donnent (they give).
- Irregular verbs: elle prend (she takes), ils tiennent (they hold), nous sommes (we are).
- Reflexive verbs: s'installer → ils s'installent (they settle down).
- Try retelling a short scene from the story using the present tense. Change the subject or add a detail-it's great practice!
You've just enjoyed a mini medieval adventure in French. The power of stories is that the language sticks without feeling like work.
To keep the magic going, read the story again tomorrow-fluency loves repetition. Or, try writing two sentences about what Aucassin and Nicolette do after the wedding. Use the present tense and a few of the new words you learned. Bonne continuation!
Aucassin et Nicolette comes from the French / medieval romance tradition and is best known as a medieval romance. This Yak Yacker article is an original learner retelling based on Medieval French chantefable; public domain, so the wording here is simplified for modern learners rather than copied from one old edition.
Older printings, translations, and retellings of this story can vary quite a bit. The original audience was usually general/older kids, but this version is adapted for A2 Elementary learners studying French. Less famous but useful love/adventure plot.
If you want to look into the source tradition, start with Project Gutenberg.
If you want to keep going, browse more in our French section and review the A2 French Vocabulary List. After that, try Basic Questions in French for another useful next step.
