Community Life

That year, the Jules Ferry law makes primary school obligartory. The impressionnists are at their peak: Renoir exposes its Luncheon of the Boating Party and Manet A Bar at the Folies-Bergere. As for the sculptor Rodin, after more than one year of work, he presents for the first time its Thinker who will be finally completed the following year.

We are in 1881.

The 'Cercle Commercial Suisse' was created on 15^th of April 1881 in order to give a better understanding of the French language in a private and professional environments to the German-speaking Swiss settled in Paris . 

In 1896 the office of placing was created within the CCS. Thus the school ensured for free that the students find employment in .

In 1904 The Cercle Commercial Suisse moved to a new building located 10 rue des Messageries in Paris . 

In 1933 the Cercle Commercial Suisse created its day school that brings together all the different teaching activities (language and professional techniques). 

The CCS's activities only stopped during the Second World War when the building was put at the Red Cross' disposal. 

After the war the CCS started its activities again. The Day school was officially recognized by a Swiss federal decree and was under the authority of the Office of Industry, Work, and Industrial Arts and Crafts. 

Then, the school started to expand its activities in French as a second language targeting specially the business apprentices. Numerous activities had been created in order to associate the language teaching to the general knowledge as well as social and economic culture. Excursions outside Paris were organized on a regular basis (Brittany, Atlantic coast, Burgundy, the Rhône valley, Savoy ). 

In 1980 the CCS School started to develop specific training courses leading to the exams of the Chamber of Commerce of Paris. Thanks to its work, those exams are now recognized as a reference in certain cantons of . At the same time the CCS alumni association was created. It is still active and has many members among whom Swiss business managers. 

In 1991 faced with development and the needs of the market, the CCS school changed its name and is now ESIFA (École Suisse Internationale de Français Appliqué). This allows the school to accept gradually non-Swiss students in a certain proportion. This gives a new energy to the course. 

In 1995 ESIFA created its first course in Dijon, Burgundy . This branch would appear to be a successful Institute. 

In 2003 the school received an approval from the Paris Education Authority which recognized our institute as a private school.