Techniques and approaches used in a commercial French course offered at a state university are outlined. The course objective is to prepare American students for potential business experience or dealings in a French-speaking country. After background information about the course structure is given, the discussion focuses on the marketing segment, in which students simulate the real-life development of a product from idea to sales. The curriculum covers banking, telecommunications, and commerce, and all assignments take the form of business letters. The marketing assignment consists of the conception, market survey, financing, patenting, production, publicity, and sales for a new or improved product. As preparation, students are provided with a comprehensive vocabulary list, to be used as much as possible. The letters written for the marketing assignment are those written by and to the inventor/marketer, and include correspondence with a dissatisfied client. During the entire course, students will have written about three dozen letters, gaining familiarity with the mechanics, tone, and overall style of the French commercial letter. (MSE)