Have you ever ever thought-about travelling to France and taking a French immersion course as a part of your trip? I extremely suggest you do that. It’s enjoyable. It’s a solution to study a brand new language or enhance your potential to converse with others when travelling. And, it’s good in your mind! I’ve taken French immersion courses in France at three faculties. The experiences have been vastly totally different and I can report that in all three circumstances, my French improved. This put up is that can assist you see what you may anticipate while you take French immersion classes and programs in France. It’s a studying trip you’ll always remember.
[Updated January 22, 2024 with the most current prices and program details]
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The three faculties I attended have been: École des Trois Ponts in Riorges, Accent Francais in Montpellier, and Alliance Francaise in Paris. Right here’s an summary of every French language college and an evaluation of my experiences:
Widespread With All Three Faculties When You Take A French Immersion Course In France
- Completely different French language courses for various ranges
- Evaluation of your degree (to find out your placement): a web-based take a look at while you register and a non-public oral take a look at simply previous to the first-morning class.
- Finish of session analysis
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1. École des Trois Ponts
Location: Riorges (1 1/4 hours north-west of Lyon)
Title after all
I’ve taken 1-week programs right here 4 instances.
- Common language (19 hours of sophistication instruction)-twice
- Common language plus cooking (15 hours of sophistication instruction and 4 afternoons of cooking instruction in French)
- Common language and countryside walks (15 hours of sophistication instruction and 4 afternoons of countryside strolling/mountaineering)
1 Week Session
Begins Sunday night time at dinner and ends the next Saturday at breakfast
Value
Beginning value in 2024: 1510 € (single room, on-site, together with all meals).
Be aware
- course charge contains all supplies plus all meals
- you may select to remain on-site or stick with a number household within the neighbourhood.
- Breakfast is with the host household (or on-site) and lunch and dinner are on the web site with different college students.
- The variety of college students in a class- not more than 6 college students per class.
- Once I attended, the primary yr there have been 6, the second yr 4, and the third yr there have been 3.
Sort of instruction
Mixture of teacher-directed, student-focussed (a lot relies on pupil’s pursuits), a lot of dialog and interplay with different college students, audio recordings, video games, written and oral workouts at school, and homework.
My evaluation
As you may see, I’ve attended École des Trois Ponts 4 instances. I consider the experiences have been so good as a result of it was full immersion—-in class, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I had a room (with a non-public tub) on the college and lived and breathed French. You have been inspired to talk French on a regular basis and though it was taxing at instances (you’re looking for the appropriate phrases and say issues correctly), one positively can enhance rapidly.
Homework was carried out after lunch, earlier than dinner, and infrequently after dinner. It will take me about 30-45 minutes.
The meals at École des Trois Ponts has all the time been connoisseur. Breakfast has espresso, tea, juice, cereals, breads, yogurt, and fruit. Lunch is a buffet with many alternative dishes comparable to quiche with a salad and cheese. Dinner included wine with appetizers, a major course, a collection of cheeses, and dessert. We didn’t rush by means of consuming however reasonably did it the “French manner”: we took our time having fun with our meal. The perfect a part of dinner was the dialog (in French) and dinner typically lasted over 2 hours.
First TIme
The primary time is all the time the toughest as one doesn’t know what to anticipate. I used to be quiet the primary day, notably at meals; nonetheless, I loosened up by the tip of the week. Throughout my first keep, a lot of the different college students have been very good; nonetheless, there was one pupil who was fairly sarcastic and I felt intimidated by her (ie. once I made errors). The instructor was superb at supporting me and the others; nonetheless, it wasn’t the fault of the varsity. Simply dangerous luck that I used to be in the identical class as this particular person.
The opposite 3 times have been even higher. To enhance in something, one must take dangers and through these visits, I discovered myself turning into increasingly snug taking dangers. So much needed to do with the atmosphere that was created. There was quite a lot of laughing, teasing, and joking….in French.
College students got here from everywhere in the world comparable to Canada, the US, Germany, and Australia.
Second Time
Throughout the second go to, I had courses within the morning (9:15-12:30), adopted by lunch and a while to do my homework. An instance of 1 homework task was to put in writing about one thing we’re captivated with. No shock, however I wrote about my ardour for travelling to France so typically. Then at round 4:00, we started the category studying methods to put together the meal for that night. It was carried out in French and so a complete new vocabulary was discovered. I additionally discovered cooking methods comparable to methods to debone a pork roast, fillet a fish, and make the well-known Tarte Tatin (apple pie)!
Third And Fifth Occasions
Throughout my third and fifth visits, after morning courses and lunch we did a 3-4 hour stroll by means of the countryside. We found the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes space whereas studying and utilizing our new vocabulary. It was one other distinctive solution to immerse oneself within the language.
Fourth Time
My fourth go to was like the primary the place I had courses within the morning however was free within the afternoon besides on these two days once I had a two-hour class. The opposite college students have been participating in a language class and culinary tour bundle and I attended a kind of outings to Château de Champlong. We had a scrumptious meal and naturally, solely spoke French.
After 4 visits to Ecole des Trois Ponts, I not solely improved my use of the French language but in addition felt I had been properly immersed within the tradition of France. I even have turn into mates with the lecturers and fellow college students. I can’t wait to return for a fifth time as it’s a place the place I really feel snug and extremely blissful.
On my solution to Ecole des Trois Ponts, I typically stopped in Lyon for a number of nights. It’s a straightforward practice experience (Lyon’s Half Dieu station) to Roanne. If you arrive, it’s only a 10 minute taxi experience to the varsity. My favorite resorts in Lyon have been positioned near the Half Dieu practice station, making it very handy to get to the varsity on the finish of my keep in Lyon:
Ecole des Trois Ponts: French Programs In France
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2. Accent Francais
Location: Montpellier
Title after all
Commonplace French Course (1-week course: 15 hours of sophistication instruction)
1 Week Session
Monday to Friday
Value
Beginning value in 2024: 260 Euros and better (Course solely. Value doesn’t embrace lodging)
Be aware
- The course charge contains all supplies. The college can even organize lodging.
- The variety of college students in a class- not more than 12 college students. Once I attended, there have been 9 of us from everywhere in the world: Switzerland, Eire, Africa, and Canada.,
- Completely different courses for various ranges: sure
Sort of instruction
- Mixture of teacher-directed, student-focused (a lot relies on pupil’s pursuits), quite a lot of dialog and interplay with different college students, audio recordings, video games, written and oral workouts at school, and homework.
My evaluation
I rented an house close to the varsity. Quite a lot of different college students did homestays the place breakfast and dinner and a room have been a part of the bundle. Whereas I see that these college students had the added benefit of ongoing French dialog after they returned house after college, I simply wanted my area. Maybe it’s because I used to be older than lots of these college students. So my expertise was not full immersion. Lots of the college students have been taking the course for two weeks or extra they usually have been very accustomed to the varsity and have been seemingly extra snug with the model of instructing.
The courses have been much like École des Trois Ponts: getting acquainted with actions, video games, alternatives to work together with totally different college students, audio and video instructing aids and written and oral workouts. There was additionally homework. On the second final day, we had an outing and walked round Montpellier, which is a beautiful metropolis with a lot of college students (there’s a college there).
There are two fascinating factors about this college. The primary was that the three 1/4 hour class was divided into two components with a special teacher for every. It wasn’t dangerous. It was simply totally different.
The second shock was that this college attracts in college students from everywhere in the world. In my class, it was obscure a few of the different college students. Though they have been talking French, their accents made the comprehension tougher.
I spent about the identical period of time on homework as at Ecole des Trois Ponts.
Accent Francais: https://www.accentfrancais.com
3. Alliance Francaise
Location: Paris
Title after all
Common Course (1-week course: 20 hours of sophistication instruction)
1 Week Session
Monday to Friday
Value
Value once I attended: 253 Euros + price of a registration charge (61 Euros) + supplies (guide, workbook and DVD for 25 Euros). Be aware: Issues have modified since I attended and I can’t discover a 1-week course. There are 2-week and longer workshops and programs that are semi-intensive and intensive beginning at 750 €.
Be aware
- As I booked my course in Paris by means of Alliance Francaise in Toronto the price of the tutoring was tax-deductible. You too can add on optionally available workshops (ie. Phonetics classes) for an extra price.
- The variety of college students in a class- they now say that there might be 8-16 college students. Once I attended, there have been 10.
Sort of instruction
- Extremely structured and quite a lot of teacher-directed instruction, written and oral workouts at school, and homework; dialog relies on oral workouts given at school; not quite a lot of interplay with different college students, audio recordings.
My evaluation
Like Accent Francais, I rented an house in Paris and went to high school every morning from 9-1 pm. 4 hours is so much as one is “on” for more often than not and when it’s in one other language it may be tiring. I had taken Alliance Francaise in Toronto (group basic programs, oral comprehension programs, and personal tutoring) and I used to be very accustomed to their methodology.
College students work by means of a guide and workbook (workouts for homework) and the instructor makes use of a smartboard (principally an interactive chalkboard) as a instructing instrument. After class, there wasn’t any socializing, though AF does have actions scheduled all through the week for individuals who have an interest.
It appeared that Alliance Francaise had probably the most set format of French classes. The lecturers adopted classes within the textual content and though it appeared that they might choose and select the workouts and homework, it felt a lot much less “student-centered” than the opposite two faculties. I had the sensation the instructor had much less freedom to veer off right into a dialogue that the scholars have been excited by. It was a way more “severe” atmosphere.
Sadly, I had a irritating expertise throughout this explicit go to. The instructor was pleasant and supportive; nonetheless, I consider I used to be positioned in a category that was too exhausting for me. My issue was within the space of oral comprehension. When the instructor stated some issues it was carried out so quick it went over my head. I used to be OK with studying and writing. Oral comprehension might be troublesome for individuals who don’t take heed to quite a lot of French of their homeland. Whereas I do watch French motion pictures and take heed to French music, it isn’t an everyday behavior and maybe if it had been I might have had a better time.
The opposite problem was one other pupil who monopolized the dialog. Too typically the instructor would select this girl to reply questions, reasonably than having different college students share their solutions. Was it additionally the fault of the instructor? Sure. Having been a instructor, you will need to create an inclusive atmosphere the place ALL can take part. Academics ought to reply to all college students, not simply the loudest. This pupil was continuously being known as on to reply questions or contribute. It wasn’t in my creativeness both. I talked to a different pupil from Turkey who felt the identical manner.
I spent for much longer on the homework at Alliance Francaise, maybe 1-2 hours every night time. Of all the colleges, I used to be quietest at this college. Concern of taking a threat? Sure, seemingly. Having been a instructor and Principal, it was a powerful reminder about how all college students must really feel welcomed and included in a category. I’ve additionally discovered that one of the best studying has occurred when there’s laughter and enjoyable. I didn’t discover as a lot of that at Alliance Francaise. So, would I’m going again? Sure, presumably; nonetheless, I might need to ensure that I’m positioned in the appropriate degree or change after someday if I really feel issues are past me. It’s a troublesome name.
Alliance Francaise Paris: https://www.alliancefr.org/en
4. Closing Phrases Of Recommendation
There are such a lot of French programs in France but when you need to study French in France there are French-language faculties everywhere in the nation and it’s necessary to analyze the instructing strategies, class measurement, and expectations (ie. homework). Some faculties are absolutely immersive (ie. dwelling on the college) and a few are simply courses for a part of the day. It relies on your funds, consolation degree, how a lot you need to be immersed in French every day, and the way a lot free time you’ve gotten (to discover the city).
Probably the most success for me was in an immersive atmosphere, like at École des Trois Ponts. They mix studying the language with studying extra about French tradition. Talking French morning, midday, and night time can speed up your progress and you’ll really feel extra snug extra rapidly.
You possibly can learn extra about my expertise on the Language/Cooking course I took at Ecole des Trois Ponts right here: Language And Cooking Courses At Ecole des Trois Ponts.
[Note: information has been updated to reflect the most recent published prices-2024]
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