jynxypanda

Hi All!

First time to post here. I'll be going on a 2-week cultural program sponsored by the embassy and I had trouble searching online since... there's too many! I have a working budget of 1,200 euros (short course + accommodation) and was wondering if you could recommend something? I'd ideally choose a French language course in the morning + excursions or activities in the afternoon. Anywhere in France would be fine.

I liked this summer program in Paris School of Business involving gastronomy, wine, luxury and fashion lifestyle but the course was 3,000 euros and out of the budget. I was also looking into photography or some unique courses as well.

Thanks!

jynxypanda

By the way, my level of French is A0 or A1. I can probably say the most basic phrases but had no formal training in French before.

Christina

I don't quite understand the embassy sponsorship (which embassy) as if they were sponsoring some program, you'd think they would have a list of acceptable programs that they would fund. Otherwise, it sounds like you are saying you have been given a stipend or grant or whatever worth 1200 euro to spend on any course in France you want. Only private schools will do non-serious courses like fashion and gastronomy, etc. and they won't be cheap, that's the problem.

I know serious schools with educational classes that would be in that budget but they don't offer the kinds of things you want (excursions, etc.). If you've never had classes in French and can say only a few phrases, you are not level A1 which requires you to be able to formulate sentences to ask simple questions and to respond to them and to be able to communicate in a very basic way if someone speaks slowly.

Some schools I know that have various cultural classes in addition to language require a higher level of French to be able to sign up for those. But if they have anything like that, the costs are around 400 euro a week (includes some language classes, of course) just for tuition. So that would leave 200 euro for accommodations and they sometimes don't arrange those for you in private schools and I don't think you could find something for 30 euro a day yourself. France Langue is one company that has some things like you describe.

I know some language schools that might be in that budget as they are university-based, not private. But they are solely language, not the other things you want and they won't enroll people for only two weeks.

Here's one company I know of that could meet your desires, they say they have some accommodation from 200 euro per week and some cultural programs from about 300 euro+ per week. https://www.accentfrancais.com/french-courses

Otherwise, Shaw Guides has a good search tool for educational programs by country. http://www.shawguides.com/

fuzzbucket

I don't understand this "embassy" thing, either - it would be nice if you could explain it further. Do you need proof that you've taken a course, or do you just want to try to improve your language skills? A short course of a week or two will not help your level of French. There are courses meant for people who need to polish their business French, but they're way too advanced for your skill set, and usually expensive.

After paying for even an inexpensive summer course - and I've never heard of any, and not sure they wouldn't be ripoffs - you wouldn't be able to afford to rent even a disgusting, 8th floor walkup "studette" apartment, which will be the size of a broom closet and will have just a shared toilet down the hall, if you're lucky. Most of these go for 600 - 900 EU, utilities not included - and if you're looking for this summer, you'll be out of luck.

You should ask your embassy representative for a list of host families, instead. Many ask for a small amount of rent and might or might not include food. You should also plan on becoming a vegetarian and a teetotaler, since you won't be able to afford animal protein or alcohol. You will also need to budget for transportation.

Or - you could look for a shared room in a decent hostel, where you'd be able to meet friends, maybe arrange to go out for coffee or pizza and try out your French with regular people, instead. At least you'd be able to take a shower, do laundry and you wouldn't starve to death.
https://www.mije.com/en/auberge-jeunesse-paris
https://generatorhostels.com/en/destinations/paris/
https://www.st-christophers.co.uk/paris-hostels

I admire your enthusiasm, but think trying to learn even the bare minimum of French given your current level will be the least of your worries.

jynxypanda

Thanks Christina, Fuzzbucket for your replies!

Apologies if I haven't been clear. I won through a raffle of french embassy here in the Philippines a 2-week cultural stay. Doesn't even have to be a language course but they did give me a budget of 1,200 euros for the course + accommodation which is kind of hard to follow. Thanks for the suggestions! I think my allowance for meals aren't part of the 1,200 or else I would have to go vegan like what fuzzbucket said. haha!!

I'll definitely look into your links and pray that there'll still be slots for summer in July. If there's none I'll probably look into Fall classes.

fuzzbucket

Photography and cooking classes - especially if you want to take the ones lasting a week or longer - are tremendously expensive in Paris.
I would recommend either looking into a couple of inexpensive one or two day classes that might interest you, and just forget about the language courses. That way, you'll have more fun.

You should definitely start looking right now for hostels or budget hotels for the Fall, which is a very busy time of year. Things will be pretty much booked up by July by now. These are good websites for budget hotels - make sure to confirm the rate directly with the hotel if you use a booking site, though.
www.booking.com
www.hotels.com

StCirq

Since it doesn't have to be in Paris, start looking at places farther away, where everything will be much cheaper. Monpellier is a lively student city, but that's just one of a thousand places you could do all kinds of cultural activities. Check out Bordeaux and Strasbourg and Aix-en-Provence. Pick someplace that has good train connections so you can do some inexpensive exploring. Paris will eat up that $1200 in no time.

And I would forget about studying French. In two weeks it will be impossible to do more than learn a few phrases and maybe a bit of pronounciation. You need years to make any real progress (but do follow up on it later, if the language interests you).

Giles46

Hi Jynxypanda,
We offer one-week residential courses with morning tuition and afternoon outings... A second week of one-on-one tuition could also be arranged. Groups are small. We are a 5 hour train journey from Paris, in the Lot and Dordogne area. Check out our website : www.frenchresidential.com.; Get in touch if you would like to know more...