Hi! I am in my mid 50s and I am looking to do a french immersion program to improve my french. It's really just for pleasure - I don't need course credits or any sort of certificate. I think I would prefer classes for half a day and afternoons free to explore - even better if the program offers optional excursions and activities. I'd like to be in a course that will have other older adults, rather than be primarily university students. I've narrowed it down to a few programs in Montpellier (ILA or Accent) or CLE in Tours and I'm also considering IS Aix en Provence. While I think I'd prefer to be in Montpellier, the CLE school gets a lot of good reviews. And will I be overwhelmed with 20 year olds in Montpellier? Does anyone have any personal experience with any of these schools? I'm open to other suggestions as well, but I don't want to be in Paris. I love Paris, but I find that too many people respond to me in English and I'd like to avoid that. I'd love to hear from others who have been. Thanks!!

have you considered starting your journey chatting on sites like italki, real chats with potential friends one2one when it suits for free. It took my Italian from shop greeting to conversation in months.

This subject comes up periodically. Here is how I responded to a similar query in Apr 23 (though the OP then was looking specifically for a 2-week course):

Since 2012, my wife and I have gone to several language schools in Paris, Villefranche-sur-mer, and Montpellier in France; Madrid and San Sebastian in Spain; and last month, Florence, in Italy. I guess, in retrospect, it's kind of a hobby. We rarely go to a school for less than a month. We've absolutely enjoyed each of the experiences! If I were you, I would keep the expectations low. Learning a language is a process. After more than 10 years, we can hold a decent conversation in French but not yet in Spanish or Italian. But, we started late in life. Besides going to a school in France, there are "immersion" courses out there where you stay with a family. We've done that twice in France, two weeks each time (but not in Paris). If you're looking at going for 2 weeks only, I wouldn't worry too much about the course; instead pick the location that interests you. In the summer. you'll probably find many more younger people in your course than we found when going to school in the spring, fall, and winter. If this is your first trip tp France, I would probably look for a school in Paris, which is where we started. Although you seem to be a bit late in the planning phase, I wish you well and hope you find learning French as stimulating and rewarding as my wife and I have found it. From Rome, our best, Bill and Cindy

I took an immersion course this past March in Bordeaux at Alliance Française de Bordeaux. I liked that it was class room structured Mon-Fri, then afternoon workshops and excursions. I also liked that you could do 2, 3, 4 weeks or 2+ months. The draw back was that I was (at the ripe age of 54) the oldest student (though there were a couple of 45+ year olds, too.) Bordeaux is a charming city so thought I'd share if you're open to alternatives.

I think you'd really enjoy Coeur de France in Sancerre. I did one week there, and the structure was great - classes from 9-12ish, with optional excursions in the afternoon. Sancerre is a small but very charming town, and the residents are used to language students wanting to practice and they are all more than happy to chat with you in French. The town is also surrounded by miles and miles of vineyards with paths you can walk along, if that's your type of thing. Most of the students in the classes I took were adults aged 50+.

Another option you might like: L'ecole des Trois Points. I haven't personally done this course yet, but I hear really good things. It's a little bit more structured - classes in the morning and some in the afternoon + you eat dinner and do excursions or other extracurriculars with the other students, but it also seems to be geared towards an older demographic. It does seem to be a little bit in the middle of nowhere though, so you may want to look into that before you decide to go here.

I haven't done either of the courses you mention, but I do know that Montpellier has a ton of university students so those courses might skew young. You could email the program directors and ask them, though!

To add to another post above, check to see is there is an Alliance Française chapter near you. We have on active in our city and we met once per week and conversed in French -- usually they tried to organize meetings by levels roughly. There was no charge as I recall and the leader was a native French speaking individual.

https://www.afdokc.org/af-chapters

My daughters and I also did the Coeur de France in Sancerre. The cool thing was that the entire town was "in" on the process and would help you with your language!

Other positives:
Best goat cheese and best Sancerre wine on constant tap
Best Pain aux Raisins we ever had at the local bakery