LolaLasagne

I'm thinking of doing an intensive French course for a week or two this summer and would appreciate any recommendations on schools or courses. I've looked on the web but with so many possibilites I don't know where to start. As far as location goes I'm not too fussy but it would be nice perhaps to be on the coast. Many thanks in advance.

Tulips

There's a very good school in Villefranche sur Mer, just outside Nice. Can't remember the name of the school, but I'm sure you can find it if you search for it. Their courses are two or four weeks, and very intensive; full days and only French is spoken.

LolaLasagne

Thanks Tulips...that's got me off to a good start!

grandmere

There is a very good school in Tours, called Centre Linguistique pour Etrangers(CLE). I spent two weekss there several years ago; one of the frequent posters here is studying at CLE now. She should be back early June, I think, and i'm sure she'll post about it. In the meantime run a search and see what comes up; there are lots of places to study in France. I highly recommend CLE.

Good luck!

OReilly

I am thinking of doing the same thing myself this summer

I have decided on the BLS school in Biarritz. They also have a school in Bordeaux.:

http://www.bls-biarritz.com/versGB/accueil.html

http://www.bls-frenchcourses.com/versGB/accueil.html


Here are inks to some other schools I investigated:
http://www.cuneiforme.com/language/e...institute.html

http://www.accentfrancais.com/gb/wel...nu=b&idB=1

http://www.coeurdefrance.com/

http://www.fle.fr/

http://www.languagesabroad.co.uk/french.html

http://www.europa-pages.com/france/index.html

http://www.imef.fr/

http://www.3ponts.edu/

http://www.cel-saint-malo.com/ukdefault.htm

http://www.cuneiforme.com/

Good luck with your search.

Regards Ger

Sue4

A few months ago Sandyh wrote a wonderfully detailed report on her experience at Ecole des Trois Ponts, which is in a town called Roanne, northwest of Lyon. You can read the report by typing in "sandyh" in the search box. She made it sound wonderful!

hopscotch

I've attended the Alliance Francaise in Paris a couple of times, and would do it again. I'm sure there is a web site. You just go and take an entrance exam at the begining of the month so they can place you in the right class. It gets crowded in the summer with students from all over the world. It's very light in May, and probably in September and later. Intensive and only French is spoken.

Airlawgirl

I consider myself an expert on European language schools- I've attended a number of them. The oldest and best known in France is of course Alliance Francaise, and it is govt. funded-very good instruction, but not a fluffy holiday course-the best schools are NOT EASY, and most of the good schools do not accept less than a two week stay. I attended Eurocentres-which is probably one of the oldest-it's been around in various European countries for over 30 years now.-very good instruction in Paris, on the Passage Dauphine smack in the heart of the Latin Quarter. There are also branches in La Rochelle, which is on the coast, and Aix-en-Provence, I believe, check the website. A very worthwhile endeavor, if you are willing to work HARD, AND DO HOMEWORK.

julies

I'll have to check with my friend on which one she attended; she did nothing but rave about it afterward. I know she flew into Marseille and the school picked her up there so that should help you narrow it down a bit. They were in a large estate/house on the outskirts of a smalller town. It was more like an immersion experience where they did the regular lessons, but they also cooked meals together at times and had options for excursions. She is not a beginner though because she has attended classes at the Alliance here in the US for years. she went for a 2 week session and there were about 12 people.

LolaLasagne

Thank you all very much for your suggestions which I will follow up and hopefully I will be able to do a course for a couple of weeks in September. Biarritz does sound very attractive I must admit and I think I would prefer a smaller school....the Alliance sounds like hard work to me! Thanks again

stormygirl

My friend went to Annecy for their language school. It is a very good school and Annecy is beautiful! Also it's very close to Lyon and Geneva.

She went there 2 years ago and is now living in Paris!

grandmere

Does anyone know the name of the language school in Annecy?

Christina

I've been to three different language schools, all in Paris, though (two at universities). I think most of the better schools are serious and don't have classes of a week, although I did attend one last summer in Paris that was very flexible in that regard (signing up on a weekly basis) as it was for professionals, people taking it for their job or expats in Paris, etc. I didn't go to the Alliance Francaise, but I've heard (from several professors) that it actually wasn't as hard as the university ones and that a lot of the students there weren't very serious. I think that comes with being such a wellknown name,you'll attract all kinds of students, some just looking for Paris fun.

I think I've heard both Eurocentre and Accord were pretty good. That cooking one did sound very interesting to me, also, for those at a more advanced level.

None of the ones I know in Paris are for light vacation stays, though, the ones on the coast are more like that because of who they attract. I know someone who went to one in Nice who said it wasn't very rigorous, for example, and a lot of the students were there just for fun and the beach.

I think the one in Annency could be CILFA, it's very good:
http://www.cilfa.fr/

I don't know much about this one, but it sounds good and is in Cannes -- they do have intensive courses for 2 weeks
http://www.french-in-cannes.com/

BTilke

Christina, I have heard similar things about the AF. I had taken some AF classes myself at one time but gave up because they proceeded at the pace of the slowest student. It got quite tedious with the class dragging along at a snail's pace because a couple of "students" were more interested in partying than in doing their homework.
Lola, if you are interested in learning just enough French to get around comfortably, you would probably enjoy a course that's a week or two long and that offers some cultural activities.

OReilly

LolaLasagne

I was originally going to take the two week course at BLS, but I just can't manage the time at this point. BLS, and most scools I checked out, do not offer one week courses.

SO I compromised. I am taking a AF class here in Toronto (total of 24 hours over 6 weeks) and in Biarritz I am taking 15 hours of one-on-one, private lessons. It is far more expensive, but I have taken private lessons before and was very pleased with my progress compared to my current AF experience.

Just another option for you to consider. I DO think, to get the best out of your experience in France, it is a good idea to take a starter or refresher course BEFORE leaving. It will give you more confidence and enable you to covr the basics.

regards Ger

crepes_a_go_go

Hey friends. I am studying right now at Centre Linguistique Etrangeres in Tours, France. I love it. I am doing it for college credit but the mix of work and pleasure is parfait! What this school has in its favor is that the max class size is 7. The pace is great and so are the teachers. Tours is a beautiful place with lots of activites. My homestay has turned out to be the best thing ever. Please post any direct questions that I can answer for you. There are all ages studying here, from 17 to 65. And surprisingly, every ages meshes together quite well. The difference in ages really gives us lots of fodder to converse about!

grandmere

Crepes, good to hear from you! It sounds as though the CLE experience is all you hoped it would be and more! I hope you'll write in detail when you get back! Keep enjoying!

Sue

LolaLasagne

I've been hammering away at the French language for sometime now so I reckon I have a 'working' knowledge of the language but I feel I lack vocabulary and the chance just to sit down and talk. Will be on the computer this weekend checking out the addresses you've all kindly provided for me. Merci a tous pour l'aide!!

stormygirl

The school my friend went to was IFALPES. She highly recommends it.

http://www.ifalpes.com/

travelbunny

...would echo suggestions about "brushing up" before you go. I did take courses at alliance francais in north america and found them good (only 3 of us at my level..so really was excellent and almost private lessons). get out your old french grammer and try renting/buying some french language videos...then look at housing options at your language school..if you can board with a french family or in a international dorm where the language is french as opposed to a hostel/dormwhere the majority speak english your progress will be faster..for a quantum leap suggest a french love, but not everyone can be this fortunate!!!