French courses with cuisine, wine, surfing and more…

Learn languages July 11, 2011

Learning French is a richly rewarding experience. When you learn French in a French-speaking country, you can add to that an insight into the culture that accompanies the language. And when you combine your immersion course with extra programmes like cooking, wine tasting or surfing, you’re going to have a great time!

We offer a range of “French +” courses for adults in wonderful locations around France:

French + cuisine in Lyon

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It is no coincidence that French is the international language of cuisine. French and cooking go together like onions and garlic.

Sunny Lyon is France’s gastronomic capital. In a city blessed with excellent produce from the surrounding farmland, not to mention two excellent wine regions nearby, every meal will delight you in new and unexpected ways!

On the French + cuisine course at our Lyon school, you have three tasting sessions and will take part in a cookery course at one of the city’s well-known workshops. A guide takes you around the Halles de Lyon Paul Bocuse (named after the legendary local chef), where local traders showcase the best of the region’s produce. You will enjoy an evening meal at a Bocuse Brasserie and daytime visits to the legendary local markets, where the chefs stock up on ingredients each morning.

We still have a few places left on our 2011 courses, starting 29th August 2011, 17th October 2011 and 14th November 2011, so be sure to book soon.

French + cooking in Rouen

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If you have always fancied trying your hand as a gourmet chef, we have just the course for you. Combine French language tuition in the morning with culinary demonstration and practice in the afternoon in the beautiful surroundings of Rouen in Normandy. Against the backdrop of the famous medieval town, see local chefs work and learn how to make a typical regional feast. You’ll amaze your friends with both your cooking skills and French when you get back!

Courses are available for one or two weeks and run from September to May or by arrangement.

Gourmet French in Rouen

If you love good food but are perfectly happy to let the professionals prepare it, our Gourmet French course in Rouen will have your mouth watering.

During the morning, you enjoy top quality French tuition at our award-winning partner school. In the afternoon, your group visits local producers of Normandy specialities where you can try and buy great cheeses, meats and the famous local cider. During the course, you will have three dinners in renowned local restaurants.

Courses are available all year.

French + wine in Lyon or Bordeaux

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Which of France’s great wine regions to visit? Decisions, decisions…

A French + wine course in Lyon puts you within easy reach of Beaujolais to the north, and Côtes du Rhône to the south. Beginning in the Gallo-Roman village of Taluyers, you will stroll through the lush local vineyards and meet the winemakers at work. A wine tasting at La cave d’à côté, followed by a wine and food-matching session with the owner rounds off the week perfectly.

Alternatively, a French + wine course in Bordeaux is the perfect way to discover a city and region that is practically synonymous with wine. You will have three afternoons of classes on Bordeaux wines and wine tasting and two afternoons of castle visits. A  “Dégustateur” certificate is awarded at the end of the course after a wine knowledge test. You’ll be swilling, measuring tears and nodding sagely in no time!

Both courses combine top-quality French tuition with a local insight into one of the world’s great wine countries.

2011 Start dates for the Lyon course: 18th July, 19th September, 24th October
2011 Start dates for the Bordeaux course: 18th July, 12th September

French + culture in Rouen or Lyon

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French culture has had a huge influence around the world, whether in art, cuisine, literature, music or cinema.

In Lyon and Rouen, you have the choice to combine a traditional French language course with a range of cultural study options. In Lyon, the course includes local history, French cinema and French song.  In Rouen, options include French and Painting, French and Pottery or French and Gardens.

2011 start dates for the Lyon course: 25th July, 22nd August, 10th October, 28th November.

Courses in Rouen available upon request.

French + surfing in Biarritz or Bordeaux

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If you have always fancied yourself as a surfer, our French + surfing courses in Biarritz and Bordeaux will have you riding the Atlantic waves in no time. And you’ll learn the French for “wipeout” pretty quickly too!

The courses consist of 12 general French morning lessons and 5 afternoon conversation classes per week, along with 4 x 2h surf lessons per week, so your French will develop rapidly alongside your surfing skills.

These courses are available during June, July and August at our partner language school in Biarritz.

French + golf in Biarritz

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Why do golfers carry a spare pair of underpants? Well, in Biarritz, it’s probably because straight after the 18th hole they go partying and don’t make it back until the sun comes up, therefore necessitating a second, fresh underwear option.

With our French + golf programme, you can combine a French language course with golf lessons at the spectacular 9-hole Ilbarritz Golf club, nestled between the mountains and the Bay of Biscay.

After your French lessons in the morning, you pick up your clubs and hit the fairways. You receive a personal training programme tailored to your level and objectives, including video analysis of movements, your swing, and your short and long game. The school provides your clubs and you get free access to the practice course.

The course starts every Monday (except for linguistic beginners, for whom the 2011 start dates are 18th July and 16th August)

And for juniors… Tennis, Horse Riding, Scuba, Golf, Sailing, Adrenaline, Dance, Football, Ski/Snowboard

Our junior summer camps offer a wide range of programmes where students between 8 and 17 can combine language study with a sport of their choice. Most are available throughout the summer, except for Skiing and Snowboard, which is only available in Spring.

To find out more about any of these programmes, contact us. A list of destinations for French courses can be found here. Bon séjour!

By Christian Boveda

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