Ideal French Immersion programs for a solo learner/traveler?

Chris,

Are you referring to some kind of formal course or a self-study program? If the latter I'd suggest having a look at the Pimsleur program, which consists of about 30 half hour lessons at each level of the course. Given the short time until your departure, you'd probably only have time to complete the first level.

I have 1-2 weeks available to absorb French and am looking for a program where I can live/speak/eat and breathe French the whole day! I have heard Coeur de France in Sancerre is fantastic. Are there others well-known out there?

I love the podcasts (free) Coffee Break French (and Spanish). I've used both. Love them!

Yes, so true! Between the Coffee Break French and French 24, I have kept French in my ear! I am finding that CLE in Tours is quite popular as is Aix-en-Provence Language Institute. Both are referenced by Lingua Worldwide Service. Is anyone familar with these programs?

Hi Chris. I attended the Aix-en-Provence Language Institute (IS) last year for almost a month as part of a trip through AHI travel and my University Alumni. I enjoyed it a lot. Our program had only our tour attendees and was tailored for the various levels of learning. From their website there seems to be a variety of classes. Ours were 4 half days a week. The content was more day to day language like speaking at the market, language of cooking and clothing, day to day issues like health, a little politics and much more. The content varied by the learners level of language. The first day we had a written and oral test to group us.

At times the Aix class was a bit light in depth. I can compare it to the Institut de Francais in Villefranche-sur-Mer, which was very heavy on grammar and very structured learning. Also it was almost an 8 hour day in school, 5 days a week. I learned a lot in that month but I was a beginner then. The class schedule did not leave much time on the weekday to sightsee as classes ended at 4:45.

There were plusses and minuses regarding each location. Aix is a small city with some great markets, but public transportation out of town is not as great. Villefranche is a small town, on the sea, with great public transportation.

if I could find a program that was a mix of both of these, that would suit me best. I went solo to both programs, but as the Aix program was part of a tour, the experience was quite different.

Have a great trip.

Merci bien, June. Your comments are very helpful. I had noted the Institut de Francais in Villefranche, but as it was full will have to try it another year.

While this is not a program in France, I have found this to be very helpful to me to get me to a higher level in French. .My husband is a photographer and we spend a lot to time in France. I am not a beginner in French but certainly not fluent and never will be. I am at that in between stage. Somehow I found ...Think French.... on the Internet. They also have ....Think Spanish.....and....Think Italian. It is a monthly magazine with dozens of articles, vocabulary etc. The articles are so interesting plus you can get all the back issues from 2009 if you ask them . There are also audio file downloads for each article so you can listen and read or just listen.You can keep the articles and audio by loading them on an external hard drive and you can make copies of all articles.I do not work for them ....but it has helped my French a lot.