Easy Languages

Program

Destination

Montpellier, capital of the Languedoc-Roussillon region, has a long tradition as a University city and is home to one of the biggest and best known Universities of France; more than a quarter of Montpellier’s 250,000 inhabitants are students. Montpellier offers a beautiful historic centre with narrow, picturesque streets, elegant private mansions dating back to the 16th century, many traditional cafés, and a vibrant cultural life.

Thanks to its countless historical treasures, the city is officially called a ’Ville d’Art’. Street musicians and artists, as well as a variety of famous festivals, contribute to its cultural life. The warm, Mediterranean climate is reflected in the day-to-day life of the town. Montpellier opens like an amphitheatre towards the Mediterranean with its long, sandy beaches and étangs (lagoons) and huge colonies of wild pink flamingos. Thanks to its excellent location between Provence, the Camargue, the Cevennes mountains and the Pyrenees, Montpellier offers a wide range of opportunities for excursions. The countryside is dotted with gorges, creeks and picturesque villages.

This is also the biggest wine growing area of the world with excellent wines waiting to be discovered and tasted. The climate is excellent: summer lasts until the end of October and even in winter one can enjoy a sunny afternoon at one of the numerous café terraces. Here, the sun shines more than 300 days a year.

School

Our partner school is located in one of the most attractive areas of Montpellier’s historic centre. It is situated on a pedestrian street with many small boutiques, bakeries and tea rooms. It is also located right across from the beautiful Chamber of Commerce building.

The establishment itself is a charming 18th century hotel, just a short walk from the famous "Place de la Comédie", Montpellier’s principal square, with many cafés, restaurants, gardens and the magnificent Opera house. The city’s principal bus and tramway lines are a three minute walk from the school.

As a member of the “Groupement FLE”, a group with a strong commitment and passion for French language learning, our partner school offers an extensive and comprehensive collection of programmes which often combine language learning with specific targets and cultural activities.

The institute offers well-lit and well-equipped classrooms (TV, DVD, CD players as well as air-conditioning). It also offers several computers and free high-speed internet access via WiFi. The school also now has a pre-course online test which students complete before arrival, so that you can begin your lessons as soon as you arrive.

The school welcomes students from more than 50 nationalities each year. The majority of students are between 17 and 45 years of age, but there are also older students who participate. There is a maximum of 10 students per group.

Activities

The school offers a varied selection of activities and organised excursions each week to choose from during the afternoons, evenings and weekends. Activities can range from town and museum visits, to sampling Montpellier’s renowned aperitifs; to sports activities (football and handball matches, bowling, ice-skating…). Excursions destinations can include Avignon and the Pont du Gard, The Camargue National Park, St Guilhem-le-Désert and the Grotte de Clamouse, and Carcassonne, among others.

Courses

Students are given a placement test when they arrive, after which classes begin immediately. Each lesson lasts 45 minutes.

We are pleased to offer a wide variety of courses in Montpellier, with many providing an extra insight and experience of French culture :

• Standard French : 20 lessons per week
  This programme includes vocabulary enrichment, grammar and sentence structure, oral and written expression exercises, lessons on French culture and civilization etc.
  
  
• Intensive French Group 6: 26 lessons per week
  In addition to the standard lessons given in the morning, this programme features 6 additional lessons per week, typically on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.
  These lessons are usually dedicated to oral conversation. Each afternoon features a particular theme, with debates and discussions allowing each participant to express their opinion.
  
  
• Intensive French Group 10: 30 lessons per week
  In addition to the standard lessons given in the morning, this programme features 10 lessons per week in the afternoons.
  4 lessons are in the form of workshops: theatre, singing, music, museum visits... and the 6 remaining lessons tend to take place Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.
  These lessons are usually dedicated to oral conversation. Each afternoon features a particular theme, with debates and discussions allowing each participant to express their opinion.
  
  
• Intensive French PLUS: 20 lessons + 6 private lessons
  This programme is a combination of the standard lessons with 6 one-on-one tuition sessions. These are the best way of personalising your stay in Montpellier according to your desires, putting focus on your own difficulties.
  
  
• DELF/DALF Preparation: 20 group lessons plus six hours of afternoon workshops
  The Diploma in French Language Studies (known in French as the Diplôme d’études en langue française, or DELF) is a certification of French-language abilities for non-native speakers of French, administered by France’s International Centre for Pedagogical Studies (Centre international d’études pédagogiques, or CIEP), within the country’s Ministry of Education. It is composed of four independent diplomas corresponding to the first four levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: A1, A2, B1 and B2.
  
  The needed preparation time for a given exam depends on your current level of French and the amount of preparation that you devote to practicing outside of class. The placement test given on the first day will allow you to plan which DELF/DALF level will be your goal. The last day of registration for exams given in Montpellier is usually 2 weeks before exams, giving you the advantage of deciding last minute which DELF/DALF level your progress has prepared you for. Examination enrolment fees are not included in the prices listed.
  
  
• French & Cooking: This course combines 20 lessons per week and 8 lessons with a chef, an excellent hands-on approach to gaining extra language confidence.
  Available all year round, the cookery lessons take place in a very professional and well-equipped cooking school about 5 minutes walk from the language school. You will be mixed in with French people also taking the course, enabling you to gain new recipes and extra conversation experience. There is a selection of cooking courses available, according to your experience and preferences. Courses begin every Monday.
  
  
• Summer Special
  This programme is designed specifically for adults : it includes lessons and an activity and excursion plan, creating the perfect balance between relaxing, having fun, and discovering the area. In the morning you will have your standard French lessons.
  
  Activities could include anything from a welcome coffee at a café, to wine or cheese tasting, to day trips to the beach, to bowling, or to ice skating. Excursions go to all the main local points of interest: the Camargue, Sète, Nimes, Avignon, Marseille, St Guilhem-le-Desert etc.

Accommodation

Host Family

We take enormous care in selecting the host family that is best for the student and all of our families are carefully selected and screened. The families provide breakfast and the evening meal. Students have their own room as well as their own keys to the house, which ensures independence. However, students are encouraged to spend time with their families in order to make the most out of their stay in the country. Students must adapt to the habitual meal times of the host family.

Residence

The residences are designed for students who wish to have a maximum amount of independence and meet other students of all nationalities. Students can have their own small studio with a private kitchen and bathroom or share their accommodation with another student, however, very few shared studios are available. The residence is of limited availability during the winter season, so we advise that you book early to avoid disappointment. A cash deposit of €150 for the studio is required upon arrival, but will be reimbursed at the end of your stay, providing the room is in good condition.

Please consult the optional extras table for the supplement for self-catered accommodation options or for additional meals with the host family.

Prices & Dates

Dates 2012

Courses begin every Monday, except for absolute beginners, who can begin the second Monday of the month: 09/01, 06/02, 05/03, 02/04, 07/05, 04/06, 02/07, 06/08, 03/09, 01/10, 05/11, 03/12, 17/12-03/01/13.

The Summer Special programme is available every week from the 1st July to the 24th August.

The French and Cooking courses begin every Monday except in August.

Peak season is between 02/06 and 02/09.

Courses start at least four weeks before examination date. Please note: Examination enrolment fees are not included in the price in the table.

Exam dates DELF and DALF:

• March examination session: 15 & 16 March
• May examination session: 23,24 and 25 May
• June examination session: 22 & 23 June
• August examination session: 23 & 24 August
  
  

Prices include:

• The chosen course programme
• Accommodation in an individual room in host family with bed and breakfast or other accommodation options, according to your selection on the optional extras table.
• Academic materials and the use of the school’s facilities
• Airport or train station pickup if accommodation is in host family
• A certificate of participation
• All enrolment and administration fees
  
  

Prices do not include:

• Travel to and within Montpellier
  
• Enrolment fees for a DELF/DALF exam (where applicable)
• A cash safety desposit of 150€ for the studio in the Residence Accommodation option

Practical Info

Transport

• Arrival airport or train station: Montpellier (MPL)
  

An (optional) transfer is available between airport and accommodation - see price table.

If you prefer, we can book your flights for you. This must be made clear at the moment of enrolment.

If you intend to book your own flight, try to arrive the Sunday before the start of your course and leave the Saturday following its end.

Visa Information

EU residents do not normally need a Visa to enter France.

Citizens of other countries, such as the USA, Brazil, Japan, Korea, etc, can stay in France without a Visa for up to 3 months.

If you intend to stay for longer than 3 months, you will need to apply for a Student Visa (type D) before arriving.

Students coming from such countries must acquaint themselves with the visa application procedures involved at their local French Embassy or Consulate, or consult the following link: French Visas