Montpellier: An Enchanteur French Language Holiday

French Language Holiday in Montpellier

A Memorable French Language Holiday in Montpellier

From its medieval old quarter to its contemporary architecture and art scene, Montpellier is a charming and dynamic city that is usually among the top places to live in France, according to the French population. Close to the south coast of the country, Montpellier has a typical Mediterranean climate and is one of the most cultured and accepting cities in France. If you wish to savour the best French cuisine while also discovering a perfect mix of lively squares, elegant boutiques and arts festivals, Montpellier is the place to do a French language holiday.

Lewis, our Evening Language Courses Manager at Cactus, took a week long French language course with Accent Français in Montpellier last summer. Here, he shares his French language holiday experience in Montpellier. He also offers a few reasons why you might want to take a French language course in Montpellier too!

 

Why did you decide to do a French language holiday in Montpellier?

I had previously visited Paris many times and wanted to visit the South of France because it was more appealing as a holiday destination for the summer and much less busy. I have a strong interest in French culture and wanted to improve my French so visiting a new place in France interested me greatly.

French Language Holiday in Montpellier

 

What did you do during your French language course in Montpellier?

On the first day of the course a tutor assessed my language ability and then I joined an intermediate group. There were students from Bulgaria, Mexico, Japan, and Puerto Rico and with French as our only common language it encouraged me to interact in French from the start.

Each day I took lessons in the morning from 9 – 12, with the time split between 2 teachers and a short break in between. The teachers for my class were both native to Montpellier and were very supportive, encouraging all of the class to contribute to the lesson.

The teaching focused on different aspects of the language. For example a lesson that focused heavily on grammar was then followed by a lesson which involved a lot of speaking and listening activities, so the course did not feel too intense.

Aside from language tuition, the school arranges several activities each day. We were offered walking tours, film screenings, excursions to nearby towns, and food tastings in Montpellier restaurants. The walking tour was free and is a great introduction for the first day in Montpellier as it gave me the opportunity to learn about the city and practice my French listening and speaking skills.

French Language Holiday in Montpellier

 

What do you think about Montpellier now?

Montpellier is a great city for any tourist. As well as being near the Mediterranean coast (the beach is a short drive from the centre and can be reached by bus or tram) there is a lot to visit including Musée Fabre – a large art museum –, nice botanical gardens and the historic old town with small streets lined with cafes and shops. I really enjoyed the relaxed pace of life in this town and it is an ideal destination to learn French because people are very welcoming.

 

How would you rate your learning experience during your course?

During my stay in Montpellier I was able to meet several people, both inside and outside of the school, and converse confidently in French at an intermediate level. I also gained confidence when ordering food and drinks, or asking for directions. I would definitely recommend this course to anyone interested in learning French and taking a holiday, the teaching and location were both excellent.

 

Are you looking to go do a French language holiday in Montpellier? Would you like to go explore the south of France? Do you think about sending your child or teen to a French language camp? Cactus offers a variety of great French language courses for adults and French language camps for juniors, for those looking to start an immersive language experience.

Doing a French language holiday in Montpellier with Cactus is just the beginning! Going away soon? These Basic French Phrases will help you on your way and you can also Download our FREE French Language Kit.

Free French Language Kit

 

How to Book a French Course in Montpellier?

Please check our How to Book page for more information on the simple secure and easy online booking process. Check the destination page to find more information about a French language holiday in Montpellier.

For information on any of our French courses in Montpellier, please call us on +44 (0) 1273 830 960 or contact us. Our multilingual team will be happy to answer any question you may have.

Book Now

 

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Cactus language offers the following types of language courses:

Evening language courses: 19 different languages in 10 UK locations
Language holidays: worldwide immersion courses in the country of the language
Private tuition: tailor-made and corporate language training solutions throughout the world
TEFL: teacher training courses for both English and other languages all over the world
Online courses: for teacher training, English and French

10 things you might not know about New York

new york

The most interesting facts about the Big Apple

New York City, also known as The Melting Pot because of its great variety of ethnicities and languages, has so many famous highlights that visiting the city for the first time is very much like watching a movie become real life. For those returning a second, third or fourth time the city will continue to amaze you with its little wonders, present on every street corner you turn.

Everyone identifies New York, with its yellow cabs, famed skyscrapers and the Statue of Liberty. But we wish to explain a few less well-known things that will probably surprise you about the city that never sleeps.

1. The city was a 17th-century Dutch settlement called New Amsterdam until the English conquered it and renamed it.

2. Half of all New Yorkers speak a language other than English at home.

3. Over 200 languages are spoken in New York City.

4. The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France to the US in 1886. It became the symbol of immigration during the 19th century often being the first thing millions of immigrants saw when they arrived by boat.

5. New York City has the largest Chinese population of any city outside of Asia.

6. Times Square is named after The New York Times daily newspaper which moved its headquarters to that place in 1904.

7. The first pizzeria in the country was opened in New York in 1895.

8. The strange nitrogen gas tanks you may see on the corners of some streets are used to keep underground telephone copper wires dry so phone and internet services can run without problems.

9. The island of Manhattan derives its name from the language of a Native American tribe that lived in the area. Its meaning is “island of many hills”.

10. You can be fined $50 for placing your bag on an empty seat on the subway because using more than one seat is not allowed (even if the train is not full).

If you would like to experience any of the above then why not take an English courses in New York with Cactus Language. We also offer English courses across the US that are available from one week to a year-long and will give you a great insight into American culture and all that it has to offer.

Contact Us

For more information on any of our worldwide language courses please call us on 01273 830 960 or email us. Our multilingual team will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

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Cactus language offers the following types of language courses:

Evening language courses: 19 different languages in 10 UK locations
Language holidays: worldwide immersion courses in the country of the language
Private tuition: tailor-made and corporate language training solutions throughout the world
TEFL: teacher training courses for both English and other languages all over the world
Online courses: for teacher training, English and French

The Oxford And Cambridge Boat Race: Experience British Culture At Its Best

The Boat Race

What is The Boat Race?

The Boat Race is the side-by-side annual contest between two rowing crews from Oxford and Cambridge universities. It takes place on the River Thames between Putney and Mortlake in West London and this year it will be held on 2nd April.
The first men’s Boat Race took place in 1829, borne out of a challenge between old school friends. Women had to wait until 1927 to have their own Boat Race. However, it only became permanent in the mid 1960’s and they faced the hostility of those who thought women should not be allowed to row or race.

How are the teams and the Championship Course?

Each university team is formed of eight rowers and a cox who sits in the stern of the boat (which is the only person who faces in the direction they are moving). The Oxford crew wears dark blue and the Cambridge team wears light blue.
The Boat Race course, also known as the Championship Course, is 4 miles and 374 yards long. The record time set by Cambridge in 1998 (16 minutes 19 seconds) is still unbeaten.

Where to watch The Boat Race?

The Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race is one of the biggest free sporting events in the world. In the UK, the Races are shown live on BBC1 but there is nothing better than seeing them in London from one of the many vantage points along the riverbank such as Putney, Hammersmith, Barnes or Chiswick. Big screens, stalls and bars are located in several places of the city to follow the race as well.
Attending such an exciting and traditional occasion will give you a great insight into the old-fashioned famous rivalry between the two prestigious universities and a special chance to experience British culture.

Find out more about our different English courses in London, Oxford and our other UK locations.

Contact Us

For more information on any of our worldwide language courses please call us on 01273 830 960 or email us. Our multilingual team will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

[ninja_forms id=6]

Cactus language offers the following types of language courses:

Evening language courses: 19 different languages in 10 UK locations
Language holidays: worldwide immersion courses in the country of the language
Private tuition: tailor-made and corporate language training solutions throughout the world
TEFL: teacher training courses for both English and other languages all over the world
Online courses: for teacher training, English and French