French General & Cooking Course (20 + 11 lessons per week)
Montpellier Central School

“The town has a very nice atmosphere and a pleasant climate, the prices are not too high, in the centre of the town everything is very easily accessible. In the summertime a lot of events are organized, so there is plenty to do to in your spare time. Moreover the staff were very nice and helpful.” (Monica Orek, July 2010)

“The school and classes were excellent: administrators/staff and professors made you feel comfortable, the environment was great for learning. The lessons were practical and could be put to immediate use. The town was fantastic and had a really relaxing atmosphere. I was comfortable walking around the the city centre as well as walking the 15-minute distance between my student residence and the school. Bus and trains to surrounding cities were readily available. If you want to ensure the the school is legitimate and will give you your money's worth go with Cactus. If you prefer a reputable company to handle the booking of school and accoomodation then go with Cactus. If you're not sure what would be a best fit, ask Cactus.” (Carol Roach, May 2010)

“I booked my French course directly though the website because Cactus offers a good package value, works very effective, all was easy to arrange and the staff is very helpful. The courses and the school were very good and I loved Montpellier. I felt safe and liked the small town atmosphere. I enjoyed meeting new people and the great staff.”
(Joan Mill, December 2009)

“It was my second time to go to Montpellier. I decided to go back there because I love everything about this city. I chose Cactus this time because they have a very personalized service and I appreciate that.”
(Adrian Johnston, November 2009)

“I chose Cactus because they have great locations in France and the activities they offer outside the lessons looked good. Going abroad is definitely worth doing; it was a really good insight into life in France as well as a chance to learn languages. Montpellier is a great city with plenty to do in the evenings including a free outdoor event on Friday evening with live music and wine tasting. Last but not least, the weather was beautiful and the beach is only 40 minutes away from the school.”
(Jessica Goddard, August 2009)

“The language lessons were structured very well and were easy to follow. I felt very comfortable within the class and with asking questions. I have definitely made progress with my ability to read the language and I am gaining confidence in speaking it to. We were taught through the use of games and also worksheets for teaching. We were able to teach a mini lesson, myself and Pernella worked together so do a science lesson in English which was about the body ‘le corps’. The experience was amazing and I definitely feel that with a bit more time in the country my language ability would be a lot better.”
(Tara Pires, taking a French and Pedagogy course in Montpelier 2009)


“The language lessons were very good, very well pitched at interesting and good teaching. I definitely feel to made progress. They had special activities which were used in teaching us as adults. We did debates on current/relevant issues. I asked about idioms and the next day we did a lesson on idioms and the hidden meanings. I definitely had the opportunity to gain an insight into the French culture. The teachers were very helpful and informative but also the methodology lessons in the language school had an in depth section on this. All in all it was a very well organised trip and Montpelier is a fantastic place to experience a real French atmosphere, not too touristy and very friendly people. It is also interesting from a cultural and historical point.”
(Sarah Caffrey, taking a French and Pedagogy course in Montpelier 2009)

“I enjoyed my courses here a lot (teachers, timetable, teachers…). Also, my host family was great, very welcoming and caring about how I was feeling and was very generous with me. If I could, I would have spent more time there.” (Katherine Gordon, May 2009)

“My teacher was fantastic, really down to Earth and easy to get on with. I found her teaching methods really effective. I would have loved to have spent more time here as I really enjoyed everything. The class I was in catered really well for my needs. Even better, I really enjoyed my stay with my host family. They made me feel welcome all the time and lived very close from the Place de la Comédie.” (Stephanie Thomas, May 2009)

"I chose Cactus because of its professional staff and the prices. The school and classes were excellent! I really enjoyed the experience and teacher's professionalism. The admin staff were helpful and friendly. Montpellier is an excellent city, very chic but relaxed and the friendly people and beach opportunities can make a great stay. I really feel my French has improved."
(Angela Roach - April 09)

"The school has very friendly staff and excellent teacher. The classes were interesting. It was a very central place.
What I enjoyed most about my trip was Montpellier generally."
(Avila MacInnes, October 2008)

"The school was excellent and my teachers were really super, clearly very knowledgeable and intelligent individuals.
Montpellier was just lovely and I am so glad that I chose it. I had considered Paris but definitely made the right choice. Montpellier was such an easy place to live so I was able to concentrate on my studies. The weather was great as well.
I stayed in the Clemencau residence which was fine and well run, it was clean and I had all I needed for 3 weeks. It was in an area of the town that was a bit grubby but I did not feel unsafe and it was within easy reach of the school as Montpellier is so small.
I felt really pleased with the way my French developed over the three weeks, I learnt new stuff, re-learnt lots of old stuff and gained masses of confidence so I can speak much more freely now."
(Darren Smyth, October 2008)

"I chose Cactus because the website was easy to navigate.
The teachers were really nice and always happy to help. The school was very central. The students are very well looked after with lots of oranised social activities etc.
Montpellier is a vibrant student town with lots going on. There's something for everyone. Downside: it's very cosmopolitan and everyone speaks English - not so good for English people wanting to practice their French! The weather is gorgeous and it's not far from the beach. The town itself is very pretty and pedestrianised, so no problems with traffic.
I stayed with a host family, who were very nice and helped me to set up a bank account."
(Sophie Bates - September 2007)

"I liked the school.The teachers were very engaged, and made my week in Montpellier a good experience. Montpellier is a big city, and the heart of it, the old town, is absolutely lovely and I would recommend the destination to anybody. However, I feel as if I have only seen a fraction of Montpellier in the 5 days that I was there. I most enjoyed the school experience, the actual learning in the classroom, and my free afternoons/evenings - wandering around Montpellier's city centre, browsing in the shops, eating in the cafes/restaurants, and going to the cinema. I was looked after by Stephanie Bon, and do not have any complaints. When I phoned her with queries, she always came back to me quickly with the required information"
(Sohpie Berg, May 2007)

"I chose Cactus because The reputation, choice of school and functionality of the website were all really good. The Classes were well organised, with plenty of different teaching methods and use of different materials. Teachers were helpful and friendly. The School itself was really nice, cosy and run by friendly staff."
(Matthew Tingle, Oct 2006)

"I thought the school was quite well equiped (although computers would have been useful!) and I enjoyed my classes very much. Montpellier is a vibrant and lively town with lots to do. I enjoyed wandering around the town and trying out various cafes! Cafe Joseph in particular serves great cocktails and has a fun, studenty feel. I stayed in an apartment with a host lady in the main square - an ideal location in terms of being 2 minutes away from the school and extremely close to virtually everything. I enjoyed getting to know a wonderful town, improving my French and meeting lots of new people."
(Jenni Matthews - August 2006)

"I booked with Cactus because one of my classmates at Uni has used Cactus before for a couple of holidays in Spain and Mexico and she told me about it and how good it was. The school had excellent quality teaching, well organized, lots of extra activities offered, the only fault, n my opinion, is that the facilities such as computers are too few for the amount of people who want to use them. The location was absolutely fantastic, Montpellier is a lively town, young and vibrant, a third of its citizens are students and there are lots of nice cafes, eateries and fantastic shops! I would recommend...everything!

I really liked the atmosphere of Montpellier, where there is a lot to see and the food is great! Very good excursions and extra activities organized by the school, such as a workshop on cheese, an evening out for a meal all together and an afternoon in Nimes! I stayed with a family,which was very welcoming and very kind. Despite the fact I'm quite older than the average age of the students there I enjoyed the fact that in this family there were other 4 students. It's great to meet people from other countries and have to speak french all the time!"
(Valeria Milanesio. April 2006)

“I booked with Cactus because the school was very good, friendly, helpful and cheerful. Our class was small and very individual, and our teacher was great – encouraging, professional, experienced and fun. Montpellier is a great place to be, and to explore, which was a major reason for us choosing to go to a school there. The official guided tour we had was excellent, and the city is both lively and friendly, and easy to get around (or will be, once the new tramway is finished)! The food is good, and the area is interesting. We were assigned to stay ‘en famille’, and our hostess was great – we are trying to persuade her to visit us in London one day. She spoke very little English, but she tried hard to understand our halting French, she was fun to be with, and she vacated her own bedroom for us to stay in. She recommended local restaurants and showed us the local bus routes, and took us for an outing to Sete on our final day, on the way to the airport. What I enjoyed most about my trip were the city, our hostess and our teacher. The classes were also fun, and the afternoon excursions which were organised by Concorde rather than the school. What I enjoyed least was the rain which caused lots of flooding problems (no one’s fault!), but we coped well. “
(Nina Shandloff, September 2005)

"I chose Cactus because the location of the school was not one offered by many others companies. It also looked very professional for the price. The school was ideally situated very near the centre and the classes were an excellent mixture of grammar and intensive oral and vocabulary work. They were an ideal size at 6-8 people. The town was beautiful and an excellent size. There were some beautiful parks and churches, but the most impressive sight is the main square - Place de la Comedie. I stayed with a single lady and her daughter who were incredibly welcoming and friendly. It was half board and the food and room were excellent. It was a 30min walk from the school, but closer by tram and was well-light for walking home late at night alone. What I enjoyed most about my trip was the wonderful host family."
(Eleanor Tanner, August 2005)

"I chose Cactus because of the location, and the convenience of booking. I thought the school was in a great location in the town centre. The teachers were friendly, and it was nice to have a variety of teachers. Montpellier was fabulous! I stayed in a family home. I had everything I needed, good location relative to the school, and I met some great people whom I'll keep in touch with! What I enjoyed most about my trip were the wonderful people I met! What I enjoyed the least was that it had to end..."
(Beverly Sortland, August 2005)

"What I enjoyed most about my trip were the French lessons during the day and adventures in the country after 1 pm, very convenient and helpful."
(Katherine Coughlan, July/August, 2005)

"I chose Cactus because of the price and location. I thought the school was in a great location, well organised, friendly, and the classes were really good - fun yet challenging. Montpellier is a great city with lots to do, yet is small enough to wallk round and feel safe in. The olympic swimming pool was a great place to go and sunbathe, without having to take the longer journey to the beach. The French lessons were fantastic - I thought our teacher Yasmina was great. I would like to take another language course probably somewhere else in France".
(Nicola Fish, June 2005)


"I chose Cactus because they were recommended by a friend. The school was very friendly, had a good atmosphere, very good teaching, especially Celine and Yasmina. Residence clemeanceau was very clean and perfectly suited to my needs".
(Bertie Whitford, May 2005)

"I chose Cactus because The package was reasonably priced and the accomodation sounded convinent for exploring the town. The school was friendly and conviently situated. I love Montpellier!!! It has a really friendly atmosphere and is a nice sized town. The weather and laid back attitude was also good.I stayed in a student residence block, which was expensive but very well maintained, clean and comforable. It was located around ten minutes walk away which enabled us to go out in the evenings. There were also lots of international students to make friends with. I enjoyed the whole experience, meeting new people from all over the world as well as improving my French and enjoying the South of France".
(Sophie Atkinson, May 2005)


"I booked with Cactus because the lady I spoke with was wonderful, very professional. For me I thought the school was fantastic, and the centre were the school is was lovely. We did enjoy our trip."
(Shara Lewis, 2:1 course, Montpellier, April 2005)

" I booked with Cactus because two of my friends had been to montpellier with you last year, and recommended the course. The school and classes were excellent. The teachers spoke at an understandable rate, but stretched your learning as much as possible. Montpellier was fantastic, and i'd love to return there in the summer. There's plenty to do, including a cinema, and an ice rink. I stayed with a host family, which forced me to speak french the entire time, which was really useful. The lady was lovely. Having to speak french was the best. Because the people in my class were of different nationalities, it meant that our common language was french, and therefore we spoke it all the time, even in the evenings!"
(Alexandra Pott, February 2005)

"Fantastic. school was great, teachers were great and the quality of care and the classes was fantastic. The town is very nice, with a good student atmosphere. close to the beach, spain and many regional attractions. Host family- Les chevaliers. they were a good host family, pleasant, very obliging. Not a problem. I enjoyed the atmosphere and ease of everything most of all. Everything from my point of view was perfect."
Benjamin Pynt (October 2004)

"Overall a positive opinion, good staff and classrooms". With respect to the location he found Montpellier to be a "great place - young , active feel". David enjoyed most "the change of scene and opportunity to mix with locals/students". He chose Cactus from 'a personal recommendation and price"
(David Frampton, June 2004)

"My husband and I both thoroughly enjoyed our two weeks of classes in Montpellier. Our instructors were very good, the location of the school was great. The French classes were very rewarding. We would have liked to stay longer to really make substantive progress. Montpellier is a great location. The town is interesting and well located for touring the region. We visited Avignon, Arles, Pont du Gard, Uzes, Aigues-Mortes, and Sete while we were there. The close proximity to wonderful beaches was also a great feature for our daughters.

We stayed in a one-bedroom apartment in the Les Consuls du Mer. The apartment was a bit tight for four people, but well located and well-equipped. It was a bonus to have the roof-top pool. The staff at the reception were always very helpful. There is a laundry next door. The tramway stopped right at the door, which was a great advantage for getting to class in the morning. Grocery shopping was the only thing that wasn't terribly convenient. One has to drive a long distance to huge supermarchés or stop in town."
(Vivian McCaffrey, 2004)

"Dear Rut, I had a great time in Montpelier, just wish it could have been longer than one week. the teaching was excellent. the conversation was
topical and got you thinking not just in French, but about the world around you. Cheers, John"
(John Jackson and Jacki Hollande, May 2004)

"The location of the school was excellent and the teaching standard superb. All the activities were very well prepared and the classroom materials excellent. The school in Montpellier is run in a very professional manner and the teachers and staff very courteous"
(Robert Connolly)

"I very much enjoyed the language course. I was amazed at how much they taught us in 1 week. The teacher was great. Thankyou so much so for making the whole thing so easy. I will certainly recommend Cactus to other people."
(Isabelle Turnbull - Aug 03)

"We had our own tutor and lessons were conducted in a different cafe each day drinking coffee and beer!"
(Roger & Marlene Winfield)

"The language course given was very good indeed. The standard of the teachers was excellent and their ability to adjust the course to the needs of the pupils was excellent. We were disappointed with our local accommodation, but this was more a function of our more senior years and our expectation levels. I did discuss this with the school before we left and suggested that the hosts were more suitable to single young people than for married couples. Whilst I would enjoy attending the school again, I think that for our next visit we will try and find self catering accommodation.The visit only served to increase our love of France and the Minervois & Corbieres regions in particular. SO much so, in fact, that during the week-end break we visited and purchased a house near Lezignan Corbieres. Now we need to bring our French language skills to the next level so that we can really enjoy the benefits of the region.If you would like further information, do not hesitate to contact me as I feel that it is only by constructive feedback that companies can improve their offerings."
(Iain Sinclair)

"The school was excellent, as were the teaching methods and structure of the classes. I enjoyed life in Montpellier. The town was very lively and there was lots to do. Recommendations: The Music Festival, Ayers Rock and the Polygon Mall. The accomadation was in an appartment in the centre of town with a host mother. I was satisfied with all aspects of the accomadation particularly the fact that the appartment was right in the centre and very close to the school. I enjoyed most meeting new people on my course and just generally experiencing life in another country while improving my French. I enjoyed least the expense of living in Montpellier. I found meals and alcholic drinks were very expensive."
(Emily Tonkyn)

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Public Holidays for this school

2010

November 1
November 11
December 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24
December 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31

2011

April 25
June 2
June 13
July 14
August 15
November 1
November 11
December 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23
December 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30

Airport Transfer Options

Nearest Airport Montpellier

An airport transfer service is available. $86 pp one way.
Choose the option in step 2 of the booking process.