My colleague, Wessel, took three weeks off work earlier this year to polish up his French in the southern French city of Montpellier. He also took part in school activities and experienced the local area. In this interview, Wessel shares his experiences.
David: What school did you attend?
Wessel: LSF Montpellier, which is situated in the centre of Montpellier, surrounded by cultural heritage and vibrant nightlife.
David: Why did you select this school?
Wessel: Because the website was well-designed and provided a lot of information. If the website of an organization is well-designed, it shows that the organization has a professional approach. On top of that, the school has been accredited by several language institutions.
David: What level were you in?
Wessel: I started at A2 level and moved from there to B1.
David: What was the nature of your course?
Wessel: I took the intensive course, consisting of 20 group classes (of 45 minutes each) in the morning, combined with an additional 10 group lessons on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons.
LSF students enjoy a tour of historic Montpellier.
David: How did you find the classes?
Wessel: Engaging and fun. On the other hand, sometimes I felt that having more “dry” exercises focusing on grammar etc. would have been good too.
David: Does the school have a library and cultural programme?
Wessel: It has a library with books, study books and DVDs. In addition, the school organized excursions on a nearly daily basis, such as wine tastings or visiting Marseille. The downside of taking the most intensive programme was that I didn’t have the time to take part in many of the activities.
David: How about your living arrangements while studying French?
Wessel: I organized my accommodation through the school. The school offers a range of accommodation options such as staying with a French host family, or living in a student residence or hotel. I stayed with a friendly host-family, but had a separate studio in their apartment.
The historic garden, Le Jardin des Plantes, in Montpellier.
David: How do you rate your accommodation?
Wessel: The accommodation was nice, the family was friendly and it was pleasant to live in a normal neighborhood. Since I was living in a separate studio in the host family’s apartment, I did not have breakfast and dinner together with them. In hindsight I would have preferred to eat with my host family, since it is more fun and allows you to improve your French quicker.
David: How do you rate the school and would you recommend it to others?
Wessel: I would give the school a 9 out of 10 and I would definitely recommend it.
David: What are highlights of the area?
Wessel: The beach is great. You can rent a bike and cycle to the beach in 1.5 hrs. Apart from that, there are many lively bars and restaurants all over the place. I also visited Arles, a nearby historic town where Vincent van Gogh created many of his paintings.
David: Anything else you’d like to add?
Wessel: The investment to learn French was definitely worth it! Meeting people from all over the world was an added bonus.
Read more about LSF Montpellier
Read more about Montpellier
David: What school did you attend?
Wessel: LSF Montpellier, which is situated in the centre of Montpellier, surrounded by cultural heritage and vibrant nightlife.
David: Why did you select this school?
Wessel: Because the website was well-designed and provided a lot of information. If the website of an organization is well-designed, it shows that the organization has a professional approach. On top of that, the school has been accredited by several language institutions.
David: What level were you in?
Wessel: I started at A2 level and moved from there to B1.
David: What was the nature of your course?
Wessel: I took the intensive course, consisting of 20 group classes (of 45 minutes each) in the morning, combined with an additional 10 group lessons on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons.
David: How did you find the classes?
Wessel: Engaging and fun. On the other hand, sometimes I felt that having more “dry” exercises focusing on grammar etc. would have been good too.
David: Does the school have a library and cultural programme?
Wessel: It has a library with books, study books and DVDs. In addition, the school organized excursions on a nearly daily basis, such as wine tastings or visiting Marseille. The downside of taking the most intensive programme was that I didn’t have the time to take part in many of the activities.
David: How about your living arrangements while studying French?
Wessel: I organized my accommodation through the school. The school offers a range of accommodation options such as staying with a French host family, or living in a student residence or hotel. I stayed with a friendly host-family, but had a separate studio in their apartment.
David: How do you rate your accommodation?
Wessel: The accommodation was nice, the family was friendly and it was pleasant to live in a normal neighborhood. Since I was living in a separate studio in the host family’s apartment, I did not have breakfast and dinner together with them. In hindsight I would have preferred to eat with my host family, since it is more fun and allows you to improve your French quicker.
David: How do you rate the school and would you recommend it to others?
Wessel: I would give the school a 9 out of 10 and I would definitely recommend it.
David: What are highlights of the area?
Wessel: The beach is great. You can rent a bike and cycle to the beach in 1.5 hrs. Apart from that, there are many lively bars and restaurants all over the place. I also visited Arles, a nearby historic town where Vincent van Gogh created many of his paintings.
David: Anything else you’d like to add?
Wessel: The investment to learn French was definitely worth it! Meeting people from all over the world was an added bonus.
Read more about LSF Montpellier
Read more about Montpellier
