If French and travel are part of who you are, Lingua Franca’s Summer School is a dream come true.
Take the very best of learning with Lingua Franca, add the invaluable authenticity of being sur place* and you have yourself a mélange magique*. Lessons in the morning, an activity every other afternoon, a welcome and farewell dinner and plenty of free time
You’ll be surprised and delighted by the leaps and bounds your French will take, the connections you’ll make and the memories that will last long after you’ve put your suitcase away.
If French and travel are part of who you are, Lingua Franca’s Summer Schools are a dream come true. Take the very best of learning with Lingua Franca, add the invaluable authenticity of being sur place* and you have yourself a mélange magique*.
You will be surprised and delighted by the leaps and bounds your French will take, the connections you’ll make and the memories that will last long after you’ve put your suitcase away.
Each morning starts with coffee, pastries and a lesson, in small groups with lessons tailored to your level. With a mix of language and culture classes, you’ll be able to apply what you’ve learned the minute you step out of the classroom.
You have the afternoons free for exploring. Post-lesson, you may have a favourite gallery to race to, a date with a friend, or you might even just like to wander the streets of Paris by yourself. It’s totally up to you.
You’ll also have three outings and there will be a welcome and farewell dinner to round out the trip.
You’ll do a longer lesson on one of the days so you can have a ‘pupil-free day’ in the middle. Imagine the fun you can have with a whole day stretched out before you in your host city, armed with your new and improved speaking skills. You may never come home!
*of course | *nest | *on site | *magical mix
Get stuck into your learning while your brain’s fresh, leaving the afternoons free for experimenting with your new skills.
We’ll nominate a local terrasse* and will be there each afternoon in case you feel like swinging by to tell us about your aventures*.
An exciting first-night dinner to get to know everyone and a farewell feast to recap a brilliant week.
You may already have a long list of things you want to see and do. Your time is your own - go and explore!
A destination’s delights are often hiding in plain sight. Uncover them with the help of our local experts.
Bijou* hotel you’ve been dying to try or banked up frequent flyer miles? You decide your perfect travel plans.
*terrace | *adventures | *jewel-like
Monday 23rd Sept - Sunday 29th Sept 2024
PARIS SUMMER SCHOOL
$2800
INCLUDES:
25 hrs tuition tailored to your level
All materials
2 x dinners with wine
3 x cultural activities (guided tours)
Welcome gift pack
NOT INCLUDED:
Flights
Accommodation
Traveller’s insurance (compulsory)
Transfers
How do you recreate Lingua Franca elsewhere?
It’s surprisingly easy, actually. We find you a space with the warmth and heart of Lingua Franca in our target destination, design you some bespoke learning materials, call upon a local tutor to help Katrina with the teaching, contact our favourite guides and book a couple of fantastic restaurants for your welcome and final dinners. Et voilà*! Your nid* away from home.
Do I have to be a Lingua Franca student to attend?
No, you don’t, we often welcome new people on our trips, whether friends of friends or people we’ve never met before. All you need is a bit of French under your belt and a desire to discover a culture unlike your own. Extra points if you enjoy a bit of a laugh.
Do I have to be an advanced student to join in?
Not at all! We’ll divide the group according to level and the lessons will be pitched accordingly. All you need is a desire to improve your French and a sense of curiosité*.
Where is the school located?
We always choose somewhere really central while avoiding the touristy quartiers* in favour of more interesting areas. It’s important to be centrally located so it’s easy for you to get to school each morning, no matter where you choose to stay. We also find that having the best of a city just outside the classroom door is highly motivating for our Chouchous*.
Why just a week?
We know you’re a busy group of people and you like to get things done. By limiting the lessons to seven days, we can keep the instruction constant and focused. It’s a blast of French that we can’t give you in Australia: there’s no replicating the immersive value of constant lessons and real-life experiences for seven days straight. And don’t forget, you have the choice of book-ending the two trips to give you a whole fortnight of French immersion.
We also know you’re a well-travelled bunch, and many of you have friends and family living overseas. We hope that having two discrete weeks to choose from gives you the flexibility to work in other plans.
Why are flights and accommodation not included for this trip?
Mostly for the reasons above, that is, that we expect many of you to combine the trip with other travel plans in Europe or elsewhere and therefore to stipulate dates of travel would be restrictive. As for the accommodation, we imagine some of you already have a favourite hotel, others may wish to stay with friends or family and we wanted to give you the option of finding a place to stay that suits your particular style and budget.
Can you recommend accommodation for us?
Of course! We’ve already done the groundwork and keep a short-list of hotels for our destinations. We also have recommendations from previous participants so there’s a really good range of styles and budgets. We suggest you organise your accommodation early so you have the widest range of choice. You may very well find a hidden jewel yourself, in which case, we’d love to hear about it.
What can I expect from the lessons?
The best things about doing lessons sur place* is how immediately useful the content is. The minute you step out the door of the school, you’ll be able to put into practice what you’ve just learned.
As mentioned previously, you’ll be divided into two groups, according to level. Lessons will start at 9:00am and will go through to 12:30pm or 1pm. At 10:30am, we’ll take a pause-café* (think coffee and pâtisseries*) for you to clear your brain and stretch your legs. We’ll have two tutors (Katrina and one other) and therefore two small groups: one group will focus on the vocabulary and grammar you’ll need to communicate effectively and the other will be devoted to an exploration of the French culture, giving you insider’s running on what it means to be truly français*. And then we simply swap over.
We’ve been so inspired by the huge improvement we’ve seen in the students who took part in our previous and we know you’ll benefit enormously, too, from the semi-intensive format. Never fear, though, Lingua Franca lessons will always remain relaxed and friendly, as we believe happy brains learn best. Plus, you’re en vacances*.
Are there any activities?
There will be three activities spread across the week for each trip. Previously, we’ve visited a Parisian flea market, done a walking tour of a particularly charming quartier* and turned our hands to making sablés.* Occasionally, if there is somewhere a little our of the way we just have to show you, we may combine two of the activities to make a day of it.
We’ll send you information about the exact activities in due course. Tours will last between 2 and 3 hours and will be conducted in a mix of French and English, adapted to the level of the group.
What will a typical day be like?
The school bell will sound at 9:00am, and lessons will be wrapped up by 12:30pm or 1pm, the perfect time for you to go in search of a delicious déjeuner*, whether in the local quartier or somewhere further afield. Afternoons will be free for you to explore on your own, or if you’ve taken the activities package, you’ll be in for a treat being shown the sites and explained the history of Paris with our guides. In the late afternoon, you’re welcome to join us at a local bar for an evening apéro* and the chance to discuss your day.
What about the apéro?
The apéro is not compulsory either, so if you find yourself caught up in the delights of your host city and unable to make it to our chosen bar at the agreed time, ne vous inquiétez pas*. The apéro is just a chance for us to get together as a group, recap our day and have a chat and a drink.
Are there any dinners together?
Oui*, in fact we’ve organised two and they’re included in the price. Our welcome dinner will be held in a local restaurant and will give you a chance to get to know your fellow Chouchous. We get together at the end of the week as well, and this time we invite all the characters you’ve met throughout your time at the summer school for an authentic and convivial French dining experience.
Are friends and family welcome to come to the dinners and participate in the activities?
So long as they’re happy being in an environment with a majority of French spoken (there’s always some English that slips out after a couple of drinks), we’d love to have them come along.
Finally, why is it called a summer school when it’s held in spring?
Glad you asked! Our inaugural summer school was indeed held in summer, around the time of an historic heatwave, in fact. We managed to avoid the worst of it, but realised how risky it was to plan a trip for that time of the year. So we switched to September/October but just couldn’t part with the name. It just sums up the experience perfectly: the joy of learning in situ mixed with scent of les vacances*. Unbeatable.
*of course | *And there you go! | *nest | *curiosity | *areas | *Teacher’s Pets | * on site | *pastries | *French | *on holidays | *area | *shortbread biscuits unmissable | *very chic | *white wine | *lunch | *drink | *don’t worry | *Yes | *holidays
Deposit fully refundable until 1 April 2024 which is when we'll confirm the trip will go ahead.
Payment of deposit in full will reserve your place on the trip (subject to availability) and constitutes acceptance of Lingua Franca's terms and conditions (trips).
Places limited. Ask to be added to waiting list here.
Other questions? Please let us know. We look forward to seeing you on the trip.
