Montpellier
Montpellier is "the city where the sun never sets" and the ideal destination for a French Language course. Located in one of the most beautiful regions in the south of France, Montpellier is a modern dynamic city with a rich historical past that has been carefully preserved. The school is located in a protected building right in the heart of the charming historic city centre. A famous university city that is young and dynamic, it is home to more than 80,000 students from all over the world. It is a city where you can combine learning French in a safe environment while discovering a new culture and way of life.
To read what students and parents had to say about their Montpellier experience click here.
Ages: 16 and up
Location: Montpellier, south of France
Accommodation type: Host family only for under 18
Duration: Two weeks and up
Supervision: Suitable for mature teenagers, as there is unsupervised free time
Leaving Certificate Preparation Course available
School
With more than 12 years experience in teaching French in Montpellier, our partner school specialises in language programmes and cultural vacations that suit everyone's needs. The school is located in a stunning 17th century townhouse right in the heart of Montpellier's medieval pedestrianised centre. Its great location enables students to learn French in exceptional conditions right in the heart of the city centre. The school is also located near the bus and tramway stations, and is about 5 minutes by foot from the train station.
Available facilities:
- 6 fully-equipped bright and spacious classrooms, helping students to learn French under the best conditions;
- A unique rooftop terrace, ideal for chatting with new friends while enjoying the sunshine of Southern France;
- Brand-new flat-screens computers with high speed internet and wireless access (WIFI), free of charge for students;
- A lounge area with magazines, newspapers, tourist books, cultural information and more.
The maximum group size is 10 students (on non-closed group courses) and classes are at different levels: beginner, elementary, intermediate and advanced. Students take a placement test on the first day of class and will then be placed in a small class suited to his or her level.
All French courses here follow the Common European Framework for language learning, and teachers use an integrated communicative approach in teaching, focusing on the student and his or her environment. Particular attention is also paid to improving speaking and listening skills. All students will receive a certificate of attendance upon completion of the course, which will state their level within the Common European Framework of Reference.
Accommodation
French Host Family Accommodation
Staying with a host family gives students a first-hand experience of French culture and ways of life. Sharing meals with your host family is an excellent way of practicing French with native speakers. Our host families are selected with the greatest care to make students' stays a successful linguistic and cultural experience.
All host families must fulfill our various criteria of selection (according to a charter and rules). Each must give the following: a sense of welcome and hospitality, a warm, clean and welcoming home and a good location with easy access to the school (35 minutes maximum). Our host families live in flats or villas in the centre of Montpellier, or in the immediate surrounding areas. Students will have their own key and, for adults, their own rooms. We try to place only one student speaking the same language per family, but this is not always possible in busy periods.
Host families welcome students into their homes and trust that they will respect their way of life. Half-board accommodation means that students will have breakfast and evening meals with the family, but must take care of their own lunches. There are many cafes and eateries located near the school.
Host families come in all shapes and sizes. Some have small children, while others have older children who are no longer living at home; there are single parent families as well as retired couples. We do not take requests for friends to be placed in the same host family or in host families near one another. Students should be prepared to take public transportation if they are not within walking distance of the school. For returning home later than public transport allows, students should budget for taxis to return home in time for curfew. The accommodation officer at the school is always available to discuss host family placements, should any issues arise during a student's stay.
Courses
Leaving Certificate Preparation Course
At our request, our partners in Montpellier have organised this intensive language and activity programme for Irish participants travelling with EIL. In just two weeks, students' French abilities can significantly improve in both spoken and written form. The combination of language classes and staying with a French host family offers dual language learning - ideal for Leaving Certificate preparation! Students will also have a chance to relax and have some fun through tours, cultural activities and excursions. This is a closed group course; there are a limited number of places (maximum 12 students per group) and there will only be other Irish students taking part in the class. Irish students have been attending this course for over six years and have improved their exam results immensely.
This course is suitable for students from Transition Year up to Leaving Certificate level. Students will sit a placement test on arrival to assess their level in order to ensure maximum language learning. The course material is specifically geared towards prepartation for the Irish Leaving Cerificate Exam for French.
The course takes place over set dates. Programmes will not be confirmed until the minimum of 6 participants are secured for each session. In the event that 6 students do not sign up for any particular Leaving Certificate Preparation Course, a place on an alternative session can be arranged, or a place on one of the other courses (Standard, Intensive, Intensive Plus or Super Intensive) for the same dates can be arranged. If neither of these options suits, your deposit will be refunded.
Included in the Leaving Certificate Preparation course are:
- 26 lessons of French per week
- One half day and one full day excursion
- Books and materials
- Single room, half board accommodation with a host family
- A schedule of afternoon and weekly activities
- Transfer from Montpellier airport or railway station
- CareMedmedical travel insurance
If students prefer to extend their programme tomore than 2 weeks, it is possible to add on one of the other courses for any number of weeks either before of after the Leaving Certificate Preparation Course.
1 lesson=45 minutes of teaching time
Regular French Courses (For ages 16 and up)
- Standard (20 group French lessons per week)
20 French group lessons per week, focusing on all aspects of the language: speaking, listening, reading and writing. Lessons follow the Common European Framework and deal with cultural and current affairs in order to learn both the language and the culture. - Intensive (26 group French lessons per week)
In addition to the Standard French course, students will receive 2 afternoons of group lessons per week to supplement the Standard morning lessons. The additional French lessons also teach all aspects of languague learning: grammar, vocabulary, communication and intensive training. - Intensive Plus (20 group lessons plus 6 one-to-one lessons per week)
Combination of the Standard French course with 6 one-to-one lessons. This course is a great way to personalise any given programme to suit the student's needs and wishes. - Super Intensive (20 groups lessons plus 9 one-to-one lessons per week)
Combination of the Standard French course with 9 one-to-one lessons. This course is for students who wish to achieve fast progress in French. This course is particularly adapted for study or professional needs.
1 lesson=45 minutes of teaching time
Junior French courses for ages 14-17
This Junior French Course welcomes teenagers from all over the world and has been designed specifically for young people visiting France for a combined French language and holiday course. The maximum class size is 15 students and the minimum stay is one week. Teachers are experienced, enthusiastic and will help students to get the most out of their programme. Teachers use an integrated communicative approach in their teaching, which focuses on the student and his or her environment. Particular attention is paid to improving speaking and listening skills, through role-plays, discussions, video and songs, activities, etc.
- Junior Intensive: 20 group lessons per week
Included in the Junior Course is an activity programme and full room and board, sometimes sharing room with another international Junior student.
1 lesson = 45 minutes of teaching time
Schedule
General Course
On the first morning of the course, students must be at the school by 08:25. From 08:30 until 10:00 students will sit a written and oral placement test. After a 30 minute break, the first lesson will begin at 10:30 and last until 12:30. Students will be placed in an multinational class with a maximum of 9 other students at the same level. An orientation session, including a walking tour of Montpellier, will take place from 13:30 to 15:00 on the first day.
Barring the first day, Standard Course lessons are held from 09:00 to 12:30, Monday through Friday, including a 15 minute break. Students taking the Intensive Course will have two afternoon classes from 13:30 to 15:45, generally on a Tuesday and Thursday (this is subject to change). The Intensive Plus Course has 6 one-to-one lessons on two afternoons per week from either 13:30 to 15:45 or 16:00 to 18:15, in addition to the Standard morning classes. The Super Intensive Course has 9 one-to-one lessons on three afternoons per week from 13:30 to 15:45. For students receiving one-to-one lessons only, the timetable will be discussed and decided with the teacher on the first Monday morning.
Leaving Certificate Preparation Course
Like on the general course, on the first day students will sit a placement test from 08:30-10:00 to determine the level of the class. For the subsequent days, lessons will be held from 09:00-12:30 every morning and from 13:30-15:45 on two afternoons per week. On the afternoons when lessons are not being held, activities will be scheduled, as well as one half-day excursion per week. A full day excursion will be held on one weekend day, as the other day will be free. Activities and excursions will also be decided on the first day based on students' input and preferences. Some evening activities may be scheduled, otherwise students will have free evenings after having dinner with their host families.
Activities
There is a wide range of social and cultural activities and excursions offered to help students get to know their classmates, as well as learn more about local region and French culture. Some activities are free, while others are offered at an additional fee on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Available activities may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Montpellier town visits
- Wine and cheese tasting (for students over 18 only)
- Meals in local restaurants
- Museum visits
- Welcome and farewell parties
- Montpellier's renowned aperitifs
- Sporting activities (football and handball matches, bowling, ice-skating, etc.)
Available excursions may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Avignon and the Pont du Gard
- Nîmes
- The Camargue National Park
- Sète
- Carcassonne
- St Guilhem-le-Désert and the Grotte de Clamouse
- The Grotte des Demoiselles
Excursions are available on a first-come, first-serve basis and cost and usually cost approximately €20 for a half-day excursion and €30 for a full day excursion. Payment is to be made a the time of booking.
FAQ
Questions
How do I get to Montpellier from Ireland?
Will I be met on my arrival?
How many students will there be in my class, how old will they be and where will they be from?
Can I stay in a host family really close to the school?
What do I write in my "Dear Host Family" letter?
Answers
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How do I get to Montpellier from Ireland?
EIL does not include flights for any programme. All flights must be booked by the students or parents. Arrival and departure details must be given to EIL so we can arrange the students' transfers. Details must include dates, times, airline carrier, flight number and train time and number (if applicable). Currently Easyjet (via London Gatwick) and Air France (via Paris) connect to Montpellier airport from Ireland. Another popular option is to fly directly to Carcassonne from Dublin or Cork with Ryanair and connect to Montpellier via train. There are bus shuttles available from Carcassonne airport to the train station where a connecting train to Montpellier can be taken. The shuttle is located at the front of the building and leaves 20 minutes after each flight arrives. It takes approximately 15 minutes to reach the train station and the cost is €5 per person per way. Tickets can be purchased from the driver. Taxis are also available for a cost of approximately €15 to Carcassonne train station. Both Carcassonne and Marseille have direct flights from Ireland and are 1.5 hours by train to Montpellier with regualr service. Nimes is only 30 minutes by train.
If you take the train you should arrive at Montpellier station. There are TGVs which take around 3.25 hours from Paris-Gare de Lyon or Roissy-CDG airport, should you wish to fly to Paris. For train information, see http://www.tgv-europe.com/en/home/ or http://www.sncf.co.uk
From Cork, there are direct flights to Carcassonne with Ryanair and to Paris with Aer Lingus. Please check for availability and dates with the airline.
From Dublin, there are direct flights to Paris and Marseille with Aer Lingus and to Carcassonne with Ryanair. Please check for availability and dates with the airline.
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Will I be met on my arrival?
Yes. Transfers from Montpellier airport or train station are included, if you arrive during hospitable hours (meaning not before 8 am or after 11pm).
A student week begins on Sunday evening, and ends on Saturday morning. We must be informed as soon as possible if your travelling timetable does not coincide with this. If you have reserved half-board accommodation and you arrive before 19:00, you will have an evening meal on your arrival. You should contact your host family directly by the latest on the Wednesday before your arrival, letting them know your arrival time and place. Should you not be able to do this, EIL will notify them for you. We cannot guarantee that your host family will be there to meet you if we do not have the necessary information by the Wednesday prior to your arrival.
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How many students will there be in my class, how old will they be and where will they be from?
The maximum number of students in a general class is 10 (12 for the Leaving Certificate Preparation Course), but often the number is less than this. In general, the average class size from June to September is 8-10, whereas the rest of the year it is 4-7.
We have had students aged 17 to 90 on our courses, but the majority of our students are aged 18-30. During the summer months, more young teens are in attendance when school is on summer holidays.
In 2006, the school welcomed students from over 30 different countries, mostly from Europe but also from China, Japan, Venezuela, Guatemala, Iceland, USA, Canada, Australia, Israel, Kazakhstan.
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Can I stay in a host family really close to the school?
We try our best to match students with families according to their needs and interests (for example, special dietary requirements, allergies, car parking space, etc.), but this depends on many factors and is done on a first-come, first-serve basis. For students not staying in the town centre, we try to place them in families living near the tramway or 'Rabelais' night bus service (last bus and tram around 1am). Please note that as a rule we will try not to place two students speaking the same language in the same host family, but cannot guarantee this during peak times.
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What do I write in my "Dear Host Family" letter?
The letter to your host family is an opportunity to introduce yourself and tell your hosts about yourself. We recommend that you describe your family, hobbies, interests, friends, etc. Try to include information you would like to know about someone coming to visit you for 2 or more weeks. Written in French, your letter will differentiate you from other students the host families may be hosting or have hosted before. It will also give your hosts topics to start conversation with once you arrive so you can practice your French even more about topics you have already written about in French.
Supervision
The general courses and Leaving Certificate Preparation course are run in an adult language school, therefore progammes there are suitable only for students who are 16 or over and have a certain level of maturity and sense of responsibility. This course does not offer 24 hour supervision and is not suitable for all students. Students are supervised only when they are in the language school or on language school organised activities (which are optional). Students will receive a good bit of unsupervised free time and will be free to come and go as they please when they do not have lessons, and in the evenings after dinner. The host families are not responsible for the students while on unsupervised activities.
The evening curfew to return home to the host family is 23:00 on Sunday-Thursday and 00:30 on Friday, Saturday and evenings before bank holidays. This curfew is very strictly monitored and EIL, our partner school and the host family reserve the right to restrict evening priveleges should the curfew be broken. Parents have the option to set an earlier curfew if desired. It is the students' responsibility to ensure that they keep to their curfew. Host families are not expected to wait up beyond their normal bed time waiting for the student to return. If the student has not returned by the agreed time the host family will notify the language school the next day and disciplinary action will be taken. Disciplinary action will also be taken if it comes to attention of the school that the student has broken any of the programme rules including alcohol consumption, not respecting the host family, arriving to class late or non attendance, etc. In all cases where a student is disciplined, parents in Ireland will be notified. For a full list of programme rules, please see the course application form.
If parents are concerned about the level of supervision and feel that their child might not be sufficiently mature for this type of course, please contact EIL to discuss alternative programmes that do offer campus accommodation and 24 hour supervision, or consider the Junior Programme that is designed specifically for younger students.
Dates/Prices
Course |
2 weeks | 3 weeks | 4 weeks | 5 weeks | 6 weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leaving Cert Preparation | 1466 | 1955* | 2464* | ||
| Standard | 1221 | 1567 | 1948 | 2292 | 2626 |
| Standard (peak **) | 1244 | 1604 | 1997 | 2340 | 2675 |
| Intensive | 1312 | 1697 | 2121 | 2507 | 2884 |
| Intensive (peak **) | 1340 | 1743 | 2182 | 2568 | 2945 |
| Intensive Plus | 1593 | 2125 | 2692 | 3202 | 3703 |
| Intensive Plus (peak **) | 1616 | 2151 | 2726 | 3236 | 3738 |
| Super Intensive | 1779 | 2404 | 3063 | 3659 | 4245 |
| Super Intensive (peak **) | 1802 | 2425 | 3090 | 3686 | 4272 |
| Junior Intensive | 1525 | 2069 | 2633 | - | - |
2010 Leaving Cert Preparation Course Dates:
6th June - 19th June 2010 *** COURSE CONFIRMED ***
20th June - 3rd July 2010 *** COURSE CONFIRMED ***
Dates are subject to demand.
Apply
In order to apply, please post the following back to our office:
- Completed application form
- Deposit of €350 paid by cheque, postal order or bank draft made out to EIL Intercultural Learning
- 2 passport photos
- Host Family letter. Try to introduce yourself and your family, and include your interests and why you want to go to France. This letter must be written IN FRENCH.
Please do NOT book flights until you receive written notification from EIL that your course and dates are confirmed.
N/B: All signatures by parents and student must be complete. Incomplete applications will delay your booking and can result in not obtaining a place on your desired course or dates.
Get involved with EIL on: 
EIL Intercultural Learning, 1 Empress Place, Summerhill North, Cork, County Cork, Republic of Ireland.
email: info@eilireland.org telephone: +353 (0)21 4551535 lowcall: 1850 292939 fax: +353 (0)21 4551587
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