French Trips

How to choose your tour

Firstly, we need to make one thing really clear. All our trips are super flexible, so whatever trip you choose, our experts will design it to suit your specific requirements and learning objectives. The itineraries you see on our trip pages are simply suggestions, designed to inspire you.

Having said that, we do tend to group our French trips into two ‘types’, depending on whether or not they include language lessons at one of our partner language schools in France.

French Language Culture Tours

Consider these trips the perfect introduction to France and French culture.

Combining sightseeing and cultural activities, these trips give students the chance to test their language skills ‘in the wild’ and will encourage them to develop a passion for languages, travel and all things French.

You’ll see their confidence soar as they manage to make themselves understood by locals. And watch them be inspired by the experience of using the language to delve far deeper into the culture. They’ll suddenly ‘get’ why learning languages is so important – and how fun it can be.

Because these trips are all about soaking up the atmosphere and experiencing everyday life in France, they’re great for students of all ages and we can arrange them pretty much anywhere (from Paris, Normandy and the Opal Coast in the north, to Nice in the south -  you could even go to Brussels in Belgium).

Many groups choose to end their trip with a bang by tagging on a visit to one of the country’s epic theme parks.

If you’re visiting the north, don’t miss out on Disneyland Paris. Or, for something a little more cultural, you could choose Parc Astérix. And if you’re visiting the Loire, Futuroscope is totally unique (it focuses on media technology).  

French Language Study Tours

This is the trip option that includes lessons at one of our partner language schools in France. Traditionally, groups preparing for exams will often opt for this option, but as your students will be taught in closed groups, it can be suitable for any group.

The first thing you’ll want to know is whether you have any control over what’s taught. Of course, the answer is yes. We’ll put you in touch with the language school ahead of your trip so you can let them know what you want covered.

Generally, lessons take place in the mornings, with cultural activities arranged in the afternoons so students can get out and put those language skills into practice (but the timetable can vary depending on location).

The teachers are all highly-qualified, native French speakers and lessons are usually totally immersive, giving your students maximum exposure to the language.

To complete the total immersion experience, we really recommend that students stay with carefully selected host families (where this option is available), although other options are, of course, available.

Your students’ safety is our number one priority, so we only offer host family accommodation in destinations where all the host families have a clean police record and the dedicated Accommodations Officer at the language school knows them well.

The Accommodation Officer will allocate students to the most suitable host families, who will encourage them to speak French with them, especially during evening mealtimes.

This opportunity to be welcomed into a French home and use their language skills on an everyday basis will really help students to develop beyond the confines of the classroom. It also offers an unforgettable experience and will be a memory that your students will treasure for the rest of their lives.

Destination-wise, we’re really picky about the language schools we work with (they must meet a long list of criteria, including being fully accredited), so the choice is a little more limited than French Culture trips (but there are still lots to choose from).

Obviously, Paris is always popular. But we also have some fantastic partner language schools in Bordeaux, Lyon and Rouen that are very popular with our groups too. If you need a destination that offers a slightly slower pace of life, Nice and Montpellier are great choices. And our partner school in Sète (also in the South of France) exclusively hosts school groups and is one of the most flexible schools we’ve come across (plus, the choice of activities available here is incredible).