French Club 50+ course in Vichy
Our French Club 50+ courses in Vichy take place at our general French school in the city. Close to the mountainous Massif Central, Vichy has long been known as a place of healing thanks to the natural thermal springs in the area. It is one of France’s most famous cities and has been a popular holiday destination for wealthy and royal Europeans for hundreds of years. Our language school here is located on the campus of the Clermont Auvergne University, giving students access to the fantastic facilities available on-campus. These facilities include 11 computer labs, a huge library with over 20,000 multi-media resources, and an amphitheatre that’s used for lectures and French film screenings. There is also a cafeteria serving a wide selection of meals and refreshments. Language lessons take place across 7 classrooms, each with free Wi-Fi access and modern audio-visual equipment.
Vichy is a relaxed, welcoming city with a distinctly ‘French’ feel. Its pedestrianised centre makes it a peaceful place to spend an afternoon, and there’s plenty to do to entertain yourself! Take a stroll along one of the parks lining the Allier River and watch locals play petanque; take in a show at the only Art Nouveau opera house in France; visit the Museum of Asian and African Arts, with its extraordinary collection of curiosities; or perhaps spend a lazy afternoon playing golf on one of France’s oldest courses. Whatever you choose to do and however long you stay, Vichy will give you an authentic French experience!
Our language school has Label Qualité FLE certification, the French Ministry of Education’s definitive marker of excellence in this field. It is also a member of Campus France and Alliance Français. These credentials demonstrate the high standard of language tuition offered here. The school’s location on a university campus makes it an ideal location for an immersive language course and presents lots of opportunities for language practice. If you are looking for a wonderful atmosphere, excellent teaching, and modern facilities, then this is the right place for you.
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Club 50+ course in Vichy
The Club 50+ package offered by this school consists of 18 French lessons each week (4 classes per weekday except Mondays) in groups of no more than 8. Lessons take place between 08:45 and 12:30 and are followed by a selection of social/cultural activities designed with mature students in mind. Tuition is suitable for all levels, whether you’re a complete beginner or an advanced learner. Classes are given in mixed-age groups and activities are offered only to students over the age of 50.
The Club 50+ course can be taken for 2 weeks at a time and has specific start dates throughout the year.
Please note: a minimum number of participants is required for this programme to go ahead. If too few students enrol on the Club 50+ course on any given date, students who have booked this programme will be swapped to standard tuition in mixed-age classes. Enrolled students will still take part in Club 50+ activities in restricted-age groups.
Accommodation
Accommodation is not included in the Club 50+ programme as standard but can be added to your tuition package.
If you want to have as much opportunity as possible to speak French with native speakers, then homestay lodging is the choice for you! You’ll stay with local Vichyssois and receive 1 or 2 meals each day as part of your accommodation package (breakfast or breakfast and lunch). We most recommend booking the half-board option so that you can benefit from conversations over the evening meal with your host(s). Hosts live up to 30 minutes’ travel from the school by public transport, and all offer private single or twin* bedrooms. You’ll share the living and bathroom facilities with your host(s) and any other students in the home. Bed linens, towels, and a weekly laundry service are included in the lodging package. You will have your own key to come and go as you please, but you must respect house rules and schedules.
If you prefer more privacy and independence, we can book a studio apartment for you. Each studio includes a fully-equipped kitchenette, a bathroom with toilet and shower, a television, and bed linens. Towels are not included, so you should bring your own. Wi-Fi access is available in many apartments, but you should let us know if this is a firm requirement for you. Studios are located in residential blocks across the city, all within 20 minutes’ walk of the school. These studios are offered on self-catering basis, giving you the freedom to cook for yourself during your stay.
*Twin rooms and double-occupancy studios are only available to students travelling together.
Accommodation is available from the Sunday before the start of your course until the Saturday after your course finishes. Check-in and check-out times are usually very flexible.
Activities
The Club 50+ package includes a selection of social and cultural activities designed to supplement your French tuition and give you the best possible experience in Vichy. You’re guaranteed to have 4 activities per week, though others may also be available.
Possible activities may include:
- Walking tours of Vichy’s historic centre
- Evening meals and/or drinks with your classmates
- Group games such as petanque
- Food- and drink-tasting workshops
- Visits to local museums and/or art galleries
- Cookery lessons
- French film screenings
- Visits of local attractions such as Vichy castle or city markets/fairs
- Arts and crafts sessions
- Half- and full-day excursions to local towns and cities, including Moulins and Clermont-Ferrand
You are also welcome to attend the sessions offered to all students on the general activity programme if you wish.
Suitability
This programme is ideal for mature students wanting to meet other international learners of a similar age. Tuition is suitable for all levels, whether you’re a complete beginner or an advanced learner. You do not need to start your course on a specific date if you are a beginner; since this programme only runs at certain times of year, all available start dates are suitable for all students, regardless of their starting language level.
Please contact us if you are unsure if this programme would be suitable for you; we will be happy to advise you.
How to get there
The Club 50+ package includes a transfer service on arrival and departure at Vichy train station (Gare de Vichy). You will be collected from the train station on arrival and taken directly to your accommodation; on your last day, you will be taken back to the station in time for your departing train.
Alternatively, you can book a transfer package from Clermont-Ferrand Auvergne, Lyon-Saint-Exupéry, or Paris’ Charles de Gaulle/Orly airports. If you book this service, a driver will be waiting for you at your chosen airport when you land and will either take you to the nearest train station or directly to your accommodation in Vichy. If you select this service on departure as well, you will either be collected from your lodging and taken back to your chosen airport or collected from the train station in one of the above locations and driven to your chosen airport in time for your departing flight. Please contact us for more information about the available transport options.
You should arrange to arrive in Vichy on the Sunday before the course starts and depart on the Saturday after the course finishes. We may be able to arrange extra nights on arrival and/or departure for you if needed.
Location of our school in Vichy
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Company Number: 08311373
