Linguistic stays
Linguistic Stays in an Alliance Française in France
Immerse yourself in the French language and culture… there’s no better way to learn!
Imagine taking a French course in one of France's most beautiful cities, staying with a French family, totally immersed in French culture. The Alliance Française d'Adelaïde can organise this experience of a lifetime in Paris, Lyon, Nice, Toulouse, Bordeaux, or Rouen.
The Alliance Française d’Adelaïde has a proud history of organising linguistic stays for students of all ages and levels, from all walks of life. We offer you the opportunity of spending four weeks or more in and around one of our eight partner Alliance Française in France, taking daily classes at the Alliance Française and living with a French family who will provide you with breakfast and dinner for the duration of your stay.
In general, a linguistic stay of four weeks is most beneficial and as such, the average stay is one month in duration. However, if you plan to be in Europe and find that you have a couple of weeks free in your scheduled travel plans, shorter (and longer) stays are available*.
The services we offer: No obligation quotes from the city of your choice. Click the menu on the left for details of one of the cities you might like to visit. If you are unable to decide where to go, we can provide you with quotes for more than one city. All prices and payments in Australian dollars. Let us worry about obtaining overseas drafts and payments in Euros! Pre-existing contacts with the Alliance Française in eight cities around France. A 12% discount on course fees when we organise your stay. No-fuss host family allocation. You provide us with your requirements and we will endeavour to match you up with a host family that suits your needs.
* NB: the minimum stay in Paris is 4 weeks. This is without exception. Shorter stays can be organised with the other Alliances, however as courses tend to follow the calendar months, it is highly recommended that should you wish to do (for example) a 2 week stay, that you do the first two weeks of a month rather than the middle or last two weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I need a visa? This depends upon the length of your stay, but generally, the answer is no. For stays of up to 90 days, no visa is required. Also, study of this type is not enough to warrant a student visa. NB the Alliance does not organise visas of any kind - each client should contact the Consulate to make enquiries in this regard.
What if I don’t get along with my host family? As we obtain detailed requirements from you regarding your likes and dislikes, allergies, dietary requirements etc, this generally is not an issue. In the event that conflict arises, as you will already be in France, you will need to speak directly with the Alliance in the city you have chosen. Please note that finding non-smoking families is not a problem.
Can my partner and I go together and stay in the same host family, even if one of us doesn’t do a course? Absolutely! Couples are welcome, even if one person choses not to do a course. Naturally, the host family accommodation price will be moderately higher in order to cover the extra food that will be consumed.
Will I have enough time to visit the city and surrounds? As all applicable courses are held in the morning, you will have every afternoon and the whole weekend to explore the city and surrounds. In Paris, the courses are held over four days instead of five, so you’ll have three day weekends, enabling you to see as much as possible.
What if I’ve never studied any French previously…Can I still do a Linguistic Stay? You certainly can! All Alliances have set complete beginners courses that run throughout the year.
How will they know what level I am? Most of the Alliances we deal with will test your level upon arrival in that particular city, however the Alliances in Bordeaux and Toulouse prefer to have a clear idea before you leave. Therefore you will complete a 1 hour written test which is sent off to France prior to your departure to determine your level.
Is there an age limit for participants? Only a minimum age limit applies. All participants must be at least 18 years of age prior to the date of commencement. And one can definitely never be too old to do a Linguistic Stay!
How can I choose where to go? It is not the Alliance’s policy to “advise” which city (if any) is better than another and why. City selection is simply your personal choice. Our staff cannot decide for you and therefore personal research is highly recommended.
Courses are on-going throughout the year, so once you have a departure date in mind, please contact us to discuss options for your linguistic stay. Your visit to France is sure to be an exceptional, fulfilling experience!