French Teenage Course in Biarritz
Rachel (17 yrs old)
2 weeks French course: Biarritz Teens
French & Activity programme
Before I arrived, I hoped to improve my French, particularly oral and listening skills. I also hoped that I would become more independent and have the opportunity to meet new people and make new friends. My experience in Biarritz definitely matched up to my expectations! The course was excellent; I definitely felt that my French had improved by the end of the 2 weeks – not only did my oral and listening skills improve but I also learnt a lot of new vocabulary and became more confident with different grammatical structures. Outside of class my expectations were met and more! I met so many new people from lots of different countries and made lots of great friends!
The French language lessons in Biarritz were definitely challenging to begin with as they were taught only in French however it was this aspect that I enjoyed the most as you could really feel your French improving as you understood more and more with every lesson. I liked the structure of the lessons as we had 3 different teachers each day and a break between the 2nd and 3rd lessons which meant you never got bored or tired! Student/Teacher interaction was very good and we all got to know our teachers well and quickly became comfortable speaking in French with them.
I felt extremely comfortable at school as all the teachers and staff were so helpful and friendly. If anyone ever had a problem, the staff at school were always there to help! The activity organiser was particularly enthusiastic and eager to get everyone involved! The language school itself was in a good location; close to the beach and easy to get to from our bus stop each morning.
I absolutely loved my language course experience! If I had to pick a best bit it would have to be all the new people I met from all over the world – everyone at school was so friendly. Coming to Biarritz on my own had been a little bit daunting at first however I soon felt right at home and made some great friends! The only bad part of the trip was leaving; I could have stayed longer!
The other students in my class and at school were lovely; at school there were students from Spain, Sweden, England, Ireland, Germany, America and Australia – it was so interesting to meet so many different people! The school’s activities and excursions made making friend and meeting new people so much easier. I thoroughly enjoyed all the activities that I took part in, from cycling alongside the beach to a day trip to San Sebastian. We were given plenty of free time as class ended at 1pm and the fact that activities weren’t compulsory meant that you only had to do activities that you would enjoy!
Outside of class you definitely had to put your language skills into practise, not only with your host family but also with local people in the town’s cafes and shops. During my time at Biarritz I always felt safe and there was always plenty to do! There were so many beautiful beaches to visit during the day and at night there were often free concerts. Watching the Roxy Pro Surf Competition at La Grande Plage and trying moules-frites were some of my most memorable moments!
I loved my host family, they were extremely welcoming and friendly and I felt at home from the very minute I arrived. My host family didn’t speak much English and whilst at first this was a little scary, it definitely helped me improve my French and I quickly came to enjoy chatting to them each day. I felt very comfortable in the apartment – it was quite far away from the town centre and school but the bus service and use of bus passes meant this wasn’t a problem!
CESA were extremely helpful and provided me with all the necessary information before I left for Biarritz!
I loved Biarritz and would definitely go again! The freedom and independence of being abroad without parents and the opportunity to meet so many new people were definitely the best aspects of my experience!
See Rachel’s Biarritz Photos
