Learn French in Bordeaux
The port city of Bordeaux is considered a Mecca for wine lovers, as top wines are produced here. The historic city on the banks of the River Garonne in the south-western part of France is a very exciting place both architecturally and culturally. Numerous green spaces invite you to linger and you can indulge in culinary delights in the many bars, restaurants and cafés along the beautiful boulevards.
Which language school in Bordeaux to choose?
It's not easy to decide on a language school for your language study trip to Bordeaux. Numerous language course providers present their very individual offers and it is often not easy to keep track of them all. To help you make a good decision, we have listed a few points here that you should consider when choosing the right language school in Bordeaux.
The first decisive factor when choosing a language school or language course in Bordeaux is the course level. Your learning success is only guaranteed and your progress in French will be as great as possible if the level is adapted to your learning level. Neither too little nor too much will get you anywhere. So make sure you look for a language school in Bordeaux that offers French courses at your learning level and thus provides you with optimal support. Don't know what level your French is currently at? No problem: with our freeLanguage placement testyou can determine this quickly.
Some language schools mainly offer courses for beginners, while others specialize in language courses for advanced learners. Some language course providers regularly offer preparation courses for recognized diploma examinations in the French language, such as the DELF (Diplôme d'Etudes de langue française) or the DALF (Diplôme approfondi de langue française).
If you know which course level you would like to book, you can choose from a wide variety of courses. In most cases, you can choose whether you would like to go to school for half a day at a time or whether you would prefer to book a more intensive language course with up to 35 lessons per week. Some language centers offer students additional private lessons. In these private lessons, you can ask all your questions, clarify any ambiguities and benefit greatly. Of course, you can also book private lessons exclusively. However, this is a rather expensive option and if social contact is important to you, you should opt for a group course, which can still be supplemented with individual private lessons.
Some French schools in Bordeaux also offer business language courses. These courses are aimed at people who want to improve their industry-specific French. The most common industry-specific French courses are offered in the fields of tourism, finance or business.
Some language schools offer a great leisure program. You can find out more in the individual brochures or on the websites.
Another important point to consider when looking for a school is the location. Most language schools in Bordeaux are located west of the Garonne, but there are also individual course centers outside the city center. For a language study trip of just a few days or a few weeks, a central location is clearly an advantage. You certainly don't want to spend your precious time in this beautiful city commuting back and forth, but want to see as much of the city as possible. If you attend a central school, you can go sightseeing, shopping and visit museums on foot. If you can't stand the hustle and bustle of the big city and would like to stay longer in Bordeaux, you can also find renowned French schools in the outskirts of the city. Outside the city center, life is quieter and people quickly get to know each other in the neighborhood. You greet each other in the café and soon find yourself in the middle of small talk with the locals - which, incidentally, also helps you make progress in French. You can find precise information about the location of the language schools in Bordeaux via Google Maps, for example.
In addition to the above factors, the timetables are also important when deciding on the right language school. What time do lessons start in the morning, how many lessons are held each day and how long do the individual lessons last? How many people are there in the class and which countries do most of the school's students come from? How good is the infrastructure of the language school and how much do the individual French courses cost? You should definitely take a closer look at these factors before making a final decision on a school.
OurTestimonialsfrom former language students in France will provide you with lots of tips and information. The online reviews of language schools in Bordeaux are also informative. You can find these on Google+ or Facebook, for example.
You can also find more good input for your language study trip to Bordeaux in ourLanguage travel guide.
Which accommodation in Bordeaux?
Many language schools and language travel agencies can arrange accommodation in Bordeaux if desired.
To fully immerse yourself in the French culture and language, we would recommend staying with a local family. The family connection will make your language study trip to Bordeaux authentic and living together and talking with a French family will certainly have a very positive effect on your learning success. Local families are also very happy to give students tips and insider information about the city and recommended places and activities. In a host family, you can choose between single and double rooms and, for a small extra charge, breakfast or even half or full board are included. A week with a host family in a single room with breakfast costs around CHF 300.
Other types of accommodation during your language study trip to Bordeaux are student halls of residence or shared student flats. Such a room costs around 100 francs per week, but is often only rented out for a longer period of time. If privacy is very important to you, you can also book a furnished apartment, which costs around 600 euros per month. Apartments are also only available for minimum bookings of several weeks or months and are therefore more suitable for longer language stays in Bordeaux.
Location is also an important factor when choosing accommodation in Bordeaux. Bordeaux is easy to get around, but depending on the area, you may have to commute up to 20 minutes. This is both time-consuming and expensive, especially during a short language study trip. Ideally, you should find accommodation from which you can easily walk to your language school. If you would like to stay with a host family, the language school will allocate you and only give you the exact address when you arrive. The language schools promise different walking times between the school and your accommodation (usually between 20 and 30 minutes). If you book your own accommodation, check the transport connections from your home to the school, to excursion destinations in the city center and to the nearest shopping facilities and calculate the cost of public transport. Higher rental costs and a better location may therefore be the better choice, especially for short language stays.
The language travel providers or the local language schools will be happy to give you further tips and information in this regard.
Where to party in Bordeaux?
Bordeaux by night is eclectic, entertaining and funky... The nightlife is concentrated in three main areas: the winding and romantic alleyways of the medieval St. Pierre district, the Quai de Peludate to the south with its numerous bars and clubs, and the abandoned wet docks - the so-called Bassin-à-Flots. The bars and clubs are as varied as the locations, so everyone will find something to suit their taste.
In St. Pierre, you have a choice of countless bars. Nevertheless, some of them stand out in particular:
- Café La Comptesse stands for baroque and jazz and serves the best mojito in the city.
- If you want to enjoy a good glass of wine and local specialties at a very fair price, head to the romantic Le Petit Bois at 18 Rue du Chai des Farines.
- The Italian wine bar with typical Italian charm and great service is small but nice. You must reserve your seat here in advance!
The Quai de Peludate is the address of numerous popular bars and clubs. We would like to list the most important addresses here:
- LA TENCHA is a casual and cool disco / bar with a good price-performance ratio. Theme nights are also organized here especially for students.
- If you fancy a cozy evening with a round of darts, The Black Sheep Pub has what you are looking for. Various beers and drinks are served here at good prices.
- With a beautiful terrace on the banks of the Garonne, The Charles Dickens Hotel has a popular and lively bar. The large selection of different beers and ciders, good service and location as well as the mix of Franco and Anglo add to the charm of the location.
In the abandoned wet docks, the Bassin-à-Flots in the northern part of the city, the following restaurants are highly recommended:
- As a former petrol station, La Dame attracts a large crowd of party-goers and hungry people every day. While tapas and burgers are served on the upper floor, parties are held in the basement. The location is considered the funkiest meeting place in the Nass Docks and mainly plays good solid grooves from the 80s and 90s...
- If you're in a party mood, you can also go to I.BOAT. In addition to numerous live acts and good DJ sessions, the best culinary delights are served here. On warm summer evenings, you can make yourself comfortable on the terrace.
What to experience in Bordeaux
The historic center of Bordeaux offers many opportunities for interesting sightseeing during your language study trip. The chain of buildings on the banks of the Garonne, which are all built together, is also a feast for the eyes. Here we would like to list some tips for your city tour in Bordeaux:
- The impressive Cathédrale Saint-Anne in Gothic-Romantic style with the Tour Pey Berland bell tower is one of the most impressive cathedrals in France.
- The highest church in Bordeaux is the beautifully illuminated Saint Louis with its imposing organ.
- The impressive city gates of the original Bordeaux are definitely worth a visit.
- Both the oldest bridge (Pont de Pierre) and the longest bridge (Pont d'Aquitaine) over the Garonne are located in Bordeaux.
- The Place Esplanade des Quinconces is the largest square in Europe and is a memorial to the Girondists who were executed in 1792.
- For decades, the Grand Théâtre on Place de la Comédie was considered the most beautiful building in the whole of France.
- On the Place de la Bourse, you can admire imposing old buildings and the fountain with the Three Graces.
- Weighing around 8,000 kilograms, the Grosse Cloche bell in the tower of the original town hall is a symbol of the city.
In addition to the various historical museums and art museums, the Musée des Chartrons wine museum and the Musée National des Douanes customs museum are typical of Bordeaux and well worth a visit during your language study trip.
If you are planning a longer language study trip to Bordeaux, you should definitely take a weekend trip to one of the many wine castles around Bordeaux. Here you can taste the best wine in France and walk through the beautiful vineyards.
If you are planning a weekend trip, you should definitely consider the small town of Bazas. It is situated on a hill with an idyllic view of the Beuve valley.
About an hour's drive from Bordeaux takes you to the famous seaside resort of Lacanau on the Silver Coast of the Côte d'Argent. Imposing dunes connect the kilometer-long beach with beautiful pine forests. In the summer months, you can rent a cottage here and relax wonderfully.
Holders of the City Pass benefit from a city tour, a guided tour of the city, a discounted boat trip on the Garonne, free entry to some museums and three sights and free travel on public transport. Those on a short language study trip should consider buying a one- to three-day pass. Depending on the number of days booked, this costs between 25 and 42 francs.
Transportation options in Bordeaux
TBM - Transport Bordeaux Métropole - is the operator of public transportation in Bordeaux. It operates around 80 bus routes, three streetcar lines and two shuttle boats across the Garonne. TBM apps can be used to maintain an overview here.
The streetcar runs between 5.00 am and 00.30 am at night, and just under an hour longer at weekends. Buses run every 6 minutes from 7.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m., earlier and afterwards every 8 to 15 minutes. The Flexo de soirée night buses run from 9.00 pm.
A ticket is generally valid for one hour and can be used for both streetcars and buses. The means of transport can be changed at will within this period. Tickets can be purchased at all stations, train stations or online.
A single ticket costs around 1.80 francs, a 10-trip season ticket 15 francs, a weekly season ticket around 17 francs and a monthly season ticket around 42 francs.
What you can afford in Bordeaux
If you live frugally, cook for yourself and consume little alcohol when eating out, you will spend around 500 francs a month in Bordeaux - excluding accommodation. Bordeaux is a rather expensive city and especially those who like shopping, partying and eating out in restaurants will have to dig a little deeper into their pockets than in other places in France. Nevertheless, the cost of living is still lower than in Switzerland.
A two-week language stay with a standard language course of 20 lessons per week and accommodation with a host family in a single room with breakfast costs around CHF 1,300. Added to this are expenses for the outward and return journey, excursions, meals and public transport. In total, the costs should therefore amount to around 2,000 francs.
Tips: To save money, book half board with your host family if possible. If you are staying in a shared flat or student hall of residence, cook for yourself if possible. Take advantage of happy hour in bars and clubs and buy a City Card if you want to go sightseeing. Ask exchange students or other language students who already know Bordeaux a little better for good tips on shopping and going out on a budget.
Linda, deine Weiterbildungsfinderin
