Need to make contacts and improve command of French language.

[Denise Hilder]

Hi

As we only bought our house in the Puy de Dôme last February, we have an awful lot to learn! So far we haven't managed to find a single English contact in the area in 6 visits. It would be just wonderful to be able to ask someone with more experience simple questions and even better if we could make social contacts for future visits. My French is also in dire need of rapid improvement and my husband's is almost non-existant - a real problem in our village. Is anyone aware of any intensive/immersion courses available in Clermont or its environs?

We are a married couple in our late fifties who hale from the Midlands and plan to spend ever longer periods of time in our French home.

Denise Hilder

[les Favets]

[quote]Hi As we only bought our house in the Puy de Dôme last February, we have an awful lot to learn! So far we haven't managed to find a single English contact in the area in 6 visits. It would be just wo...[/quote]

Hi,  Do you live North - South - East or West of Clermont ?  We have a French organised " English/French conversation club " meeting 3 times a month at Montlucon  some 30 miles North of Clermont.  Also you may be able to reach Vichy easier and there is an English ex pats association there, their Website:   www.bbc.asso.fr  may be of interest to you.   I feel sure that if you also made contact with your local Chamber of Commerce, they would be able to direct you to someone or someplace where you will be able to improve your French

Regards Les Favets

www.ruralfranceholidays.com

[Teamedup]

If you aren't in France full time then rench can be learnt in England too via nightschool or day school or private teaching. You don't just have to be in France to learn it.

[Hoddy]

As someone who spends their summers in France I try to find an evening class each winter. It seems to me that funding for any evening class which doesn’t involve a qualification at the end is spread very thinly. Last year the only class I could find was an NVQ where the level was lower than I really needed. I decided that it was better to speak french once a week even at a low level rather than speak none at all. I was obliged to produce a folder of work to ensure that the college got its funding. I am now the proud possessor of an NVQ which is a ower qualification than I already had.

This year I count myself very lucky to have managed to find a conversation course which is nearer to my level.

Hoddy

[JeanS]

As others in this thread - I've been attending French classes at our local college. I'm now at level 6.  I've tried the conversation classes which are considerably more expensive but have found that they still teach at the same level. 

The classes are funded, and at the end of the year we get an ONC qualification - no exam, just course work through the year.  Whilst it is good to speak French at least once a week, I find that I become bored because we are learning isn't what I need. I feel there is a need for classes in eveyday French - like understanding the electricity bill - how to fill out tax forms etc.

Still - once I'm in France, I just go with what i know, I find that the Franch can be quite accommodating if you at least try - you know you've got the wrong word or tense of the verb by the look on their face.

 

 

[Jc]

We went to our local college and signed up.Useless-the same little group of people who had been together for years;more like a social club than people who were interested in France-we got our money back;the only way to learn is to go to France and try to open bank accounts,get gas and electricity and phones-it's by far the best way.By the way,the French don't talk French like I was taught it at school.

[Deimos]

[quote]We went to our local college and signed up.Useless-the same little group of people who had been together for years;more like a social club than people who were interested in France-we got our money ba...[/quote]

An interesting idea, and one with which I agree. However, I was “shot down in flames” on another forum when suggesting such a thing. People were discussing French classes after they had moved to France to which I commented that living, managing, coping, etc. pretty well ensures you tend to progress. If you live an isolated lifestyle with just occasional visits to the supermarket then I would think your progress would be quite slow. However, “get out there”, do things, meet people, start activities, etc.. Apparently I am wrong in this (as I was told on this other forum) and you really should pay many thousands of pounds for total immersion courses whilst living in France. I’m not against classes and actually do classes myself. However, for me the classes are useful for specific questions I have from things I find/notice whilst living. The thing I’m not convinced about is the need for expensive “total immersion” courses when you already live in France. Must be nice for those with such large amounts of disposable money.

Ian

[jangeo]

Hello Denise - we also have a house in 63 but it's in the south-east so could be quite a way from you if you live near Clermont. We are still renovating so only visit from May to October because we live in a caravan in the garden. We are in the same age bracket as you and your husband and would be very happy to meet up some time.

Janice

[Opalienne]

I agree with Deimos - the only way to learn 'useful' French is just to jump in at the deep and and do it for yourself.   My husband hardly spoke a word when he moved full time in 1996 but he had to get on with it.   At the beginning of the first year he would hardly dare answer the phone, and waited for me to come at the weekend to sort things out.     But by year two he was nearly fluent - just through trying todeal with things himself and asking for help and explanation from neighbours when he couldn't.  I can't see any point in paying for total immersion courses when you are already immersed......

[mohawk]

Michel Thomas CD's are very good and also ask at The Mairie as our's is putting French lessons on for the Brits and English lessons for the French.  The French want to speak to us as much as we want to speak to them !!!!