When you think about any trip abroad nowadays, you know your bank balance is going to take a hit at some point… especially if you’re considering staying in a capital city. There are ways to keep your costs down if you’re planning a break overseas to work on your language skills. We’ve chosen to use ACCORD Paris as an example for this blog because it’s in a fairly expensive capital city, but if you’d like some top tips about other language schools or study abroad destinations, then please contact us and we’ll help you study abroad on a budget! Now it’s time to find out, how much is a French course in France?
Flexible schedule
Traditionally, a course at a language school tends to be held in the mornings leaving students free to visit their new surroundings in the afternoon. ACCORD Paris has a wide range of options when it comes to French courses, so if you’re willing to be flexible with your schedule then you can get more bang for your buck. For example, ACCORD Paris’s 1 week 15-hour French course costs 275€ if you take it in the afternoon compared to 380€ if you take it in the morning. That saves you over 100€ and having to grapple with rush hour crowds on the metro! You should also bear in mind that there’s a sliding price scale so the cost per week is lower the longer you stay. Just take the 20-hour French afternoon course: it costs 295€/week if you stay for 1-4 weeks but drops down to as little as 225€/week if you stay for 25 weeks or more. If you just want to focus on your grammar/writing then the ACCORD French Language School has just the thing for you: 6-hour afternoon workshops costing no more than 180€/week. So how much is a French course in France? It can be very purse-friendly if you’re willing to play around with your schedule or have the time to stay at ACCORD Paris for longer.
Budget bed and board
Paris is a notoriously pricey place to stay, but there are ways to keep your costs down when it comes to accommodation. ACCORD Paris provides host family accommodation where you get your own room, a shared bathroom and can choose your board basis. The most budget-friendly options are breakfast with kitchen access (380€/week) or breakfast and dinner (460€/week). If you go for the host family with breakfast and kitchen access option, you can do your shopping at the local markets and supermarkets. The benefit of staying in a host family is that you can put the French skills you’ve learnt in class at ACCORD Paris into practice and fast-track your language development, making it real value for money. If you’re looking for something a bit different but without the hefty price tag, you can spend the night in the Sacré Coeur itself! Spend an hour being part of the prayer relay overnight and in return you can stay in a dorm for just 10€/night. You can even get breakfast there for 4€… sacré bleu!
Cheap eats
No language stay in the French capital would be complete without sampling some of the city’s world-famous gastronomy. You can pick up delicious and hearty sandwiches like the famous jambon beurre at local bakeries including Boulangerie Suffren 55 just around the corner from ACCORD Paris. Always look out for formules and menus or plats du jour when you’re looking for something that will fill your tummy but won’t empty your bank account. Most formules or meal deals will include a sandwich/salad, drink and side/pastry whilst a menu du jour includes some combination of starter, main and dessert to give you more bang for your buck. You can download the Too Good to Go app to find surprise bags from local shops, cafes and restaurants in Paris that are full of surplus food at a fraction of the usual price.
An excellent restaurant (family atmosphere guaranteed) close to the ACCORD school is LE PRESLES and every day of the week you can choose à la carte or one of the two menus, and at low prices!
Free culture
You don’t need to starve your inner culture vulture during your stay in Paris. There are lots of free things to do whilst you’re studying at ACCORD Paris, besides strolling around and soaking up the fabulous French capital. If you’re here at the beginning of the month, all the museums are free to visit on the first Sunday so you can explore the Louvre with as big a smile on your face as the Mona Lisa herself. EU citizens aged 25 and under get free entry to museums and attractions any day of the week, just make sure you bring some form of ID as proof so you can get in. There are lots of free guided walking tours where you can pay as much or as little as you want for the experience. Paris is a hotbed for festivals too, so keep an eye out for what’s happening during your stay and be part of the action! Soak up the local culture during the European Heritage Days in September, feast your eyes on fireworks on Bastille Day in July or get your fill of street performance in May during Le Printemps des Rues… all for free.
So, back to the question: how much is a French course in France? As you can see, you can get an inexpensive but excellent French course at ACCORD Paris if you’re willing to have a lie-in and beat the rush hour crowds (it’s a hard life!), enjoy bed & board with a real French family at one of ACCORD’s homestays, eat like a French king without losing your head (unlike a French king) and experience all the wonderful culture Paris has to offer for free.
If you have any questions about our study abroad experiences or would like further information about any of the subjects raised in this blog, please contact us.
(Prices indicated in this blog are 2024 prices)
Contact Active Languages for our range of Study Abroad options: French language courses in France, Summer camps for Teens in England and in France, the Paris Saint-Germain Academy England football camps in the UK.
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