Language and culture of France immersion course

If you want to combine a cultural visit to France with the chance to improve your language skills, an immersion course offers an ideal way to do both. LaPont French Immersion Tours offer a 10-night-11-Day Language and Cultural course in the historic region of Burgundy. Staying in a quintessentially French château, you’ll get to explore the villages and beautiful countryside of the region, and the nearby city of Lyon, with all transport provided. You’ll get to eat in wonderful restaurants and sample the wines that the region is famed for. All this and language lessons as well, at your own pace.

Who is the course for?

This authentic experience is designed specifically for adults, so you won’t have the distraction of children or teens who need entertaining. Instead, you can concentrate completely on exploring the culture of France with private guided tours, a cooking workshop, wine tasting visits and more – whilst improving your French language skills. Each course is offered to just a small group of 10 people, so you’ll have the opportunity to get to know your fellow learners whether you travel alone, with a partner or with friends. It doesn’t matter whether you’re looking to brush up on your grammar, this immersion course will help you to improve your French and to practise it for real with the coaching of professional teachers and guides.

When do the courses take place?

Running every spring and autumn, the courses really give you chance to appreciate the beauty of Burgundy and the nearby city of Lyon without the heat and crowds of summer and without the cold of the winter. It’s the perfect time to relax and explore the area at a gentle pace that really allows you to savour what’s on offer and to soak up the French language, practising it with the people you meet. The next available tour takes place in the Fall from 6^th to 16^th September and bookings are already open for tours in 2025.

Where will I stay?

You’ll have spacious en-suite accommodation in a truly beautiful 17^th century château in Saône et Loire. Just two and a half hours from Paris, the château is set in the Burgundy countryside on the border of Franche-Comté and Rhone-Alpes. With its creamy stone walls and surrounded by 10 hectares of wooded parkland, it’s in an idyllic countryside setting. The first pre-course night is offered free of charge. The castle offers onsite entertainment, including a cinema and generous living areas in which to rest, plus plenty of outside space for relaxing. The castle is close to Lyon and your last night will be spent in a boutique hotel in the centre of its fascinating old town. Lyon is known as a centre of gastronomy, and dinner is included at a famous restaurant on the last night of your stay.

With an excellent in-house chef, you’ll enjoy some fabulous dishes in the château’s dining room with breakfast, coffee and afternoon tea included every day. In addition, you’ll visit some of the most well-regarded restaurants in the area – all with transport provided. You’ll get the opportunity to enjoy Burgundy’s world-renowned cuisine and to sample some beautifully matched French wines.

What else is included?

In order to really experience this beautiful part of France and to immerse yourself in its language and culture, a number of private tours and experiences are included. You’ll be joined by experienced local guides with whom you can also practice your French. You’ll visit Lyon’s old town, take a trip to the beautiful Burgundy countryside and take part in a wine-tasting at a local vineyard. A visit to Château Chalon will be accompanied by a French style gourmet picnic lunch. Back at the Chateau, you’ll experience a cookery workshop in the kitchen of the château, with your in-house chef; allowing you to bring alive the flavours of the local cuisine yourself, so that you can recreate the dishes back home.

How will I improve my French?

All of the cultural experiences above, including the visits to restaurants, will give you a chance to practise your French language skills and familiarise yourself with the sounds of this beautiful language. In addition, 20 hours of classroom learning are built into your stay. Led by experienced and qualified teachers who will also accompany you on your outings, these courses will be tailored to your level of French. During these classes, you will focus on improving your grammar and vocabulary as well as on comprehension and pronunciation. Your cultural immersions will give you the chance to put into practice the words and phrases that you learn. There are also optional conversational classes at the château every day.