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[virmundi]

Greetings, fellow forumites,

I wonder if anyone who frequents these boards might be able and willing to recommend a good intensive French summer language program in Paris? I will be in Paris next summer for a month or two, and while I am there, I'd like to supplement my beginner's French with some intensive language work. I would be most grateful for any recommendations.

Many thanks!

[hegemony]

The Cours de Civilisation Française de la Sorbonne is excellent.  One of the teachers I had there is among the top two or three teachers I've had in any subject, ever.  I know other academics who have done the course as well.

http://www.ccfs-sorbonne.fr/

[dellaroux]

Check Middlebury College's French offerings.

If not in Paris, they have stuff in Grenoble.

I don't ski, but the smell of lavender is lovely...

Also, try this website:

   http://www.ims-paris.org/

If you join their listserv you can ask folks that way.

They also have an annual conference in June.

Bon chance!!

[virmundi]

Thanks for the marvelous suggestions! I appreciate it.

Cheers.

[tee_bee]

My recent intensive French program:

1. Try to remember my college French from 25 years ago (read Le Monde on line)
2. Go to Paris
3. Try to communicate with people in French.
4. Voila!

OK, so I was only there two days. But a lot of it came back quickly.

I know I am being flippant, but try to see if you can spend some time outside the program, just walking the streets, going to shops, eating at cafes and having some fun with the language. My personal triumph--telling some French people that, yes, the Musee d'Orsay is only 500 metres that way. They were very nice, considering my rusty French. But I found I got more practice speaking and reading in two days than I had had the previous 20 years--including visits to Montreal, where it was far too easy to just speak English.

Bon voyage!

[dellaroux]

Also, check on l'Alliance Francais offerings. If you live in a US or other town with an AF affiliate, you could join, do some work in advance, and then pick up with the Paris groups as well.

This website has stuff for Americans visiting Paris; the list of schools is on the bottom left side:

   http://www.understandfrance.org/Paris/AmericanCommunity.html

The American Library is also a useful resource:

   http://www.americanlibraryinparis.org/

And I think this is the new version of a group of expats who have had a listserv for awhile now...

   http://www.parisforums.com/


And along the lines of the suggestion above, to get out and learn in situ, this site is useful:

   http://www.ulip.lon.ac.uk/living-and-learning-in-paris/introduction.html


This site is a great general resource, also, a combination blog and general resource.

   http://www.paris-eiffel-tower-news.com/walking-in-paris.html

The St. Martin canal in the second article is near one of the hostels on Jules Ferry, close to the Place de la Republique. There's a Moroccan restaurant with good <<moules>> (mussels) nearby, too...

[dellaroux]

Oh, and just because it's hilarious...

   http://www.leparisien.fr/loisirs-et-spectacles/zep-un-titeuf-pour-les-grands-31-10-2009-694151.php

[hmaria1609]

The Cours de Civilisation Française de la Sorbonne is excellent.  One of the teachers I had there is among the top two or three teachers I've had in any subject, ever.  I know other academics who have done the course as well.
http://www.ccfs-sorbonne.fr/

I did their summer program through the American Institute of Foreign Study (AIFS) as an undergrad.  One of the best things I ever did in college.  It was great!

[treehugger1]

I spent a semester in Paris with the Academic Year Abroad program and had a wonderful experience. They place you in real French degree programs and you are completely integrated into French classes (I took literature at the Sorbonne). At the same time, they provide *optional* support, tutoring, language classes and social activities. So, you are neither overwhelmed by an entirely foreign environment, nor overprotected and hobbled by silly requirements.