Learn French

If you plan on buying a property in France it is really advisable you speak some French. If you speak 'just adequate French' the skill will serve you well as French people will recognise you have made an effort and will more readily extend the hand of friendship and co-operation.

It is a good idea to attend a course, at least at the outset as this will insure the basics are in place, and where better to learn French but in France. As a proposal, why not try Bordeaux. UNESCO declared Bordeaux which is the principal city the capital of Aquitaine a 'World Heritage Site'. This city with its long history and fine architecture can now stand shoulder to shoulder with 'The Great Barrier Reef' and 'The Great Wall of China'. Where better place to learn French but say in Bordeaux?

BLS offers courses in Bordeaux and the elegant seaside resort of Biarritz. Glancing through their Internet Prospectus offers plenty of choices. They have something called 'Standard 20' which comprises 20 French lessons per week. The Classes from Elementary to Advanced Level begin on Monday mornings and last from 9.30am to 12.45. If you are a beginner you need to inquire about dates when these courses start. If you feel you need a bigger stretch there are 26 and 30 lesson intensives. These go on into the afternoons. They insist the shortest time you can attend is for 2 weeks and that makes lots of sense. A week would simply not be long enough to make much impression. However, to make really grand strides a 12-week course would make you conversationally very proficient in French. The cost of the 12-week programme is 1800 euros.

You learn in groups and these never exceed 12 students. This insures plenty of individual attention from the teacher and yet sufficient other people to practice with.

BLS has other very exciting variations on the theme of learning French in France. One thrillingoption that happens in Biarritz is to learn French in the mornings and then attend surfing lessons in what has become the European surf capital during the afternoons. The cost comes out in region of 800 Euros. Another one that might catch your attention is the wine course. The mornings are taken up with French lessons but the afternoons are turned over to what the brochure calls 'the fascinating world of Bordeaux wines.' This sounds like the perfect way of learning French in France.

Either way attending classes will improve your French language skills and make it much easier to negotiate with sellers, notaires, builders and all the people who make up the countenance of the process of buying a property in France. All those who have been through the experience insist that learning the language is really important.So why miss out by disregarding this important piece of advice?