On a Lingua Franca Voyage, our aim is to create a true cultural exchange for our travellers. After a trip with us, we want you to feel as though you could return to that destination independently, know your way around and have a couple of new, local friends to call upon while you’re there.

We try to get under the skin of a destination, as we believe this is where the richness lies.

2024 TRIPS

In 2024, we plan on doing more trips, bien sûr*.

Nouméa, New Caledonia : Booking open
Sat 13 April - Fri 19 April 2024 (6 nights)
More info

Paris, France
Monday 23rd Sept - Sunday 29th Sept 2024 (6 nights)
More info

Marrakech, The Sahara and Essaouira, Morocco
Sat 4 Oct - Thu 18 Oct 2024 (14 nights)
More info

We may even visit a third (secret for now) destination and will let you know in time. If you’d like to register your interest in any or all of our trips, please get in touch.

2023 TRIPS

A last-minute slot has opened up for the Paris Summer School. We also have two Bordeaux slots up for grabs so if you, or someone you know can take part in either or both weeks, please let us know or simply pay your deposit below to secure your spot. We’ll then contact you to finalise all the details and you’ll be on your way to Lingua Franca’s international nid* in no time!

Please note, deposits and balance payments are non-refundable. If you have any questions at all, please contact us.

If French and travel are part of who you are, Lingua Franca’s Summer Schools are a dream come true. Take the very best of learning with Lingua Franca, add the invaluable authenticity of being sur place* and you have yourself a mélange magique*.

You will be surprised and delighted by the leaps and bounds your French will take, the connections you’ll make and the memories that will last long after you’ve put your suitcase away.

Whether you choose the Paris or Bordeaux school (or do both), the idea remains the same.

Each morning starts with coffee, pastries and a lesson, in small groups with lessons tailored to your level. With a mix of language and culture classes, you’ll be able to apply what you’ve learned the minute you step out of the classroom.

You have the afternoons free for exploring. Post-lesson, you may have a favourite gallery to race to, a date with a friend, or you might even just like to wander the streets of Paris or Bordeaux by yourself. It’s totally up to you.

You’ll also have access to three optional outings (think covered walkways of Paris, a cooking lesson, a trip to Bordeaux’s famed wine regions, for example) and there will be a welcome and farewell dinner to round out the trip.

You’ll do a longer lesson on one of the days so you can have a ‘pupil-free day’ in the middle. Imagine the fun you can have with a whole day stretched out before you in your host city, armed with your new and improved speaking skills. You may never come home!

*of course | *nest | *on site | *magical mix

*terrace | *adventures | *jewel-like

PARIS
Monday 18th Sept - Sunday 24th Sept 2023

BORDEAUX

Wednesday 27th Sept - Tuesday 3rd Oct 2023

PARIS SUMMER SCHOOL

$2500

BORDEAUX SUMMER SCHOOL

$2500

INCLUDES:

25 hrs tuition tailored to your level
All materials
2 x dinners with wine
Welcome gift pack

NOT INCLUDED:

Flights
Accommodation
Traveller’s insurance (compulsory)
Transfers
Optional guided tours x 3 (add $300 inc. GST total)

How do you recreate Lingua Franca elsewhere?

It’s surprisingly easy, actually. We find you a space with the warmth and heart of Lingua Franca in our target destination, design you some bespoke learning materials, call upon a local tutor to help Katrina with the teaching, contact our favourite guides and book a couple of fantastic restaurants for your welcome and final dinners. Et voilà*! Your nid* away from home.

Do I have to be a Lingua Franca student to attend?

No, you don’t, we often welcome new people on our trips, whether friends of friends or people we’ve never met before. All you need is a bit of French under your belt and a desire to discover a culture unlike your own. Extra points if you enjoy a bit of a laugh.

Do I have to do both weeks?

You don’t have to, but many do. Just choose the week, or weeks, that suit you best or the destination you prefer. The choice is yours.

Do I have to be an advanced student to join in?

Not at all! We’ll divide the group according to level and the lessons will be pitched accordingly. All you need is a desire to improve your French and a sense of curiosité*.

Where are the schools located?

We always choose somewhere really central while avoiding the touristy quartiers* in favour of more interesting areas. It’s important to be centrally located so it’s easy for you to get to school each morning, no matter where you choose to stay. We also find that having the best of a city just outside the classroom door is highly motivating for our Chouchous*.

Why just a week?

We know you’re a busy group of people and you like to get things done. By limiting the lessons to seven days, we can keep the instruction constant and focused. It’s a blast of French that we can’t give you in Australia: there’s no replicating the immersive value of constant lessons and real-life experiences for seven days straight. And don’t forget, you have the choice of book-ending the two trips to give you a whole fortnight of French immersion.

We also know you’re a well-travelled bunch, and many of you have friends and family living overseas. We hope that having two discrete weeks to choose from gives you the flexibility to work in other plans.

Why are flights and accommodation not included for this trip?

Mostly for the reasons above, that is, that we expect many of you to combine the trip with other travel plans in Europe or elsewhere and therefore to stipulate dates of travel would be restrictive. As for the accommodation, we imagine some of you already have a favourite hotel, others may wish to stay with friends or family and we wanted to give you the option of finding a place to stay that suits your particular style and budget.

Can you recommend accommodation for us?

Of course! We’ve already done the groundwork and keep a short-list of hotels for our destinations. We also have recommendations from previous participants so there’s a really good range of styles and budgets. We suggest you organise your accommodation early so you have the widest range of choice. You may very well find a hidden jewel yourself, in which case, we’d love to hear about it.

What can I expect from the lessons?

The best things about doing lessons sur place* is how immediately useful the content is. The minute you step out the door of the school, you’ll be able to put into practice what you’ve just learned.

As mentioned previously, you’ll will be divided into two groups, according to level. Lessons will start at 9:00am and will go through to 12:30pm or 1pm. At 10:30am, we’ll take a pause-café* (think coffee and pâtisseries*) for you to clear your brain and stretch your legs. We’ll have two tutors (Katrina and one other) and therefore two small groups: one group will focus on the vocabulary and grammar you’ll need to communicate effectively and the other will be devoted to an exploration of the French culture, giving you insider’s running on what it means to be truly français*. And then we simply swap over.

We’ve been so inspired by the huge improvement we’ve seen in the students who took part in our previous and we know you’ll benefit enormously, too, from the semi-intensive format. Never fear, though, Lingua Franca lessons will always remain relaxed and friendly, as we believe happy brains learn best. Plus, you’re en vacances*.

Are there any activities?

There will be three optional activities spread across the week for each trip. Previously, we’ve visited a Parisian flea market, done a walking tour of a particularly charming quartier* and turned our hands to making sablés.* In Bordeaux, we’ve arranged outings and activities that we feel are incontournable*, plus one or two that are a little less known, but nonetheless très chic*. Occasionally, if there is somewhere a little our of the way we just have to show you, we may combine two of the activities to make a day of it.

We’ll send you information about the exact activities in due course. Tours will last between 2 and 3 hours and will be conducted in a mix of French and English, adapted to the level of the group.

What will a typical day be like?

The school bell will sound at 9:00am, and lessons will be wrapped up by 12:30pm or 1pm, the perfect time for you to go in search of a delicious déjeuner*, whether in the local quartier or somewhere further afield. Afternoons will be free for you to explore on your own, or if you’ve taken the activities package, you’ll be in for a treat being shown the sites and explained the history of Paris with our guides. In the late afternoon, you’re welcome to join us at a local bar for an evening apéro* and the chance to discuss your day.

And what if I decide not to take the activities package?

That is totally up to you, of course, and will give you more time to explore on your own. Perhaps you have compiled a list of things you’d like to see and do and are keen to work your way through it over the course of the week. In any case, the lessons will not be lost on you as everything you’ll learn in the morning will be immediately applicable in the afternoon, whether you do the organised activities or not.

What about the apéro?

The apéro is not compulsory either, so if you find yourself caught up in the delights of your host city and unable to make it to our chosen bar at the agreed time, ne vous inquiétez pas*. The apéro is just a chance for us to get together as a group, recap our day and have a chat and a drink.

Are there any dinners together?

Oui*, in fact we’ve organised two and they’re included in the price. Our welcome dinner will be held in a local restaurant and will give you a chance to get to know your fellow Chouchous. We get together at the end of the week as well, and this time we invite all the characters you’ve met throughout your time at the summer school for an authentic and convivial French dining experience.

Are friends and family welcome to come to the dinners and participate in the activities?

So long as they’re happy being in an environment with a majority of French spoken (there’s always some English that slips out after a couple of drinks), we’d love to have them come along.

Finally, why is it called a summer school when it’s held in spring?

Glad you asked! Our inaugural summer school was indeed held in summer, around the time of an historic heatwave, in fact. We managed to avoid the worst of it, but realised how risky it was to plan a trip for that time of the year. So we switched to September/October but just couldn’t part with the name. It just sums up the experience perfectly: the joy of learning in situ mixed with scent of les vacances*. Unbeatable.