The School

The school in Lyon was opened in 2006. It welcomes 400 students each year.

Location: The school is located in a beautiful 19th Century building on the banks of the Rhone in the centre of Lyon.

Facilities: The school offers eight spacious and bright classrooms, each of these with its own fireplace. The school is equipped with wifi service so that you can access your email and surf the web free of charge on your own computer or on one of the school's computer.

Students: The school welcomes students of all ages from 18 years old to students in their 80ies. The average age is 25. The majority of the students come from Switzerland (German and Italian speakers), Germany, Britain, Italy, US, Australia and Ireland.

Bank Holidays: There are no lessons on French national holidays. Missed lessons are neither rescheduled nor refunded (except private lessons).

The school has the following affiliations or memberships:

FLE, Souffle, FIYTO, ALTO, CSN, Bildungsurlaub, AVDEP, FSEP

Lessons

The French lessons take place in the morning from Monday to Friday. They are organised by levels (elementary to advanced) and comprise a maximum of eight students. Lessons are based mainly on oral expression.

First day: Students need to be at the school at 8.30am on the first morning. You will have a short introduction to the school as well as a tour of the school. You may then be asked to take a short oral examination (the written test has to be completed prior to arrival). Lessons begin in the morning.

Activities

The activity programme includes activities such as: a welcome drink, a presentation of Lyon, a view from the Fourvière, the Old Lyon, district of the Croix-Rousee, downhill through the "traboules" and visit of the workshop of silk trade, a guided tour of the museum of the Frères Lumières, a wellness in an oriental hammam, a jazz concert, a cruise on the Saône, a visit of the museum of the "Beaux-arts", a visit of the history centre of the Resistance and the deportation and a visit of Annecy.

Accommodation

The course includes half board accommodation in a host family. The school has selected families that are compatible with the interests and wishes of the over 50s population. These families offer suitable accommodation facilities (single rooms), so that your stay is on the one hand comfortable, and on the other hand beneficial for learning the French language. It is also an opportunity to immerse yourself in the culture of French speaking Switzerland.

Practical Information

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