I'm studying French and would like to go to France on a tour that focuses on learning and practicing language skills. Are there tour companies that offer this?
Certainement. (But you probably know that word already.) Offerings range from intensive school settings to tours that mesh language classes with cultural itineraries. The French Government Tourist Office, Maison de la France, has worked with these three companies and recommends all of them, says spokeswoman Katherine I. Johnstone:
Souffle: This company oversees 19 language schools spread across France, giving you options from the Loire Valley to Normandy to Alsace. They are open year-round, and you may attend courses as short as one week. Your lodging at some schools might be with a local family; other campuses offer dorms or hotel rooms. Prices and class offerings range wildly; click on "Announcements" on the Web site, www.souffle.asso.fr, to find discounts and new itineraries (like ones that combines French lessons in the morning with culinary lessons or nine holes of golf in the afternoon).
