Activities offered by the language school

To give you an idea of my programme, I will go through what is offered this week. I have classes each morning. They last for one and a half hours each with a fifteen minute break between. There is a change of tutor after the break. Lunch is generally 1.30-2.00. Sometimes I start the homework in the afternoon. However, the school offers such an interesting programme for the afternoons that I prefer to do homework later.
Mondays, there is always a guided tour around town with our guide, Jean-Paul.
"Visite pratique du centre-ville de Montpellier avec Jean-Paul, votre guide Accent Francais. Retrouvez Jean-Paul, pour retrouver les endroits utiles, l'histoire et les curiosites touristiques du centre-ville!! Rendez-vous: devant l'ecole.
Prix: Gratuit
I have done this tour with him twice now and will go again. He goes to different places each time and it's great for my French as well as my cultural awareness.
This week, on Tuesday, Jean-Paul is taking us to play Petanque.
"Apres-midi Petanque sous les Arceaux.
Le Sud de la France, c'est beaucoup de choses, la petanque en fait partie. Adresse, rigolade, fun, venez tester tes talents!!!
Rendez-vous a l'Arc de Triomphe
Prix: Gratuit"
If I wanted to, I could choose to learn how to cook a French dish at a restaurant "avec notre chef Armand". This week they are cooking rabbit in garlic sauce and potato tart. The cost is usually about $150 for the tuition and there seems to be quite a few who join this class.
I think I will try the bowling.
Wednesdays, there is always a film shown in the afternoon. This is great as there are also French subtitles.
Prix: Gratuit
Thursdays, there is another opportunity to learn how to cook a French meal with Armand. This time it is duck, a local dish, with "la puree de pommes de terre" (mashed potatoes) This week, there is also a wine and cheese testing of this areas' products: "Degustation Vin du Languedoc et fromages".
Fridays, there is usually a trip somewhere in the area. This week, Jean-Paul is escorting another group to the beautiful village of St Guilhem (pronounced gill em for you French students). I went there in my first week here and it was great. Have a look at my pictures taken there.
Saturday, this week, there is an all day trip planned with Jean-Paul to Arles, one of the towns we visited on the school trip in 2009.
"Vous decouvrez Arles,son marche provencal, ses monuments romains et medievaux, les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, sa plage (baignade possible) et ses boutiques pres de la vieille eglise"
So that's my week. There are so many things to do and I am learning so much, about this area as well as language.

The temperature has returned to 29 degrees today. Perhaps winter has decided to wait awhile.
Till next time.

Another look at Palavas

There has been a distinct change in the weather. Last week I was swimming in the Mediterranean at Sete, about 30 minutes along the coast. The weather was warm and and the water beautifully clear. The colours were incredible, temperatures in low 30s. This weekend the wind started to make its presence felt, cold and strong. This wind has a reputation of being a "vent violent". I visited Palavas again today, our closest beach, wearing my coat and scarf. The beach was beautiful and I had a walk on the sand. No-one was in the water today.
The last time I was here, the town was full of visitors. The Camargue horses were on show as well as the bulls. Today seemed very quiet in comparison, but the restaurants filled up fast at lunchtime. Many chose the Mussels, smaller than we are used to in NZ. This town is famous for it's fish products.
I went up the tower to the revolving restaurant. The view was breathtaking. I could see many of the other fishing villages in the distance.

I hope you enjoy the photos.

At School

Visit to a neighbouring town, Sete

Some friends from home dropped in to say hello

Great to welcome you to Montpellier for a short visit. We had a wander round the old city and then shared a meal at a traditional restaurant.