Any advice to offer? Are there internet cafes near the Institude or at the Institude? How far is the Institude from the bus stop in Villefranche? If I arrive at the bus stop with luggage, can I get a taxi from that point to Chez Betty (Base Corniche)? Also, can you offer any ways to cut costs... the us dollar is very weak against the euro:( Also, I am petrified of speaking french in front of people because of poor pronunciation, etc.... did anyone else have these fears, and if so how were the teachers at the Institude able to help you overcome these fears?
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Hi Chedona,
I studied at the Institut last September and it was a wonderful experience. I highly recommend the school.
Are you bringing a laptop? The school officially has wifi available 1/2 hour before and 1/2 hour after classes. But several students with laptops were able to get connected throughout the day. Remember - you%26#39;re not supposed to be using English during school day and this includes on the PC. ;)Some people were able to get wifi in their apartments.
If you don%26#39;t have a laptop, there are two internet cafes in the old town just behind the Hotel Welcome. I used Chez Net which is run by English speaking owners. I got a month pass for 50 euros. I went almost everyday so it was worthwhile. If you are not as addicted as I am, it may make sense to just pay as you go. It is about 5 euros an hour. (prices may have increased). There is another internet cafe next to Chez Net similarly priced or you can also access the internet at Chez Betty. Chez Betty%26#39;s PC was pretty bad so I wouldn%26#39;t recommend it. I recommend Chez Net.
Chez Betty is right across the street from the Octroi bus stop. Bus 100 runs on Sunday and you can take it from Nice up until about 7pm. If you are coming later, you will probably want to take a taxi. There is a taxi stand across the street from Chez Betty near the bus stop but there wasn%26#39;t always a taxi at the stand.
Depending upon where you apartment is, you will have to haul you luggage a distance up hill. I didn%26#39;t have a lot of luggage and my bag rolled. I lugged mine up hill to my apartment which was actually near the Moyenne Corniche. I don%26#39;t know how easy it is for Chez Betty to call you a taxi.
I don%26#39;t have any suggestions for saving euros other than cooking in the apartment. You will get small breakfast and a good lunch at the Institute. For dinner, you can shop and cook in the apartment. Eating out can be expensive. Le Serre is popular with the students and not that expensive.
I have pictures and a link to my blog on my website:
martageorge.com/frenchriviera/index_vsm.htm
If you have any other questions, please feel free to send me a private message.
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Hi trav,
Your beautiful photos brought back my fond memories of the school and VSM. I was there revisiting VSM last September. (I was in school back in 1998.) Chez Betty is still a hang out of the students.
Chedona, you got very good advices from trav. My studio was at the end of the road, before the curve,
up the hill from the tennis court. When I picked up my lodging assignment, I walked over to check it out. I found out that it was impossible for me to drag the luggage up that hill. I came back to the hotel that I stayed the night before and asked them to call the taxi for me. It was expensive but I had no other options. It is cheaper to have a place that you can cook. Don%26#39;t worry about speaking French. After your placement test, you should be with the other students who have about the same level of French with you. There might be some low/high ends in your class. Enjoy.
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This discussion is very interesting to me. My wife and I have just returned from a trip to Provence where an old itch returned to raise my fluency in French above a very basic level.
I%26#39;ve been looking at courses for adults in France. The Institude de Francais%26#39; fees aren%26#39;t much more than other schools in Paris, Nice, etc. which seem to deliver less instruction hours per day.
The only thing that concerns me is whether I can concentrate for eight hours per day, every day, and get my money%26#39;s worth. For those who have done this, was it a problem and, if so, did you have ways to cope with it?
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I was determined to improve my French so the hours did not bother me at all. I really enjoyed the studies and the homeworks. You have the evening and weekends to have fun. Also, since it was my hard earn money, I got the most out of it.
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I did not have any problem with 8 hours a day. The day is organized very well and seems to go very quickly. You start around 9am and will spend about 1 1/2 hours in class. It usually started out with going around the class and talking about what you did the night before or the instructor would introduce a sentence structure and you went around the class repeating variations. Grammar was usually introduced in the morning. You would practice this most of the day. You%26#39;d have a short break and then go back for another 1 or so session continuing on grammar and talking. Then you would have lunch which was great and another opportunity to talk. You will lunch with your instructor and they will make conversation.
After lunch, then you have a practical session. This is usually with another group/class so there is more interaction. You will learn how to make polite conversation, explain your job, order in a restaurant, etc. Then you will have a longer afternoon break (30 minutes). You can run an errand if necessary. Next will be the laboratory. That was probably the hardest or most challenging for me. It is about an hour just practicing.
Then you spend the last bit correcting homework and later in the session, the students give their presentations which include a question and answer. Day is over and it is time to shop, do internet, run errands.
The day goes very smoothly and fast. I%26#39;m currently taking an hour and half class twice a week at Alliance Francais after work. I%26#39;m finding it very difficult to focus because I%26#39;m tired. But I never had this problem at the Institut.
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Also, I found overall the students and the staff to be very enthusiastic and helpful. I really found it fun to learn. Everyone was so supportive so you looked forwarded to class. Also we were all at similar levels so we struggled and succeeded together.
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The Institut sounds just like what I want for learning French, plus it%26#39;s location is terrific. trav4, I really enjoyed your photos and your blog. Thanks to both of you for the insights.
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I went to the Institut last April and only stayed for 2 weeks. You can do that if you are not a beginner. I only stayed 2 weeks because a) it was less expensive, and b)I thought that would be all I could handle. The school is very intense, which is just what I wanted. I loved every single minute, made fabulous friends that I am still in touch with. After 2 weeks, I did feel I was ready to get out of Dodge. My husband came to meet me and we went to Provence for another 2 weeks so I had some opportunity to practice what I had learned. And yes, I did learn a lot in my 2 weeks. I am planning to go back again next April and have not decided yet if I will again stay 2 weeks or go for the entire 4. Last time, I arrived on Sunday, the day before classes start. That was a mistake. I had major airline problems and almost didn%26#39;t get there. It was bedtime by the time I got to my apartment, and my luggage didn%26#39;t make it. When I go next April, I will leave in time to arrive in Villefrance on Saturday. I recommend getting there early enough to settle in, grocery shop, and acclimate to the area, walk to the school so you%26#39;ll know where it it. They are adamant about not arriving late, and now I understand wy. the entire first morning is spent getting all 80 students checked in, paying balances, getting apartment info, explaining all the rules, then the testing starts which takes the rest of the day. It takes the entire staff to do all of that, and if you arrive late, it would be a problem for them. As for as the taxi, I recommend just springing for a taxi at the airport. The one I had knew all about the Institut and knew exactly where Chez Betty was. She waited while I went inside to get my key, and took me to the apartment, which was quite a hike uphill. she even came inside and explained some things in the apartment to me which was very nice. I would not have even figured out how to get the front door to the building open if she had not stayed. The apartments are not particularly easy to find, and some are up narrow sidewalks that I think you would have tremendous difficulty finding on your own, especially with jet lag. I learned later that there were four of us from the school staying in my building (Cantegril) and we sometimes walked to class together. AFter class every day, sevreal of us usually walked down to the village for a glass of wine or dinner. You can get a pizza or a big salad for dinner for $10, or you can cook at home and enjoy your view, which is a million dollar view. I cannot say enough wonderful things aboaut the Institut. I learned a lot, loved the entire experience and loved the area. I can%26#39;t wait to go back. I hope you enjoy it too. Just be prepared to study a lot and to do some serious concentrating! Bon courage!
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If I arrived early, can anyone recommend an inexpensive place to stay for a few days? Even a bed and breakfast would suffice.
Also, do most of the studio apartments have views?
Thanks
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The Hotel Darse and Hotel Provencal are not bad. Provencal is a bit %26quot;tired%26quot; looking, but in a good location. You can google both of them and get a better idea.
As for the apartments, I think if you get one of the %26quot;higher standard%26quot; studios, it will have a view. I got to see several apartments where people were staying that were in my class. Only one had no view and practically no window, and it was a regular studio. Mine was in the Cantegril Apt. Building and had a million dollar view with a huge L-shaped covered balcony. It was amazing. It was about a 15-minute walk to the Institut and about that far to the village. My experience there was an absolute %26#39;once in a lifetime%26#39; sort of thing. That said, I%26#39;m going to make it a %26#39;twice in a lifetime%26#39; and go back next April!
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