20 Best French Immersion Programs in 2024

If you really want to get fluent fast, you need to learn French immersion-style.

Immersion can cement solid language habits and help turn you into a natural-sounding Francophone, i.e., a genuine speaker of French!

In this post, you’ll get some amazing French immersion programs that can accelerate your journey to true fluency.

We’ve focused on five major factors: location, price, accommodation options and immersion “extras,” plus reviews from actual students.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Best French Immersion Programs in France

1. Eurolingua

Location:	Various locations in France as well as Quebec, Canada and Switzerland
Cost:	School-based classes start at €295 ($300) per week; homestay program starts at €1,595 ($1,750) for one week
Description:	Hosting robust immersion programs in a large spread of French-speaking regions, Eurolingua can be a great starting point for learners who aren't sure where they should take their studies. You can go for typical group classes in one of Eurolingua's schools, located in France, Quebec and Switzerland. These follow a set lesson agenda and include language learning resources from the Eurolingua center itself. The one-to-one homestay program lets you live and learn with a native French speaker, with optional cultural and social activities. You can choose what you focus on and get plenty of individual training.

2. The American University of Paris

Location:	Paris
Cost:	€2,156 ($2,366) for auditing classes or  €4,312 ($4,732) for getting course credits, not including accommodations
Description:	This accredited private university in Paris offers a 3 or 6-week summer French immersion course. There's no work placement, but if you go to Paris with a working holiday visa, it should be easy to find work following the course. During the tourist-heavy summer months, many restaurants and cafés look for bilingual students to work part-time! The international university allows you to meet people from all over the world, including native French speakers. Plus, you'll get to experience all that Paris has to offer while being immersed in the language and receiving excellent instruction.

3. CAVILAM

Location:	Vichy
Cost:	Prices vary widely depending on the program, starting at €275 per week ($301), plus accommodations
Description:	This program, brought to you by the Alliance Française, offers courses for a variety of learning needs—from academic or professional French to a "super intensive" general language course. The program is pricey but can help prepare you for official examinations (DELF/DALF). They even have specialized courses like French and gastronomy and French for seniors. Homestays with local families are available upon request. And courses start the first Monday of each month all year round (except for complete beginners), making it quite flexible for your scheduling needs.

4. ILA France

Location:	Montpellier
Cost:	Can start as low as €160 ($176) per week, not including accommodations
Description:	Offering a variety of programs for teenagers, adults and even seniors, ILA (Institut Linguistique Adenet) aims to let students of all levels study the language both in and out of the classroom. Group courses can include up to 10 students, but there's also an option for private training. There's even a special program option that includes cooking courses. Alongside language classes, the institute also offers activities and promotes excursions so that you can explore the region. Residence options include a homestay, student residence, apartment or campus dorm room.

5. EF Languages Abroad

Location:	Paris, Saint-Raphaël or Nice
Cost:	Can start as low as $1,890 for 2 weeks ($2,050 for the Paris program)
Description:	EF Abroad offers French immersion programs for learners of nearly any age. They can be customized by length (2 to 52 weeks) and the type of language courses you receive (basic, general or intensive), alongside special interest classes of your choosing. You study in a set EF campus and you can live in a homestay or a shared residence with fellow students. The program gets intakes every Monday throughout the year, so you can decide when you want to start the program. You can also choose to receive an internship or volunteer experience during your time abroad. These options are a tad more expensive than regular courses.

6. Coeur de France

Location:	Sancerre
Cost:	Prices vary depending on program type and length, but may start at €485 ($533) per week
Description:	This private language school operates group, family and private immersion courses in the heart of a small French town. Here, you can spend 1 to 8 weeks studying French in a cozy but intensive environment. The school ensures you apply your studies by including immersion excursions into the nearby village. This also includes after-class activities where you must carry out tasks such as buying items or talking to natives for real-life practice.  Homestay accommodation isn't offered, but you can live in apartments at the school or around the area. Note that meals are not provided.

7. Institut de Français on the French Riviera

Location:	Villefranche-sur-Mer
Cost:	€2,900 to €5,800 ($2,955 to $5,910), not including accommodations
Description:	This program makes sure every day is put to good use. It utilizes a "total approach" that makes sure you're engaging with the French language in all kinds of scenarios, both in and out of the classroom. Classes run for more than 8 hours daily and every day includes discussions, meals and teacher-student tea sessions. The program accepts any applicant age 21 or older. It also runs year-round and you can choose to participate for 2, 3 or 4 weeks.  You can live in either a community studio apartment or a private apartment (for one to two persons).

8. Accent Français

Location:	Montpellier
Cost:	Can start as low as €180 ($198) per week, not including accommodations
Description:	This school's immersion courses are quite inclusive, allowing teens, adults and professionals to choose programs that suit their learning needs. Adults can choose the intensity of their lessons and the length of their program. Complementary activities and test preparation resources are offered, as well as "French +" programs that combine language studies with special interests, including business, sciences, cooking, work experience and even yoga. Tuition cost decreases the more weeks you sign up for. Accommodations come with a separate cost and your options include homestay, private studios and tourist residences (which resemble hotels).

9. SL Immersion

Location:	Various locations in France
Cost:	Depends on teacher, location and length of stay
Description:	This program has a unique approach when it comes to personalizing your immersion studies. You can provide details on your language level, lesson preferences and desired length of stay. You can then find a certified teacher with whom you'll effectively live and learn with, wherever their home resides. Besides being your language instructor, your host can also serve as a tour guide to the local region. Note that, due to bookings from other students, certain teachers may only be available for certain dates.

10. Millefeuille Provence

Cost:	Saint-Geniès-de-Comolas
Location:	€1,795 ($1,971) per week to €3,745 ($4,112) per week, not including accommodations
Description:	The Millefeuille Provence school hosts three types of immersion courses for adult learners. The standard "Maxilangue" program consists of small group classes, workshops and weekly activities. "Maxilangue Combiné" is tailored to avid learners and includes time for individual lessons. "Maxilangue +" focuses on those who need to learn French for professional reasons. All of the courses include plenty of interaction and conversation with native French speakers. There are also bonus activities such as conferences, social activities and regional exploration. You'll stay in a lovely old chateau within the school property.

Best French Immersion Programs in Canada

11. Explore

Location:	Various locations in Canada
Cost:	Up to 90% of costs covered by the Canadian government; participants are responsible for their travel expenses, optional activities and personal spending money
Description:	If you're a Canadian citizen who wants to improve your French skills, you must check out this program. Explore is an intensive, government-funded French-language immersion program for Canadian citizens offered during the spring and summer. You'll live on campus or with a local host family and take classes at an accredited institution with other young people from across the country. You can also check out Destination Clic, a summer program for French-speaking Canadian students living outside Quebec who want to improve their French skills while connecting with the francophone community.

12. Edu-Inter

Location:	Quebec City
Cost:	Can start as low as about CAD $320 (US $240) per week, not including accommodations
Description:	Edu-Inter offers comprehensive French immersion courses for teenagers and adults, where you have the option of specializing in various subjects and the chance to stay with a  local family right in Quebec City. Their program for adults combines French courses with conversation or specialized workshops, volunteer experience, business courses and more.  They also offer an international summer camp for teens that combines French immersion with various activities. For example, you can choose a "French and Soccer" camp or maybe "French and Dramatic Arts."

13. BLI

Location:	Montreal or Quebec City
Cost:	Can start as low as CAD $470 (US $366) for two weeks, not including accommodations
Description:	BLI lets beginner to advanced learners study in one of two Canadian cities. You can choose what kind of class schedule you'd like, from a "part-time" schedule of 18 lessons/week up to a "super intensive" schedule of 35 lessons per week. The programs are available year-round and you can choose to study for between 1 and 52 weeks. To make your immersion experience even more engaging, the language school also offers supervised after-school activities and weekend outings that let you explore the city's surroundings. Your accommodation options include a homestay, a studio apartment or a student residence (only in Montreal).

14. Université Sainte-Anne

Location:	Church Point
Cost:	CAD $4,116 (US $3,086) for Canadian students or CAD $4,516 (US $3,386) for international students
Description:	This university offers 5-week summer and spring immersion sessions for both university students and adults. Your schedule will consist of classes, workshops, social events and outdoor activities.  As soon as the session starts, you must sign a pledge that states you'll only communicate in French throughout the program. Sounds intimidating, but it's clear that immersion is truly the key focus! At the end of the program, you'll be awarded a French-level certificate that can come in handy for school or job applications. Your accommodations (and meals) will be within the school campus itself.

15. École Internationale de Français

Location:	Trois-Rivières, Quebec
Cost:	Starts at CAD $2,500 (US $1,875) for 1 week
Description:	The International French School at the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières offers a variety of immersive French programs for all ages. Their Intensive Program is 3 or 5 weeks long and open to Canadians and foreigners ages 17+. It includes French classics, workshops and socio-cultural activities and exchanges. They also have programs for teens, undergrads, business professionals and adults ages 45+. The school is located halfway between Montreal and Quebec, in an area where the majority of the population speaks exclusively in French. This means that you'll be immersed in the language in and out of the classroom.

Best French Immersion Programs in Belgium and Switzerland

16. Alpadia Language Schools

Location:	Montreux-Riviera or Leysin, Switzerland, or Lyon, France
Cost:	240 CHF ($279) per week in Montreux or €185 ($203) per week in Lyon, neither including accommodations
Description:	Alpadia's programs are highly customizable. Both private lessons and small-group classes are offered. You can choose a short-term program focused on exam preparation or go for a more general, longer-length one. It's also possible to ask for a special agenda that includes work or volunteer experience. Outdoor activities are also organized so that you can explore and bask in what your host city has to offer. Your options for accommodations include a homestay, studio apartment, student residence and bed-and-breakfast hotel. If you're 17 or under, check out their French language camps.

17. Swiss French School

Location:	Montreaux or Lausanne, Switzerland
Cost:	Starts at 355 CHF ($369) per week for classes
Description:	For French immersion programs in Switzerland, the Swiss French School is a top choice. Their intensive classes usually have around 4 to 8 students, running from 9 AM to 12 PM every weekday. As a language center, the Swiss French School focuses heavily on speaking so you’ll have plenty of conversational exercises, with optional online lessons and trips after class.   Their intensive French classes range from 2 to 12 weeks long, and they’re available all year round. Accommodations aren’t included, but the school has a list of apartments, hotels and room rentals that you can browse through.

18. Learn French at Home

Location:	Saint-Aubin, Switzerland or Hautes-Pyrénées, France
Cost:	Starts at 2,200 CHF ($2,288) for 1 week
Description:	Aside from French lessons over Zoom and Skype, Learn French at Home also has 1-week immersions that you can spend in either Switzerland or France. For its immersion in Switzerland, you’ll get to stay with a French teacher for one or two weeks in a picturesque region of Saint-Aubin. A standard immersion usually includes around 2 to 3 hours of lessons each day. You can also explore the area and have meals with the teacher’s friends or family members for added practice. It’s a complete package that covers classes, accommodations and even food so you can focus on improving your French.

19. CERAN

Location:	Various locations in Belgium and France
Cost:	Starts at around $3,800 for a 1-week course
Description:	CERAN specializes in short-term language immersion and cultural training courses that typically last 3 days up to a week. You’ll spend several hours each day in class, with cultural activities at night. Their flagship French program is in Spa, which is a UNESCO Heritage Site that attracts a lot of health and wellness tourists (so you can do a lot of relaxing while studying!). They also have programs in other parts of Belgium such as Antwerp and Brussels as well as France. Given the price, accommodations are very comfortable—in Spa, for example, you’ll have access to a tennis court, game lounges and a jacuzzi and sauna.

20. DialoguE

Location:	Visé, Belgium or Brittany, France
Cost:	€3,550 to €4,750 ($3,899 to $5,217) per week
Description:	This is a customizable French immersion program with an on-site homestay included. Prices vary depending on how many private lessons you choose per day, ranging from 4 to 8. Most levels also include 3 hours of individual study and 2 hours of conversation.  This is one of the most expensive programs on the list, but the school's small, intensive environment provides the ideal learning opportunity for students who seek a true immersion experience. You can also choose to stay just for the weekend with 5 or 6 private lessons a day for €1,900 ($2,087) or €2000 ($2,197).

What to Look for in a French Immersion Program

The key to a successful immersion experience, one that really “sticks,” is a program that also provides you with a real-life experience of some kind. This means using your French outside of the classroom, which can be accomplished with one or both of the following:

• A family homestay during your immersion course.
• A direct work experience during your course or a work placement following your course.

These “make or break” elements put your French to practice in real-life situations, either at home with a local host family or at work. So give preference to courses that have one or both of these elements incorporated to provide you with an all-around immersion experience (and also lasting memories!).

Make sure to research any immersion school or program before handing over your money. Keep an eye out for programs that only offer something like two-hour “on-site” language training, as these are simply language courses and not immersion programs. Read the program descriptions thoroughly and ask questions.

Why Choose a Total French Immersion Program

Learning French through immersion will enrich your connection with the French language and, of course, your language skills. Let’s look at some specific advantages that a French immersion program will give you.

You get access to French 24/7

In an immersion environment, you’ll be speaking, listening and reading in French nearly 100% of the time. It’s one thing to go to a language class. It’s completely different to turn your life into a full-time language class.

In true French immersion, you aren’t allowed to speak any English. This can be a bit uncomfortable at first, especially for beginners, but that’s the whole point! Learning a language also means learning to accept and work with discomfort. This pushes you to keep growing.

It’s okay not to know everything, but make sure to ask questions! With open ears and an open mind, you’ll build your vocabulary and improve your pronunciation around the clock, seven days a week!

They’re not as expensive as you think

Many immersion courses cost the same as regular French-language courses, and as a bonus, many provide paid work experience following academic courses, so you can make most (if not all) of your money back… while using your French!

But if cost is a prohibiting factor, you can try out immersion at little to no cost, no travel needed. Create your own immersion-from-home environment with simple practical methods like consuming native French media.

You’ll see quick results

It’s no secret that immersion is one of the most effective strategies for language acquisition. It’s hard to learn a language in isolation. When you learn French through immersion, you get quick results in your language progress.

With these rapid results, you’ll gradually develop a “French brain,” or the ability to think and speak in French naturally without the French-to-English translation process.

This, in turn, will give you the ability to speak faster and to follow conversations much more quickly. Eventually, you’ll notice that you’re even talking to yourself in French! 

They’re open to all ages and language levels

Immersion is for anyone and everyone. French immersion courses are abundant at the college/university level (and, increasingly, at the school level as well) but there’s also an array of private language schools that provide intensive French immersion courses for all ages, occupations and nationalities.

Immersion is also good for all language levels. For beginners, learning French in an immersion setting develops listening and comprehension. Intermediate and advanced learners, on the other hand, get access to a 100% Francophone environment where they’re challenged to speak and express themselves.

Although it can prove difficult to adhere to the “100% French” rule, the quick results you get are worth it.

 

Explore your possibilities and remember that you need to practice consistently to build fluency in French.

A French immersion program will put you right on track. So start filling up that piggy bank to save for your French-language adventure!

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)