Learn French in Brittany

Apart from the Côte d'Azur, Brittany is the most popular summer resort area in France, for both French and foreign tourists.

The long, rugged coastline with towering cliffs, rock formations, offshore islands and islets, vast bays with glorious white-sanded beaches, and the secretive, almost mystical interior with its prehistoric dolmens and menhirs will leave an ever-lasting impression on all the visitors to Brittany.

This most westward region of France, where the ancient language of the Bretons is still spoken and age-old traditions live on, always seems a little out of step with the mainstream France.

Brittany Highlights

Saint-Malo
Besides numerous manors and châteaux, Brittany has several medieval fortified towns. The best known is Saint-Malo, a walled port city connecting Brittany with England and the Channel Islands. Apart from the city walls, sites of interest include the chateau of Saint-Malo which is now the town museum, the Cathedral of St.Vincent, the Great Aquarium Saint-Malo and the Labyrinthe du Corsaire amusement park.

Le Mont Saint-Michel
One of the hallmarks of Brittany, Le Mont Saint-Michel, is a rocky, cone-shaped islet situated in the Gulf of Saint-Malo, connected by a causeway with the mainland. The islet, celebrated for its Benedictine abbey, has small houses and shops on its lowest level. Above these stand the monastic buildings, many of which date from the 13th century and are considered outstanding examples of Gothic architecture. Mont Saint Michel was initially built as a medieval castle. As a result, it has two large towers to defend the entrance.

Megalithic Monuments Brittany is home to many megalithic monuments which are scattered across the peninsula. The purpose of these monuments is still unknown.

Brest

Brest is located amidst dramatic landscape in the west end of Brittany. It is situated to the north of a magnificent landlocked bay, and occupies the slopes of two hills divided by the river Penfeld.

The Brest Castle
The main tourist spot of Brest is the old castle with its outstanding 15th century structures, offering a panoramic view of the city. The collection of the Muse National de la Marine (National Naval Museum), focusing on the French maritime traditions, is hosted in three of the castle towers.

Muse de Vieux Brest
Another museum worth visiting is the Muse de Vieux Brest, housed in the 14th century Tour Tanguy on the opposite bank of the River Penfeld, depicting the city on the eve of WWII.

The Oceanopolis
Ocanopolis Marine Centre, situated on the east of the city centre, is an aquarium popular among visitors and a favorite for families. The marine centre showcases the variety of sea life and features a 3D cinema.

Your Language School in Brittany

The school is housed within the walls of a magnificent 19th century mansion, located in a beautiful park facing the Elorn River. The charm of the place will captivate and motivate you for your studies.

Established in 1987, our French language school in Brittany is a member of the Brest Chamber of Commerce and Industry. It specializes in teaching French as a foreign language, and is a student-friendly school equipped with 27 classrooms, capable of hosting up to 200 students, in small groups, at a time.

When you start your course, you will be able to take advantage of our high-tech study facilities to improve your French skills. The school provides computers and multi-media equipment as well as a quality organisation. It is one of France’s leading language schools and has been accredited with the quality label FLE by the Department of Higher Education and Research, Foreign and European Affairs, Culture and Communication.

Student Services and Facilities

CIEL Brittany provides you with all the necessary tools to learn French and a perfect environment to help you improve your skills and make your exams a success.

• Video lab
• TOMATIS labs
• Computer lab
• Library
• Games library
• Free access to computers
• Free wireless Internet
• Student recreational area.

We are sure you will be thrilled with the school's atmosphere. In addition to a wonderful park, you will find several grassy areas throughout the facilities to either enjoy group activities or study quietly.

At lunch time, you may choose to eat at the school’s restaurant or bring your own lunch bag and sit on the grass facing the river, or stay at the cafeteria (microwave oven and vending machines available).

• Restaurant
• cafeteria
• garden facing the river
• park spread over 2 acres
• 150 parking spaces

The Teachers

For the past 20 years, the school's qualified team of teachers has welcomed over 1000 students each year, coming from around the world to learn French in the Brittany's magnificent settings.

Host family accommodation

To keep learning after classes we recommend, no matter your age, choosing host family accommodation. Carefully selected host families will be pleased to show you around Brittany and will help you understand France and its culture.

Only one or two students per host family
In order to benefit from you stay, the number of students per family is limited. During your stay, you will have plenty of opportunities to learn French during meals, walks, visits, etc.

Free pick-up service
If you contact your host family a week before your arrival, they will pick you up from the airport or the railway station. Host family accommodation is scheduled to start on Sunday afternoon or evening and end on Saturday morning, however later or earlier arrivals can be arranged.

Host family housing

• Half board from Monday to Friday (breakfasts and dinner)
• Full board on weekends
• Single room with private or shared bathroom

Youth Hostel

The youth hostel is wonderfully situated in a park in the heart of the Bay of Brest Marina and near the beach. Océanopolis and the botanical garden are only a few steps away.

• 118 beds divided in rooms of 4 beds each (no single rooms available, shared bathroom)
• 11 rooms are specially equipped for the disabled
• 3 dining rooms, a kitchen for guests and a cafeteria
• A fire place
• 4 fully equipped meeting rooms
• A laundry room
• Board-games, piano, table, football, billiard, ping-pong, and bike rental

University Campus Dormitories

Brest University has two sets of on-campus accommodation. They are located at a five minutes’ bus ride from the city centre and the main railway station.

This basic accommodation consists of single rooms, quite modest in size, and the following shared facilities: bathrooms, toilets, kitchen(for breakfast only, bring your own cookware and dishes), laundry room (washer, dryer, ironing board), study rooms, bicycle park, phone booth, and TV room. You can have your meals at the cafeterias on campus.

Hotels in Brest

We can help you to choose the right hotel for you from the wide selection of hotels of different category and rating available, of which the following are a few examples:

2-star hotels:

• Kyriad Brest (just a few steps from the convention centre, the marina and Océanopolis)
• Brithotel (15 minutes from your French language school)
• Hôtel Bellevue (in the Brest city centre, near the railway station)

3-star hotels:

• Hôtel L'Amirauté Brest
• Hôtel Le Continental Brest (in the city centre, art Déco style hotel)
• Hôtel Oceania (located in the heart of Brest, in Siam street)

Flats in Brest

There are also furnished studios available for those looking for more independence and/or on long-term stay.

These are just two of such studios:

• Hôtel Center (ideally located in the city centre, near the main streets)
• Appart'city (you can rent furnished and fully equipped apartments and get a la carte services)

Fly to Brest:

Regular flights to Brest international airport from:

• Birmingham, Exeter, London, Southampton and Manchester.

Get to Brest by boat:

• Brittany Ferries operates regular service between Brittany (Roscoff) and Plymouth: www.brittanyferries.fr
• Better yet: get a free transfer from the train station or airport when choosing to stay with a host family. They will pick you up from the railway station or the airport upon your arrival.

Getting around Brittany :

• Whether you travel by train, car or bus, there are many ways to discover Brittany’s cities and countryside.
• Take advantage of cheap deals: bus (2 € maximum between Brest and major cities in the province of Finistère or the boat Transrade + Bibus bus for 2 € between Brest and the beautiful Crozon Peninsula.
• Prepare your trip on this website: www.viaoo29.fr

Getting around Brest :

Get to know more about Brest through the official website of the city www.mairie-brest.fr .
The bus company Bibus www.bibus.fr has 27 bus lines to get around Brest and the surrounding towns. To get to the language school take line 27, bus stop Le Passage.

In summer, more services are available :

• Vélocibus : rent bicycles with your bus tickets
• Randobus: get to the trekking spots by bus with this special summer bus.
• Bus des Plages : a daily bus service to the beaches of Trez-Hir or Tregana. You can get to the other beaches in Finistère by using a bus company called Penn-ar-Bed. The ticket called "Penn-Ar-Bed", which is sold on the Bibus buses for only 2 €, gives you access to use Bibus buses for one full hour and a return on the same day on one of the Finistere department’s other bus lines.