Learn French in Tours

The city’s population is estimated at 137,000. Tours is famous for its medieval part, aptly called Le Vieux Tours, with its characteristic town houses and the renowned Place Plumereau.

La Touraine is also well known for wine tasting. Some of the local favourites include the white wines of Amboise, Montlouis, Vouvray, Azay le Rideau; and the red wines of Chinon, Bourgueil and Saint-Nicolas.

Learn French in the Loire Valley

Loire Valley, a region listed as a World heritage site by UNESCO, offers visitors an exceptional environment: protected nature, wild and peaceful rivers, exceptional historical and architectural heritage, vineyards and forests. From the Middle Ages, Val de Loire was the favourite region of the kings of France, who built numerous chateaux along the river Loire, such as Azay, Chambord, Cheverny, Amboise and Chenonceau.

Tour’s Highlights

The Tours Cathedral
One of the main local landmarks is the Tours Cathedral. Its construction began around 1170 to replace the foundations of the cathedral that was burnt in 1166, during the war between Louis VII of France and Henry II of England.


Fine Food and Wine
Tours is known for its art of cooking and has a fantastic gastronomic reputation. The region is full of great chefs, great food and great wine. If you are looking to try out some of the region’s specialties, don’t miss the andouillette (tripe sausage), rillettes (goose or pork pate), coq-au-vin with Chinon wine, Ste Maure goat cheese, or the so-called "Tours" prunes, macaroons made by the monks of Cormery.

The Fine Arts Museum
The Musee Des Beaux Arts is a popular tourist destination, and is located in the former Archbishop's Palace. The museum displays many fine pieces of antique furniture and a considerable collection of French and foreign paintings. There are also some local delights, such as Boulanger's portrait of Balzac, and engravings of The Five Senses by the locally born Abraham Bosse.

Your French Language School in Tours

Our French language school in Tours has been successfully teaching French to generations of students and teachers since 1912, resulting in unprecedented 100 years of experience in teaching French as a foreign language.

Several generations of teachers have taught more than 200,000 students over periods of several weeks, months or years. All this represents countless memories, shared joys and experiences. Beyond the quality of the teaching programmes, the school embraces total immersion in the French society, which has always been of tremendous help in accelerating the learning process.

Teaching Methods

Our language school in Tours is under the academic supervision of the Tours University. An Educational Council made up of members of both institutions oversees the educational policies of the school, in particular the curricula and teaching methods. The structure of the curriculum and the teaching methods aim to foster the development of core skills, whatever level the students have when they arrive

• Unlike most language schools, new students do not arrive in classes every week. The same students thus stay together with the same teachers up to the end of their course
• Students are continuously assessed and regularly tested on each type of language skills (oral and written). This system measures their progress in real time and allows for any difficulties to be overcome.
• All students can benefit from tutoring, for personal guidance in their studies and to help them overcome difficulties. Tutors are available to students at designated times from Monday to Friday.

The Teachers

Our language school in Tours employs 20 full-time teachers. All the teachers are qualified teachers of French as a foreign language. The teaching team is actively involved in numerous educational projects, such as University Courses at the Tours University and Educational assignments for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Several members of the staff have also participated in development of language teaching methodologies.

Facilities and Resources

The Library
The school's library is open from 12.00 to 18.00 Monday to Friday. The library specializes in French as a foreign language and is stocked with exercise books, grammar books, dictionaries and specialist French reference books to supplement class-based learning. It also has an extensive collection of literature, reference books and specialist papers on language teaching theory.

The school subscribes to a wide range of daily newspapers and magazines, which are available to the students in the reading room.

The Multimedia Library
The Institute's multimedia library is open to students every afternoon, Monday to Friday. Available learning resources on the library’s multimedia workstations include: oral comprehension exercises, dictations, exercises, songs and films.

Cultural Activities

Our French language school in Tours operates guided tours for students throughout the year. One of the teachers, a history of arts major, acts as a guide for students in their discovery of the French artistic and cultural heritage. Tours are scheduled each term on Wednesday afternoons and on Saturdays, outside lesson hours, and feature such destinations as: Chenonceaux, Amboise, Chambord, Mont Saint Michel, Futuroscope and Château de Versailles.

Accommodation options for your French language course in Tours

• Family home stay
• University halls of residence
• Youth hostel
• Hameau Saint Michel
• Lamy Residence studio flats (please enquire)
• Furnished flat (please enquire)
• Appotel flats (please enquire)

Family Home Stay

Location: in the city centre
Available: all year long

• Single or shared room
• A furnished room (a single or double bed, a desk, a wardrobe)
• Shared or en-suite bathroom
• Half-board during the week (breakfast and dinner)
• Full board on weekends – lunch, brunch or packed lunch
• Laundry service
• Internet (wired or wireless access, subject to availability)

University Halls of Residence

Location: about 20-25 minutes’ walk from school, bus service available
Available: July and August (limited places)

Christophe Colombe Residence
Single room with private bathroom and shared kitchen

Tonnelé Residence
Studio flats (1 person per studio)

Europe Residence
Studio flats (1 person per studio) and 2-bedroom flats (2 persons per flat)

• Wi-Fi access in all residences
• Laundry facilities in all residences
• Bedding, cooking utensils and housekeeping kits included

Youth Hostel

Location: in the city centre, 5 minutes’ walk from the school
Available: All year long (limited places)

• Single room with a single bed (bedding and towels supplied)
• Refrigerator in the room (extra €10 per month)
• Common room with television
• Wireless Internet access (fee)
• Launderette close to the hostel
• Iron and vacuum cleaner available
• Shared bathrooms and toilets
• 2 shared kitchens per floor

Hameau Saint Michel

Location: in the city centre, opposite the school
Period: all year round (limited places)

• Single room with a private bathroom
• Double room with a private bathroom
• Single room with a bathroom shared with 1 or 2 other students
• Free wireless Internet access
• Laundry facilities
• Television in 2 common rooms
• Iron and vacuum cleaner available on each floor

Our French language school in Tours is located in the centre of Tours

• One hour from Paris by train
• Les than 2 hours from Paris Charles Gaulle airport.
• 1h 30 minutes from London by plane