French Leaving Certificate Course in Biarritz

With our french leaving certificate course programme, you will improve your french language skills while enjoying your summer in the european surf capital.

Biarritz is well known for its great surfing conditions all year round and its long sandy beaches, ideal for relaxing with your new friends after your french classes. There is lots to see and do. The town is rich in culture and history with a combination of French, Basque and Spanish lifestyles, evident in its mix of cuisine, architecture and local customs.

This course is ideal for independent, motivated Transition Year and 5th-year students who wish to fast track their fluency in French and boost their language skills before the Leaving Certificate.

Our programme is specifically designed to improve your marks for your Leaving Cert French exam. It includes general french courses in the morning dedicated to the preparation of the French Leaving Certificate exam.

Outside of class, you will have 3 afternoons of activities a week (cultural and sport) and one full-day excursion at the weekend (or you can book 4 x 1.5 hours surfing lessons for an extra €100).

You will stay with a carefully selected french host family and benefit from being in an immersive French family environment.

Please not that students must reach a B1 or higher to be able to participate in this program. Once you have made your booking, you will receive the link for a test. Students who are not at this level can study our general course.

Our partner school in Biarritz has more than 30 years of experience and is accredited by the French Ministry of Education. The teachers are all native speakers and fully qualified in teaching French as a foreign language.

This programme is specifically designed to improve your Leaving Certificate exam result.

Students will study past exam papers and teachers will provide constructive advice about exam preparation techniques including stress management and memory aids.

You will attend 25 lessons per week.

Classes take place Monday to Friday, 9:30 am – 1:30 pm.

There are 15 general french classes taking place Monday to Friday, 9:30 am to 1:30 pm. These classes are divided into different modules made up of listening, spoken, grammar, reading, writing and comprehension.

Plus 10 Leaving Certificate focused classes covering past exam papers, communication, expression, listening activities, essay planning, grammar and vocabulary, maximum 6 students in a group.

An online assessment on your level of french is taken before your arrival, so you will be in the suitable group for your level. You will receive a certificate at the end of your course.

We encourage our students to join in some organised activities to have fun whilst practicing their French.

You have the choice between 4 sessions of 1.5 hours per week of surfing or a multi-activities pack (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday afternoon).

The beaches used for the surf lessons offer a variety of high-quality beach breakers and waves more suitable to beginners. All the surf instructors hold a diploma from the “Federation de Surf” to prove their competence to teach surfing. All the wet-suits and boards are provided by the surf school.

Multi-activities pack: According to the season and week, our partner school designs activities programme such as hiking, rafting, rock climbing, paddle boarding, kayaking, oceanographic museum, etc.

On Saturday, you will be able to take part in a full-day excursion (Bayonne, Saint-Jean de Luz, Saint-Jean Pied de Port, etc.).

Before or after the activities, social activities as beach volleyball or quizzes are organised for students to make friends and practice their french.

Each activity is supervised by a qualified professional.

You will stay with a local host family, in a twin room. Through living with a family, you will be fully immersed in the country’s lifestyle and culture.

Our local host families are vetted and chosen rigorously by our language school partner. Most of them have been hosting for years. The location of their homes is not further than 20 minutes on foot or by bus from the school. You will be shown to your school on the first morning.

Your accommodation is full board. You will have breakfast and dinner with your host family as well as lunch on the weekends and a picnic lunch during the weekdays (special diets are cathered for).

Accommodation is from the Sunday prior to the course start date until the Saturday after the end of the course (you can book an extra-night).

Students who are minors (under 18) are required to have a signed parental permission form if they wish to go out in the evenings. Parents must indicate a curfew time. 

Note that our partner school offers a 24/7 support.

Tips for your trip from Ireland:

Our prices do not include transport from Ireland. Once you have received your confirmation of your stay, you will be able to purchase your ticket and provide us with your travel information.

Direct flights to Biarritz from Dublin run on Saturdays – so students on this course usually fly the day before the course begins, which incurs an extra night stay supplement fee of €45. 

For more information, contact us.