France just wouldn’t be the same without Marseille and its melodious Southern accent. During your French language immersion stay, you will get the chance to go off on a day-long excursion to this large and magnificent city in the South of France! This is a beautiful way to soak up French culture as you learn French in Montpellier.
Marseille, oldest city in France is located on the Mediterranean coast. This makes it a very cosmopolitan city encouraging not only cultural exchanges but also economical ones with Southern Europe and the rest of the world. Its sea port was the first to be built in France which makes it a part of the country’s cultural heritage. Take part of a trip to this wonderful city during your residential French study stay with us. You will be able to see this port when making your first stop off at the famous “Basilique Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde”, nicknamed “la Bonne Mère”. From there, you will have a panoramic view of the town.
Discover the fascinating mediaeval city of Marseille during French language stays in Montpellier. Immerse yourself in the 2600-year-old history of France’s second-largest city – a perfect symbiosis of tradition and modernity.
To continue immersing yourself into the city melting pot, take our private bus down to the heart of Marseille for your lunch break which will give you the chance to taste the famous, “bouillabaisse”, the best of Marseille’s gastronomy. This typical dish, from ancient Greece, is a mixture of fish stock and 2 sorts of fish caught in the Provencal “Calanques” (creeks), and you will be able to have a glass of Pastis, iconic Marseille “aperitif” drink.
Once back from your lunch you will go off on a guided tour of the town to see the marvellous cultural sites and the famous old port, a popular meeting place for Marseille local people and visitors alike. It is here that you will really feel the atmosphere that is so characteristic of Marseille between its fish market and the effervescent town centre with the enormous “Canabière” high street where you can go shopping for souvenirs to take back from your French language stay in the South of France.
During the visit, you will be told about the history and legends of this town which is so culturally rich. You will also be able to visit the very ancient “Fort Saint Jean” as well as the famous MuCEM museum with its wonderful architecture dedicated to European and Mediterranean civilisations and suited to all ages of public. Away from the town centre you will be able to discover the majestic “Cathédrale de la Major” with its incredible architecture that will leave you breathless!
Marseille is also full of tasty sweets. During this cultural activity, beautiful day-long excursion, take the time to go off in search of “panisse” (chick-pea savoury cakes) or “navette” (biscuit with orange flower extracts), delicious!
Each excursion of our French language school in France is unique and opens your knowledge on French culture. Don’t hesitate to enrol for all the outings our French language school has to offer during your residential language stay in Montpellier. There is always more to learn about French culture, leaving you starry eyed with unforgettable memories to take home with you!