Study French, Learn about France, Travel to France (and catch the centenary Tour de France)

The Medieval Town of Albi, on the itinerary of the Amicale and the 2013 Tour de France

It’s the New Year, traditionally a time when we make resolutions and plans for the year ahead. If you're interested in France and things French, 2013 brings an interesting new local opportunity from local language, culture and travel expert Thérèse Burrows-Delbarry who has put together an intriguing package for French culture and language buffs. It’s aimed at local people who are interested in brushing up their language, learning more about French culture and even spending a week in France with an expert guide

With time available following a lifelong career in teaching French language and culture and organising tours, Therese is driven by a passion for her native France. The dynamic Ladder resident wants to offer a new way to unite a group of locals around a shared interest.

Starting at the end of this month, the Amicale Francophile will offer either a fortnightly language / culture / social group or a complete package including the fortnightly sessions plus a joint trip to the South of France to coincide with this year’s Centenary Tour de France, led by Therese herself.

“There’s nothing quite like being at the Tour de France. Everyone must go once in a lifetime. The atmosphere is electric.”, Therese told me.

Therese seems little motivated by money but is clearly keen to share her knowledge and expertise with her neighbours.

“I am not a philanthropist, but having stopped working full time early and not quite yet retired, I am fit enough to give some of my time more or less freely in my specialist field. So I can run this activity at a very low cost for the

sessions. Because I already have a base in France, I do not have to charge much for my travelling costs or accommodation."

However much we may seek to identify ourselves as travellers rather than tourists, glampackers rather than package travellers, when we travel, we can often find it hard to get under a country’s skin, even somewhere we think we might know well like our closest neighbour, La Belle France. The insights that come from knowing a country better can be what transforms travel from interesting and enjoyable to intriguing and life changing.

Although Therese wants to help reveal a whole new France to her neighbours, she’s also aware that some of her friends have been put off travel in the past by the lack of a willing travel partner and she wants to help remove that barrier too. (Although anyone who has a partner or friend they'd like to join the trip is welcome to bring them along.)

“In the Amicale, people would have a chance to get to know people before they travel. So we’ll be travelling together as friends from London and this should reassure people who don’t want to travel alone.”

Whether you join the Amicale for the sessions alone or the whole package, it is open to anybody, whatever their level of French. Therese says that she intends to use English when necessary. She also promises that no one will be put in detention for missing a session! “I know that people have busy lives and so notes will always been forwarded prior to the sessions”.

The fortnightly sessions will be run in Therese’s Ladder home (or in a local library, café or pub, depending on the group size), and will focus on the South West of France including the town of Albi which hosts one of the stages of this year's Tour de France. The sessions are due to start in the last week of January. Therese wants to plan them at the time that's most suitable for those who want to attend. So when you register, you'll be asked to state a preference of time/day - either a weekday morning (10:00 - 11.30) or evening (8:00 - 9:30), or a weekend (Saturday between 10:00 - 11.30).

The trip, currently planed for 3^rd – 10^th July, will include Toulouse, Albi, Cahors, Fiegeac, Bruniquel and vineyards and medieval villages of the Lot.

The costs sound pretty damn reasonable to me. Each fortnightly session will be £10, with the trip should work out at about a little over £600, including flights, seven nights’ accommodation, entrance fees and local transport, but excluding daily expenses such as food. (The final cost will  depend on the number of people, exchange rate, etc).

If you’d like to find out more about the Amicale, call Therese for a chat on 077 5184 5748. Alternatively she’s inviting interested people round to her house to find out more and to share a french delicacy or two. The taster session will be on 30th January.

If you're just want to sign up straight away, or you'd prefer to write to Therese, you can send her an email at  info@amicalefrancophile.com.