French for Senior adults – Alpha.b French school

Once again this year, May was marked by the presence of the 50+ students for 15 days. This special class is only composed of seniors from all around the world who want to learn French or deepen their knowledge of the language. They also participated in different excursions and activities to discover French culture, Nice and the French Riviera.

This year, our group was composed of former participants from previous years, but also newcomers.

French class in the morning emphasizes on oral practice and discussions between students and teacher. You have the opportunity to talk about a wide range of subjects, according to your interests. Afternoons are dedicated to immersing yourself in the local culture. This year, the program was packed!

We started the week with a themed visit of the city of Nice at the Belle Époque with its luxurious villas, palaces, and hostels. Nice’s architecture is unique in its own way; it would be a shame to not talk about its gorgeous facades and its history.

The Club 50 also visited some museums, like the Photography museum and the Matisse museum in Nice, and the archeological garden of Cimiez with the ruins of the Roman arena, the thermae and its Benedictine monastery with its beautiful garden, maintained by monks in the old days.

The tour of the town of Antibes also included the Picasso museum, before participating in a demonstration of a real glass-blower, Didier Saba ! The group was pleased to get home with their very own glasses, made by themselves.

This year, the goal for the school was to find excursions that former participants did not already know and new people could still enjoy. In order to surprise everyone, our group went to the castle of la Napoule in Mandelieu and its gardens. Our group had the pleasure to have their lunch at the restaurant of the 14th-century castle, before discovering the surprise their guide, Pacôme, prepared for them… A commented cruise along the coast of the “Corniche d’Or”, with its ochre cliffs and breathtaking landscape!

After all these adventures, we took some time to enjoy French culture and gastronomy around a “degustation” for a tranquil wine testing evening. Regional wines were handpicked to be paired with different types of French cheese and bread. We learned a few things about how to properly drink wine and tried 6 different kinds of cheese.

In order to keep improving their oral comprehension outside the classroom, the group also went to see a play in French in a theater in Nice, but also enjoyed a game of “Pétanque”, a tradition in the south of France, while drinking a bit of rosé.

We also traveled in the Provencal region and spent an afternoon at the Saint Cassien’s Lake, between relaxing under the sun and feet in the water.

Unfortunately, our adventure came to an end with a farewell lunch at the restaurant La Langouste, a few minutes away from the school, and a promise to see each other next year.