The Département d'Etudes de Français Langue Etrangère in Bordeaux III does French language courses. The courses are useful and the quality of teaching is good.

The September Stage

DEFLE run a three week language course during September. This is an ideal way to start the year because it gives you a good start with the language and you get to meet a lot of people. It also means you can get used to Bordeaux before the year's courses start. erasmus will pay for an intensive language course. Try to get your department in the UK pay for it. Otherwise pay for it yourself and then get the money reimbursed. If your home university is paying then it would be useful to have a letter that explains this to the DEFLE people.

When you arrive in Bordeaux at the beginning of September try to find out in advance where you will be staying so you know whereabouts on the campus to take all your stuff. If you get dropped of at Village 3 and then find out that you've got to drag everything the two miles to Village 1 you won't be very happy. Most people doing the stage will stay in Village 3 which is just across the road from the DEFLE building but if you are staying for the whole year and have organised accommodation in Village 1 , say, then you are better off going there straight away so you don't have to move after three weeks.

Courses During the Year

There are similar DEFLE courses during the course of the year. If you are interested go to the secretary in the Maison du DEFLE where you can get more information and sign up for the diagnostic test that they do at the beginning of October. These courses are normally full-time but if you are doing other studies as well there is no problem with doing just a few hours a week - the grammar course for example.