Intensive French 24

Sud-Ouest French Institute 64

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Course description

In addition to the standard course with an emphasis on oral expression.

Course topics

Listening, Speaking, Pronunciation, Reading, Writing, Vocabulary, Grammar and Activities

Class schedule

Course duration
1-12 weeks
Start dates
Every Monday (except for beginners)
Start dates for beginners
Every first Monday of the month
Classes per week
24 lessons per week (each lesson lasts 45 min)
Class days
Monday - Friday

Class times

Morning session
09:30 AM - 12:45 PM
Afternoon session
02:00 PM - 03:30 PM

Class schedule may change depending on availability and season.

Class level

Absolute beginner
Elementary
Pre-intermediate
Intermediate
High intermediate
You will take a placement test on your first day to determine your class level. You may also take this test before your arrival in Biarritz.

Class size

Average 5 students
Maximum 8 students

Student age

Age range 18 years old and older
Average 28 years old
(22 in the summer)

Certificate

A certificate of completion will be issued at the end of the course.
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school
photos

Photos

  • Homestay housing offered by Sud-Ouest French Institute 64 1/11
  • Terrace 2/11
  • 1-on-1 classes at Sud-Ouest French Institute 64 3/11
  • Classes at Sud-Ouest French Institute 64 4/11
  • Classes at Sud-Ouest French Institute 64 5/11
  • Students of Sud-Ouest French Institute 64 6/11
  • Activities offered at Sud-Ouest French Institute 64 7/11
  • Homestay housing offered by Sud-Ouest French Institute 64 8/11
  • City of Biarritz 9/11
  • Activities offered at Sud-Ouest French Institute 64 10/11
  • Classes at Sud-Ouest French Institute 64 11/11
reviews

Reviews

100% recommend

based on 13 reviews
5 stars
11
4 stars
2
3 stars
0
2 stars
0
1 star
0
Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing

"A very welcoming environment with great teachers!"

Elsa Lembre, student from Sweden

My over all experience at the school was great! The environment felt so welcoming and friendly thanks to the teachers, the students and of course the two dogs and the cat. The schedule worked perfectly for me and I found the lessons very engaging and educative. My teacher did a great job with the variation of activities during the lessons and she really created a safe environment for me to find the courage to speak French. Another great thing was the combination of French and surf! The surf school was also a great place with wonderful and helpful people. The only complaint I have is the location of the French school which was a bit far from Biarritz, but still easy to reach though. I really enjoyed my two weeks at the school!

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Duration of study
1 week
Date of study
9 Sep 2024 - 20 Sep 2024
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.
Stéphanie, Directrice at Sud-Ouest French Institute 64 responded to this review.
10 October 2024

Merci Elsa ! Pour nous aussi, c'était "great" de t'avoir à l'école avec nous.
On est contents que tu aies aimé l'école, les profs et les animaux. ;)
On espère que le reste de ton séjour se passe bien!

"It was educative and instruktiv, both the French classes and the surfing lessons."

Matilda Norlén, student from Sweden

The classes were very well laid out. The content of what my French teacher, Talula, had in the classes was really good and usable. Talula was an encredible teacher with much patience! The location of the school was nice, close to the Beach with was very nice for us that surfed. And also that the school was lodade near les Alles in Anglet was a big +, great food. In the school you Felt like your were in somines Home, in a good way. I Felt very welcomed and at home from the start.

I loved that they baked on fridays, made the experienced a bit more personal and you really Felt taken cared of! Over all a great experience with the school and the program 'French and surf'.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Duration of study
1 week
Date of study
9 Sep 2024 - 20 Sep 2024
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.
Stéphanie, Directrice at Sud-Ouest French Institute 64 responded to this review.
10 October 2024

Coucou Matilda ! Merci pour ces gentils mots. C'est vrai qu'on a de la chance d'être situés entre les Halles et la plage. :)
Je passerai le message à Thomas pour son goûter du vendredi, ça lui fera plaisir de savoir que tu as aimé ça!
À bientôt peut-être!

"Great experience studying with Sud-ouest French Institute 64"

Ståle Sørensen, student from Norway

I was there for only two weeks in september/october, taking the course French intensif, 24 h pr week, level B1. It was great. Nice, very competent teacher. As it happened, my class had only three students, so that made learning even easier. Very good ambience in the school, and all together a good setting.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Duration of study
1 week
Date of study
25 Sep 2023 - 6 Oct 2023
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Motivational and relaxed place that drives to excell"

Marijn Zwijsen, student from Netherlands

The classes were well structured and the teachers payed a lot of attention to your own personal needs and bottle necks. Not all teachers were as experienced with teaching people with my language background (English and Dutch i.e. Germanic), but there were others to fill in these gaps. Location is quiet and relaxed with plenty of activities to offer some variation. All in all, a great environment for learning !

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Duration of study
3 weeks
Date of study
4 Oct 2021 - 29 Oct 2021
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"I got what I needed to improve my French."

Margerita Piatti, student from Austria

The size of the class was perfect, just 6 students, so there was enough time and space to practice talking. The location was great, quiet, close to the sea, close to the accommodation. The teacher was awesome, she encouraged participation and tried to meet the needs of everyone. One could rent a bike there, sign up for Yoga classes and surf classes. Yoga was especially great for me. I was really satisfied with the host family, the guest mother was very talkative and interested in the students, dinner time was great for talking.

I actually expected to receive a book, so maybe it could be described in advance, that there is no book included in the price. Also, I thought the school was located directly in Biarritz, but it was in Anglet (another city). It was totally fine to be there in the end, but in the beginning I was a bit disappointed. So, also that should be pointed out in advance.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Date of study
10 Jun 2019 - 14 Jun 2019
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Having fun while learning French and surfing for the first time"

Ane Petersen, student from Denmark

Sofi64 is a great school. Stephanie works everyday with a lot of enthusiasm even though she’s rather go surfing ;) There is a good atmosphere that invites to fun, but also a serious learning environment.
The schoo it self is light and clean - nice facilities, and close to the beach!

For surfing I recommend booking the lessons for a week of two to try it out. We were some people that were not always so satisfied with the teachers at the surf school.

The host family is a good opportunity to speak French outside of the school and to experience some French everyday culture first-hand.

Anglet is a nice city, not too big, not too small, and if you’re looking for a little shopping or other city activities Biarritz is just 15 minutes away.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Duration of study
3 weeks
Date of study
6 Aug 2018 - 31 Aug 2018
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"I couldn't have asked for a finer teacher, more gracious home, or more beautiful location."

Sara Winter Nye, student from USA

I was fortunate to be assigned to Stephanie Houset's class. She is a gifted teacher, skilled at allowing and then correcting mistakes, blending grammatical subjects into conversation, and varying the assignments and homework. She is also funny, and fun to be with. A word of caution, however: students who had other teachers were less enthusiastic.

The school had just moved to new facilities, and they were pleasant.

My housing arrangements were excellent and my hostess went out of her way to show me the sights and make me feel comfortable and included.

Biarritz-Anglet-Bayonne is surely one of the most beautiful locations on earth.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Duration of study
3 weeks
Date of study
3 Apr 2017 - 28 Apr 2017
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Nice school, good waves and very nice people!"

Marina Janda, student from Austria

I really liked the teachers and the location of the school!
It was a really nice experience!
The only thing to complain about: the classrooms are too small

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Duration of study
2 weeks
Date of study
1 Aug 2016 - 19 Aug 2016
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"The only place to accelerate your learning and grasp of the French language in a beautiful environment with an amazing tutor."

Olly Carter

I studied the intensive French Language course at SOFI 64 for 6 weeks with my teacher Steph. It was a great mixture of all of the elements of learning from the foundations upwards and despite it being intensive, it was always fun and informative and I came away from each day wanting to learn more and excited to get back into class the next day. I have to say that's genuinely a first for me looking forward to getting back into class. She tailored the programme perfectly to mine and the other students needs and was current, topical, attentive to both the individual and group needs of the class, fun and encouraging. I was lucky as the class size was perfect, just two of us for the first few weeks with the addition of just a few more for the last few weeks. Steph makes you feel so welcome and is keen to get you involved in the area she is so passionate about in Anglet and all aspects of the local and French culture. The area is beautiful and she knows everyone and everywhere and has one or two great surf spots up her sleeve. I've never met a more passionate teacher, with so much energy and enthusiasm. I can't thank her enough and highly recommend the school and Steph to anyone who's interested in progressing quickly with learning the French Language.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Duration of study
5 weeks
Date of study
23 Jun 2014 - 1 Aug 2014
Would you recommend this school?
Yes

"Fun, comprehensive, invaluable, unique, very French and lots of beach."

Benjamin Nash

I enrolled with SOFI64 with the intention of finally getting a grasp on the French language after many failed attempts trying to learn in an English speaking country and with self-teaching methods. Not having the ability to name the days of the week or count past 10, I was hesitant that the lessons were taught only in French and wondered how I was ever going to learn anything. After 6 weeks, initially only booking for 5, I have completed my A1 level and able to understand and participate in social conversations. Just as important my reading and writing skills are far beyond my expectations after such a short time.
Stephanie is a sound professional with a unique personality which makes learning enjoyable and most importantly effective. Classes are small and the course is structured perfectly to allow for a very favourable study/life balance. Very important where there are miles of great beaches to be surfed.
From an absolute novice like I once was or for people who want to take their French to the next step, this is without a doubt the place to do it. And did I mention the beach is close?! Unreal.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Duration of study
5 weeks
Date of study
23 Jun 2014 - 1 Aug 2014
Would you recommend this school?
Yes

"Superb! Strongly recommended!"

Andrea

If you want to improve your French, I strongly recommend to take a course at SOFI64 French language school!
It's a small school in Anglet/Biarritz, Basque Country, whose director has nine years of experience in teaching French to foreigners.

I took a one month course with Stéphanie, the director of the school, and I improved my French so much. Stéphanie is very nice and she's also a very good teacher.

The first week was very quiet (low season). We were two students at school with different levels of French (though not so different: A2 and B1), but Stéphanie chose different classes for us. I found this choice really professional.

Though I've chosen the course "Standard French", I luckily had a private tuition course for the same price.

Moreover, you have no additional costs for inscription and for host family researching.

The lessons were really interesting and let me progress very fast, even more than I thought.
If you really want to progress (outside the school), I recommend to choose the host family. My host family was really kind and helped me to improve my oral French.

Regarding the spare time, you can choose surfing, skating, taking excursions, or visiting Bayonne or Biarritz. The Basque Country is a wonderful place!

Besides, Stéphanie and my host family helped me in choosing how to spend my spare time.

It has been an unforgettable experience!

Si vous voulez perfectionner votre français, je vous conseille vivement un cours chez SOFI64!
Il s'agit d'une petite école située à Anglet/Biarritz, Pays Basque, dont la directrice a déjà neuf ans d'expérience dans l'enseignement du Français Langue Étrangère.

J'ai pris un mois de cours avec Stéphanie, la directrice de l'école, et mon français est beaucoup amélioré. Elle est très sympa et en même temps une très bonne prof.

La première semaine était très calme (après l’été). Il N’y avait que moi et une autre étudiante à l'école, mais, comme notre niveau était différent (pas trop: A2 et B1), Stéphanie ne nous a pas mis dans la même classe. J'ai trouvé ceci très professionnel.

Bref, quoique j'aie choisi le cours "Français Standard", j'ai pris un cours individuel pour le même prix.

De plus, on ne paye pas ni de frais d'inscription ni de frais de recherche pour famille d'accueil.

Les leçons étaient très intéressantes et m'ont permis de progresser très vite, et beaucoup plus que ce que j'espérais.
Si vous voulez vraiment progresser (au dehors de l'école) je vous conseille de choisir l'hébergement dans une famille d'accueil. Ma famille d'accueil était vraiment très gentille et m'a permis de perfectionner mon oral.

En ce qui concerne l'emploi du temps au dehors de l'école, vous n'avez qu'à choisir: surf, skate, randonnées, visiter Bayonne ou Biarritz...le Pays Basque est un lieu magnifique!

De plus, que ce soit Stéphanie ou la famille d'accueil, les deux m'ont beaucoup aidé à choisir à mieux employer mon temps libre.

C'était une expérience inoubliable!



Se volete migliorare il vostro francese, vi consiglio vivamente un corso alla scuola SOFI64!
Si tratta di una piccola scuola a Anglet/Biarritz, nei Paesi Baschi, la cui direttrice ha già nove anni di esperienza nell'insegnamento del francese agli stranieri.

Ho fatto un mese di corso con Stéphanie, la direttrice della scuola, e il mio francese è molto migliorato. Stéphanie è molto simpatica e allo stesso tempo un'ottima insegnante.

La prima settimana è stata molto tranquilla (bassa stagione). Eravamo solo due studenti in tutta la scuola, ma, dato che avevamo livelli diversi di francese (neanche troppo diversi: A2 e B1), Stéphanie non ci ha messo nella stessa classe. Ho trovato questa scelta molto professionale.

Quindi, nonostante io abbia scelto il corso "Francese Standard", ho fatto un corso individuale allo stesso prezzo.

Inoltre la scuola non ha costi aggiuntivi né per l'iscrizione né per la ricerca della famiglia ospitante.

Le lezioni sono state molto interessanti e mi hanno permesso di progredire molto velocemente, e molto più di quanto sperassi.
Se volete veramente progredire (al di fuori della scuola) vi consiglio di scegliere l'alloggio in famiglia. La mia famiglia ospitante è stata veramente gentile e mi ha aiutato a migliorare ancora di più il mio orale.

Per quanto riguarda il tempo libero, c'è l'imbarazzo della scelta: surf, skate, escursioni in montagna, visitare città come Bayonne o Biarritz….i Paesi Baschi sono un luogo magnifico!

Inoltre, sia Stéphanie che la famiglia ospitante mi hanno aiutato consigliandomi come meglio impiegare il mio tempo libero.

E' stata un'esperienza indimenticabile!

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Duration of study
3 weeks
Date of study
14 Oct 2013 - 8 Nov 2013
Would you recommend this school?
Yes

"Best experience of my life"

Kevin Brewer, student from Venezuela

The classes were very good, almost personal classes because we were 5 or less students during the 3 months. Stephanie, the teacher, was really nice and a very good teacher. I learned a lot from her. The school is located in a plaza, were you have a bakery, pizzeria, market, and a variety of restaurants to choose from. Also, the beach is just five minutes away by bike. The facilities were small, but had everything one needed for receiving class: a blackboard, desks, French books, TV and DVD. It had three classrooms and one bathroom. During my three months, I surfed a lot, traveled around Europe, and made new friends. The lady with whom I stayed was really nice, caring, attentive and good to me.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Duration of study
13 weeks
Date of study
10 Sep 2012 - 7 Dec 2012
Age group
25 - 34
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Amazing"

Sofie Vandeputte, student from Belgium

Very nice staff, Stéphanie was helpful and skilled. I especially liked the location, close to my house and close to the beach. Surfing lessons were a big plus (only teaching would've been a bit boring maybe). The housing was nice. I did have to share the room in the 2nd week with another student without being told before, but overall this wasn't a problem.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Duration of study
2 weeks
Date of study
16 Jul 2012 - 27 Jul 2012
Age group
25 - 34
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.
housing

Housing

SOFI 64 offers the following housing types:
homestay

Homestay - Single-person room - Breakfast and dinner

NZ$ 470
weekly
Age range: 18 years old and older
Location: Biarritz
Housing type: Homestay
Room type: Single-person room
Board type: Breakfast and dinner (14 meals per week)
Facilities: Kitchen, laundry, telephone, wireless internet, free internet, tV room, heating, and other
Distance to school: 5 - 25 minutes by bus
Availability: January - December
Check-in: Sunday, anytime
Check-out: Saturday, before 01:00 PM
NZ$ 470
With our host families, we provide you with the best way to improve your French language skills: French courses and total immersion sharing the life of a French family. You will speak French from day one and through your whole stay!

Our families are carefully evaluated and selected. They all have signed a contract with SOFI 64 to ensure best quality housing. They offer single or double bedrooms, half-board during the week and on week-ends and a warm friendly atmosphere.
Accommodation is booked from the Sunday before the first day at school until the Saturday after the last day of school.
Our families are within a radius of 5 to 25 minutes from SOFI 64.
Whenever possible we try to place students of different nationalities in the same family.

Homestay - 2-person shared room - Breakfast and dinner on weekdays, 3 meals on weekends - 2 students must book together

NZ$ 849
weekly
Age range: 18 years old and older
Housing type: Homestay
Room type: 2-person shared room
Board type: Breakfast and dinner (14 meals per week)
Facilities: Kitchen, laundry, telephone, wireless internet, free internet, tV room, and heating
Distance to school: 5 - 25 minutes by bus
Availability: January - December
Check-in: Sunday, anytime
Check-out: Saturday, anytime
Restriction: 2 students must book together
NZ$ 849
Our shared bedroom accommodation is for students travelling together.
Students will be housed in a French host family from Anglet or Biarritz
visa

Visa support

We cannot apply for visas on behalf of students. However, the school can supply you with all the documentation you need to support your visa application.

Your letter of acceptance will be sent to your home address by regular mail at no charge to you. If you wish to receive your paperwork by express mail, you will be charged 85 € when you register.

Flights and airport transfer

Please note that we do not book flights for our students. If you are researching airfare costs, we recommend using Kayak.com, a search engine that lets you compare flight options from your home country to Biarritz based on your budget, schedule and preferences.

Travel insurance

Study abroad worry-free with Language International's health and personal effects insurance coverage. When you book a course with us, you can opt to purchase an international insurance plan that covers not only your health care cost but also loss of your personal belongings. You must book your insurance in advance when you register.

Learn more about our insurance plan »

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questions

Questions and answers

Have questions? Get answers from Sud-Ouest French Institute 64 staff, Language International student advisors, and past students.

Ask a question

"1. This student needs a certificate showing that she has done 40h course. How is the certificate that she will receive after doing her 2 weeks course? 2. She is going to be in Biarritz with her husband and daughter. Do you offer any type of apartment accommodation that would fit their requirements?"

Stéphanie Houset, Sud-Ouest French Institute 64 school representative

1. If Nuria needs a certificate showing that she studied 40 hours with us, she will get one. However, the program she chose (Intensive French 24) covers only 36 hours over 2
weeks. If she needs 40 hours, she will have a personalized program such as "Intensive French 28" which covers 40 hours. Price is not the same indeed.
2.If Nuria and her family need an apartment, we will find one for them. There is plenty of possibilities at that time of the year.

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