TRAVEL FRANCE – Shred & Study in Chamonix

You could be here. Image:: Chamonix

Study and Shred | Tess Cook

Eating French cheese, shredding the French Alps and conversing in French with cute Frenchies are undoubtedly three good things. So combining them into one super shred-study experience in Chamonix is a very good thing

Insted Language School makes this all possible, smack bang in the heart of Chamonix – arguably one of the best resorts in the world – the live-in French school makes it possible to immerse yourself in every aspect of French culture for anything from two weeks to a whole season.

“Students get the most out of a semester course over 10,13, 15 weeks where they can actively combine learning and skiing alternating between morning and afternoon classes,” says Renee Smith from Insted.

“Part-time work can be found on the slopes, local cafes, bars, restaurants and serve to meet the ‘seasonnaire’ lifestyle,” she says.

Doing a season in the snow you know you’re going to come home better on the planks but turning yourself into a genuine Frankophile is an added bonus, especially as Insted is nothing like the year seven French classes you were so desperate to escape.

“Not only do we want our students to be immersed in the French culture and every day living for the benefit of their language studies, but we want them to have the opportunity to indulge in their favorite alpine sports and activities,” says Smith, quite rightly. Can it even be called study when you take yourself to the boulangerie and the bar to practice your verbs?

Insted is offering a 10% discount on their courses to all Mountainwatch users, so if you’re looking to a justification for a season in Chamonix there’s another!

Insted students on top of the world. Image:: Courtesy Insted

Andrea Binning – Insted graduate

Australia’s big mountain skiing pioneer Andrea Binning now lives in Chamonix with her husband and baby, she credits Insted with her French fluency.

You attended a course at Insted, when was this? How long was the course? Could you already speak a little French? were you newly arrived in Chamonix at the time?

When I started the course at Insted I had been in Chamonix for several years so I had a basic understanding of the French language. The course was a 12 week intensive course that had classes in either the morning or the afternoon for 3 hours.

What made you choose Insted?

I choose Insted as it is located in the centre of Chamonix and they use qualified teachers from the University of Grenoble that have an interest in the mountains, and it is the only school in the Alps so I can still ski everyday. They also offer different courses at different levels and also daytime and evening courses so you can tailor the course to your needs.

How did you find studying at Insted different to say learning a language at school? Was it more practically focused, more comprehensive etc?

The teachers are really into what they are teaching, the atmosphere is more relaxed and you have group of students that are like minded, into sports in mountains such as skiing and climbing.

Some people have bad memories of high school languages and are wary of attempting to learn a language, how do you think the Insted experience is more effective, and more fun, than a typical classroom language experience?

As it is located in the heart of Chamonix and you have courses that are either in the morning or afternoon you are flexible during the winter to go skiing everyday. It is also lots of fun and you meet people from all over the globe there, the enviroment at the school is great. They also help you find accomodation with other students, it is totally different from studying language at high school. You also are able to use French everyday when you are out of the class.

French vistas. Image:: Chamonix

What is the day-to-day like while you’re undertaking an Insted course; how many hours are you at the school, do you have many opportunities to ski, what about study time?

Insted’s standard intensive course is on a rotating schedule of mornings and afternoons. So you have time each day to get out in the mountains and the evenings if you are not at apres ski you can study!

What sort of people did you meet on the course and how was the social side of the experience?

There is a mix of nationalities of various ages and the people are energetic and into being in the outdoors and have the same interest as myself. Insted also arranges activities around the course such glacier courses, avalanche safety courses, French movie nights, dinners and wine tastings to mention a few.

You continue to attend refresher courses, how does Insted continue to help you improve your French?
Their courses are very flexible so they can suit my daily schedules.

Why would you recommend Australians attend an Insted course?

You have chance to be in one of the best ski resorts in the world, learn French in a great environment and have a great time!

Chamonix is your home now, what makes it special and a great place for skiers and boarders to visit?

As Chamonix is in the heart of the alps, the variety of activities that you can do in a day is endless, from ski tours to lift access runs, to mountain biking, rock climing, hiking, there are endless opportunities. There is also great mix of people living here and its a very inspiring place to live.

About Insted
Insted is an accredited language learning centre, established in 1997, offering french language courses at their Chamonix Headquarters and via their partner school in Biarritz and Spanish language courses via their partner schools in San Sebastian and Tenerife. The Insted concept promotes language learning with a lifestyle incorporating active sports such as skiing or surfing, successfully allowing hundreds of students to improve their language skills and their active sport of choice.
Insted language courses can be booked online at www.insted.com or by calling +33 (0)4 50 53 03 66.

About Chamonix
The Chamonix Valley is one of the world’s most renown for quality big mountain skiing, back country terrain riding, adding jib-park riding to the mix over the last years. Chamonix boasts some 140km of piste skiing, with 44 access lifts to get you up to the 3842 altitude peak of peaks. Life is far from dull in Chamonix, with an active night-life season that dares to challenge even the socially-vibrant amongst us.