Host families

Sharing the life of a family is a unique way to discover France and the French people and to develop the knowledge acquired in class. 60% of our students choose this type of accommodation. There is a lot of talk at the family table and even if you don’t understand everything, you keep learning.

The ideal way to discover France and its people is to live with a local family and to share its way of life. Chatting at the family dinner table remains one of the best ways of improving your comprehension and vocabulary. However, you have to be realistic, a minimum of French is advised if you want to take part in the conversations.

We know that a host family plays a very important role in making your stay a success. Consequently, we very carefully select families to ensure that you have a warm welcome. Our host families’ caring nature helps to contribute to the good reputation of CLE.

What do we call a family ?

It could be a couple with teenagers, a couple where the children are no longer living at home, or perhaps a lady in her late fifties or sixties, living on her own. If you choose to stay with a host family, we will ask you which type of family you would prefer. We do everything possible to find a family that matches up to your requirements so that your stay will be comfortable. In general, we try to match the ages of participants and families.

Most families typically live in the center of Tours and usually a short distance away (15 to 20 minute-walk). Some live further away (15-minute bus ride), in larger homes in a residential area. Families generally accept one or two students, but always with different mother tongues.

What to expect?

  • Individual room
  • Private bathroom or a shared bathroom
  • Breakfast and dinner, full-board on weekends
  • Laundry is washed or access to the family’s laundry facilities
  • Wifi
  • Arrival on Sunday, departure on Saturday
  • Transfer to and from the train station or Tours’airport

See prices

Staying with a family starts on the Sunday before your course begins and finishes on the Saturday after the course has finished. Before you leave home, you will be sent the e-mail address, telephone number and address of the family you are staying with who will meet you when you arrive at Tours railway station if coming by train, or at Tours airport if you are coming from London or Dublin by plane.

Advice

Before choosing this type of accommodation, note that it can be tiring to speak French all day and sometimes until late at night and to adapt to other people’s way of life for a long time. If your level in French is very limited, keep in mind that you will spend more time listening than actually speaking.

Independent Housing

Apartments

If you prefer to live at your own pace and enjoy your independence, we advise you to choose a studio (a room with a kitchenette and a bathroom) or an apartment in the center of Tours but not close to bars and restaurants as you may find it noisy. You can find a wide range of possibilities for all budgets and tastes on the following websites : http://www.airbnb.fr or  https://www.homelidays.com/

Hotels

If you want to stay in a hotel, we advise you to have a look at the various hotels we have selected for you. You can then book you room directly online. Hotels near CLE

Hotels can be perfect for a 1 or 2-week course. Hotels-near-CLE