The course covers subjects such as
- food and wine appreciation
- hobbies and pastimes
- etiquette, cultural do's and don'ts
- insurance
- customs, traditions, taboos, protocol
- surveys
- moving as a single person
- shopping (including Survival Shopping)
- money matters and banking
- children and education
- theatre and arts
- domestic staffing
- utilities hook-ups
- taxes
- interpreter and translation services
- employment
- Le Notaire, La Préfecture
- travel
- culture, history, politics, religion
- retirement in France
- emergency numbers and useful services' numbers
- healthcare, (including finding doctors, dentists, and other health care workers)
- spouse placement advice, survival tips and networking
- starting a business (including opening a B&B or running a gîte)
- restoration and building, including finding reliable local labour and resources
- buying property (including deciding whether to sell, rent or maintain your existing home)
- French law (including the French Property and French Inheritance Law)
- internet and television
- transport (including importing, hiring, buying a vehicle, licenses, rules of the road)
- networking (getting you started: introductions to other expats and locals)
- sport and recreation, including playing boules or pétanque!
Course structure
The programme is carefully structured to include a balance of language/lifestyle sessions, lectures, outings, time to discuss and time to socialise. As this is an intensive and total immersion course, the group will be accompanied by- or have available to them a trainer/coach/guide at all times.
Lectures are presented in a friendly atmosphere to ensure productive and relaxed question and answer sessions and discussion. English speaking specialists and experts in their different fields will present the lectures and be available for questioning, sometimes joining the group for meals in order to continue the discussion. They will also make themselves available for future contact and provision of their professional services.
A typical day will start with
- breakfast, followed by
- the language/lifestyle session, either at the Aquitaine Langue language school or at the Chateau Lalinde, (transport provided)
- lunch on the chateau terrace
- an afternoon of lectures and/or a guided outing, such as a wine tasting session at a beautiful local vineyard, a visit to a local village market or a guided tour to an interesting historical site
- a relaxing aperitif while watching the sun set, and ending the day with
- an active dinner at the chateau or in a local restaurant
Each person will receive a comprehensive file with all the transcripts and printed information they have received during the course, as well as lists of contacts and services.
Courses can be tailor-made for group bookings, according to special requirements, and upon request.
Location
Chateau Lalinde is situated in the bastide town of Lalinde, on the banks of the Dordogne River in Dordogne-Perigord, in the Southwest of France. 5 hours by train from Paris. It is 120km from Bordeaux and 25km from Bergerac. Ryanair and Flybe flights from the UK into Bergerac (airport transfer inclusive). International flights into Bordeaux (airport transfers at a fee).
Course dates:
September 9 to 15 2007
April 20 to 26 2008
July 13 to 19 2008
October 5 to 11 2008
Tariffs
Arrival Sunday afternoon, departure Saturday before noon. Six days, all inclusive:
€ 2045 per person
€ 3700 per couple
€ 1750 per person when group booking of four people or more
Booking
Please complete our on-line Booking Form.