Au Clair du Sud

At Au Clair du Sud, we show you some of the sights and activities of the region, such as learning about wine making, learning about local produce in order to purchase some from a local market, olive oil making, visiting an oyster park and sampling oysters fresh from the beds, as well as visiting the historic beauty of places such as the Roman remains of Arles, Nîmes, Montpellier, the Pont du Gard, the enchanting Aigues Mortes, the medieval villages of St Guilhem le désert and la Couvertoirade. All this with the French necessary to be able to communicate with, and understand the people you meet there.

A typical itinerary for the French and Gastronomy course is waking up on a sunny morning, having a leisurely french breakfast, then learning the vocabulary of olive oil making, tasting and how to understand french labels. Then after a tasty lunch at a local restaurant, visit a local olive grove where different types of olive oil will be sampled.

A wine day contains the phrases used for wine making and tasting, followed by a visit to a local chateau to sample some of their wine. Faugère, St Chinian, Corbières and Pic St Loup are just some of the 'crus' of Languedoc Rousillon.

The French and Cooking course will enable you to create that special dish, under the close guidance and instructions from the chef, after having practiced the relevant terms, phrases and vocabulary required with your tutor. The proof is not just in the pudding!

Another visit is to a local market where, having learnt about the local produce (fruit, vegetables, 'saucisson' and cheese to name but a few!) you can choose a selection of ingredients for a meal      or barbeque, discuss the best meat for a certain dish - or just enjoy the different market stalls and chat with their owners!