While it’s all well and good to furnish eager pupils with knowledge, many teachers also have a hankering to indulge in a little extracurricular learning themselves. If this can be achieved in a beautiful setting among wonderful people without the help of actual French lessons, then so much the better. In this respect, English teachers hoping to pick up or polish their French are spoilt for choice.

Top 5 places to learn French while teaching English

Photo wikimedia commons: Lemurbaby, adapted by Wandering Educators

Quebec City

Situated in east-central Canada, Quebec is the only Canadian province that has a predominantly French speaking population. Jobs for English teachers are available – particularly in heavily populated areas such as Montreal, Sorel, Grancy, Sherbroole, Drummondville, and Beloeil.

While all of these places provide plenty of opportunity for learning French, Quebec’s brightest jewel is undoubtedly Quebec City.

Within its walls, visitors will find a slice of Old World Europe with a fun-loving population that is proud to show it off. The old town is snaked with cobbled streets and 17th century buildings, understandably leading to its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Quebec City. Photo courtesy of flickr creative commons: elpadawan

Antananarivo

An island country off the south-eastern coast of Africa, Madagascar is a tropical haven that is home to a verdant landscape and unique wildlife – five per cent of which is found nowhere else on Earth. Those seeking English-teaching jobs are advised to start their search in the country’s capital, Antananarivo.

Resembling a Mediterranean hill town in its aspect, Antananarivo has a number of notable cultural, historical and architectural sites. Exploring the bustling city on foot provides endless opportunities to practise French with its friendly inhabitants.

Photo wikimedia commons

Montpellier

In a city where students make up almost a quarter of the population, it’s unsurprisingly easy to find a French school in Montpellier. Similarly, English teachers seeking work will be spoilt for choice.

Education aside, Montpellier is France’s fastest-growing city and has a wealth of cultural and historical attractions. Most importantly for some, the coastal city has a Mediterranean climate conducive to a leisurely cafe culture.

Bayonne, France. Photo courtesy of flickr creative commons: Eoghan OLionnain

Geneva

The land of chocolate, chalets, and yodelling can provide Francophiles with the chance to practice their French – providing that they head to Romandy in the west of the country. Romandy contains the cantons of Geneva, Fribourg, Jura, Neuchâtel, western Valais, Vaud, and the northern part of Berne.

Of these, Geneva has to be one of the best choices for those seeking English-teaching jobs. Its main city and namesake, Geneva, is a beautiful city and the ideal place to put burgeoning French skills to the test. 

Geneva

Mons

Situated in the French-speaking half of Belgium, Mons is a beautiful city with plenty to offer the English teacher hoping to learn a little French. Selected to be one of the European capitals of culture in 2015, Mons is awash with gothic architecture and a vibrant arts scene.

Mons, Belgium. Wikimedia Commons: Jean-Pol GRANDMONT