← Back to ‘The Best Places to Learn As You Travel’
Learning a language can be one of the most rewarding and beneficial things you can do in your life. Not only will it make conversing on holiday a lot easier, but it’ll also open up a whole new world of opportunities and possibilities when it comes to doing what you want to do with your life. With this in mind, French is easily one of the most popular and universal languages in the world and learning it will enable you to speak effortlessly in countries around the world.
However, there’s no better way to learn a language than jumping straight in and learning it first-hand. If this is the method you want to take, here are the ten best destinations to do so:
1. French Guiana
Located just north of South America, Guiana is a small, bustling city with a tasteful blend of French and South American (Brazilian) culture with the perfect balance of cultures from around the world.
2. Senegal
Dakar, the most western city in Africa, to be precise, is a great place to learn French. Until 1960, Senegal was part of the French Colony and still has French as its official language to this day. The accent is understandable, and the French speakers are a lot slower than any other part of French-speaking Europe!
3. Canada
Canada is easily one of the best places to start learning French, especially if you’re looking for a first world culture similar to the one you’re probably already living in. The Canadian/French accent may be difficult to understand initially but you’ll soon get used to it. Nearly every province of Canada speaks the language, awarding you with a lot of choice on where to go.
4. Morocco
If you’re looking for a complete cultural overhaul with your learning experience, Morocco should definitely be on your list. Matthew Victor, a Language Tutor for State of Writing, calls Morocco “a culture shock for those traveling from a traditional western world. However, it’s hugely exciting to learn about this country, and there’s so much to see and do that it’s highly recommended that you visit, whether you’re learning French or not!”
5. Madagascar
Looking for an exciting adventure while learning French? Madagascar could be ideal. Located off the western coast of South Africa, Madagascar offers beautiful landscape and exotic wildlife.
6. Luxembourg
The small country of Luxembourg is landlocked between France and Germany, meaning it’s naturally one of the best places to learn to speak French, as it’s one of the country’s official dialects. You may even pick up a bit of German while you’re there!
7. France
Well, of course. While this is an obvious destination to learn French, you may not know exactly where to go. The region of Normandy is both affordable and beautiful. Not to mention, Normans speak one of the purest dialects of French on the planet. Michael Moses, the travel writer for Ox Essays, explains “it may seem obvious to go to France to learn French, but it does depend on the region. Say you went to Paris, you’ve got expats and tourists from all over the world, who do not necessarily speak the language correctly. Instead, you’ll want to go to a more traditional place.”
8. Switzerland
If you’re looking for glorious mountain ranges, quaint towns, and vibrant culture, all while learning to speak French, book yourself a ticket to Switzerland. In particular, you’ll want to head to either Geneva or Bern. Be warned, this is easily one of the most expensive destinations on the list.
9. Belgium
Bordering France, Belgium is another obvious place that you could go to learn French. You have a multitude of locations to choose from, including Bruges, Antwerp, and Brussels.
10. La Reunion
This outstanding little island, flung out into the middle of the Indian Ocean is easily the most remote destinations on the list. So, if you’re looking for a little R&R while you tackle a new language, La Reunion is the place to go.
About the Author: Mary Walton is a CV editor at Best Resume Writing Service. She also helps with content management at UK Top Writers. Mary is an avid traveler, she loves writing about her adventures and creating cool traveling hacks. Also, she is a freelance thesis editor at Grade On Fire.