French Classes in Carcassonne, France

Ludo Expression, Carcassonne:
Founded in September 2004, Ludo Expression is a French language school based in Carcassonne in the Languedoc-Rousillon region of southern France. Our school is professional, competent, friendly, and family orientated. We provide dynamic and varied French language courses which can be tailored to meet your individual needs. Meeting new people, sharing ideas and experiences and, above all, French culture are at the heart of our teaching philosophy.

- A school which is both professional and friendly
- A maximum of 6 students per class, 4 students in average
- Carcassonne is an ideal starting point to discover the department of the Aude which boasts one of the most beautiful fortress in Europe, “la Cité de Carcassonne”, and the “Canal du Midi” which runs through the centre of the city; Both of these are UNESCO World Heritage sites.
- Reasonable prices
- Accommodation selected with the greatest care

French Language Courses from one to four weeks:
- Semi-intensive French course: 15 hours per week in a group, 3 hours every morning, from Monday to Friday.
- Intensive French course: 25 hours per week. Semi-intensive course in the morning + 2 hours per day of one-to-one lessons in the afternoon.
- Telephone lessons via Skype
- Individually-tailored French courses / private French lessons

Joe and Theresa from United States, private lessons  in  January 2019

My wife and I spent one week working on our French through Ludo Expressions with Dominique Bouriez. IT WAS AWESOME! I had last taken French nearly 45 years ago, my wife more recently, and Dominique weaved together classes that were educational about the French people and the community of Carcassonne, wonderful language training, and just fun. She spoke French the entire week, which was daunting to me at first, but turned out totally understandable because of the skills of Dominique in quickly seeing difficulties and mapping them out for us in concise mini-lessons; and, more importantly, Dominique’s skill in conveying with her hands and face and body whatever concept with which we were struggling was a lifesaver. I think she might be an undercover mime. We learned an amazing amount and we laughed in equal proportion. My wife and I give our experience with Dominique the highest recommendation. Joe


Connie from United States, private lessons over a 2 week period in October 2018

Connie – American from U.S.                                                                                                             3 Dec 2018

I took several hours of private French instruction from Dominique over a 2-week period in October of 2018.  It was a great experience.

I am NOT a natural language student.  How I ever learned to speak English is a mystery to me!  Dominique was very patient, and she concentrated on conversational skills I wanted to learn. She stayed close to my skill level and was persistent and clear in her attempts to help me gain mastery.  Dominique was also spirited and fun.  If you ever need a charade’s partner, she is an expert.

I was taking lessons at Ludo when Carcassonne and the surrounding area experienced a devastating flood.  Dominique and her husband, Luc, were very much effected because they were from the village hardest hit.  We missed only one day of lessons, which we later made up.  I was most impressed by Dominique’s determination to fulfill her contractual agreement with me and by her ability to focus on teaching despite the natural disaster impacting her.

I highly recommend Dominique and Ludo Expression.


Anne from Ireland, intensive course for 1 week in September 2018

On the first September I travelled from St Pancras Station, London to Carcassonne, where I was to spend 8 days, which included a five day French language course. The whole package of teaching and accommodation was arranged by Ludo Expression.

Carcassonne, an historic town an hour’s train journey south of Toulouse, is the perfect backdrop for a language course.   Its wonderful castle (Old City) is a symbol of Carcassonne’s fascinating and rich history and the town itself is charming, with the wonderful Place Carnot the hub at its centre. Here, you find all types of restaurants and cafes which provide an excellent variety of food and beverages at a very reasonable price, The centre of the town is less than a five minute walk from the school and very pleasant for lunch, dinner or a late afternoon glass of wine or two and a great for that vital post-class practice.

Our class comprised six students and the mix of age, personalities and language levels worked very well indeed. Dominique is an excellent teacher: professional, supportive and I really benefitted from her interactive teaching method. Our classes were always enjoyable and the small number allowed plenty of speaking time for all. I learned a lot.

The home-stay component of my stay was a super complement to the formal classroom teaching. Alexia, my host, was more than generous with her time, and the opportunities for speaking in this relaxed atmosphere added a further boost to my confidence. My room, with its integral bathroom, was comfortable and quiet; the home-cooked dinner served up by Alexia each evening delicious.

If you like a learning experience which provides a high standard of tailor-made teaching, is professional and has a truly personal touch, I would be very happy to recommend Ludo Expression in Carcassonne.


Ellen from United States, intensive course for 3 weeks in April 2018

My lifelong dream has been to study French in Carcassonne. At the age of 58, I decided that now was the time to realize my dream.

I located Ludo Expression online, and from the description I knew that it would be the perfect fit for me. It was!!!

I enjoyed 3 wonderful weeks in Carcassonne taking the intensive course at Ludo Expression. Dominique was a fantastic instructor: kind, encouraging, patient, fun, humorous, and highly skilled, and she didn’t let me get away with speaking English!

She spoke in slow French for me and listened with interest as I spoke in slow French. It was encouraging for me to be able to discuss interesting topics in this manner. From our conversations she easily picked out my grammar needs and taught me helpful lessons on the board.

Dominique and her husband, Luc, were so kind, welcoming, and helpful to me. Additionally, they fit in time for fun! We enjoyed a special hike together and a fun evening at a restaurant for a drink and tapas.

The B & B that they suggested on their website was also a perfect fit for me. It was very pleasant and a nice 15 minute walk to Ludo Expression. The entrance to the Mid-evil city is only a 15 minute walk from Ludo Expression.

Thank you again, Dominique and Luc for a fabulous dream come true!
Warmly,
Ellen


John from England, semi-intensive course for 2 weeks in March 2018

In March 2018 I have attended a French course (A2 level) at the Ludo Expression in Carcassone for a fortnight and I can highly recommend the course to all those who want to improve their knowledge of the French language.

Dominique is a very kind and experienced teacher who knows how to tackle the individual problems of each students very well. While her methods are focused on conversational skills, she is always attentive to the individual needs of  the students and will support them with precise information on grammar and syntax. She is a thorough teacher, always helpful and caring, who communicates in a very clear and effective manner.

I am very happy to recommend Dominique to anybody who is serious about learning the French language.

John, 4th April 2018


Mike from England, semi-intensive course for 2 weeks in November 2017

First of all I wanted to say a big thank you to Dominique for creating such a friendly place to learn and of course to Natacha who had so much patience with Larry, Brock and myself on our two week course.

My listening skills, understanding and vocabulary really improved even if I do still struggle to form spoken sentences!! Above all it has given me the encouragement and confidence to at least try.

I would definitely like to do more courses so if something of my level comes up please do let me know and also for Peter too of course as we would be very interested so long as we can work it around our business needs.


Rebecca from England, semi-intensive course for 3 weeks in October 2017

Fantastic course. I did a 3 week course last October, I started with a basic level of French but I learned so much and it gave me so much confidence.
I'll be returning to do another one soon. Highly recommend Ludo Expression.


Rebecca from United States, intensive course for 2 weeks in August 2017

I loved taking classes at Ludo. Believe it or not, I have always been madly curious about the subjunctive, and Dominique answered all of my questions about it. Now I recognize it and the subtlety that comes along with it. I am using what I learned in a paper I am writing for Graduate School.
Dominique and Luc are lovely, friendly people and I think I will see them again this summer for more courses.


Maura from Ireland, semi-intensive course for one week in June 2017.

This was my second time travelling from Ireland to attend Ludo expression. It is definitely going to be an annual visit for me. Excellent teaching in a beautiful location. Courses are highly organised while being flexible enough to allow for individual development. The atmosphere is warm, welcoming, and friendly. A real find! Thank you to Dominique and Luc! See you next year.


Dean from New Zealand, intensive Course, elementary level, 2 weeks, May 2017.

I spent two weeks with Ludo Expression in May. I chose to join a small group class in the morning and then a 2 hour, one on one in the afternoon. The environment was very friendly and the informal discussion we had followed a pattern which identified and addressed the needs of each student. My French improved, and importantly , I enjoyed the experience and would recommend it highly.


Claire from New Zealand, intensive Course, intermediate level, 3 weeks, May 2017.

I loved every moment of my course.  The morning classes were small and Dominique's style of teaching was warm, engaging, professional and inclusive.  She ensured that each student participated equally and our discussions were lively, enjoyable and often hilarious.  I remember with pleasure the other students and how often we laughed together.  And in this stimulating and spontaneous atmosphere Dominique answered all our questions, corrected all our mistakes and taught us grammar. A brilliant learning experience.
In the afternoon I had one to one lessons with Lisa who focused on what I wanted to learn and how I could improve.  We, too, laughed a lot and she, too, was very professional in her approach. She was assiduous in helping me with my oral expression, my pronunciation and the grammatical errors in my (often excitable) spoken French.  Her specific focus on my personal learning needs was refreshing and helpful.
I stayed with a very nice French family nearby which completed my perfect language immersion experience at Ludo Expression.
Amicalement
Claire


Erik from United States, semi-intensive course for 4 weeks in October 2016.

I spent a month in Ludo Expression's beginner's class. Anne-Lise taught me a lot of French and, in addition, gave me an in-depth view of French culture (I took 53 pages of notes). Other people in the class also had the same experience. Fantastic!


Betty from United States, intensive course for 1 week in October 2016.

Ludo Expression is a perfect match for me. I had searched the internet for French courses in Southern/South West France and this course kept coming up as hitting all the right buttons: small morning sessions divided by similar abilities involving practical daily situations, conversation with units of grammar woven in; geared for adults; offering various levels of “immersion” from morning group sessions to afternoon two hour one-on-one hour sessions. I decided to take the one week immersion course -small group morning session with afternoon sessions one-on- one and live with a host family. As a reward for my hard work during the day my terrific host family treated me to delicious simple meals and discussions in French. A truly wonderful slice of life experience.
Anne-Lise started our morning sessions with what ever the buzz in the classroom was at the moment. One morning we had a tremendous thunderstorm so météo became an immediate topic. With good humor she would bring us to structure, practice and pronunciation. Encouragement from both the instructors and group gave us all new confidence to use our French.
My one-on-one sessions with Dominique in the afternoon lead to session of role playing over the telephone – making reservations, appointments, emergency calls. Dominique was quick to have me apply skills from my morning sessions.
Many thanks to Ludo Expression, Dominique and Anne-Lise.
I definitely plan on coming back!


Ingrid from England, intensive course for 5 weeks in June-July 2016.

After years of procrastination I finally decided to bite the bullet, drive myself and go on my ‘Continental Adventure’ with very little French remaining in my memory bank!
I was not disappointed with my choice of school. Dominique and Luc were great hosts helping to organise 5 weeks of great accommodation for me and encouraging me into extra curricular activities after school such as badminton and tennis as well as some meals out with other students.
I was on my own for the duration, which was great; I had shared classes in the mornings and one to one every afternoon. In the evenings I loved doing my homework but still found time to discover how wonderful my surroundings were. Medieval everything… and to add to my good fortune, a lovely fellow student from California and an Ivy League, Princeton Student, who happened to be specialising in Medieval History for his Masters at UCL and was on the same course. We hung around together practicing our spoken French and visiting many interesting places. Too many to list!
Dominique is a very good teacher and for the First Time In All My Years of learning French (I never really got it) I understood how it all fitted together. It gave me so much confidence. My longing to get over the ‘Grammar’ was finally fulfilled.
Of course five weeks of French is nowhere near enough, but it has satisfied my need to understand the bigger picture. Now, I am attending a class in the UK with renewed enthusiasm lest I forget.
I would recommend Ludo Expression at any level as this school can adapt to anyone’s needs.
Thank You Dominique you have been an inspiration.
Ingrid x


Pauline from Ireland, semi-intensive course for one week in June 2016.

My 3 friends and I spent a week in the intermediate level class with Dominique as our teacher.We had a wonderful fun time with lots of lively discussions but also very structured development through the week.The social aspect was an added bonus with film outings,meals out together etc.We found it the perfect mix so much so ,we are returning again this June.


Yvonne from England, intensive course for 1 week in March 2016.

I recently spent an extremely enjoyable and worthwhile week studying French with Ludo Expression.   From the minute Luc picked me up from the airport, I was immersed in the language and culture of beautiful Carcassonne.
In the mornings I studied as part of a group of four students, all of a similar level, and in the afternoon I enjoyed a two-hour one-to-one lesson with Dominique.   She is a fantastic teacher and explains everything clearly, concisely and with examples.
As I wanted to make the most of my week-long immersive experience, I chose to stay with a family, who lived a short walk from the school.They were lovely and it really helped to put the French that I had learned during the day, into practice over a tasty dinner in the evening.
I plan to return to Ludo Expression and Carcassonne, very soon.
Yvonne


Peter from England, intensive course for 4 weeks in September 2015.

I have just returned home after spending a thoroughly enjoyable month at Ludo Expression in Carcassonne. We were a group of four students, carefully assembled so that we were all at about the same standard. The sessions were always structured with great sensitivity so that we were each encouraged to join in the discussions, or to describe what we had been doing on the previous afternoon, and learning blocks of grammar were carefully built in at regular intervals. Dominique is just an amazing teacher; I have never experienced anyone who was able to explain so clearly and precisely the intricacies of French syntax and grammar. And she put up with my making the same mistakes over and over, with both patience and good humour!  From time to time we went as a group, together with Dominique and Luc, to the cinema or to a concert and had a meal together afterwards. These occasions gave us further opportunities to use our French.

I was staying with a ‘host family’, arranged for me by the school, that was just a few minutes walk away from the school. From the very first moment I was made to feel completely at home, literally one of the family. It was a matter of ‘total immersion’ from day one! I was so lucky.

I’d like to say a huge ‘thank you’ to both Dominique and Luc for making my time in Carcassonne so rewarding and enjoyable.
Margaret from Australia, semi-intensive coursefor 2 weeks in July 2015.

Dear Luc and Dominique,

Just a quick thankyou to say how much I enjoyed (and learnt) during my two weeks at Ludo Expression. Thank you so much to Dominique for your patience and personalized classes which absolutely were tailored to my level. I loved engaging in the lively conversations about such a wide range of interesting topics that went way beyond what I thought I could manage with my very basic French. The experience of learning French while ‘in country’ I highly recommend as it enables you to practice while being immersed in the culture and day to day practicalities of being in France. Dominique is an excellent professor, animated, enthusiastic and very knowledgeable, she greets her students with respect and patience and shares so much about French culture to bring the learning experience to life. I am so looking forward to returning again to keep going with my French, thanks again for a brilliant experience,
A bientot


Martha and Stuart from Australia, semi-intensive course for 4 weeks in May 2015.

My partner and I decided to spend four weeks in France in order to explore the lifestyle & culture in more depth. We had studied French many years ago at school & were keen to improve our French & put it to good use.

We lucked onto Ludo Expression, the French Language School in Carcassonne.
I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Ludo provides small classes of likeminded adults who want to learn & improve their French. The initial language test allows the school to place you in the most appropriate class, suitable to your skills & level.

My partner entered the class which reintroduced him to the basics of French grammar & vocabulary, all in a friendly, relaxed, easy-going atmosphere. I was fortunate to be placed in the class devoted to French conversation with encouragement of grammar & vocabulary as needed. I was privileged to experience both a shared class & private classes with Dominique. It was such fun & a challenge as well. We both learned so much about life in France & our French is vastly improved!

Dominique & Luc are really warm, friendly & generous people, dedicated to their vision of providing the best experience of all things French to their visitors. Carcassonne is also a lovely town to live in & a base from which one can readily explore the South of France.

Host families

For intensive courses we suggest that you stay with one of our carefully selected host families. We ask that host families provide the following for our students:
- A bedroom with single or double bed(s) with sheets provided, storage space as well as a table or desk and chair.
- Shared or private bathroom and toilet.
- Breakfast and dinner with the family (halfpension) from Monday to Friday + lunch at the weekend for full board.
- Daily opportunities for conversation and practice.

Each family accepts one student (or a couple) at any one time.

If you prefer to be autonomous, we can propose various Bed and Breakfast and studio available to rent on a weekly basis, at reasonnable prices (special price for Ludo Expression), all in walking distance of the school.

Bed and Breakfast

Au Domisiladoré

Situated in a quiet residential area of Carcassonne this 19th century hotel is just 20 minutes walk from the school. The proprietor Monsieur Bodiguel has 5 bedrooms spread across three floors as well as two garden areas with mature trees. There is also a diningroom with television and an area for reading. In fine weather you can eat in the conservatory. There is also a room for relaxing, a garden with wisteria canapy and deck chairs. There is a kitchenette with fridge and micro-wave.

Furnished apartment

The Cerise Residence

CERISE Carcassonne is situated in an exceptional location 10 minutes walk from the Medieval City, 15 minutes from our school and 20 minutes from the town centre. It has 82 apartments that are spread over two buildings and are set in vast landscaped gardens. The former mansion which has preserved the charm of old buildings, houses the reception and the breakfast room.For leisure, the residence offers a heated indoor swimming pool, a stream room and a fitness room. All these spacious studios and apartments have air-conditioning and are equipped with duvets. They all offer free Wi-Fi.