French Language in Toulouse
School Trip Abroad with CIEE
Imagine leading your students on a journey where they will be authentically immersed in French culture, not just learning about it in a classroom. Our Toulouse custom program offers the chance for high school students to dive deep into the language, local traditions, and everyday life of this enchanting region in France. At the heart of this experience is the homestay, where students will integrate into French culture by living with a carefully selected and vetted local host family, helping accelerate their language learning and foster genuine cultural exchange.
The Destination
Situated in the South of France, Toulouse offers easy access to the Atlantic, the mountains, and the Mediterranean — not to mention the music, art, and festivals. The fourth largest city in France, with the second largest student population in the country, Toulouse provides students the opportunity to learn about France’s past and present while experiencing life in a dynamic city.
Located only minutes from Toulouse's historic district, CIEE Toulouse sits in the middle of the city's vibrant center near all main commercial facilities and cultural sites. The Center features three classrooms, a student lounge, an academic advising office, and complimentary Wi-Fi.
Cultural Awareness
CIEE wants all our students to feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to succeed while studying abroad. No matter what program you choose to design with CIEE, our staff will be on hand throughout the program to provide advice, resources, and support.
Activities & Excursions
Sample Cultural Activities
All programs include a variety of cultural activities such as:
- French Language & Culture Classes - Students will take part in engaging, level-specific French language and culture classes designed to build real-world communication skills.
- Peer-to-Peer Exchange – Students will spend the afternoon at a local MJC (Maison de la Jeunesse et de la Culture), a community hub where French teens gather for arts, culture, and connection. They will meet and interact with local peers through games, conversations, and shared activities, practicing their French in a relaxed, real-world setting while gaining firsthand insight into everyday teen life in France.
- Street Art Scavenger Hunt - Students will discover hidden (and not so hidden) street art that decorates the streets of Toulouse through a collaborative scavenger hunt that will require them to keep their eyes peeled and use the French vocabulary learned in class to gather information from passersby.
Please note activities are examples and subject to change. As we plan your program, we will work with you to finalize a list of place-based, immersive experiences that are the right match for your group and academic goals.
Sample Excursions
Excursions are included in this program and are designed to enhance the experience and provide students with deeper immersion into the local culture.
- Toulouse is ideally located equal distance to the Pyrenees mountains and Mediterranean coast. It is also surrounded by several cities and sites that have played a unique role in French history, such as UNESCO World Heritage city of Carcassonne in the Aude department and pre-historical caves of Niaux in the department of Ariège.
- La Cité Médiévale de Carcassonne - The day at Carcassonne will start with a guided tour of its impressive ramparts, which have witnessed centuries of French history. During the visit, students be able to count all 52 towers and admire sections dating back to the Gallo-Roman era of the 3rd and 4th centuries.
What's Included
Every program is designed in close collaboration with the expertise of the CIEE High School Custom team and our full-time local staff in Toulouse in a way that fits your specific academic goals. You can customize our standard itinerary for this program as much or as little as you want. Our custom high school trips include:
- Interactive classes
- Cultural activities
- Housing (host family included; hotels also available)
- All meals in Toulouse
- In-country transportation and logistics
Beyond these inclusions, every CIEE custom school trip provides additional support, including on-site orientations, 24/7 emergency support, comprehensive insurance coverage, and marketing resources to help you promote your program to your students.
Health, Safety, & Security
With over 7 decades of experience, CIEE is a global leader in health and safety. Each of our sites undergoes regular assessments aligned with rigorous international risk management standards and data, ensuring the successful facilitation of every program. You can focus on your students and their experience, knowing CIEE’s dedicated Health, Safety, and Security team has your back. Discover more about our commitment to health, safety and security at ciee.org/safety.