Learn French in New Caledonia

Planning a holiday to New Caledonia? Make the most of your visit to the archipelago with the opportunity to learn and speak French. Much closer to Australia and New Zealand than Europe and other French-speaking regions, New Caledonia is the perfect choice for honing your speaking skills.

For those looking to learn French in New Caledonia, there are plenty of great options to choose from, from simply taking the time to immerse yourself in the language by chatting with French speaking locals to taking part in a formal training course or tour. Over a thousand people intent on learning French, improving their fluency or working towards a grade or diploma visit New Caledonia each year for a study experience. Most of them come from Australia or New Zealand.

Studying at the Centre de Rencontres et d’Échanges Internationaux du Pacifique (CREIPAC)

A government school specialised in teaching French to non-residents, the Centre de Rencontres et d’Échanges Internationaux du Pacifique (CREIPAC) offers language courses throughout the year. Choose a course to suit your level of proficiency and the length of your stay, and learn key French conversation and writing skills. 

Located within the historic Hôtel du Commandant (Commander’s Residence) in Nouville, the centre is filled with history and operated by staff who are passionate about teaching the French language. The facilities are state-of-the-art, while administrative and teaching staff take care to ensure that students are well looked after, taking into consideration everything from special dietary requirements to individual learning needs. Expect a warm welcome, a great learning environment and an experience that you’re sure to remember for years to come.

Most of the centre’s language immersion courses run for a week at a time, offering students the perfect balance of learning and sightseeing. Lessons take place for a few hours each morning, while the afternoons are set aside for excursions, workshops and other activities. The focus of each morning’s vocabulary and language work is linked to the afternoon’s activity schedule, allowing students to practice their new skills. From the Tjibaou Cultural Centre and the Museum of New Caledonia to a chocolate tasting workshop, students have the opportunity to see and do so much over the course of the week. If you’d rather explore at your own pace, courses with free afternoons are also available.

Enjoy a total language immersion with a homestay

Regardless of which language centre you will be attending, the choice is yours when it comes to deciding where to stay. After a long day of learning, a quiet hotel room might be your cup of tea, but if you’re wanting to extend yourself and enjoy a full language immersion experience, a homestay with a local family is a great choice. Staying with a New Caledonian host family, you’ll have the opportunity to live life à la française, sampling French food, conversing with native French speakers and enjoying a taste of the region’s unique take on French culture. For most homestays, you’ll be equipped with a private room, and will be supplied with breakfast and dinner daily.

For further information on how to learn French in New Caledonia:

• CREIPAC: CREIPAC is accredited to confer the DELF diploma (French Language Studies Diploma), the DALF diploma (Advanced French Language Diploma) and the French Language Test, which is a requirement for anyone applying for French citizenship.
• Institut Voltaire