Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020 |

# Good places to learn French Country forums / Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea
travellingkate11 02:18 UTC 26 Jun 2011 | Hello, I am looking at stopping somewhere on my way to Canada next year to learn French, probably somewhere in the Pacific but open to other suggestions. I am hoping to find somewhere relatively cheap but with beautiful surrounds or a vibrant culture that I could spend 2-4 weeks studying. Dates aren't set yet but it will probably be between March and May so weather will be a factor. Any recommendations? Thanks. |
Laszlo 04:12 UTC 26 Jun 2011 | None of the three French territories in the South Pacific are really cheap, but New Caledonia is the cheapest of the three, and its capital Noumea is probably your best bet for an immersion in French language and culture in this region. It is less touristy than Tahiti so will be more of an immersion, and has an excellent youth hostel for budget accommodation. It is also the most beautiful city I've seen in the islands, and the rest of NC offers excellent trips for weekends and the like. Read the NC link in my signo line for more. | 1
ozziegiraffe 11:12 UTC 26 Jun 2011 | Vanuatu still has a significant connection to France, and children in school learn French as well as English. In the colonial past, it was a condominium (sometimes better described as "pandemonium") between France and England. It is also cheaper than either French Polynesia or New Caledonia. | 2
Laszlo 11:50 UTC 26 Jun 2011 | OG, children in Vanuatu learn either French or English, not both - and the majority learn and speak English. The "Francophone" population is decreasing (from a starting percentage of 40%, I think), and even among them, French is usually only their 3rd language (after their native tongue and Bislama). It is a lovely country for traditional Melanesian culture, but nowhere nearly as French as NC where (especially in Noumea) a large part of the population is actually pure-blooded French. I also found Vanuatu the more expensive place, actually - though the difference is not huge. | 3
ozziegiraffe 11:53 UTC 26 Jun 2011 | Laszlo, I taught ni-Vanuatu students with 4 languages, their home language, Bislama, English and French, and chatted to them in French when their Solomon Islands classmates were talking in their home language. | 4
Laszlo 12:00 UTC 26 Jun 2011 | There are some who speak both English and French, but not many. Actually, I can only positively recall meeting one such person in 5 weeks in Vanuatu. | 5
travellingkate11 09:34 UTC 12 Jul 2011 | Thank you all for the advice. It sounds like New Caledonia will be my best bet then. | 6