This tour takes place in French only.

French immersion workshop in Bayonne, France, July 16-26, 2025.    $3299 land only, DBL occupancy.  $100 holiday discount additional if deposit is postmarked by December 31, 2024.  

The following optional visits are available, but may be canceled if the minimum number of people is not attained, in which case the participant will be refunded.

• Day trip to Cambo & St-Jean-Pied-de-Port, 7/19/25: $159 
• Cooking class  7/20/25: $159 
• Day trip villages basques  7/21: $159 (includes lunch)
• Participation at a dîner en famille: no cost; let us know if you’re interested. Please note that if this activity needs to be canceled, meals will be at leisure that day
• Day trip to San Sebastián. Espagne  7/23: $159
• Extension to Bilbao, Spain 7/26: $399 (includes day in Bilbao, lunch, visit of Guernica,  additional overnight in Bayonne)
• Single supplement hotel Bayonne: $599    
• Extra night at group rate in hotel at beginning or end of trip: participants’ responsibility,  paid directly to the hotel

Transportation to and from the workshop is the responsibility of the individual; closest airport is Biarritz BIQ.  From the airport, either take a taxi to the hotel (about 20 mins, roughly 25,00 E) but there is a local bus to Bayonne which leaves you off at the Place des Basques; from there, it’s about a 15-min walk through town to the hotel.   TGV trains to Bayonne are available from Paris Gare de Montparnasse (4 hr direct) and Paris Charles de Gaulle airport (6 hrs with connections.  Contact us for tips on scheduling from CDG.)  Taxi or walk 15 mins to the hotel from the train station.

Payment 
To reserve your space, a deposit of $750 is due by check only before March 15, 2025.  to take advantage of the holiday discount, checks must be posted by December 31, 2024.  Balance may be paid by check or Zelle.  Balance due by April 15, 2025.  The French Traveler strongly recommends the purchase of trip cancellation insurance to protect your investment in case of an unforeseen accident or incident which prevents you from attending at the last minute. 

Inclusions
All lodgings in DBL accommodations in deluxe hotel in center of Bayonne ♦ all breakfasts and other meals where noted ♦ all guided tours ♦ all seminars & accompanying reading materials ♦ introductory & farewell cocktails  ♦ entrance fees and transportation to scheduled locations ♦ tips, taxes, & service charges for all group activities. 

Exclusions
International airfare ♦ land transportation to & from Bayonne ♦ single room accommodations ♦ meals on days marked “at leisure”  ♦ all drinks except at welcome & farewell dinners ♦  accident/baggage/trip cancellation insurance ♦ any activities not scheduled in program ♦ optional activities ♦ laundry, dry cleaning or valet service ♦ phone, fax

Registration
Print out registration form from website and send it with your deposit check of $750 made out to The French Traveler to The French Traveler, Inc., 1825 Ponce de Leon Blvd #346, Coral Gables, FL 33134.  Or register on our website here.  Deadline for reservations:  March 15, 2025. Balance due April 15, 2025. Balance preferred by check but may be made via Zelle (no fee.) Registration after March 15, 2025 may incur the single supplement if we are unable to find a roommate for you. Download our registration form here.

Cancellation Policy
Cancellations must be made in writing before April 14, 2025.  Deposits and any paid balance are refundable, less $200 per person, until April 14, 2025. No refunds of either deposit or balance after April 15, 2025 under any circumstances, unless The French Traveler cancels the trip.  The French Traveler strongly recommends the purchase of trip cancellation insurance to protect your investment. 

Eligibility
The Pays Basque 2025 immersion workshop is open to language teachers and/or administrators, librarians, school board officials, members of language associations who speak French at an intermediate level or better; Francophone spouses and family members over 23 are also welcome if they are able to fully converse in French.  To thoroughly benefit from the immersion process, we encourage the use of French language at all times.

Participant responsibility
We will gladly discuss details of workshop with you.   Attendance at our morning seminars is required, as is the exclusive use of the French language.  We expect you to read the pre-departure information and be in sufficiently good health to undertake the trip.  We use public transportation in France and walk at length, sometimes on bumpy cobblestone streets or on narrow sidewalks.  We take guided walking tours which means walking for 2-3 hours at a time and standing while the guide tells us a story.  We take metros and buses in cities and hire coach buses for our outside excursions. While this contributes to the charm of the experience, it requires the participant to be in good physical condition, particularly knees & hips.  Air conditioning in France is not as widespread as it is in the US, and hotel rooms are smaller. Think carefully when choosing accommodations. If you choose to be in a double room and change your mind after registration is closed or once the workshop has started, you will be responsible for paying two single supplements: for yourself and for the roommate who will now be in a single room. We focus on absorbing French culture and expect our participants to do their best to adapt to France: vive la différence!  If you have certain dietary or other restrictions, please ascertain beforehand that we are able to accommodate you.  Vegetarian diets can usually be adapted, but we regret that our chefs cannot accommodate a vegan diet.

Organizer Responsibility
The French Traveler has exercised careful consideration with regard to the safety and well being of participants.  We can assume no liability for injury, damage, loss, accident, delay or irregularity in connection with the service of any airplane, automobile, train, cable car, motor coach, metro or other conveyance, or for the acts or defaults of any company or person engaged in conveying passengers in carrying out the arrangements of these programs.  We accept no responsibility for baggage, losses or additional expenses due to delay or changes in air or other services, sickness, weather, strike, war, force majeure, or other causes beyond our control; such losses or expenses will be borne by the passenger, as tour rates provide for arrangements only for the time stated.   We reserve the right to make alterations to this itinerary as deemed necessary, or to cancel this program prior to departure, in which case the entire payment will be refunded without further obligation. We reserve the right to decline any person deemed inappropriate for the program, and to change or substitute any activities described above for reasons of inclement weather, unforeseen circumstances, acts of nature or inconveniences or reasons beyond our control.  No refund will be made for any unused portion of this program.  The French Traveler accepts no liability for any carrier’s cancellation penalty incurred by the purchase of a non-refundable ticket connected with the program.  Program price based on exchange rate in September 2024; if euro/dollar rate reaches or exceeds 1 E = $1.20 by April 15, 2025, a $200 surcharge will be required of all participants, regardless of registration date. 

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