"I would highly recommend INSTED to others as a good way to refresh your French and a great way to take a season to ski."
Philip Fischer, 29, USA

"Studying at INSTED has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Whilst I am a bit older than the average student, I really liked the other people I met on the course and found that age really made no difference here - because we all came with the common interest of improving our French and doing lots of skiing. If I had the chance I'd definitely do it again. The fact that activities were organised for us throughout the course meant you continued to meet new people all the way through. The avalanche course and introduction to mountain safety in particular were excellent - as was the South Bar beach party! For me, it was a chance to have a "second time at university" - which without doubt was one of the best times of my life. I have come away from this course with a much improved level of French, but also with some great friends from many different countries. I have loved living in the mountains and being able to go skiing after class. At my age I couldn't have spent a season "bumming" - so this was the perfect compromise. All the advantages of life in a ski resort combined with the genuine chance to improve your language skills, which I think will serve me well for the rest of my life now."
Laura Barnard, 28, UK

"I came to Chamonix not being able to speak any French at all, and now I can hold a basic conversation with a French person. The combination between studies and skiing is perfect - you get more time than most seasonaires to ski"
Victor Nelligan, 19, USA