The town of Modane

Modane is a charming, alpine town nestled at the heart of the Vanoise National Park in the Savoie region of the French Alps. It sits at an altitude of 1000 metres above sea-level and is surrounded by three ski resorts. The untouched, raw beauty of the Maurienne valley with its restored farmhouses, wooden chalets, spectacular ski resorts and breathtaking landscapes is a must for those who would like to live like the French during their stay. France is, after all, the fabled land of good food and wine and known the world over for its art and history. This is the timeless land whose people have a natural joie de vivre and savoir-faire and have for centuries.

Modane, and its surrounding villages, have many sights and activities to offer. Savour art and romance in our Baroque chapels and churches, see glorious pasts blaze forth at our fortresses and medieval villages, enjoy sumptuous cheeses, French wines and typical Savoyard meals in alpine villages or refuges and indulge your jet-set fantasies in one of our surrounding ski resorts just 15 minutes away: Aussois, Valfrejus or La Norma.

There is something for everyone to do no matter what the season. Winter is synonymous with downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, snow-shoe touring and sledging. In spring, summer and autumn the inhabitants of the Maurienne valley delight in rock-climbing, via ferrata, hiking, and canyonning. Sparkling, turquoise alpine lakes and glimpses of deer, ibis and marmots in the Vanoise National Park should please nature-lovers.

The surrounding ski resorts offer an exciting nightlife during the winter and summer seasons…bars, cafés, restaurants, theatre, cinema, bowling, nightclubs and much more for those who wish to let their hair down in the evenings! Modane has a cinema, theatre, museum, restaurants and bars which are open all year round.

Weekend trips can be taken to spectacular Annecy and its lake which is the second largest lake in France formed 18000 years ago from large Alpine glaciers, to Italy via the Val Cenis mountain pass in summer and the Frejus tunnel in winter, to mountain shelters in the Vanoise National Park for a nature-lovers weekend, to Chambery for shopping, to one of the ski resorts for a skiing weekend . . . there really is so much to choose from.

France country facts

• Capital (and largest city): Paris
• Official language(s): French
• Government: Democratic (Unitary semi-presidential republic)
• Area: 674,843 sq km (260,558 sq mi>
• Population: 65,447,374
• Currency: Euro
• Time zone: CET (UTC+1)
• Drives on: the right
• Calling code: 33

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The EBC TEFL course training centre

Our training centre is located in a modern office building in downtown Modane.

The training centre has been designed with the your needs in mind. The centre has modern computers running Windows XP, high-speed Internet connections including office-wide WIFI access, a small library, and a snack bar where every morning the coffee and tea are piping hot and FREE.

Every classroom is equipped with comfortable chairs, an oversized whiteboard, and a cassette and CD player. The main teaching rooms have a surround sound system, DVD player, cassette player, and TV.

In addition to the teaching rooms, The EBC TEFL course training centre also has a study room where you can do your course work. The centre is equipped with WIFI so, if you bring your WIFI ready PC, you can work in the study room with free internet access.

For detailed information about the training centre, what is on offer, local information and job prospects, please click here to download a prospectus containing all the information you'll need.

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TEFL jobs in france

The EBC TEFL course training centre in Modane also runs a language school. Subject to availability, you may get offered an English teaching job by the language school at the end of the course.

A few facts about teaching in France

• Demand for teachers - HIGH
• Main job availability regions - Paris, Lyon, Montpellier, Marseilles
• Main types of teaching - Usually through "Academies" covering: General English, Business English and English for Young Learners
• Busiest periods - the academic year from September to June
• Summer periods - there are usually opportunities to teach: intensive courses, English final retake preparation courses and summer camps during July and August
• Qualifications - an accredited TEFL/TESOL certificate
• Job duration - the full academic year or the remainder of the academic year
• Teaching hours per week - 20 to 30
• Salary - From 1,400 EUR to 1,800 EUR per month depending on the number of hours worked
• Freelance work - from 15/20 EUR per hour
• Average basic monthly expenses - 800 EUR

It is easy to find teaching jobs if you have an accredited certificate.

France is years behind most countries in Europe with regards to the English language. The average French person speaks little or very basic English unless they have made the effort to learn the language with regards to their work. French schools do not put an emphasis on learning languages and, even though English is part of the curriculum, students are not given sufficient time or practical experience to master it.

There is a growing demand for English teachers from private language schools and from individuals seeking to learn English. France relies heavily on its tourist trade: the south of France attracts tourists with their beaches; the north with their historical attractions, the Alps with their ski resorts and English has become an obligation for those who want to be able to cater to visitors who do not speak French. An enthusiastic, hard-working teacher should be able to sell him/herself to private schools, private companies, private language schools, language associations or set him/herself up to give private lessons at home.

Modane is an hour away from Chambery, Albertville, Grenoble and Turin (Italy) and an hour and a half from Annecy, Lyon and Geneva (Switzerland). Schools in these major cities in France, Italy and Switzerland are always looking out for teachers with a recognised TEFL certificate so students should have little trouble finding a teaching post. Paris is just a 4 hour train trip from Modane on a direct line for those wishing to work in the historical, romantic capital of France.

Teachers are needed for all levels and ages. Business English is becoming important for companies and parents often sign their children up for private lessons outside of school hours as they have realised that they will need English to find work and travel in the future.

It is, however, almost impossible to organize a job in France before going there. Language schools have become stricter, and most will now demand a TESOL TEFL qualification and/or some teaching experience. In addition, almost all schools will expect to interview you face-to-face before making a job offer.

This is one good reason to choose EBC.

We have direct contacts with many language schools. We ensure that your CV/resume is available to potential employers on the last day of the course which should then result in interviews and job offers.

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