80 million tourists visit France every year, so they must be doing something right. Get under the skin of this vast and complex country famous for its art, food and berets as you live and work as a TEFL teacher!
Training & Experience
A huge TEFL hub for teaching business English, most schools will want to see evidence of a high level of TEFL training.
Education Required
A university degree is not required for a work visa, but it can help you find the best jobs. If you’re an EU national, there are no special requirements but you do need to register with the authorities once you have found your job.
Teaching Types & Opportunities
As with much of Europe, French businesses are increasingly seeing English as a key skill for their employees. In fact, legislation states that French companies have to put aside at least 1.5% of their payroll to employee training. Many private language schools are solely concerned with teaching business English – so a relevant business English certificate would be useful.
Money
Currency: Like most members of the EU, France’s official currency is the euro.
Salary & Perks: Your monthly salary can vary from €1,200 – €1,600 per month, and a business qualification and/or experience can really boost this figure. If you want to do private tutoring, you can earn anywhere from €15 – €20 an hour.
Cost of Living: In France, this really depends on where you are! If you’re living in Paris, always try and go for the ‘prix fixe’ menu, as they offer you better value for money. Anywhere else in the country, you can get a meal with some wine for about €20. As usual, beware of tourist hot spots, as restaurants will always be more expensive.
Top Cities
Paris – Paris is many people’s dream TEFL job destination, and it’s not hard to see why. It is one of the most beautiful cities on the planet and the opportunities for teaching English in Paris are many and varied.
As living costs can be high, you’ll struggle to save much money unless you land a well-paid job, but the experience of living and working in Paris will more than make up for it!
Lyon – Lyon has a population of around half a million people and is regarded as one of France’s most important economic and business centres. As is often the case, economic success has brought a high demand for people with an understanding of teaching business English.
Montpellier – The southern city of Montpellier is France’s fastest growing city of the last 25 years. This growth has led to an increased demand for TEFL teachers as the city attempts to become a major player in the European economy. There is a fast growing TEFL job market and it is a little less competitive than in other large French cities.
Food
Tasting the foods of France is one of the other perks of living in this incredible destination (alongside the TEFL experience, of course). You’ve probably already tried a croissant, pain au chocolat or a croque-monsieur… but not in France!
Things to try:
Try every pastry available to you! There are far too many incredible foods to describe, but here’s a quick list to get your mouth salivating: Tarte tartin (apple tart), soupe de fraises (boozy strawberry soup), chariot de fromage (a chariot of cheese!) and bouillabaisse (a fish stew). Should we bother mentioning escargot and les grenouilles… snails and frog legs of course!
TEFL Here If…
You want to sample a new culture while having the comforts of a Western lifestyle. Just make sure you’re motivated to get out there and TEFL to a high standard while make new friends in a bustling environment.
Destination Types & Weather
The weather is ever changing in France depending on where you are. If you’re in the north, pack a parka. If you’re in the central regions of France, pack sunglasses, decent walking shoes and a decent coat for the colder months. If you’re lucky enough to be in the south, pack your swimwear! It’s club Mediterranean time!
You could be city-based in elegant Paris, sipping coffees in cafes, or strolling through picturesque towns with the sun on your back overlooking vineyards… a tough choice to make!
