Relate to Your Tourists

Burlington sees an average of 2.6 million visitors every year and many come from nearby French-speaking parts of Canada. In an effort to make these visitors feel more welcome, and encourage them to visit more often, Pomerleau Real Estate and the Church Street Marketplace have partnered with Alliance Françoise of the Lake Champlain Region to offer “Elementary-French” classes.

Beginning February 23, Kim Chase, local native French speaker and long time teacher in Burlington schools, will teach the classes on Thursday nights from 6:30 to 8:00 PM. Québécois pronunciation and usage will be emphasized in the classes which will cover introductions, prices and giving directions. In addition, students will also role-play specific conversations that arise at their work.

Those who have completed the classes have reported that their Québécois customers appreciate their efforts to communicate in French and that those customers are more interested in conversing with them then they are when English is the only option.

The 10-week course only costs $50, which is about 75% less than usual, and will be taught in downtown Burlington. It is designed to be useful even if you have studied French in the past. However, if you have already taken the course, or have recently brushed up on your basic skills, you can take the second-level course, taught from 6:30 to 8 on Tuesday nights beginning on March 13.

Contact stevenorman@fastmail.fm to learn more or register for the classes.