There is no denying that France is a land of great contrasts, offering an endless choice of enticing destinations, a rich diversity of landscapes, cuisines, climates and peoples, with an exceptional cultural heritage.

France is one of the top tourist destinations in Europe and the world, one of those rare countries where every region offers something worthwhile and distinctive. France is a wonderful country, which is why it is one of the world's most fascinating and rewarding tourist destinations. You can visit the chic boulevards of Paris, or enjoy a relaxing picnic in Provence where the air is fragrant with wild herbs and lavender, go skiing in the Alps, or swim in the Mediterranean then laze on a sun-baked beach, sip some wine in the sun-lit vineyards of Bordeaux or enjoy a flute in Champagne. Places and activities to suit every taste - the choices are endless.

France lies on the western edge of the European continent and shares borders with six neighbours: Belgium and Luxembourg to the north, Germany and Switzerland to the east, Italy to the southeast and Spain to the southwest. Thus it forms a bridge linking northern and southern Europe and joining the countries in the central part of the continent to those in the east.

With a civilisation dating back to 50,000 BC, the nation's legacy of history and culture is so widely dispersed across the land that even if you were to confine your travelling to one particular region you would still have a powerful sense of the past without having to seek out major sights. You can visit prehistoric cave paintings, some of the oldest Roman ruins, castles, cathedrals and battle scars that are scattered across the land, yet much of the French countryside remains untouched, and traditional rural life still flourishes. France is extremely diverse: it concentrates a wealth of scenery and regional identities, each with their own particular joie de vivre defined by cultural and historic differences.

France is synonymous with romance and is one of the Western world's most important centres of cultured folk. This is the land which inspired Monet's reinvention of colour and the haunting harmonies of Debussy. Maurice Ravel, Berlioz, Rousseau, Voltaire, Victor Hugo and Pablo Picasso are but a handful of the many world-renowned composers, writers and artists France has produced. For the art lover, France is a dream come true. The Palace of Versailles, the Louvre, the gothic-style Notre Dame Cathedral - these are just a few of the enticing works of art. France has 27 natural and cultural wonders which have been added to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list.

No trip to France, of course, would be complete without sampling its world-famous cuisine. The French are great chefs and french gastronomic delights are far too many to mention, but a few things not to be missed include foie gras, truffles, snails, some of the vast number of cheeses and outstanding patisseries.

Eating well is of prime importance to the French and they spend a considerable amount of time thinking about, talking about and consuming food. They live to eat and do it very slowly and deliberately, savouring each bite.

France also produces some of the best wines in the world. Other lesser-known but highly popular French drinks include Calvados (apple brandy from Normandy) and Pastis, an aniseed flavoured liqueur.

• You will receive an internationally recognised TEFL/TESOL certificate allowing you to work abroad in many countries around the world for years to come.

• You will be able to command a higher salary than other less qualified teachers once you’re employed.

• You will receive ongoing Job placement assistance, which will ensure you have a job for life.

• You will enjoy an intensive, fun, high impact professionally delivered course.

• You will gain all of the essential skills needed to start your new career as an English teacher. You will learn how to plan lessons, how to engage your class, tips for keeping discipline, and ideas for teaching grammar, vocabulary, speaking, listening, reading, writing and much more.

• You will learn how to teach all levels (children, adults, beginners, advanced, business) giving you multiple employment options.

• You will receive at least 6 hours of observed Teaching Practice with local students to build your confidence and 120 hours of classroom instruction.

• Get paid to travel around the world for life and have fun doing it!

Following acceptance of your enrolment application, staff at the TEFL school will assist you in arranging suitable homestay accommodation. You are assured that accommodation booked through the school will be clean, comfortable and secure. Alternatively, you are free to arrange your own accommodation for the duration of your course. A homestay will cost you €672 Euros for the month including ALL meals except lunch which is still excellent value!

The land of the US$5 café au lait is not exactly Europe's cheapest destination, but that doesn't mean you have to break the bank to visit. Devoted scrimpers can get by on around US$40 per day, though it means a whole lot of brie-and-baguettings in the park. For a more well-rounded culinary experience and a comfy bed or two, a minimum of US$80 is in order. Of course, for the Dom Perignon crowd, those figures might not cover even the day's pourboires - count on dropping US$200 and up if you're really living large. Student and senior citizen discounts are common.

Traveller's cheques are the safest, most convenient way to carry funds in France and are almost universally accepted, especially in larger towns and tourist centres. Banks and exchange bureaux give better exchange rates for traveller's cheques than for cash; Banque de France offers the best rates in the country. Credit cards get a better exchange rate on purchases and cash advances; France's ATMs accept all the major internaitonal credit and bank cards. Leaving a pourboire (tipping) is done at your discretion - restaurants and accommodations add 10-15% to every bill, but most people leave a few coins if the service was satisfactory.

Example of daily costs One-litre bottle of mineral water €0.80 33cl bottle of beer €1.45 City-centre bus ticket €1.20 Three-course meal with wine/beer From €25 Big Mac €4 Accommodation per month Budget €900 Homestay €672