If you learned French at school and you are rusty, then The French Experience 1 will get you back on track. If, however you want to do more than just 'get by' on holiday, The French Experience 2 will repay your time and effort with this intermediate course. I was impressed with the amount of interesting subject matter that was used as the learning base. Yes, of course you need to do exercises to practise something new but isn't it good that the subject is about French speaking parts of Switzerland, Africa and Canada, or about the Eurotunnel, French weddings or articles from French magazines. I particularly liked the 'clipping' about the French parents who left their 7year old child behind at a motorway service station - an interesting way to discuss different verb tenses whilst plotting if the same would be possible here! And to practise giving opinions, how about discussing the 'Front National' of Jean-Marie le Pen and 'La France' during the Vichy period - with the present inhabitants of Vichy! Both of these are covered in Unit 9.
Each unit contains a different topic, exercises to increase comprehension and vocabulary, sections that highlight grammar and spoken language, and factual snippets about the French-speaking world. You can check your progress with the self-assessment tests at the end of every second unit and all the answers are at the back of the book, as are the scripts for the four accompanying tapes. These feature real-life conversations to increase the essential skills of listening and speaking to 'les Francais' and can be used away from the book, e.g. in the car, for extra practise. However, with judicious use of the scripts, the book could be used without the tapes.
A recommendation - yes, certainly. I am half way through The French Experience 2 using the books and the tapes, and I am enjoying it. There is no easy way to learn a language without investing time and effort, but this course has interesting enough content to make that investment stimulating and worthwhile.
