Swimming is one of the favorite sports of the French along with football and tennis.
Although swimming is beneficial for the whole body and mind from a holistic point of view, learning to swim is one of the essential notions for the proper development of everyone.
Indeed, knowing how to swim makes it possible to fight against the risks of drowning, hydrocution and to be able to help others in case of need.
We can say that France is today a country that has been able to emphasize this practice from an early age.
Add to that other social factors such as the length of school holidays, the absence of a municipal swimming pool in certain rural areas, etc.
However, it is now much easier to take swimming lessons .
Private lessons, group lessons or even swimming courses, we give you all our advice and tips to understand and find a swimming lesson near you.
What is a swimming lesson like?
Before jumping into the water, you must have the appropriate swimming equipment.
To do this, nothing could be simpler, follow the list:
- A swimsuit: boxer and swim briefs for men, one-piece swimsuit for women,
- A bath towel (bring two if you have long hair),
- swimming goggles,
- A swimming cap,
- Tapshoes,
- A nose clip for those wishing to improve their breathing techniques.
Once your kit for the perfect swimmer is stowed away in your sports bag, head for the pool.
If you take swimming lessons in a municipal swimming pool or an aquatic center, they will be provided by a lifeguard (or MNS).
Depending on your age, the type of course chosen and your level of swimming, the approach to swimming and the aquatic environment will be different.
Swimming lessons for children
Children can really start swimming lessons around the age of 6.
Parents can introduce them to the discovery of the aquatic environment thanks to the baby swimmers, but the real swimming lessons are scheduled around their sixth candle.
There is no swimming pool near your home? Find out from your municipality, sometimes mobile swimming pools come to give swimming lessons to children:
In a so-called “classic” swimming pool, lessons are given in small groups of 10 children maximum or in individual lessons.
The advantage of choosing group lessons lies in the simple fact that the most daring children will help the most fearful to overcome their apprehension of water.
Groups of levels are then formed to help the most comfortable small fish to progress and discover different movements and swimming techniques such as:
- flotation techniques,
- put your head under water,
- The basics of first aid,
- Swim the front crawl or the butterfly, etc.
Another group will accompany the most reluctant in the discovery of water through fun activities such as role-playing, slides, etc.
Each lesson lasts approximately 40 to 45 minutes and is divided into three stages:
- Reception of students and definition of swimming objectives for the day,
- Adapted games and practical exercises,
- Summary of the day’s lesson and feedback on student behavior.
It takes between 10 and 15 sessions for a child to master the basics of swimming, namely swimming alone without help and in complete safety for 25 meters.
Swimming lessons for adults
You can learn to swim or improve your swimming technique at any age. There is nothing forbidden, whatever your physical condition.
Swimming is one of the most flexible and adaptable sports for everyone.
Just like for children, swimming lessons for adults are adapted to the swimming level.
The only variables to consider are your budget and your schedule.
Do you have a tight budget? Prefer collective swimming lessons which will be less expensive.
The little extra: Adapted to your swimming level and given in a dedicated pool, these group lessons are often a source of motivation and challenge.
As this famous proverb says:
If, on the other hand, you want to learn to swim quickly, private swimming lessons will be more suited to your expectations.
Always given by an MNS or a qualified swimming instructor, these solo lessons will allow you to benefit from a 100% personalized and effective approach.
Those who have a private swimming pool can take these lessons at home.
How do I find swimming lessons?
It is quite easy to find swimming lessons today.
Whether you live in the city or in more remote areas, different means of research are available to you.
The town hall and associated public services
Do not hesitate to push the door of the town hall or the tourist office of your municipality to obtain information on the swimming lessons offered in the surroundings.
They will be able to give you the list of clubs, associations and sometimes even local private swimming teachers.
They generally have the places, prices and times but also the dates of registration for these lessons.
Research on the web and social networks
Many swimming clubs have their own website full of useful information.
Failing that, you will certainly find answers to your questions on the social networks of your city, the club or the association that interests you.
Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok, these media are full of useful information to help you find a swimming instructor near you or improve your swimming technique.
Do not hesitate to consult the site of the FFN (French Swimming Federation) which is a real mine of information on the practice of swimming in general.
Word of mouth and local exchange
Do you want to learn to swim , perfect your backstroke or try synchronized swimming?
The first thing to do: talk about it around you!
There may be someone in your network who can help you find a swimming instructor or club.
Do not hesitate to say a few words to your local merchants, they are often aware of many things in your direct environment.
They also sometimes have small signs where to leave information or announcements, maybe a swimming instructor is pinned right behind you 🙂
How to learn to swim with swimming lessons?
As we said earlier, swimming lessons are open to everyone, regardless of the age or state of health of the future swimmer.
Disabled people and seniors can practice swimming just like everyone else.
Some people have even managed to push back all the boundaries of the possible thanks to swimming, like Théo Curin:
The approach to swimming and the resulting exercises will obviously be adapted to each person’s situation.
There are 5 main steps to learning to swim:
1. Fight your aquaphobia (fear of water)
2.Put your head under water
3.Learn flotation
4.Move through water
5. Master the different swimming techniques
The first lessons can seem complicated and tedious, especially for people suffering from aquaphobia.
Once this first step has been taken, the pleasures of swimming will begin to be felt both morally and physically.
Swimming being a complete and gentle sport at the same time, the benefits for your body will be almost immediate, you will feel in particular:
- Improved breathing capacity
- Better muscle tone,
- Better cardiac coherence,
- A refined and more defined silhouette,
- Immediate and global relief when you get out of the water.
Swimming lessons are supervised by professionals from the aquatic world.
They provide you with safety, knowledge and support as you learn to swim, breaststroke after breaststroke.
Whether you are a complete beginner, intermediate swimmer or an experienced swimmer who wants to try new skills, swimming lessons will meet your expectations.
How much does a swimming lesson cost?
The price of swimming lessons varies according to different criteria.
Indeed, several parameters must be taken into account, such as:
- The frequency of lessons: à la carte, year-round, a one-week course, etc.,
- The type of lesson: private lesson, group lesson, swimming course,
- The age of the student: baby swimmer, child, teenager, adult or senior,
- The place where the lessons are taken: municipal swimming pool, aquatic center, private swimming pool,
- The geographical area.
As for baby swimmers, the prices vary between 120€ per year for the most accessible courses to nearly 500€.
Swimming lessons for children are included in the national education program.
Thus the government has put in place several measures to help children from all walks of life learn to swim during their schooling. These courses are given in all schools in France and are free.
Many swimming clubs members of the FFN also offer free lessons always under the aegis of a government directive entitled ” I learn to swim” .
These learning courses of a minimum of 10 hours have been provided to children who cannot swim from 4 to 12 years old since 2015 under the benevolent eye of the Ministry of Sports.
They take place during school holidays or during extracurricular time.
If you would like your child to take group swimming lessons, the formulas vary according to the clubs and the frequency of the lessons. Count on average 250€ per year and per child at the rate of one lesson per week.
If you opt for private lessons, Superprof offers lessons between 15 and 55€ per hour.
Tailor-made program, adaptability, listening and benevolence are the key words of Superprof, all without breaking the bank!
Whether for children, teenagers or adults, the prices remain the same.
However, swimming lessons for adults and teenagers in clubs vary enormously depending on the structure chosen.
Do not count less than 200 to more than 600€ per year depending on the swimming clubs.
Once you have established your budget, all you have to do is take the plunge!
And why not reward all these efforts with a holiday by the sea?
