Some tourists arrive in Crete with sunscreen, sunglasses… and the deep belief that the whole Mediterranean should automatically speak their language.
So, instead of waiting for the day French tourists finally decide to learn English like the rest of planet Earth, Heraklion is doing what Crete always does: adapting and surviving.
The KEK Technical Schools of the Heraklion Chamber are organising a professional French seminar, tailored explicitly to tourism jobs, aimed at improving communication with French-speaking customers in hotels, restaurants, and shops.
Yes, it is practical, necessary, and somewhat amusing that the burden of multilingualism always falls on the locals.
What the course offers (so you do not cry in French at the reception desk)
The seminar allows:
- live online attendance
- and replay access through recorded lessons starting the next day, available for one month
It is designed for:
- tourism business owners
- tourism employees
- and anyone who simply wants to stop panicking when a French guest begins a sentence with “Excusez-moi…”
The stated aim is not just basic vocabulary, but:
- better understanding of the language
- professional communication
- ability to draft letters/messages
- improved tourism terminology
Translation: not just “bonjour,” but “bonjour, monsieur, your room is not a swimming pool.”
What you will learn (the survival kit)
The course includes:
- Alphabet + pronunciation basics
- Basic grammar and everyday communication phrases
- Vocabulary for retail and product sales
- Welcoming guests + giving directions
- Restaurant vocabulary and service phrases
- Handling complaints (the most important module, obviously)
- Numbers, time, schedules, payment methods
- Oral practice
- Revision
In short, everything needed to survive a summer season without resorting to interpretive dance.
When it runs
- Total duration: 30 teaching hours
- Days: Every Monday & Wednesday
- Dates: January 26, 2026 – March 2, 2026
- Time: 10:00–12:30
So yes, it is perfectly timed to train people before the tourism season starts squeezing everyone like lemons.
Who teaches it (aka: you will not be learning French from a random PDF)
Instructor: Savva Mikaela, a graduate of the University of Crete’s Philology Department with:
- two Master’s degrees (French language & comparative literature from Sorbonne, political science from Paris 1 Panthéon–Sorbonne)
- long experience teaching French and preparing students for DELF / DALF / Sorbonne exams
In other words, the teacher knows her stuff and will not tolerate lazy accents.
Where to ask/register
- KEK of the Heraklion Chamber
- Ikarou & Archimedes 1, Nea Alikarnassos
- Tel: 2810 302600
- Email: info@katartisi.gr
- Hours: 08:00–15:00
Crete may not be able to force tourists to speak English. Still, it can ensure that the people of Crete are not left helpless in the face of a fast-talking French guest and a complaint about the “too loud cicadas.”
And honestly? That is already a victory.
