Learn French your way with a TakeLessons expert

Tampa's population is bigger than ever before, and if you take French lessons in Tampa Bay, this cultural boom is excellent news. Take advantage of the following opportunities to sharpen your French skills, refine your palette, and learn more about the country that gave birth to the language of love.

1. La Creperia Cafe (http://www.lacreperiacafe.com/) Ybor City is famous for its historic houses and hand-rolled cigar factories, remnants of the Spanish and Cuban immigrants of the late 1800s. However, if you're looking for a true taste of Europe in the restaurants and bars that now line its brick-paved streets, you're in for a pleasant surprise. Even Ybor's famed Columbia Restaurant – a century-old Spanish spot with nightly flamenco shows – isn't as authentic as La Creperia Cafe, a small but sweet bistro that specializes in French crêpes.

These hand-rolled, paper-thin treats are usually considered a breakfast food in the States, but in Paris, the crêpe is a versatile street food that's made from scratch at hundreds of different sidewalk stands every day. At La Creperia Cafe, your taste buds will transport you to the City of Light as you savor flavor combinations that range from chicken and broccoli to Nutella and chestnut liqueur. Add extra sauces, veggies, cheeses, and meats for the full à la carte experience.

2. Le Méridien Tampa (http://bizoutampa.com/) Downtown Tampa's newest, hottest hotel is a French retreat tucked inside a former federal courthouse, and there's no better place in Tampa to immerse yourself in Parisian luxury. Air France opened the first Le Méridien in Paris during the 1970s, and while the French airline no longer owns the boutique hotel chain, this Floridian branch still has the authentic, decadent touch that made the original so popular.

Naturally, the hotel's built-in restaurant is a French bistro, and it's authentic enough to attract a steady flow of locals. Bizou Brasserie serves gourmet éclairs, croissants, and dozens of French-American fusion dishes that are just as well integrated as the hotel's century-old architecture and contemporary décor. In fact, Condé Nast Traveler ranked it among the best 100 hotels in the country in 2015, thanks in no small part to its bistro's French head chef.

3. Tampa French Language Meetup Group (http://www.meetup.com/FrenchConversationTampaBay/) Almost 600 local Francophiles are active members of this Meetup.com social group, which gathers on a weekly basis to speak and socialize exclusively in French. If you take intermediate or advanced French lessons in Tampa, the group's Wednesday night conversations are a great way to keep your pronunciation and listening skills sharp. If you're a beginner, you can attend monthly study sessions that cover basic vocabulary and grammar.

Of course, no French Meetup would be complete without a trip to the cinema for subtitled films. Keep track of the group's updates to find out when the Tampa Theatre screens classic or contemporary films by French filmmakers. Whether you want to mingle with fluent expats or meet fellow students who are new to the language, this group of friendly French speakers won't let you down.

Best of luck with your French lessons in Tampa, and be sure to take part in these great, local opportunities that are open to you as a French language enthusiast!