Bienvenue !

Club Anglophone, Montpellier

About Us

The BCA—Bienvenue ! Club Anglophone—is Montpellier’s social and cultural association for English speakers of all nationalities. We bring together a lively and diverse community of people who enjoy engaging in English while participating in our various social, sporty, creative, and cultural activities.

With a current membership of over 250 people from across the globe, the BCA offers a full calendar of activities—recurring social groups, special events, and cultural outings—all organized by member-volunteers. Whether you’re looking to connect through conversation, arts and entertainment, or outings and exploration, there’s always something going on and someone ready to welcome you.

Our goal is simple: to create a place where everyone can belong—a friendly, cooperative community where English serves as a bridge rather than a boundary.

Our History

The association began life as the British Cultural Association, founded in September 1991 to offer English-language activities and outings for British civil servants, teachers and their families in the Montpellier area. 

As the community grew, so did its diversity. What began as a group of British expatriates organizing British-themed events and family activities, has evolved into an association with members from many countries—including a growing number of French residents eager to keep their English active through social exchange.

In recognition of this evolution, members voted to refresh our identity while preserving our initials—BCA—which now stands for:

 B – Bienvenue ! (A true French welcome)

 C – Club

 A – Anglophone

We remain an association open to all who wish to speak English as we connect and share a variety of interesting and fun experiences.

BCA Structure

The BCA is a non-profit association and is regulated under French law, specifically the Association Loi 1901. This law dictates that associations must be structured by a stated goal (the reason the association exists) and projects that attract members. The law also states that associations must be run democratically to ensure that all members are empowered and can influence the operations of an association.

BCA Statutes

Every association must have a set of by-laws which define the democratic procedures ruling the association, its purpose, and the power and obligations of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee. 

The purpose of the BCA is to provide for the English-speaking community opportunities to meet and to take part in social and cultural activities. 

The by-laws or statutes are drawn-up by the association’s Board of Directors, but can be changed at any time with majority approval of the association's members and the local préfecture.

BCA Board of Directors and Executive Committee

The association is managed by a Board of Directors, elected by the members each year at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). The Board may comprise up to ten members and meets several times a year to oversee the general running and operation of the association. Its principal responsibilities include organizing at least one General Meeting per year and overseeing the association’s finances. At the AGM, members elect the Board and are presented with reports on the past year’s activities and the association’s financial accounts, as well as plans for the coming year.. All members are encouraged to attend, provide input, ask questions, and vote on key decisions. Following the AGM, the newly elected Board meets to appoint the Executive Committee.

The Executive Committee members are board members who have been elected to undertake certain important roles. The BCA currently has four executive roles:

  • President

  • Vice President

  • Treasurer

  • Secretary

Depending on the needs of the association, other roles may be created that do not require participation on the Board such as Website Manager and Activity Coordinator. 

Beyond taking a turn with the formal roles, there are many ways members contribute and keep our association going strong. These include participating on a special event committee, offering to lead a one-time or recurring activity related to one of your interests, and by helping to welcome and introduce new members when they arrive at an activity in which you are participating. 

Questions answered

  • Yes! We encourage you to attend one or two of our open activities (those that do not have a limit on the number of participants), before deciding whether to become a member. 

    Activities like Coffee Chat, Pub Afternoon or Evening, Pétanque, Book Club, Game Day, or Movie Club are great options. 

    Please fill out a Contact Us form and be sure to:

    • Tell us a little about yourself and your interest in BCA

    • Let us know which activities you would like to attend. That way, we can notify the Activity Leader to expect you. 


    Click here to go to the Contact Us form

  • Current membership rates are posted on our Join Us page. 


    Click here to go to the Join Us page for information about the annual fee and how to subscribe.

  • Membership Benefits

    • Members may attend as many activities and events as they wish throughout the year. (Please note that some activities require pre-registration, as indicated on the BCA Calendar, and some activities or events may involve additional costs—for example, venue fees, tickets, meals.)

    • A monthly BCA News email, highlighting new activities, upcoming all-member events, and other announcements from the Board of Directors.

    • Access to the Private, Members-Only pages of this website, where you will find:

      • our full BCA Calendar with details for all activities and events (what, where, when, and whether an RSVP is required),

      • a page for each activity, identifying the Activity Leader (helpful when you are trying an activity for the first time), along with photos that offer an inside look at who we are and the fun we have together,

      • Member Recommendations pages — tips and recommendations from BCA members.

      • blog posts and more.

    • Access to the BCA private WhatsApp groups:

      Please allow us one week to process your request to be added to the WhatsApp groups. You can remove yourself at any time.

      • BCA News – All members are encouraged to join this group, as it is where the Board and Activity Leaders post reminders and announce last-minute changes, such as activity cancellations due to inclement weather.

      • BCA Buddies – An optional group for member-to-member sharing. Not for one-to-one conversations, but a way to access the group’s experience, including for questions, recommendations, and sharing information about events in and around Montpellier.

  • 1. Click on the “Become a Member” button (or click here).

    2. You will be asked to provide the following:

    • Your name

    • Your email address

    • Password – you will create a password for the site

    • Your primary phone number

    • Your WhatsApp phone number, if different from the primary

    • Your WhatsApp group preferences

    • Your payment information (Credit Card or Klarna)

    3. Our website is hosted by Squarespace, which integrates the payment process. 

    4. After payment is made, you will receive the BCA Welcome Email with information useful for new members. 

    5. You will also receive other emails from Squarespace – confirming your registration and payment. Please Verify your account to confirm your registration AND confirm your subscription to BCA newsletters and other announcements.

  • No. Many of our activities have a flexible capacity, so members simply show up. To check for a particular activity, members go to the BCA Calendar on the website, then click on the name of the Activity to open its description. If the description does not say anything about reservations or capacity, feel free to simply show up.

    Activities with a limited capacity will state that an RSVP, registration, or sign up is required and provide a method for contacting the leader to express your interest. 

  • In general, yes. According to the BCA statutes, the purpose of our association is “to provide for the English-speaking community opportunities to meet and take part in social and cultural activities.” As a result, BCA activities are generally conducted in English.

    Our members include speakers with a wide range of English proficiency, from those still gaining confidence to native speakers. Members are encouraged to choose activities that best match their comfort level. Some offerings—such as the theatrical groups—require more advanced English skills; this is noted in the activity descriptions on the BCA Calendar.

    However, there is one notable exception: Français Pour Tous. This is the only BCA activity conducted primarily in French.  It offers fluent French speakers an opportunity to support those who are still learning, and provides a relaxed, friendly space for conversation. All levels of French speakers are welcome.

  • The BCA does not offer English lessons. However, for those who have moved beyond the beginning level and have some conversational English, BCA activities can offer many opportunities to practice.

    With members from around the world, as well as those for whom France has always been home, participating in BCA provides a natural and welcoming setting for English conversation and cultural exchange.