English Lit and French degree?

I've always wanted to do an English Lit degree, but recently I've really been enjoying French and don't want to lose it post A-Level. I've had a look at some joint degree courses, but wanted to do what people thought of that. I don't necessarily want to do a french degree, so is it better to say do a degree in English Lit and maybe take a gap year in France/ do summer work etc or take modules in French, or is the best way to maintain it/learn to do a joint degree? I've heard some things about joint degrees (honours) being so much work, but then others have said it's really good. Can anyone who's done this (doesn't matter what subjects, just basically a subject + a language) recommend me any options?

If you study French as part of a joint honours degree then you will have to take modules in French literature, history, culture etc, is that something you'd be interested in? If all you want to do is maintain your French language skills then doing a joint honours degree may not be the best idea.

It is definitely possible to keep up with your French without studying it as part of your degree. Most universities have a language centre with language labs/self-learning facilities, and a lot also offer evening language classes to students who want to pick up a new language or continue learning a language they did at school. Depending on where you go to university, it may also be possible to take a French language module as one of your optional / outside modules in the first and second year (check English Lit degree structures to see if they have any optional modules). You may also be able to do a year abroad through the Erasmus+ exchange programme, check university websites to see if their English department has exchange links with any Francophone universities. And of course, you could always do summer language schools / cours d'été / université d'été in the holidays.