Coralie : French immersion in the Loire valley!

It would be wonderfull if you could arrive on Friday so we go together to the local market on Saturday morning.

Your teacher

Bienvenue chez moi!

My name is Coralie — welcome to my place in Mondoubleau. I fell in love with the vibe of this small village and its people, and decided to settle here after several years abroad. I live in a very old house (it was built before 1800) which has been renovated. I love spending time in my garden and inviting friends for a coffee, a meal, or a board-game night. I prefer to spend my days outside, but I enjoy the cosiness of my house as well.
I’ve always felt drawn to languages. I studied Spanish and English as foreign languages at university, but I really learned them when I had to put them into practice. I improved my English by receiving foreigners in the Loire Valley and showing them around my beautiful region. I realised I didn’t actually know Spanish when I moved to Mexico, and I finally became bilingual thanks to my immersion.
Later I left for Portugal and learned the language on site. Everywhere I went, people gave me such warm greetings and essential help that I am pleased to return the favour.

I enjoy slow living, natural food, and many things I’m sure we can share together:

• I love outdoor activities, so I would be happy to ride my bike by your side, hike with you, belay you for a climb, go down a river in a canoe, or simply share our favourite yoga postures.
• I like discovering new recipes and sharing tasty products from our lovely producers.
• I enjoy visiting the castles and gardens of the Loire Valley, as well as small local heritage sites.
• I’m sure we can exchange recommendations for our favourite books, films, graphic novels…
• And of course, chilling in a nice coffee place or salon de thé with pastries is inevitable.

It’s my turn now to pass on knowledge, and I am happy to help people from all around the world learn French.

Teaching style

I think the best way to learn is in real situations, especially while you are active and doing things you enjoy. I love having conversations with my students and getting to know them. As we talk, I note common mistakes or difficulties they have, and we go over them later.
When I was in Mexico, I learned a lot during guided visits, especially vocabulary related to history, architecture, and culture. In Portugal, I learned verbs of movement and vocabulary related to the body while practicing yoga with locals. That’s how I realized how important it is to be active in the learning process and to feel connected to what we do. The most essential thing is to have fun so our memory focuses on the good moments.
A one-week immersion would be intensive, especially if you get jet lag. If you want enough time to really absorb all the new expressions and vocabulary, two weeks is more effective, and you will get a 25% discount on your stay. We will be able to do more visits and relax as well.

Levels taught

I am happy to teach any level. If you are a beginner, I advise you to study a bit before arriving, even if it’s just with an app. At any level, it’s very useful to listen to music, radio, or the news, and to watch movies in French. Even if it’s too hard to understand at first, your ear will start getting used to the sound of French.

My little house is typical of the village and was built before 1800. It has been renovated to match up the charm of old houses and the comfort we need. To me, it feels like a cocoon. It is located in the heart of the village on a quiet street.

You will be staying in a large bedroom which offers a queen-size bed, a big sofa, and a desk if you need to study.
A private bathroom is at your disposal, either with a bathtub or a shower.
We can enjoy the patio and garden when the weather is nice, or stay by the fireplace in winter.
The kitchen has everything you need to prepare coffee or tea, cook or bake.

All my food comes from local producers, is seasonal and mostly organic. I can adapt to any diet, just let me know what you like to eat and what you need to eat.

I suggest we cook together twice a week so I can share a recipe with you and you can share one of your favourites with me, in French!

Do you want to taste all the cheese we have?
Do you want to share a meal with friends?

I can offer breakfast and dinner at home. While we are on excursions, meals are not included — we can go to a restaurant or prepare a picnic.

Tired of crowded places? Need some space, fresh air, and silence? Welcome to my region! During the day, we can hike and meet no one for hours. You can forget about traffic and pollution. At night, the sky is full of stars and we enjoy the tranquillity. But still, you will always find someone at the café for a little chat.

The region offers vineyards, medieval and Renaissance castles, troglodytes (rock cut architecture), beautiful rivers, and delicious food.

The Loire Valley is a one-hour drive from the village. We can visit different Renaissance era castles, there are so many choices! One with 365 chimneys, one built over a river, one with artistic gardens…

I will help you discover the village and its old fortress on your arrival, and we will go together to the local market with our shopping list so you can practice with the producers.

To perfect your practice of French and enhance your vocabulary — and always according to your wishes — we will practice different activities together in French, such as cooking, yoga, or shopping. I will accompany you on various visits: a castle in the Loire Valley, a commandery near the village… To truly understand a language, it’s always better to talk to different speakers, so you will have the chance to spend a couple of hours with Lysiane and her equine animals to talk and walk — a lovely experience. And if you want to add any other activity, I will be happy to book it for you:

• Cooking class with a chef
• How to create a travel journal
• Wine tasting
• A hot air balloon tour in the Loire Valley
• Canoeing
• Rock climbing (indoor, lead climbing)
• Yoga class

Getting there

To get to my place, you need to take a train from Montparnasse station in Paris, and 40 minutes later you will be in Vendôme. I will pick you up at the station and from there, we can go for a walk in this cute town or drive 30 minutes to reach my village.

Getting around

The village square is a 3-minute walk away, where you will find a boulangerie, a café, a pharmacy, a newspaper kiosk, and banks.
Every Saturday, a library opens in the market. You can find all kinds of books: novels, graphic novels, easy-to-read books…

From the house, we can walk to the ancient fortress of the village, built during the Middle Ages, it’s only a 10-minute walk, and then we can go down to a nice pond in the valley.

A few shops and a beautiful market provide everything we need in the village. We can also go to a gourmet restaurant a short drive away, or we’ll have plenty of choices in Vendôme. A cinematruck (quite an unusual experience) comes to the village once a month, and we can go to the cinema in Vendôme any day.

Things to know

We will have a video call before you book your stay. This way we get to know each other a bit, I can understand your needs regarding the language, and we can discuss the things you are eager to do during your stay with me.

Payment method

A 30% down payment is required to confirm your reservation.You can either pay by bank transfer or by Paypal.
The rest must be transferred one week before your arrival.