Florence – French immersion in South Brittany

Your teacher

Bonjour!

My name is Florence and I would like to welcome you into my Breton world! My husband is Australian, and we have two children, born in 2005 and 2008. Both children are bilingual, as they were born and have spent their first few years in Australia. My daughter is actually abandonning us this year to pursue her studies in Lille, so you might not meet her. You will see my son, but only sometimes, as he is a teenager (no comment). We also have a cat, Pixelle, who just sleeps all day, and a dog called Maïa. My mum and dad also live nearby, so we will visit them on a few occasions. You will also get to meet my friends if they happen to come by for dinner. The more you talk to various people, the better exposure you will get.
My hobbies

I love walking, painting, gardening, and I sometimes help organising the local town events, as I am a local councillor. You will be more than welcome to join me on any of these activities if you wish.

Teaching style

I have been teaching French since 2008 and English since 2013. I have learnt a few different languages myself, and have spent a few years traveling and living in different countries. I therefore know what you are going through while learning French, and I appreciate that everyone is different and learns differently. I have a lot of patience and will help you progress at your own speed, spending a bit more time where you really need it: pronounciation, grammar, listening comprehension...

Levels taught

A2 to C2

Our house is located 20 minutes from Vannes, where the train station is. There is a small village 2 kilometres from our house, where you will find everything you need: pharmacy, restaurants, supermarket, bank, post office, etc. You can walk to the village or borrow our bikes. From the village you can catch a bus to Vannes.

We live on a 5.000 M2 property surrounded by fields.
You will stay in the self contained accommodation at one end of the house. It comprises of a bedroom with a queen size bed and a single bed, another bedroom with a queen size bed , a bathroom with a shower and a washing machine, a fully equipped kitchen and open lounge area, 2 separate toilets, a private outdoor area.

All breakfasts, lunches, and 2 dinners are included.
My husband and daughter are vegetarian, so we can cater for vegetarians. We try and use products from our vegetable garden, the eggs from our chickens, and there are plenty of local farmers and markets where we can buy food from. Well... I will give you money and YOU will buy it actually, as you will need to practice your French!

Le Morbihan

The département of Morbihan (Mor: mer/ Bihan: petite => little sea ) is so interesting. Not only it's very rich in traditions and history, but it also has plenty of places to visit inland and on the coast. There are many medieval cities and castles, beautiful sandy beaches, museums, one of the most beautiful bays in the world (the Golfe du Morbihan) We can also visit the mysterious standing stones of Carnac, similar to Stonehedge, which are in the process of being listed at UNESCO.

You could spend a month here and not have time to visit everything. Before your arrival, with your input, we will try to make the difficult choices of the places you would like to see. The region is also rich in gastronomy: you can taste fars (local dessert), crêpes, galettes, local beers, local cider, oysters and mussels, to name only a few.

Brittany is full of traditions and history. From medieval castles and towns to the standing stones of Carnac, there is plenty to see. Conveniently located in a small traditional countryside village 20 minutes from Vannes, you will experience the authenticity of Breton living. Our house is a traditonal "longère" that we renovated ourselves only a few years ago. It's surrounded by fields so you will appreciate a beautiful and quiet environment which is perfect for studying! Together we will visit markets, coastal towns, and anything else which piques your interest. You will get to learn about the Breton gastronomy and who knows, maybe get to try and make your own "galette"??

Getting there

The closest train station is in Vannes. It's only a two and half hour journey by train from Paris Montparnasse to Vannes.
I will come and get you at the train station.

Getting around

Students don't really need a car, as you will only have 2 afternoons free.
You can walk to the nearby village (20 mins) where you will find a few restaurants and shops.
If you like walking, I can also organise for you to join the local walking group. Another opportunity for you to practise your French! (all levels of fitness).
You can also go and explore on your own, there are plenty of beautriful walks around.

Cancellation policy

Please understand that cancellation has a major impact on my planning, as it’s very difficult to find a new student at the last minute.
Cancellation is, however, possible up to three months before your planned arrival: your deposit will be refunded minus 100 Euros of processing fee.
Should you need to cancel your stay less than three months before your planned arrival, you would, unfortunately, have to forfeit the deposit.The balance will have to be paid 2 month before your arrival and won’t be refunded in case of last-minute cancellation. Therefore, we advise you to take a cancellation insurance.

Payment method

Paypal (fees at the customer's expense), Wise, Euro and AUD bank accounts transfers