Pascale – French immersion in Béziers, Languedoc
Your teacher
Originally from Béziers, I spent most of my adult life in the United States. My first experience as an exchange student led me to Pennsylvania and later to Connecticut. After I graduated, I moved to California where I spent 20 years, initially working on projects for internet companies such as Google and Yahoo. Eventually, I decided to go into business for myself, teaching French to teenagers and adults. In 2014, I founded Bay Area French Tutor, a French tutoring business located in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Now that I am back in my native Languedoc, I continue to teach French as a foreign language, online and in person. I have dual French-American citizenship, and I am perfectly bilingual and at home in both cultures. My American students have often asked me about immersion programs in France. So, I have decided to share my love for my native Languedoc with Francophiles by offering an intensive French course!
Teaching style
I tailor my classes to the needs and goals of each of my students. This means that on our first day together (Monday morning), we will create your ideal program. We are normally scheduled to have 15 hours of formal instruction (and that means grammar), 3 hours every morning Monday through Friday. We also share breakfast and lunch, and we spend 2 afternoons on an excursion together.
The program as currently designed is for students who prefer a more structured approach to language learning. If you decide to stick with the 15 hours of formal instruction, we will use grammar books and exercises. I will assess your level, and we will focus on those points of grammar that are unfamiliar to you, or with which you struggle. Part of my job will be to identify recurring mistakes and drill you until the correct form becomes second nature to you (ex.: *de le should be du, *de les should be des). However, if you find grammar off-putting and you would prefer our formal instruction be more conversational, we can easily do that by selecting a theme for a particular session, or pick a newspaper article that we will discuss. This will allow you to increase your vocabulary on a subject of your choice. I will correct you whenever you make a mistake, and I will explain why I am correcting you. Grammar will still be unavoidable of course, but our approach will be more organic than if you learn directly from a grammar book. And if formal instruction is simply not your cup of tea, we can go run errands together where you will do the talking and I will still correct you and/or help you whenever necessary. We can prepare for our outing ahead of time (or not, up to you!).
Teaching methods
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One-on-one conversation
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Oral and written grammar exercises
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Oral corrections from your teacher
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Personalized summary of everything you've learned that you can refer to
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Real-life simulations : ordering at a café, buying cheese at the fromagerie, etc.
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Verb drills
Levels taught
My immersion program is open to students who already have some French under their belt. If you are an absolute beginner, I do not recommend that you take this course. Being immersed in a foreign language is very intense, even interspersed with some English where necessary. You need to have had some prior exposure to French in order to benefit from a program such as this one.
If you are an advanced beginner or an intermediate student, I will occasionally switch to English to make sure my explanations of some intricate grammar point make sense to you. Wherever necessary, I will also use English to answer your questions.
I am happy to welcome teenagers (16 y.o. and older), as long as they are accompanied by a parent if they are still under age.
If you are an advanced student and your goal is to practice and perfect your language skills, we will speak French as much as you like, during formal instruction, excursions, and throughout your entire week at La Noria.
Please note: If you wish, we will speak French over breakfast and lunch, as well as during our excursions together. However, if you come with a friend/family member who does not speak French, we will switch to English so they can be included in the conversation.
Great for
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Adults
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Family or friends traveling together
Your accommodation
The section below, as well as photos of La Noria, are for informational purposes only. Reservations must be made with Agnès, the owner of the property. However, if you would prefer I connected you with Agnès, I will be happy to do so.
La Noria: The Property
Nestled in the middle of vineyards, the main house at La Noria is at least 200 years old and built of solid stone, like a lot of the construtions in this area dating back several centuries. This little paradise boasts a large park, and a gorgeous pool with an outdoor kitchen where we sometimes have dinner in the summer. In addition to me, you will have Agnès and Jean-Luc, the owners of La Noria, with whom to practice your French while you are on the property! There will also be Géraldine, as well as the other guests, most of them native French speakers, who will be vacationing here at the same time as you. Across from La Noria is what we call La Voie verte (the Green Way), a former railroad turned into a biking (and hiking) trail that connects several villages in the region.
Your Accommodations
La Noria has 4 rooms for rent, each with a private bathroom, located on the second and third floors of the main house. Downstairs is a kitchen where breakfast is served in the morning. When the weather is warm, breakfast is served outside under the Gloriette, a long rectangular gazebo.
La Noria also has 2 gîtes for rent (furnished apartments with all the amenities). The large gîte (Gîte du Midi) has 2 bedrooms, each with a queen-size bed, as well as 2 bathrooms, a large living-room + dining room, and a fully equipped kitchen. The private garden of Gîte du Midi is glorious! The second gîte is called L'Ecluse and is next to the main house. Smaller than Gîte du Midi, it is a one-bedroom apartment with a queen-size bed, a bathroom, and a fully-equipped kitchen. For more information and photos about the rooms and the gîtes, please take a look at my website (below).
Access to a Kitchen
Neither La Noria nor the French immersion program include dinner. However, if you are renting a room, you will be able to cook dinner in the kitchen downstairs. Each of the gîtes has its own kitchen.
Amenities
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Air conditioning
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Free parking
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Hair dryer
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Iron
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Kettle
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Shower
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Swimming pool
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Toaster
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Towels, sheets and bedding
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Tumble dryer
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TV
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Washing machine
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Wifi
If you rent a room at La Noria, breakfast is included (b&b). If you rent a gîte, breakfast is not included and must be purchased separately.
Lunch is included in the French Immersion Program.
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Glutenfree option
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Lunch Included
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Many restaurant options in the area
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Vegan option
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Vegetarian option
The region
Located along the Mediterranean coastline of Occitanie, Languedoc offers a diverse tapestry of landscapes and traditions. The region has a rich history of Roman influence, visible in landmarks such as the Pont du Gard aqueduct, the amphitheater in Nîmes, and the Roman city of Narbonne. The Middle Ages has also left its mark, as testified by the many religious monuments that spread across this area, Fontfroide Abbey near Narbonne and St Nazaire Cathedral in Béziers being but two magnificent examples of religious medieval architecture in Occitanie.
Almost extinct when I was a child, the local language, Occitan, has been experiencing a revival and is now celebrated through festivals and other cultural events. Languedoc boasts scenic spots for outdoor activities, such as the Cévennes National Park, or Lac du Salagou. It is also renowned for its wine production, with vineyards stretching across the countryside. If you like seafood, you will enjoy eating some delicious oysters from Bouzigues together with a local white wine, in a quaint restaurant overlooking the Etang de Thau!
Occitanie is not as well known internationally as the French Riviera. However, Languedoc is a beautiful area and has been generating strong interest in the last few years, as evidenced by the many popular TV series shot on location between Béziers and Montpellier.
The excursions and experiences
On the first morning, we will work together on our excursion schedule for the week. The region is very rich in culture and history, and also offers natural resources for physical activities, especially during the warmer seasons.
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Cooking class with a chef
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Exploring France's most beautiful villages
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French class in a café
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Golf
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Guided nature walks
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History, art & culture, guided visits
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Horse riding
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Music concert, opera night, theater play
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Outdoors : hike, bike ride
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Wine cellar tour and winetasting
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Yoga, meditation or pilates
Getting there
From Paris, Béziers is a 4 ½ hr direct train ride on the fast train (TGV Inouï). You can also fly out of Paris into Montpellier (Aéroport Montpellier Méditerranée) or Perpignan (Aéroport Perpignan Rivesaltes). From there, you can take a train to Béziers.
You might also look into international flights to Barcelona, Spain. Barcelona is a 2h45mn direct train ride (TGV Inouï) to Béziers.
Getting around
La Noria is 16 kms (10 miles) away from Béziers. If you plan on going out for dinner, or on visiting the region beyond a bike ride, I recommend that you rent a car. However, with two outings scheduled during the week, you will have the opportunity to visit the area with me, so you may just want to enjoy your stay on the property, or take long walks in the surrounding countryside.
Otherwise, you can rent an electric bike from Agnès (the owner of La Noria), and go on a long bike ride using the rail trail across the road from the property.
Things to know
* When you contact me, the first thing I will do is send you a list of FAQs that will answer most, if not all, of your questions about my program, and about your stay at La Noria.
* Dinner is not included in the cost of the French immersion program, or in the accommodation. I will give you a ride to the local supermarket so you can stock up on supplies for your dinners. There is a fully equipped kitchen downstairs from your room, including a fridge where you can store food.
* I can pick you up and drop you off at the Béziers train station.
* If need be, I can arrange to pick you up at the airport (Montpellier or Perpignan), but I will ask that you pay for tolls, gas, and parking fees.
Payment method
Two diferent bank transfers, to me and to the B&B.
Cancellation policy
* 3 months or more before your course starts: 100% refund minus 100€ administrative fee.
If you have already paid the 60% balance, I can return this amount. If you wish to postpone your course rather than cancel it, new dates can be arranged at no extra cost within the next 12 months, subject to availability. Be aware that the choice of dates may be limited, especially in the summer. La Noria is usually fully booked in July and August.
* 1-3 months before your course starts: 50% refund minus 100€ administrative fee. It may be possible to schedule new dates if you choose to postpone rather than cancel… but I cannot guarantee this.
* Less than 1 month before start of course: 0% refund. The total amount is forfeited.
After many years of exploring French language learning methods, I finally found my own personal
learning stye - “One on One with Pascale”.
Prior to leaving home, I had prepared an overly ambitious, totally unrealistic, ‘Topics to Cover’ list.
Pascale was undaunted, took it in stride and competently addressed what was feasible, despite my
contant interrupting and topic switching. She was extremely flexible with the program, adapting the
lessons and activities to my interests and energy level. Although relaxed, our time was quite
productive. She gave me explanatory materials with exercises for everything we covered to take
home.
Pascale’s style of teaching meshed perfectly with my style of learning. She is organized, detail-
oriented, highly efficient and hugely encouraging and supportive. Her method of immediately
correcting me led to my being able to self correct much of my grammar as the week progressed.
Regarding grammar, I actually enjoy studying it and Pascale is a top notch grammar instructor,
explaining the why’s and wherefores and, of course, all of the exceptions for which the French
language is famous. Having lived in the US for many years, Pascale easily compares the two
languages and highlights spots where English speakers often have difficulty with French. These
explanations made it easier for me to understand, and therefore remember, the French.
The excursions were perfect. Pascale honored my requests. She is extremely well educated and
able to converse on a multitude of subjects. She clearly loves her roots in Béziers, and has traveled
extensively so we had lots to share.
It is an understatement to say that Pascale goes the extra mile for her students. I arrived in Beziers
exhausted without my luggage after several days of traveling. While I was calling every English
speaking phone number I could find, Pascale was doing the same with French numbers, trying to
locate my suitcase.
Both Pascale and Agnès, the proprietor of La Noria, looked after all aspects of my stay and I felt very
well cared for. The setting at la Noria is delightfully relaxing. The breakfasts were served at whatever
time I wished. The lunches Pascale provided were fabulous. My accommodations exceeded my
expectations and the air conditioning was greatly appreciated as the temperatures were quite high.
My week with Pascale at La Noria was so exceptional that I have decided to return for TWO weeks in
2027!
I spent 2.5 weeks at La Noria with Pascale, Agnes and Geraldine! What an amazing experience! I wanted to practice my listening and spoken French primarily with native speakers and I could not have asked for a better experience. Pascale is patient, kind, and knowledgeable so we had lively conversations and I learned a lot of vocabulary and tweaked my spoken grammar. I love nature and French architecture and history so all of our excursions were delightful. The location is outstanding and I took advantage of the walks into the village to get groceries and to just take in the vineyards and the countryside. I even went on a bike ride on one of the weekends and a few train trips. The Noria is a special property and the rooms are charming and they yard is like having your own piece of paradise. I will definitely return for the language, the food, the people, and the location.
My home immersion stay with Pascale was truly unforgettable!
I have some background in learning French, including a semester in Paris years ago as a university student and recently I’ve been studying on my own at home with various online resources, but nothing has helped me progress, gain more confidence —or been more fun—than having my own private tutor, in person, in France. And not just any tutor or any place in France, but with Pascale, in the beautiful Béziers area.
Pascale is not only a patient and knowledgeable tutor, but she also makes learning feel natural and fun. She helped me improve my pronunciation and speaking with gentle, immediate corrections, and tailored vocabulary and grammar exercises to meet my exact needs. Our lessons and conversations, held outside in the sun-dappled Gloriette (gazebo), were lively, engaging, and always focused on what interested me most. I left each lesson feeling confident and excited to continue learning.
La Noria, the charming bed & breakfast where I stayed, is cozy, immaculate, and perfectly located on the same property as Pascale’s home. Breakfasts were filled with casual conversations with Pascale, other guests, and Agnès, the warm and welcoming owner. Lunches at Pascale’s house, prepared by Géraldine, were delicious and accompanied by laughter and lively discussion. I also loved having the freedom to cook and enjoy dinner on my own in the kitchen at La Noria—a perfect balance of independence and immersion.
Excursions were tailored to my interests, giving me a deep experience of local culture, history, and the beauty of the countryside. A bonus was joining Pascale and friends for an evening in Béziers with dinner and a Mozart concert in the cathedral—truly memorable!
If possible, I highly recommend a two-week stay. I more than doubled my progress in the second week.
Pascale’s program is a true gem. Everyday was filled with learning, laughter and discovery and I cannot recommend it highly enough!
I give a five-star review for my five days of a challenging and entertaining learning experience taught by Pascale Teysseire. Pascale is an excellent teacher who loves the language and sharing her home-town heritage. Charismatic, she melts your fears and tailors her lessons and homework to one’s strengths and weaknesses: partitifs and numbers for me. Her patience is endless, concentration superb, and she possesses a positive spark that brings out your best. The twinkle in her eye when I finally nailed something was delicious. I found myself longing to win her approval. The atmosphere at La Noria is peaceful and feels like home. There’s a great walking path. Our visits to local restaurants and Frontfroide Abbey were fabulous. Bezier is an undiscovered jewel. I am grateful to the gang (Géradine, Agnès and Pascale) for their generous and diligent efforts to make our stay comfortable and a treasured memory. I gained weight! Such delicious breakfasts and outdoor lunches with much laughter and merriment! But the French language, ooh la la, I am inspired to immerse myself, time and again. Thank you!
I am a lifelong learner in the French language. In September, 2025 I traveled to Beziers Languedoc to study at La Noria with a private tutor, Pascale Teysseire, a native speaker from that area of France. Pascale was a superb teacher, with excellent skills in explaining the fine details of the language, yet very patient with my stumbling efforts to speak with confidence. In addition to our daily lessons outdoors in the beautiful sunlit grounds of la Noria, we took two field trips to the surrounding area to visit a 12th century monastery and to ride on a barge on the canal de Midi.
My week with Pascale was a profound experience that greatly improved my French understanding and speaking ability, as well as increased my appreciation for the cordial and caring nature of the French people. I hope to return to La Noria to work once again with Pascale.
A really excellent week. Pascale was very friendly, helpful and encouraging. My aim was to improve my speaking ability and increase my confidence. I did not want a lot of grammar and Pascale was very adept at picking up repetitive errors which I made when speaking and giving me relevant exercises. She is very knowledgeable about the area and we went on some excellent trips which made my week into a holiday as well as a learning experience. The accommodation was also excellent and Agnès and Geraldine were both very friendly and helpful.
I recently spent a very enjoyable week with Pascale at La Noria a lovely property near Beziers. Pascale is an excellent teacher who tailored our lessons to my level gently extending me when the opportunity arose. We focused mainly on grammar but with lots of general conversations, in French of course. When my brain was overwhelmed towards the end of the week Pascale was able to quickly adjust her lesson plan to help me cope.
My accommodation in the one bedroom gite at La Noria was extremely comfortable. Agnes was a lovely host and Geraldine made us some delicious lunches. I was even able to enjoy a swim in the pool on a couple of afternoons when we did not go on an excursion.
I would love to come back again.
I spent a great week with Pascale. Not only was it very enjoyable, but it was really helpful in increasing my confidence in speaking and understanding in French. I appreciated her tailoring the lessons and excursions to my goal of increasing my conversational ability. She sent a daily list of vocabulary selected for my needs. Our conversations ranged from family life to books, films, and history. She is very patient, skilled, and interesting.
The accommodations at La Noria are very nice in a lovely setting with the perfect balance of interaction and privacy. Agnes and Geraldine provided great breakfasts and lunches, as well as conversation.
The excursions to Frontfoide Abbey, wine tasing at Chateau Perdiguier, and the tour of Bèziers were interesting and very helpful in enhancing understanding of the tours in French.
I highly recommend study with Pascale!
I and my partner, who did not participate in learning French, we spent a week with Pascale in may. We had a great time. The lessons of French that I had were made of conversation at breakfast and lunch - this was mixed with English for the benefit of my partner. After the first day when Pascale was assessing my level and my needs we focused on filling the gaps in my knowledge and discussing lots of grammatical and structural issues. We were doing lots of exercises and I had to do some homework which we then discussed the next day. My biggest problem was the lack of knowledge of how? and why? and being of the old school of training I needed to know grammar that was behind it and Pascale could - patiently - explain these to me. I certainly have a better understanding of the French language, even though much more effort is required on my part to to be fluent. We loved the place - the tranquility and the flowers, the country vibes. Pascale took us on a couple of trips around the area and this was both educational and fun for both of us. There were also two lovely ladies to complete the picture - Agnès who served us a very French breakfast and the chef Géraldine who prepared lunch for us. We went for walks and rented bikes to go for a ride and this was fun as well - going out there to test my French! Overall, it was a great week for both of us - thank you Pascale!
If I could give more stars, I would!
My week in Languedoc by the coast with Pascale, at La Noria, was top-notch. She’s an excellent teacher of language, of culture/history, and of how to live life to the fullest. Plus, she has just the right engaging personality and sense of humor to make the learning process go easier 🙂
I love that Pascale has the flexibility to tailor each immersion experience to the needs/desires of her student(s). For me it turned out to be focusing on language basics, yet fostering my desire to experience more on the excursion side than perhaps the average student would.
All in all, this was a lovely experience that I would definitely recommend and will not soon forget. Thank you, Pascale, Géraldine, and Agnès. …..mmmwah! (chef’s kiss)
Last week was a formidable immersion experience with Pascale at La Noria near to Béziers. We even had great autumn weather! The immersive experience itself was just as I had expected: local foods and wine experiences, together with interesting excursions and conversations with other French native speakers. Agnès was delightful to meet – the owner of the gite. Every morning, she provided us with amazing choices for the petit déjeuner including the spécialité pain of Béziers on our last morning. Geraldine cooked lunch for us every day, and entertained us with conversations in French about her daily life and her family. We were lucky with the autumnal weather and so, we enjoyed our meal each day. My partner, who does not speak French but has a basic understanding of the language, was most comfortable during these meals because he was always included in conversations, which would switch between English and French.
After my substantial breakfast each day, Pascale and I would settle in for 3 hours of wide-ranging conversations in French – it was the time of the USA elections – so quite a few discussions were had
on that topic! Pascale would then make notes about points of grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary for me each day, and set homework around these areas of weakness. I appreciated being
able to follow up our daily lessons with homework based on these specific areas of need, to refine my B1 level. Each day, we would work through grammar exercises and corrections, as well as discuss
French idiomatic phrases. Pascale is a very engaging teacher with a broad knowledge of teaching Anglophone students both in USA and in her native France.
On our free afternoons, my partner and I walked along la voie verte in both directions. In one direction, we walked through vineyards displaying gorgeous autumn colours towards the little village of Maureilhan, birthplace of several noted Frenchmen. In the other direction, we passed through similar landscapes to Cazouls-les-Béziers, the closest village for shopping. Pascale took us to visit the magnificent Cistercian Abbaye de Fontfroide near Narbonne, founded in 1093 which is privately owned and has been beautifully restored by the Fayet family. We enjoyed a wine tasting here, and purchased a bottle to share with Pascale and Geraldine at lunch. On our last day, we had a tour of Pascale’s home town of Béziers, the oldest city in France! The cathedral is a wonderful piece of Gothic and Roman architecture and we had a guided tour in French with the local cathedral volunteer guide. We visited the engineering feat known as Les 9 Écluses de Fonseranes – November is a little late in the canal boating season so we could not see the locks in action, but it is still an amazing sight.
My partner and I thoroughly enjoyed our time with Pascale. All in all, we experienced an authentic immersive experience in everyday conversations and French life, and my French knowledge and practice continues to improve.
Thank you, Pascale, your French Immersion Program offered much more than I had expected! It was not only a fruitful learning experience but also an unforgettable vacation.
I had a specific professional objective to learn French, and Pascale tailored the lessons perfectly. To make the most of the immersion program, the lessons focused more on conversation, including role plays. The topics were relevant to the area of my profession, and her curiosity and questions encouraged me to talk. Grammar was also covered, mainly as homework, and we reviewed it together, focusing on the areas of my weak points. I learned incredibly a lot in five days, and now I am reviewing the materials to consolidate the learning.
I spent a week with Pascale as my instructor and my French improved immensely. I am older and a latecomer to French and have struggled with spoken French since the beginning. As such, Pascale and I made comprehension our focus. Her patient pronunciation, exercises in grammar and vocabulary, and gentle corrections as I spoke helped me immensely. Pascale's excellent fluency in both French and English allowed her to fully explain the French language to me and what was needed to more properly converse in it.
The setting was great too, outside of Beziers, at a renovated, quaint and well-run bed and breakfast with gardens and a pool. I was even able to rent one of their ebikes for afternoon rides on the adjacent bike/pedestrian path and quiet backroads.
If you're looking for a tailored, comfortable and truly immersed experience, I highly recommend improving your French with Pascale! My only complaint was that I only had one week!
Having always loved learning French but never making progress quickly, I have hugely enjoyed an intensive week of French immersion with Pascale. I have benefitted enormously from the one-on-one tutoring through the whole gamut of grammar, pronunciation and conversation with Pascale. Pascale has a wide range of experience in teaching French, a high degree of sensitivity to different learning styles, and infinite patience. The whole experience at La Noria was just excellent! Franchement, j’ai passé une semaine impeccable !
I had a wonderful experience with Pascale during my French immersion. She really catered to my needs, and we only worked on the areas I had asked to focus on. And even though I had different requests to her usual students, she supported me with exactly what I needed. She is so patient and welcoming, making the whole experience enjoyable. I especially liked spending time at her favourite local cafes and restaurants. I highly recommend this to anyone looking to boost their level of speaking and understanding!
Pascale is a patient and skilled teacher who is especially attuned to the needs of native English speakers learning French. One week with Pascale increased my confidence level dramatically. Pascale easily managed our different learning styles and adapted our lessons to our slightly mismatched levels so that both of us felt challenged and neither felt overwhelmed. We enjoyed our excursions to Beziers and Pezenas, as well as idyllic evenings at restaurants along the Canal du Midi. Our lodgings at La Noria with its tranquil and beautiful gardens were idyllic, and Agnes was a perfect host. We are already talking about a return trip!