French Immersion Homestay At Teacher’s Near Béziers, Languedoc
2850€ (includes accommodation) Per Week
- 15 hours of one-on-one formal French instruction, tailored to your needs.
- 4 rooms (depending on availability), each with its own bathroom, w/large TV and A/C; 2 gîtes (fully furnished apartments).
- 6B + 5L + Dinner on the day of arrival.
- 2 excursions with guided French practice.
- Each room can welcome 2 guests. The Gîte du Midi includes 2 large bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and 2 twin beds on mezzanine.
Amenities/Features
Sleeping Arrangements
2 single bed
1 queen bed
1 queen bed
1 queen bed
1 queen bed
2 queen bed 2 single bed
Types of Courses Offered: French conversation, grammar, vocabulary, high school and college level French
Teacher Certifications: Ph.D. in Egyptology, Master of Arts in French, English-French bilingual, conversational Spanish, conversational modern Greek
Extra Activities/Options: With enough notice, especially for stays scheduled from May through September, I can look into availabilies for cooking lessons, yoga classes, a workout at the gym (with a day pass), a day on a golf course (with a day pass), a wine tasting with a walking tour of vineyards. A bike tour along the Canal du Midi, or a boat ride on the Canal, can also be scheduled.
Meet Pascale - your French tutor, language buddy & host In France
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 (https://bayareafrenchtutor.com), a French tutoring business located in the San Francisco Bay Area. Now that I am back in my native Languedoc, I continue to manage B.A.F.T. and 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 a French immersion homestay in the beautiful property where I live near Béziers!
My Teaching Style
I tailor my classes to the needs and goals of each of my students. This means that the program presented at the top of this page can be modified and adjusted to your preferences.
We are normally scheduled to have 3 hours of formal instruction every morning, Monday through Friday. For those who prefer a structured approach to language learning, we will stick with the 15 hours of formal instruction. 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 more conversation and less grammar, 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.
Finally, if formal instruction is simply not your cup of tea, we can replace our half-day of formal instruction with an activity.
My French Immersion Program
I will pick you up at the Béziers train station upon your arrival on Sunday, and drop you off the following Saturday. Please do keep in mind that La Noria is located in the countryside, so if it is your intention to visit the area beyond a bike ride, you may need a car. You can also catch the bus to Béziers from Cazouls or Maureilhan, one of the neighboring villages. Finally, I can also give you a ride and pick you up again, depending on your destination.
- 8:00 to 9:00am: Our day starts with breakfast. Agnès (the owner of La Noria) loves to bake, so every morning is a surprise, and always a delicious one!
- 9:00am to 12:00pm: Morning instruction or activities. The morning of our first day together (Monday) will be dedicated to getting to know each other, and to creating your ideal program for the week. On Monday afternoon, I will drive you to the local supermarket for some grocery shopping.
- 12:00pm: After our morning classes/activities, we will meet Géraldine who prepares our lunch and eats with us. After lunch, the rest of the day is yours: visit the area and mingle (with French people!); go on a hike or a bike ride; or just lounge by the pool with a good book. We will spend two afternoons on an outing together and explore a destination of your choice. If it is far away enough, we may decide to make a day of it and leave in the morning.
These outings can also take place in the evening: As an example, from June to early September a local winery offers a walk through the vineyards at sunset, while sampling one of their wines and nibbling on olives and crackers. We can also attend dine out and attend a cultural event if that is your preference.
Note: If you have any dietary restrictions, please let me know ahead of time so we can do our best to accommodate them.
What levels of French do I teach?
My French 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, and the program will be much more beneficial to you if you have already had some prior exposure to French.
As I mentioned before, I will adjust my program to your needs:
- 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.
- 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. Whenever 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.
Please note: 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.
How to get to Béziers?
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). I can arrange to pick you up at the airport, but I will ask that you pay for tolls and gas. You might want to look into international flights to Barcelona, Spain. Barcelona is a 2h45mn direct train ride (TGV Inouï) to Béziers.
Public Transportation
La Noria is located in the countryside, between the villages of Cazouls-les-Béziers and Maureilhan (one mile from either village), a 15-mn drive from Béziers. Public transportation is available, but you may have to walk to either Cazouls or Maureilhan to catch the bus to Béziers (or elsewhere).
Renting a Car
La Noria is about 10 miles away from Béziers. If you wish to visit the area in your free time or go to the restaurant in the evening, you will need 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 or bike rides in the surrounding countryside.
Learn French In France – Your French immersion Program in Cazouls-lès-Béziers, Occitanie
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, not to mention Béziers, the oldest city in France and your destination of choice for your French immersion homestay.
The Middle Ages has also left its mark on Languedoc, as testified by the many examples of medieval religious architecture that can be found throughout this area, such as Fontfroide Abbey near Narbonne or Saint-Nazaire Cathedral in Béziers.
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, beautiful Languedoc 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.
Your French Immersion Homestay Accommodations in Cazouls-lès-Béziers, Occitanie
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. 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
1. 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.
2. La Noria also has 2 gîtes for rent (furnished apartments with all the amenities):
a) The 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. There are also 2 twin beds on the mezzanine. The private garden of Gîte du Midi is glorious!
b) The Gîte de l'Ecluse 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 (https://frenchwithpascale.com/your-stay-at-la-noria).
Access to a Kitchen
Neither La Noria nor my 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.
Wifi
Free wifi is available throughout the property.
Smoking
There is no smoking inside any of the rooms/gîtes. Smoking outside (in the park) is OK.
Contact Pascale - your French tutor, language buddy & host
French Immersion in Cazouls-lès-Béziers, Occitanie
NOTE: All immersion teachers/hosts are completely independent of French Today. All communication, transactions and contracts will be exclusively done between you and the immersion teacher/host.
Reviews (15)
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 their yard is like having your own piece of paradise. I will definitely return for the language, the food, the people, and the location.
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 Fontfroide Abbey were fabulous. Beziers 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!
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 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.
Niki, Normandy France
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 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 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 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.
- French Lessons
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.
- Accommodation
La Noria is a lovely and cozy place to stay. Breakfast was a daily delight to start a day, over conversation in French, with homemade jam and sweets prepared by Agnès. Géraldine cooked a variety of tasty dishes for lunch and joined us to have it over the casual and relaxed conversation. Also, I would not forget the warmest welcome of Togo, the sweet puppy!
- Excursions
One of two excursions with Pascale was walking in a hilly forest, along a well-maintained walking trail, where I enjoyed a view over the greenery countryside, as I had requested an activity in nature. There was a horse-riding base within walking distance from La Noria! I enjoyed horse riding with an instructor in the middle of the vineyards, although I was a total beginner. Another excursion was a tour of Béziers, Pascale’s hometown. We took a tourist tram that went through the narrow path in the old quarter up to the famous Canal du Midi. We closed the tour with the best tarte tatin in the town!
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 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!
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!
My husband and I enjoy traveling in France and share a common goal of being able to communicate in French without receiving blank looks or having people switch to English with us. Our 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 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! (Susie)
Pascale is a patient and skilled teacher who is especially attuned to the needs of native English speakers trying to learn French. La Noria is a dream location to spend a week focusing on French and visiting the beautiful countryside in and around Beziers. Our week there flew by all too quickly. We can’t wait to come back. (David)