French Immersion Homestay At Teacher’s Near Carcassone

Vicky :
My friend Barbara and I just spent a week with Éliane in the immersion program.  It was a dream come true. For me, being in France, staying with a French family, being able to ask questions about culture as well as vocabulary and grammar–that’s exactly what I wanted. Éliane is a wonderful hostess. Her husband and daughter are also charming and friendly.  And Éliane is also an excellent cook!  She prepared delicious food which was also very French.We went together to Limousis Caves and it was fascinating. Even though I didn’t understand everything the guide said, I understood enough, and Éliane was there to clarify. It was a beautiful place to visit. I like to see natural beauty. We also went to the vineyard of Château de Pennautier (the Lorgeril family) for a visit and tasting.  It was a pleasant excursion. We loved the wine and the conversation with the guide.Barbara and I visited Carcassonne twice. Once to the city center, but it was a Monday and there wasn’t much open.  On Friday, we went to the medieval city.  Our days visiting Carcassonne were lovely.  We had rented a car and it was quite easy to get around (thanks to Google Maps) and to find parking.Because Barbara is a pilot, she and I went to the Musée Aeroscopia in Toulouse as well, about an hour’s drive away.  It was worth the visit. We could go inside airplanes and learn of French aviation history. That night, we had reservations at a Michelin-starred restaurant, “PY-r”.  It was a true gastronomic experience.There was a small supermarket near us. We walked there for fresh vegetables. There was also a boulangerie where we bought baguettes.  We also took a few walks in Pezens. It was peaceful to be in the countryside and see vineyards and fields of other crops (wheat?) and a small river or stream. We also walked through an old cemetery–very interesting how families are buried together in a plot.Our accommodations were perfect. We each had our own room. We shared a bathroom but the toilet was in a separate area from the sink and shower so it worked well. The small kitchenette was good for our needs. We preferred to eat bread, cheese, pâté, tomatoes and wine on the terrace for dinner. We were in heaven. Really.Éliane is a good teacher. She is practical and helpful. She is also insightful. She knew what we had to work on and she knew the common mistakes of American English speakers. I had studied in France as a student (oo la la, that was too many years ago! ) and I had kept up with my French as best I could, but I forgot a lot of vocabulary and especially grammar. I make a lot of mistakes. My goal is for people to understand me, even if I prefer to speak perfectly like a Frenchwoman! I am a perfectionist and it was difficult for me to realize how bad my French had become. But it was good for me to keep talking anyway. I learned a lot. I am trying to put all this into practice. I was intrigued to learn how many of his students return each year or so. Maybe I can do that too?–Vicky Dobbs, Texas, USA

Barbara :
Avec une chère amie, j’ai passé une semaine en programme d’immersion chez Éliane et sa famille. Tout était vraiment sympa ! La maison est bien adaptée : nous avions le rez-de-chaussée entier pour nous, avec deux chambres, une petite kitchenette, et une jolie véranda qui donne sur la piscine. Les leçons de français chaque matin étaient très agréables : ni trop facile ni trop difficile. Éliane s’est très bien adaptée à notre niveau de français. Elle nous a beaucoup aidées à mieux comprendre quelques points de grammaire, et elle nous a donné de bons exercices pour les pratiquer. Les repas qu’elle nous a préparés étaient vraiment délicieux. Nous avons fait deux excursions avec Éliane (un tour de la grotte de Limousis, et une dégustation de vins) qui étaient très agréables et intéressantes. Les trois après-midi où nous n’avions pas d’excursions avec elle, nous en avons profité pour visiter quelques endroits dans la région. Tout s’est très bien passé !
Je te remercie ! 😊
Barbara

My week with Eliane was wonderful! She quickly ascertained what type of learner I was, and structured the lessons to my learning style. This both relaxed and motivated me throughout the week. I now have the tools I need to progress from a ‘beginner’ to the next level. 

Eliane and I had 3 fun outings during the week, to the Cite of Carcassone, wine tasting and visiting a local market.

The student accommodation on the ground floor of her home is perfect, with everything you need for privacy, quiet study time and relaxation. 

I hope to return for 2 weeks next year to further my learning adventure.

Merci beaucoup to Eliane, Benjamin and Elena for inviting me into you home for the week. It was a great experience!

I just left Eliane, with whom I stayed for 2 weeks. Eliane was very generous in every way – the lessons, the meals, the excursions. 
When Eliane picked me up at the train Station in Carcassonne (which was very convenient for me), I felt very welcomed. 
The accomodation was very confortable. I liked the room, and I was able to arrange it for my convenience. There was plenty of storage for clothes and Eliane provided all the clothes hangers I needed. I had everything I needed to feel at home. 
The lessons were very thoughtfully planned and presented. Eliane took into account my level of French and my interests. 
Les repas étaient délicieux et préparés avec amour ! 
Everything was perfect ! I had the best of both worlds – the careful attention when it was needed, and also I enjoyed provacy and independence. 
Merci Eliane et Benjamin pour ce merveilleux séjour ! 

 I spent a week with Eliane at the end of April. Eliane and her partner Benjamin are warm, friendly and relaxed. I felt at home as soon as I arrived. 

Eliane structured the classes innovatively based on the level of my French and the subjects that I am interested in, for example, visiting the local market to learn the produce vocabulary and translating some of the information I heard from the audio guide into French to her while we visited the Cite de Carcassonne. 

She was also generous with her time and went the extra mile to make sure I had a great experience in the region. 

I had the whole ground floor of the house to myself and had access to the beautiful veranda and garden. It is a great place to relax and chill. 
Thanks a lot Eliane, Benjamin and adorable Elena for a great week! 

I spent a week with Eliane in April and it was fantastic.  It was just the push I needed to fill the gaps and holes I was having in progressing my French.  Eliane is a great teacher and her family are very welcoming.  The accommodations were excellent and the area is beautiful – I had a great time and look forward to doing it again!

I recently had the privilege of attending Eliane’s in-person French immersion class. The experience was truly fantastic and exceeded all of my expectations.

Firstly, Eliane was an amazing cook and provided my husband and me with delicious breakfasts and lunches throughout our week-long stay. This added an extra layer of cultural immersion and helped us to truly experience French cuisine in an authentic way. While enjoying our meals, her infant daughter brought us a lot of joy. She was a real delight to have around. 

Aside from the culinary delights, the class itself was well-structured and informative. Eliane took a truly personalized approach with me. She was able to assess my individual needs and tailor the class accordingly. She utilized a variety of teaching techniques and methods, including videos (to train my ear), grammar lessons, and cultural excursions to help me learn and absorb as much as possible. This allowed me to progress at my own pace and really focus on the
areas I needed to improve upon. 

Overall, I would highly recommend this class to anyone looking to improve their language skills and gain a deeper understanding of French culture. Eliane is very patient, kind, and sympathetic to the struggles of a French language learner. Her expertise, passion, and culinary skills truly make this experience one of a
kind.
Thank you for the wonderful week!! 

If you’re reading this then you’re 80% of the way to your French Immersion course! Naturally I was somewhat nervous, but I needn’t have been. Maybe you’re worried about just travelling through France to Carcassonne knowing little, if any, French? Again, don’t be. I’m just A2 level French (just above absolute beginner) and had no problems whatsoever. If you’re thinking of travelling at all by train I strongly recommend downloading the SNCF Connect App (France’s state owned railway company). It’s all in English, really easy to book trains, upgrade seats, even organise a taxi waiting for you (and they’ll wait if your train should be late). At Toulouse and Carcassonne it isn’t necessary as there’re always taxis. The App even shows you which carriage your seat’s in, and your train ticket is a QR code on the App. The only word you need to recognise is ‘Voie’ which effectively meant platform. All the taxis I took were easy, fairly priced and the drivers all friendly.
As to the Immersion course itself all I can say is Éliane has the perfect balance of being professional in her teaching, tailoring what she teaches on what and how you want to learn, and putting you at total ease due to her genuine warmth of personality and friendliness. Éliane was always happy to run me the 10 minutes into Carcassonne, or collect me anytime, or help in any way she could, along with the two organised afternoons too. Benjamin, Éliane’s partner, was also very warm and friendly, and their young daughter Elena is the absolute definition of a Sweetie-pie!
Éliane’s cooking was superb and fully accommodated my gluten-free diet. We had lessons and breakfast and lunch in their lounge upstairs, which is a lovely, light and comfortable room to be in.
The bedroom downstairs was warm and comfy, a separate good shower room and sink, and there’s a little kitchenette too.
So I recommend taking the next small step by sending Éliane an email and telling her what you would like from your immersion holiday—it’s all easier than you think!

I had a wonderful week « chez Eliane ». Through lots of conversations my confidence has improved tremendously. We studied some grammar as well, but the real emphasis was on talking which was just what I needed. Over and above that it was a really enjoyable week with Eliane, Benjamin and the adorable Elena, who were fantastic hosts. This region of France has plenty to see and do, and of course the climate is very agreeable at this time of year. And yes they have wine, lots and lots of wine….

C’était vraiment une semaine formidable, merci beaucoup pour tout. Je vais discuter avec ma femme et je veux revenir l’année prochaine.

Je suis chez nous après un voyage incroyable.  De temps en temps j’arrête et réfléchis.  C’était une expérience inoubliable. Merci encore pour notre semaine ensemble. 

My week with Eliane, Elena, Benjamin and Okami surpassed my expectations for a total immersion experience.  From the first emails and lasting through the entire week, Eliane conveyed genuine “joie de vivre” and a convivial approach to all aspects of this both delightful and challenging (which I sought) week.  Eliane’s course design was robust, tailored to my specific needs, and the experiences, both guided and individual, provided rich opportunities to enhance the French language with culture, history, gastronomy, and current events. 

My friend Lauren, and I went to study with Eliane after several years of studying French in the USA and we learned so much in one week! My husband came with us, but did not take lessons during the week. During our lessons, Steve took short walks around the town or appreciated a quite time in the garden.

We appreciated the structure of the program and Eliane truly listened to us and created lessons to improve the skills we asked for help with and she used subjects according to our interests!  (Like for example, wine and couples therapy! 🤣)
We liked her style of teaching also!  Eliane is very particular about grammar and pronunciation.  We liked her way of stopping us for corrections.  (We liked that she explained what a French person hears when we pronounce words incorrectly! 🤣)
Eliane also had many simple rules for memorizing common points of grammar!

Finally, we loved her dog, Okami!  He was like a therapist for us!  If we felt nervous, etc he would always show up for a cuddle!  What a sweet dog!
Thank you to Eliane for a wonderful week!

Our French version of our review for Eliane :

Mon amie Lauren et moi, on est allés étudier avec Eliane après plusieurs années d’étude de français aux Etats-Unis et on a appris beaucoup en une semaine!
Mon mari est venu avec nous, mais n’a pas pris de cours durant la semaine. Pendant nos leçons, Steve faisait des petits tours dans la ville ou se reposait tranquillement dans le jardin.

On a apprécié la structure de son programme. Eliane nous a vraiment écouté et elle a créé des leçons pour améliorer les compétences pour lesquelles on lui avait demandé de l’aide et elle a utilisé des sujets selon nos intérêts! (Comme par exemple, le vin et les thérapies de couple!  🤣)
On a aussi aimé le style de son enseignement!  Eliane est très rigoureuse au sujet de la grammaire et de la prononciation.  On a bien aimé sa façon de nous arrêter pour nous corriger quand on parlait!  (On a aimé qu’elle nous explique ce que les Français entendent quand on prononce mal les mots! 🤣) Eliane a aussi beaucoup de simples règles pour mémoriser des points de grammaire communs ! 

Et enfin, on aime beaucoup son chien, Okami !  Il était comme un thérapeute pour nous!  Si on était nerveuses etc. il venait nous faire un câlin!  Quel chien adorable!
Merci à Eliane pour une super semaine!

My stay in French Immersion with Eliane has been all that I hoped for and more. 
She and her family received me warmly and I’ve felt very comfortable during my week-long stay.

While sharing laughter filled conversations over breakfast and lunch, to excursions in the local area Eliane has quietly and sympathetically corrected my errors – just what I was looking for..

Having separate accommodation in a private appartment afforded us all good privacy, while still meaning that I didn’t have far to go for breakfast and lunch!

For French students looking for direct, personal tuition – in France – I’m more than happy to recommend a week (or two) with Eliane.

Bien sûr on apprendra plus en plus la langue française pendant une semaine chez Eliane.  En même temps on peut voir et apprendre la vie quotidienne d’une famille française.  
Pour comprendre la France d’aujourd’hui, il faut qu’on comprenne  son histoire.  
Pendant nos conversations et nos sorties dans la région Eliane peut partager l’histoire de son pays.  
J’ai passé une semaine merveilleuse dans sa petite ville et si on veut améliorer et pratiquer le français pendant qu’on découvre la vie française d’aujourd’hui et son histoire, je vous encourage à passer une semaine d’immersion chez Eliane.
Vous vivrez avec une vraie famille française—Eliane, Benjamin et leur petite fille.  
On peut discuter de tout — de sujets sérieux et d’actualités…  
J’ai profité de ma semaine chez Eliane et bien sûr vous en profiterez aussi.
For anyone interested in the language and French culture of today and of the past a week with Eliane is very special.  I highly recommend the program that she offers.  

Un grand merci à Eliane et Benjamin pour leur accueil chaleureux à leur jolie maison. Dès mon arrivée, ils m’ont fait sentir le bienvenu et une partie de la famille. J’avais ma propre chambre bien équipée avec le Wifi, la télévision et l’accès à Internet. La chambre était très confortable avec salle de bain privée et une petite cuisine.  Tout était d’une propreté supérieure. En plus, Eliane est une bonne prof encourageante, serviable, sympathique et positive.  Tout le programme s’est déroulé comme prévu avec plusieurs magnifiques visites dans la région. Elle est bien informée et avait toujours de nombreuses anecdotes historiques à partager avec moi. C’est une personne avec qui je pouvais facilement parler, partager des idées et poser des questions. Pour la cuisine, j’étais d’autant plus impressionné. D’abord, tout était bien à la française, pain et croissants et fruits et légumes toujours frais. Les repas étaient toujours savoureux et appétissants, sains, équilibrés et copieux et bien entendu, toujours arrosés du bon vin. Si vous voulez passer un joli séjour en France, je vous conseille de le faire avec Eliane, Benjamin, et avec la petite Elena. Vous allez vous régaler, faire une étape agréable et apprendre beaucoup de français.

 Translation:

Many thanks to Eliane and Benjamin for their warm welcome to their lovely home. From the moment I arrived they made me feel welcome and part of the family. I had my own room well equipped with Wifi, television and Internet access. The room was very comfortable with private bathroom and a small kitchen. Everything was spotlessly clean. In addition, Eliane is a good, encouraging, helpful, friendly and positive teacher. The whole program went as planned with several wonderful visits to the region. She is knowledgeable and always had many historical anecdotes to share with me. He is a person with whom I could easily talk, share ideas and ask questions. For the kitchen, I was even more impressed. First of all, everything was good à la française, bread and croissants and fruits and vegetables that were always fresh. The meals were always tasty and appetizing, healthy, balanced and plentiful and of course, always washed down with good wine. If you want to have a nice stay in France, I advise you to do it with Eliane, Benjamin, and with little Elena. You will enjoy yourself, have a pleasant stopover and learn a lot of French.

What can I say? I had the best week with Eliane Benjamin and Elena (not forgetting the gorgeous  Okami).

I was a little apprehensive about the trip but was immediately put at ease when I arrived being welcomed with a delicious relaxing lunch.

Eliane tailors the lessons to your level but gently pushes you, praising and encouraging all the time.  Every day my lessons were interesting and varied.  We would chat over breakfast and lunch discussing current affairs, books, TV shows etc. Eliane has a gift of getting the best out of you. We also laughed a lot!!

The accommodation was spotlessly clean and very comfortable with everything I needed, the perfect place to relax after lessons.

The food is amazing.  I think Eliane should write her own cookery book, my waistline has definitely grown – beware!!

I feel I have gained confidence in speaking French and my understanding of grammar has improved and would thoroughly recommend this experience.

Thank you xx

I spent a fabulous week with Eliane, everything was perfect.
Eliane and her husband Ben were very welcoming and my little unit was lovely. Eliane is a great cook and made super fish and vegetarian meals(I don’t eat meat) which I enjoyed very much.
However Eliane and her family are moving to close to Carcasson which I think will be a superb place for a holiday. I certainly hope to visit her there ASAP for another  French immersion experience.
Eliane is a super teacher and explains  grammar very well, which was what I wanted and needed. She augmented her teaching by providing appropriate handouts on all topics we covered. She is also very patient and encouraging while helping me with my conversation.
During my stay we had two fabulous excursions. One to Amiens, famous for it’s amazing Gothic cathedral and one to the Sir John Monash Australian war Museum.
In short I can highly recommend a French immersion stay with Elaine.
Angela.
Brisbane,Australia.