French Immersion Homestay At Teacher’s Near Carcassone

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.

What an amazing week with Eliane and her beautiful family! I wasn’t sure what to expect from an immersion program and was a little nervous before getting to France, but I’m so glad I came. Eliane spent hours talking with me each day, giving small corrections as needed or taking the time to explain a concept I was struggling with. She was a gracious host, taking me for several outings, and making some delicious meals! The studio is tranquil and private, a good way to mentally unwind after concentrating on learning, and there are some cute baby hedgehogs who visit to eat the figs off the ground. Eliane’s adorable (and extraordinarily well behaved) baby and her husband, who also took the time to have some conversation with me, were the cherry on top of a great week. 
Thank you for such a rewarding time, my confidence has been boosted and I’m reinvigorated to keep up my studies!

My friend and I spent a delightful week with Eliane. The accommodations were very comfortable. The French breakfast featured sumptuous local pastries and fruit.

Eliane is an excellent cook. Her lunches were wonderful and varied. I enjoyed dining with her family.

The morning French lessons were structured around my needs and wishes. Eliane addressed all of my questions in as much detail as I wanted. We had French conversations on many different topics, — history, culture, cooking, movies, politics,  … She paced her discussions to my level and would often restructure her sentences when I had difficulty with comprehension.

Our week with Eliane was wonderful. My friend enjoyed exploring the area or just hanging out while Eliane worked with me. It was a great experience for both an aspiring francophone and an « English only » guest.

We spent a week with Elaine in Roye and what a great week we had, my French has improved and it sharpened me to where l needed to improve and spend the time to achieve my goals. Elaine was a great host as was Benjamin. Every thing worked well and we enjoyed the sights of the area And spoke lots of French. I recommend that anyone with an interest in strengthening their French spend a week with Elaine and her family

I thoroughly enjoyed my week in Roye and looking back on my time there it met all my best expectations of what an ‘immersion’ could be.

Eliane is an engaging host, a good cook and a knowledgeable guide to the area. I was treated as an honorary member of the family for the week, which was very nice. Baby Éléonore, six months old, is a delight and so well behaved, husband Benjamin joined in the conversations and was very welcoming. I also met Eliane’s mum and grandmother with whom we shared a lovely family meal in the garden.

Eliane is a very thoughtful teacher, who worked hard during the tuition sessions to identify where I was at as a French student and then create helpful lessons, which varied from fairly formal to a morning spent in the weekly market in the centre of town. Excursions to the Somme valley, Péronne and Compiegne really enhanced the week.

My priority was to improve my conversation skills and there were lots of opportunities to do that. Many conversations with Eliane, but also with a group playing pétanque in Amiens and with some people in the park in Roye as we watched the ducks together and also, unfortunately, with mechanics in the local garage when my car broke down. Learning a foreign language is a challenge as well as a delight and my stay gave a real boost to my confidence.

Roye itself is charming and dinner at ‘La Flamiche’ was a real highlight of my stay. The area around Roye is very diverse and has many destinations that are well worth exploring. From the Baie de la Somme, with amazing bird reserves, to sites connected not only with the two world wars, but also Crecy and Agincourt, to the stunning valley of the Somme itself, to the beautiful city of Amiens nearby, there is so much to see and do. I bracketed my stay in Roye with two days in Amiens and two days at Ētaples on the coast and that worked really well.

Many thanks to Eliane and all her family for making me so welcome.

We’ve just finished a week with Eliane, and I couldn’t be more pleased. I booked this immersion many months ago, hoping to motivate my teenage daughter to endure her online French class in 2020/21.  Our week with Eliane is the first of three weeks in France and Switzerland, and it was an ideal start to our trip.  Not only have we improved our skills with the French language, we’ve learned a lot about French culture plus history of this region.  
 
 Eliane and Benjamin are genuinely warm and friendly.  It’s very easy to feel comfortable with them.  They were happy to include us in their plans and in their home, but they were also happy to give us space.  I wasn’t sure what it would be like to stay with someone I’d never met, but I felt at ease very quickly.  Their daughter is a complete joy, the sweetest little one imaginable.  
 
 The studio set-up in the garden worked really well for us.  It’s nicely decorated and well-supplied with everything you need.  We’ve enjoyed having this as our little home for the week.  
 
 It’s important to emphasize just how much Eliane did to tailor the week for us. From accommodating my teenager’s picky eating habits, adapting the more formal part of our French lessons to our level and learning styles, and coordinating our afternoons to the excursions we wanted, Eliane made sure the week was just right for us.  She was particularly thoughtful in drawing my daughter into conversations and activities that were interesting and motivating.
 
 Eliane is a great cook.  We ate so well!  She really should warn her students to bring bigger pants.  
 
 Roye is a pleasant town.  It’s pretty but not touristy.  It felt like we were seeing what life is really like here.  Getting out and about in town gave us opportunities to use our French, and people were always helpful.
 
 I feel like we’ve been here with friends.  Highly recommend.

la semaine avec Eliane et sa famille (surtout La petite princesse) a été extraordinaire.  Chaque jour j’ai eu l’occasion de parler français et après seulement une semaine j’ai beaucoup plus confiance, j’ai amélioré mon vocabulaire et ma grammaire.  L’occasion de parler français et seulement français avec quelqu’un d’aussi patient et encourageant était un merveilleux cadeau.  Le seul hic du programme c’est que la semaine est passée trop vite !