French Immersion Program At Teacher's On Ile de Ré

From the moment I met Clarisse, I knew we would get on. She was so attentive to my needs and made sure my week was filled with French learning and lots of fun activities!.

I was introduced to her family namely Claude, her husband, the two children and her parents who made me feel very welcome. During my stay , we had a  picnic on the beach, (Clarisse’s daughter made me a cake!) , we had dinner in the beautiful port of La Flotte, we saw the amazing fireworks for Bastille Day , and we went cycling to the end of the island to the lighthouse and we also had oysters which is an Ile de Ré speciality.

Clarisse was so lovely she really wanted me to get the most out of my stay and provided a lot of opportunities to use my French .My day began with breakfast with Clarisse and then a 3 hour French lesson  which was varied with songs, poems, grammar, videos. idioms and general conversation. I really felt like I was getting somewhere and could have a conversation without having to think and translate from English, which was a major step forward. Clarisse and I had lunch in many fantastic restaurants around Ile de Ré for example in Ars-en Ré where I visited one of the best open air markets I’ve ever seen I couldn’t resist buying lots of their local produce . We even went to an 80s disco in an old fort where I learned some French disco classics, the French love to sing !

Ile de Ré  has so much to offer in terms of beaches, cycling, sailing, wine tasting etc , I was there for 2 weeks but I didn’t have time to do everything . I’ll save some for next time. The history of the island is very interesting and there is a museum in St Martin which explains its past.  Everyone I met was friendly and helpful , I had a lovely tennis lesson with Philippe who coached me in French and I went bird watching with Clarisse’s father.

I can’t thank Clarisse enough for her encouragement and good nature, she has definitely improved my spoken French and I am very motivated to keep progressing. I would thoroughly recommend a visit to Ile de Ré , it was a very special trip.

Because my knowledge of French was not extensive I was more than a little anxious before starting this French Immersion course but I was immediately put at ease on meeting Clarisse and throughout my time with her on Ile de Ré.

I encourage anyone contemplating this immersion week not to hesitate. No matter what your level of French you will spend a productive and unforgettable week entirely suited to your particular needs.

Clarisse was not only our French teacher, she was our full time guide to the many attractions of Ile de Ré.  My husband and I were on holiday in France and our week on Ile de Ré proved to be a highlight of our trip.

We found the whole experience most rewarding and I wholeheartedly recommend Clarisse to anyone interested in French language and culture.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time on Ile de Re with Clarisse and her family. Clarisse is an excellent teacher – she made the lessons interesting and worked with me at my level of ability, and the five days of immersion really helped me to feel more comfortable speaking French. I enjoyed spending time with Clarisse’s family who were also warm and welcoming, and were happy to help me with my speaking.

I couldn’t have wished for a better location for my week of immersion. I hired a bicycle and enjoyed exploring the villages and salt marshes on the island. The accommodation Clarisse organised was in a perfect location – easy for me to walk to the port in beautiful St Martin.

Je me souviendrai toujours avec tendresse de mon séjour sur l’Ile de Re – merci beaucoup, Clarisse!

June 2024

My French immersion week with Clarisse was “formidable”, not only because I improved my confidence, French language knowledge and conversational skills but because of the immersive experience itself. My partner, who does not speak French but has a basic understanding of the language, was always included in excursions and conversation, wherever possible, and also enjoyed our week with Clarisse on Ile de Re.

Clarisse is a commendable teacher of the French language. It was easy to interact with her on a range of diverse topics. She corrected my B1 level of speaking and listening, and we worked together on understanding and then using idiomatic French phrases in my conversations. I had homework activities each evening to complement the daily lessons.

A highlight of the week for me was meeting three generations of Clarisse’s family! There was dinner with Clarisse’s parents, lunch with Claude (Clarisse’s husband) and his mother at Clarisse’s home, as well as interactions with Clarisse’s three daughters. All in all, we experienced an authentic immersive experience in everyday French family life and conversations.

The local excursions on the Ile de Re were a great way to discover some of what the island has to offer starting with donkey milk soap through to book and document restoration and tastings of the island’s own wines. My partner and I thoroughly enjoyed our time with Clarisse and her family on the island and we hope one day to return to further explore the wine and food, history and culture of this very special part of France.

Merci beaucoup, Clarisse!

Immersion on Île de Ré

I have longed to visit the Île de Ré for many years. When I learned that a French immersion program was available on the island, it felt tailor-made for me.

From the very first moment when I contacted Clarisse Normand, she showed herself to be a wonderful communicator, a tireless advocate for the French language, and a passionate inhabitant of the Île de Ré.

Clarisse arranged a Zoom session with me to assess my language capabilities and to discuss my goals for my immersion. We settled on a week that dovetailed nicely with other travel I had planned in France during the month of June.

Nothing throws Clarisse. She was endlessly kind and patient when I had significant troubles arranging payment of my deposit via my bank. I received numerous texts from her via What’sApp with advice and wise counsel, often at times that were late at night for her (the time difference for me was 9 hours). She was extremely helpful with making train arrangements for travel from Paris to La Rochelle, the city closest to Île de Ré.

When I arrived on the appointed day, I felt like my immersion week was off and running from the moment when I stepped off the train. Clarisse picked me up at the train station and oriented me to La Rochelle and the immediate environment. Clarisse naturally speaks quickly, but adjusts her pace as necessary for her students. Every grammatical fault or mistake I made in conversation was gently and immediately corrected. (I marveled at her patience; I made some mistakes over and over again, and each time was gently corrected until it finally began to sink in!)

Our first dinner together was in lovely La Flotte. Clarisse took me to one of her favorite dinner places, and that was followed by decadent ice cream desserts. She accompanied me to the apartment that she keeps for students, and made sure that I was comfortably installed before we parted for the evening.

My five days of classes, meals, and excursions with Clarisse were a delight. She is an extremely organized teacher and is an excellent tour guide. She used games, visual aids, “la lecture” (reading) and homework exercises to ensure that I made progress every single day. Clarisse is endlessly patient, and has that special quality of making her students feel like they can succeed! She paces herself according to her students’ capabilities. She assigns as much or as little homework as one is inclined to do. I came home with internet links to various subjects we had explored, and this gave me the opportunity to continue to benefit from my course even after I had left the island.

Our island tours and visits to different villages exceeded my expectations. Meals were celebratory. I met friends of Clarisse and was welcomed as a valued guest everywhere. There is no better way to experience the history and the physical beauty of the Île de Ré than to have your own personal tour guide who is elevating your French while taking you to beaches, markets, villages, marshes, an ancient book restoration Atelier, shops and restaurants.

A very special part of my stay was the opportunity to meet Clarisse’s parents, to visit them in their home, and to have dinner with her extended family in her home in La Flotte. Clarisse doesn’t miss any opportunity to make her students feel special and welcome. For example, she picked up on the fact that I love chocolate. Dinner at her house included a marvelous chocolate cake for dessert. This immersion felt like a true introduction to French family life. It was the “real deal.”

On my last day, Clarisse and her youngest daughter accompanied me to La Rochelle, where we shopped and explored that beautiful city. Clarisse made sure that I was well oriented and acclimated before we all said goodbye. It was only six days after meeting Clarisse, and yet I felt like I was saying goodbye to a valued friend

Ma semaine avec Clarisse était inoubliable. Elle est très chaleureuse, généreuse et bienveillante. Elle a une lien très  forte avec île de Ré, ce qui la rend une hôte extraordinaire. Clarisse m’a invitée dans sa famille et vie et j’adorais les repas avec ses parents et son mari Claude.

Clarisse est douée comme enseignante. Elle a fait un programme parfait pour moi. J’adorais les visites sur l’île, comme les marchés et l’atelier de papier. Île de Ré est un lieu magnifique. J’ai profité de courir ou faire du vélo chaque après midi entre la mer et les vignes et cabanes des huîtres. C’était vraiment spectaculaire. Finalement, le studio est confortable et près du centre village.

Je recommande Clarisse et Île de ré sans hésitation !

We spent 1 week with Clarissa. It was fantastic! I am the one who is learning French, Phil was keeping me company. Our day started with Clarissa arriving early in the morning with fresh croissants and a baguette. We had our petit dejeuner together, I and Clarissa speaking French along the way.  After breakfast we had three hours of tutoring, then lunch together, then Clarissa would take us around, to show us the local attractions. The most precious moments for us was the time spent with Clarissa and her family – we really appreciate the two evenings spent at Clarissa’s and consider it a great privilege to have been able to participate in the French way of sharing the meal with friends and family, which I was always very curious and keen to experience. We felt welcome from the very first moment.  We really appreciated this time, so unique and otherwise impossible to know and savour. I am forever grateful to all present there who patiently listened to my broken and very imperfect French… Because my French is far from fluent, it takes me forever to produce a sentence and then it is far from perfect. Thanks to Clarissa’s efforts I like to think that my French has improved…I was not game enough to ask…

The accommodation was very special as well – it was an old governor’s quarters, now adapted as a hotel. There was a piscine but it was a bit too fresh for us to enjoy it. The Island is tiny but very beautiful. It has its “je ne sais quoi…” that makes it alluring and gives it some special ambiance. The sea comes and goes, the little restaurants and  cafes abound around the port,  little boutique shops, chocolateries with the chocolates that melt in your mouth, bicycles everywhere, mostly French tourists at that time of the year. There is a fort and a lot of history everywhere. 

The time spent there was a real “immersion” experience for us, an immersion in French culture, ways of life and sharing good times. I am forever thankful to Clarissa for allowing us to have this experience, her generosity in sharing the knowledge of French, her time, the family and the way of life with us. It was a very special and memorable time for us and it has been well imprinted in our memory.  

I will remember this week forever and I miss it very much. I am hoping that maybe one day we will make it back there!!!

Ile de Ré is a beautiful place to study French while having a relaxing vacation.  The studio is in a family-friendly resort with a pool, sauna,  steam room!  It’s a 10 minute walk from a lovely seaside town.

Clarisse is a very good teacher.  We studied while we ate breakfast at the studio.  I spent time with her family- if you really want to practice your French, try understanding teen girls- and with Clarisse alone.  We visited the many attractions on the Ile de Ré and spent part of my final day in La Rochelle- a lovely town. My final dinner with Clarisse and her husband Claude was a delicious platter of oysters- a specialty of the region.  I have never eaten so many!  Eating was a big part of the week with delicious galettes, raclette and so much more! We visited so many interesting places- one of my favorites was the business where we saw people binding ancient books.

Thanks, Clarisse for a lovely, informative week.,

Quand je me suis inscrite à une semaine de cours à ile de Ré, je m’attendais à plus que 5 jours d’apprentissage de français, en effet, l’influence sur mon français est plus forte que ça. Elle a commencé par la première rencontre en ligne avec Clarisse, Clarisse a écouté mes objectifs, et m’a recommandé un livre à utiliser pendant le programme.  J’ai mis un mois pour tout lire avant le programme, histoire d’avoir une conversation plus efficace.

Pendant le programme, elle m’a donné un autre recueil que j’ai mis 3 semaines à finir, et à la fin du programme, elle m’a emmenée à la libraire, vu que  ses livres préférés sont nombreux, elle m’a recommandé son livre préféré de ces dernières années dans lequel je me suis plongée pendant encore un mois plus. C’est ainsi que l’apprentissage pourrait s’étendre, il suffit de quelques conseils ou consignes qui étaient nos intérêts.   

Pendant les cours avec Clarisse, on a parlé des sujets qui nous sont venus à l’esprit, comme l’immobilier à île de Ré, les anecdotes les différences de cultures dans les couples autour de nous..etc, plutôt des conversations entre amis qu’ avec un prof. Elle m’a invitée chez elle quelques fois, c’était la première fois que j’étais invitée à un repas de famille française. Son mari, sa fille, son chien et ses deux cochins d’Inde sont amicaux, son mari a joué de la guitare en attendant le repas, sa fille s’est appliquée à m’apprendre les pas de danse sur tik tok bien que j’aie eu pas mal de pudeur, mais c’est une expérience inoubliable.

 
L’île de Ré est une île de vacances très connue par les français, mais pas pour les étrangers, du coup c’est un endroit parfait pour apprendre le français, les gens parlaient français avec moi dans les restos ou magasins même si c’était flagrant que j’étais une étrangère. Clarisse connaît l’île de Ré comme sa poche, les restaurants et les sites incontournables , les magasins uniques. et si tu aimes les huîtres, il faut prendre le temps de fréquenter les ostréiculteurs restos sur la route côtière, très bon rapport qualité-prix, profitez du soleil, de la mer et des habitants locaux.

Bonjour !  I am an American, French level of B1/B2.  I just spent an awesome week with Clarisse and family on the beautiful Île de Ré !

I flew into CGD on a Monday and took the TGV ( right from the airport )  to the La Rochelle train station where she was waiting for me.  It took about a 1/2 hour to drive to the apartment complex where I stayed for the week in the studio.  In the studio, we had breakfast each day, then a few hours of lessons, and then we either went out to lunch or eent to see one of the sights.  The large lighthouse was pretty neat and I climbed up to the top.  Excellent view of the island and well worth it.  Make sure you order the oysters when you go out to lunch…best I have ever had!  In the afternoons I was generally free to take a nap and walk around the town.  Saint Martin is a cool little town, very walkable.  As you might have read, this town was built inside the large fort that dates from 1700 or so.  Very pretty to walk around and see the bay. I took a promenade a few times per day, it helped keep the wine off :-).  For dinner I generally was lazy and went to the local carefour market and bought some food to cook in the studio.  But there are a few restaurants open even in late November it you wanted to do that.  I had two dinners with Clarisse and family..the last night was really special as we had une raclette and after dinner Claude and I played guitars and drank cognac…really memorable.

Clarisse is very flexible to whatever style of learning you want or need.  In my case, I liked standing all of the time apart from here while I practiced phrases, grammar, expressions out loud.  Kinda like a real world working session.  While I am not a big fan of homework, I did the little she gave to me….but she can give you tons more if you want. 

All in all a really super experience and I would highly recommend y’all check our Clarisse and the Île de Ré !

I spent a week in October with Clarisse as my French immersion teacher and guide. I went into the immersion as an intermediate-level learner, and it was my first 24/7 true immersive experience. Although I felt confident with my grammar knowledge, I lacked confidence in my aural comprehension and speaking skills. My week with Clarisse was challenging but absolutely worthwhile!

The comfortable apartment where I stayed and where we did our lessons each morning was a very short walk from the charming city center of Saint-Martin-de-Ré. Each day I had homework, and each morning we reviewed and discussed whatever points confused me. From the first “Bonjour” to the last “À demain” it was French only, and I was amazed and encouraged by how much I was able to understand and actually speak. I love that every time I said “I don’t think I can say this in French,” Clarisse would say, “You can try!” And I never realized how often I say (in English) “Let’s see….” Thanks to Clarisse, I now say “Voyons voir….”

It was invaluable practice to have authentic French conversations and interactions during lessons, breakfasts, lunches, while driving to places on the island, in shops and restaurants and during family dinners.

Clarisse is an energetic, upbeat, fun teacher. Initially I was intimidated by her relatively fast natural speech pace, but I quickly adapted, and it was fantastic listening practice. She was so helpful during my train travel to and from La Rochelle, sending me texts to make sure I made all my train connections – very much appreciated!

My week there was a bit unusual because I had a head cold so wasn’t feeling my best, and the weather was unusually stormy and rainy, but even so, the experiences and excursions were great. From family dinners with Clarisse – thanks to Claude for sharing the great videos of French singers! – to climbing to the top of a lighthouse, strolling through a market, visiting Clarisse’s sweet parents, or taking a fascinating tour of book restoration at the librairie.

If you’re hesitant about committing to an immersion because you think you’re not ready or prepared enough, I would say to just jump in – you can do it, and Clarisse will adapt to your needs.  Thanks, Clarisse (and Claude!), for an unforgettable week. 

I had a truly wonderful week of French immersion with Clarisse. She was able to adapt the level her speech to my ability and then push me to improve.  More than anything else, I needed to speak using the French that I already knew.

So we stressed having conversation together and with her family and friends. We chatted over coffee and croissants in the morning at the La Flotte town market, while driving to see the sights of Ile de Ré, at lunch, during the afternoon review of my nightly homework, and with friends and family during two social gatherings.

I was amazed that we were able to have some real conversations that went far beyond the tourist subjects one learns at the beginning of studying a language – for example we explored the differences between health care in the US and in France. As a result, I made excellent progress in my comfort level speaking French as well as my ability to undertand native French speakers.

Most remarkable was the sense of accomplishment that I felt after communicating in a new language for the first time. My goal when I began was to become conversational in French and the immersion experience with Clarisse encourages me that I can succeed in reaching this objective.

All the best,

Sam

I absolutely enjoyed my time with Clarisse and her wonderful family while exploring the beautiful Île de Re.

Although I currently live in France, having a one-week intensive course really helps me push through to the next level and I was not disappointed after my week-long stay.

Clarisse is so welcoming and easy to be with, you feel like you have always known her! She adapts to your level and keeps the topics very interesting, more like a conversation between friends than a student and teacher, exactly what I was looking for… real french interactions.

There was never a dull moment with so much to see in this area, including visits to historical landmarks, artisan workshops, famous ice cream shops and endless paths for walking or cycling. It was a fantastic stay and, above all, a pleasurable and productive french learning experience.

Mille mercis

J’ai vécu une semaine inoubliable avec Clarisse à l’île de Ré. Grâce à elle, non seulement j’ai amélioré mon français, mais j’ai aussi découvert la beauté et la culture françaises de près. Clarisse est bien plus qu’une enseignante; elle est une amie précieuse. Si vous lisez ceci, n’hésitez pas à vous inscrire avec elle!

—-Embarking on a French immersion journey is already a remarkable feat. But to do so with Clarisse on the enchanting island called Ile de Re is to truly embrace a deeper, more vibrant spectrum of experiences. My week with Clarisse wasn’t merely an exercise in language—it was a dynamic exploration of French culture, hospitality, heartfelt connections, and the raw, emotional cadence of life itself.

From the hustle and bustle of New York, I was whisked away to the serene embrace of Ile de Re. Our mornings always started with the delightful ritual of a shared breakfast. These weren’t just meals; they were gateways into profound conversations and discoveries. 
Even before my arrival on Ile de Re, Clarisse’s invaluable guidance shone through. Our preparatory Zoom calls ensured I was well-prepared, and when I faced challenges with the French train system, she swiftly stepped in. Assisting with ticket bookings, she made certain I’d arrive punctually at the right place for our week together :)

The real magic truly began the moment I first met Clarisse in person at the train station where she kindly came to pick me up. From that very first greeting, she seamlessly activated my “French mode.” Throughout the week, I found myself not just speaking but thinking, breathing, and even dreaming in French. It was an immersion so profound that I was constantly constructing thoughts and sentences in French, a feat I struggled with just a week prior when I set out to try an ‘immersion’ of my own in exploring the south of France as a solo traveler.

Once breakfast was done, Clarisse and I would set out in her car to take off on a new adventure each day. These drives were less about distance and more about depth, as we dived into diverse topics spanning life, family dreams, and the myriad possibilities of the future.

The personalized experiences were what truly set this immersion apart. Our winery bike tour was an adventure for the senses—tasting different grapes, biking amidst sprawling vineyards, and relishing local wines paired perfectly with cheeses and chocolates. The renowned lighthouse offered breathtaking views and whispers of history, while casual interactions with local vendors during our market strolls felt like impromptu language lessons. One particularly heartwarming highlight was visiting Clarisse’s sweet parents in their senior home, offering an authentic glimpse into the heart of French family traditions. Our evenings, filled with delectable food, spirited card games, and the melodious laughter of her family, were memories carved in gold. Not to forget the spontaneous endeavor of trying to rescue a stray cat, which wasn’t just an act of kindness but a testament to the sense of community and spontaneous spirit that defines Ile de Re.
Ile de Re, with its enchanting landscapes and captivating history, serves as the perfect backdrop to this immersion. And who better to guide you through its charm than Clarisse? The afternoon explorations weren’t just sightseeing—they were extensions of our morning lessons, where the island became our classroom.

If you’re on the fence about where to experience genuine French immersion, look no further. Consider yourself lucky, you found French Today and Clarisse. Clarisse offers not just an ‘immersion week’, but a transformational journey. I left Ile de Re not just with improved French skills but with memories and friendships that I will cherish for a lifetime. 
If you want to truly experience France and its language, Clarisse’s immersion program is the epitome of excellence. Don’t just learn French; live it, breathe it, and love it with Clarisse.

I had a wonderful time with Clarisse who is a very patient teacher and so encouraging and positive! We worked on expanding my vocabulary through structured lessons and we also had lots of interesting conversations about topics that interested us both, including real estate, politics, music, movies and porcelain!

Clarisse and Claude made me feel very welcome in family life and I enjoyed the beach yoga, picnic and other activities Clarisse organised for us. Ile de Re is an incredibly beautiful place and there was plenty of time for me to explore independently as well as time together; I thought the balance was just right.

Thank you Clarisse, for your positivity and encouragement; my confidence in speaking really increased and I learned a lot of new words and phrases thanks to you. I will always remember my time very fondly. Merci beaucoup!