French Immersion Program At Teacher's On Ile de Ré

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

In July 2023, together with my family I’ve spend one week on Ile de Re with Clarisse for a French immersion course. We are a family of four (having 2 daughters of 11 & 15 years old)  and we moved to Switzerland in a French speaking canton. So, for us the immersion course was what we needed to improve our French.

The immersion week with Clarisse was above my / our expectations and now looking back I’m so happy that we decided to spend one week of our summer holiday like this.

We stayed in La Flotte area in a private home (provided by Clarisse) and each morning she was coming to our place for the French lessons.

I loved the way she managed to accommodate to our French level (similar but not common) and what I appreciate the most is the way of explaining the “lovely” French grammar. For me, a visual person, I loved how she was writing with different colors and making everything so easy and understandable. She also provided us with support materials, books to help us learning, that are very useful.

Clarisse is a real professional, coming prepared with different interactive exercises that could involved the entire family and making sure that we all participate to the class. Also, she is the best tour guide on Ile de Re, during the afternoon we had the opportunity to explore the island with her and at the same time practice our French.

Also, we had the pleasure to spend some evenings with her and her family, we appreciated the most the “Apero” mystery box and dinner on the beach.

So, if you are looking for a great way to spend your holiday and learn French at the same time I recommend you to reach out Clarisse 😊

Above and Beyond the Call of Duty

I should say the usual things about my immersion with Clarisse and Claude in August 2023, for instance, that 1) Clarisse is a wonderful teacher, full of good humor, high energy, and great patience, that 2) Claude is gracious host, and that 3) Ile-de-Ré is an idyllic place to visit. All of it is true, of course, as can be seen by reading any of the reviews on this page.

But I had the opportunity to test the character of these lovely people in unexpected ways which illuminated their nature in ways that a standard immersion week might not have. And I am here to tell you that their care of me went above and beyond the call of duty. In addition to their competence as teachers (and I have to include Claude here as an adjunct teacher), I came to appreciate their basic humanity and capacity for compassion. In this way, they were truly ambassadors of the French culture.

To explain briefly, I came to Clarisse directly from another week-long immersion the week before. Clarisse was already proactive in calling my teacher from Week 1 to coordinate lessons so that they didn’t end up covering the same material. So that was nice. But just prior to my arrival, a knee injury that I had just before coming to France flared up to the point that I could not walk without debilitating pain.

So, on Sunday, when Clarisse was only supposed to pick me up and transport me to my studio and then spend a pleasant Sunday with her family, she spent an entire day sometimes pushing me around in a wheelchair, sometimes helping me navigate an unexpected conversation in an Emergency Room, and sometimes dragging my luggage all around so I could limp my way from one place to another. It was ridiculous that she would have to do that. I felt bad, almost embarrassed by it. But she did it without hesitation in a way that immediately taught me something about her character.

For the rest of the week, she and Claude both went out of their way to assist me in any way they could whether it meant driving me to the pharmacy, loaning me a ski pole to use as a cane, or escorting me to my departure train so I didn’t have to carry luggage up and down stairs.

All of this perhaps limited my sightseeing around Ilede-Ré, but it did not affect my immersion lessons, my pleasant nights with the family, or the simple joy
of playing guitar duets with Claude.

As a teacher, Clarisse will quickly discover the boundary of your French capacity and then push on it for the rest of the week in an attempt to expand it. There was a certain intensity to the immersion that I liked, but my sense was that Clarisse could easily
modulate that intensity based on a student’s level and wishes. I do have two cautions however: 1) Clarisse’s natural speech pace is a bit faster than other native speakers that I encountered. I came as a late A2 student which I think is the minimum level
to be able to take full advantage of the immersion. I know Clarisse would adjust to any level but A2 / B1 would shine in this immersion. 2) Ile-de-Ré, while
idyllic, is a place where even the French come for vacation in the summer. So, expect the place to be rather crowded. Bicyclists were as numerous as flies
on a summer day!

But in the end, my experience was more than a language immersion, it became a life immersion where I ended up feeling a part of a family and where I was permitted entry into the French heart. What I found there was natural kindness and compassion, and a ready willingness (as in my case) to go above and beyond the call of duty. You could hardly find nicer people to learn from.

Chère Clarisse,

Je tiens à te remercier infiniment de m’avoir enseigné et diverti cette semaine !
J’ai beaucoup appris, surtout tes leçons de prononciation/liaison et je te promets que je n’oublierai jamais le PAS à partir de maintenant.

Merci aussi à ta famille. J’ai adoré renconctrer tes parents, des gens si détendus et heureux ainsi que tes filles et Claude, bien sur brièvement.

Merci beaucoup,
Cheryl, ton Australienne :) 

Clarisse has been a thoughtful and patient French teacher to me for the past two years. So when we discussed an opportunity to study French immersively in Il De Re, I couldn’t say no! The experience was more than I could imagine. I developed my confidence in speaking and vocabulary while having a fantastic time exploring the idyllic island with Clarisse.

The apartment was chic and well-located, a short walk from the city center of St. Martin. The daily lesson plans were engaging and tailored to my goals, with many activities, like visiting an oyster farm or scaling a lighthouse, allowing us to practice conversational French together.

It was a very dynamic program, and I look forward to returning and growing my love for French!

What an amazing time our family had studying immersive French with Clarisse. Clarisse is an incredibly patient teacher as well as super focused on helping us correct our weak spots with humor. She uses engaging methods to help us learn, and spending time talking French with her wonderful family over meals and during activities was a real treat. All of us felt so much more confident speaking French after only a week with Clarisse and her lovely family. Finally, the activities she arranged were experiences we never would have found on our own. I cannot recommend this experience more highly

After 3 zoom sessions and then a one week French immersion course, I highly recommend Clarisse as a teacher. I have difficulty speaking what French I know and she really pushed me to converse in French. 

Her use of written and verbal exercises 3 hours each day and then more casual conversation during meals, excursions and home visits was really effective. Clarisse is a dedicated teacher, yet she is very friendly and fun. She adapted her program to my needs and made the immersion course hardworking, but exciting and interesting. It also helped me identify how to focus my future studies to hear and speak French.

My wife Anita stayed with me but did not participate in the immersion part of the course. Clarisse and her husband Claude went out of their way to include her when possible. We particularly enjoyed restaurant meals with them as well as home visits with their daughters, family dog, and two guinea pigs. 

The studio apartment was confortable and well located near restaurants and shops. We particularly liked the short walk to restaurants. In addition to St. Martin de Ré, L’Ile de Ré has several interesting villages and attractions, way more than we were able to visit.

In summary, I think anyone interested in immersion to improve their French would really like and benefit from Clarisse’s program. I did.

I recently spent a week with my French teacher, Clarisse, in Île de Ré for a French immersion course, and it was truly an unforgettable experience! From the moment I arrived, I was greeted with warm hospitality and an authentic French atmosphere that made me feel like I was truly in good hands.

The language immersion aspect of the course was top-notch. My French language skills improved tremendously throughout the week thanks to the dedicated and experienced Clarisse who was patient, encouraging, and always willing to help with any questions.

In addition to the language classes, there were many opportunities to explore the island and its rich culture with Clarisse and her beautiful family. I visited charming cafes, quaint boutiques, and historic landmarks that gave me a glimpse into the local way of life.

The accommodation was also excellent in Saint-Martin, very clean, comfortable, and a stone throw away to the sea. I felt truly relaxed and at ease during my stay, which only added to the overall experience.

Overall, I highly recommend this French immersion course for anyone looking to improve their language skills and immerse themselves in the rich and vibrant culture of France. Thank you so much Clarisse and your family for hosting me for a week. I left feeling more confident in my French abilities and with memories that will last a lifetime

Although I have been living in France for some time, I still struggle with French conversation (shy about jumping in). What better way to improve than a week of immersion on the beautiful Ile de Re. I had never been to the island and I am now a huge fan—such an unspoiled treasure (although I wouldn’t recommend going during school break or the summer).

Clarisse (the instructor) has amazing energy and infinite patience. She varies the morning lessons, chooses wonderful lunch spots, is an interesting guide for the afternoon activities, and includes her family (I even met her parents and beau-parents) in the conversations at her home. She corrects errors in just the right way, so that you remember the problem. I now feel more comfortable initiating French conversations (rather than being an English bully) and will continue to focus on ways to improve my spoken French. Thank you, Clarisse for this great adventure.

The French intensive course with Clarisse is fantastic. It has really helped improve my French which is B1 level, and Clarisse is incredibly helpful and patient. Ile de Re is a beautiful part of France to visit, and Clarisse is extremely knowledgeable about the area and takes you to the best spots. 
Having never done a french intensive course before, I chose the course because of the beautiful location and the friendliness and approachability of Clarisse as a teacher.  Claude, Clarrisse’s husband and Coraline and Cassandre her  daughters and Clarisse’s parents who were visiting Ile de Re at the same time I was there were extremely welcoming and made the effort to speak clearly and a bit slower than normal so I could keep up with the conversation.  It exceeded my expectations and I can’t recommend the course enough.