French Immersion Homestay At Camille's In Paimpol - Bretagne

What a great time I passed with my sister ‘chez Camille’. From the initial welcome, where we were offered the freedom of Camille’s home, to the delightful French cuisine that we were treated to, it was delightful. We had our own private area with two bedrooms and bathroom facilities. Camille’s home is well within walking distance of the sea, the town, The Abbey de Beauport, The Lake of Poulafret and riverside walks in either direction. It was like bringing her videos to life.

Now for the purpose of my visit which was, of course, to practice and improve my spoken French. Our daily lessons were entirely constructed around my ability and the way my brain learns. What a revelation! My lesson were informal as I wanted to be confident speaking ‘Street French’. I was, on arrival, quite timid and fearful of being ‘exposed’. However, this was quickly dispelled by my introduction to Jean-Loup who doesn’t speak English, and boy did I surprise myself with the amount of knowledge that was filed in my head.

My lessons were also aided greatly by Camille’s À Moi Paris’ French learning method with guidance on how to use the app most effectively for me.

This for me was a holiday of a lifetime and I’ve come away with Camille’s words and encouragement to guide me into greater success and , of course, confidence as I continue my French Journey.

Many thanks to Camille for awakening the French in me.

I had a very enjoyable week while Marilynn worked with you on her French conversation. The walks around Paimpol are lovely, I do need to be near water and the local walks were perfect for that. It was nice to take Vinky out for a walk around the local area as everything was within easy distance of your home.

The town centre is very attractive and it was lovely to see all the small independent shops. Something sadly missing in the UK now. The harbour area was lovely and was very similar to our harbour here in Devon with a variety of cafes, restaurants and very importantly, ice cream parlours!

Our private, two bedroom suite was comfortable and convenient with our own bathroom and toilet. A nice quiet place to retire to for some ‘me time’ or a quick nap if needed.

I thought your covered garden area was a lovely space to do yoga with fresh air and greenery around me. Very calming.

Very best wishes to you and Jean Loup. It was lovely to meet both of you and a big thank you to Jean Loup for inviting us to his apartment for our ‘picnic’ which was delicious. I found it very enjoyable preparing food with you in your lovely kitchen and trying some of the local delicacies, some of which we had not heard of before.

I loved the local food market, it was a real eye opener. The produce was fabulous and could have tried everything there.

I arrived tired and late due to train delays but from the moment Camille met me at the train station in Paimpol she was a welcoming and gracious host. She immediately whisked me off for a lovely, relaxing picnic by the sea. Her home in the heart of Paimpol and 5 minutes walk from the sea is charming and my room and bed were very comfortable.
Every morning we had formal lessons with tours and treats later in the day. These included a trip to Pontrieux, an outing to see improvised theatre, a swim in the sea, beautiful walks and meals out – all the time chatting in French. By the end of each day I was ready for bed.

As a teacher Camille is knowledgeable and patient. She will adapt to your needs and level and encourage you to push yourself out of your comfort zone. As well one to one time with Camille I had lots of opportunities to talk to native French speakers

I am not a big dog lover but Vinky, Camille’s Havanese puppy, is a delight. His enthusiastic greeting every morning was a joyous start to the day. You can’t do anything but respond positively to his joy of being alive.

My nephew and I had an amazing French language immersion experience with Camille. From the moment we arrived at the train station in Paimpol, Camille was the ultimate host. She made sure we were comfortable and at ease while welcoming us to her beautiful home and village. My nephew and I have differing levels of French language fluency and Camille was able to adjust to our needs for both communication and instruction.

We enjoyed fabulous tours of Paimpol and the surrounding areas. We learned about the seafaring culture of Bretagne and the rich history of its inhabitants. We had lots of fun visiting the Tuesday morning market in Paimpol and savoring lots of local cuisine.

Perhaps our cutest tour guide was the amazing Vinky, Camille’s Havanese puppy! He is the gentlest sweetest puppy you will ever meet. And it was such a treat to spend some time with Camille’s daughter, Leyla, who was home for her summer break from university.

I had one of the best weeks of my life accompanying my husband on a french immersion at Camille’s French Today Experiences.

Words cannot express how welcoming it was at Camille’s home. Her beautiful and artful decor, our private comfortable 2 bedroom , bathroom and water closet suite and the fabulous experiences she offered and created for us.

She also arranged may English speaking outings for me. I was able to spend 3 separate times with her daughter being Paimpol all the while having my husband Leo immersed in French lessons and constant conversation with Camille and her friend Jean-Loup.

Everyday brought new adventures. Going to the town market, cooking at home, having many extravagant picnics, taking a ferry to the island of Béhat for lunch, walking, swimming, napping, and finishing with a Prosecco toast and snacks.

I don’t have enough words to express how delightful, meaningful, wonderful this week was. And to convince you to do it, except to say I wouldn’t miss this for the world if I were you. We will be returning soon.

Life is wonderful with Camille. Chose to experience it for yourself. You won’t regret it.

My immersion with Camille in Paimpol was both delightful and instructive. Despite my best efforts, my French-speaking skills had remained stagnant for 60 years. However, the immersion with Camille marked a true breakthrough for me. My wife, Jillene, who doesn’t speak French (having been an exchange student in Austria), accompanied me. Camille seamlessly integrated her into the immersion.

Camille’s teaching method, using the À Moi Paris program, is nothing short of brilliant. Each day, after a delightful breakfast around 9 AM, we studied together for two hours. Camille’s guidance and teaching made a significant difference in advancing my French. After a break, we would meet for lunch, which was always excellent.

Each day included an excursion: we walked to the beach for picnics and took an unforgettable trip to Béhat, the island of flowers. There, we toured, hiked, napped in a field, swam in the bay, and ended the day with cocktails outdoors. Throughout the day, while living and speaking French, Camille would note down any words I didn’t know on her phone. Each night, she texted me these words for vocabulary building. This personalized vocabulary list, created from our daily experiences, was invaluable and could only have been achieved through this immersion.

One highlight of our stay was the first day, which coincided with July 14th (known as Bastille Day in the U.S.). We witnessed a lively Brittany band playing traditional pipes and marching in slow motion. As an amateur musician, I was in awe of their skill. Later that evening, we danced to vibrant island music performed by a top-notch band, and the night concluded with fireworks.

Throughout each day, I spoke French with Camille and her friends, especially Jean-Loup, one of the most interesting, kind, and gentle men I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.
We had countless enjoyable moments with Camille and Jean-Loup. Additionally, we spent an amazing day with a fantastic guide who showed us La Roche Jagu, a stunning 15th-century fortified house located in Ploëzal, Brittany.

I must mention that Vincky is the most adorable, well-behaved little dog with a truly angelic nature.

We loved the experience so much that we’ve planned a 2-week immersion with her in Tenerife at the end of March 2025.

I had a very enjoyable and instructive Homestay with Camille in Paimpol. As my French was already reasonably advanced in terms of grammar and vocabulary the emphasis throughout was on the spoken word.

Having only made one fleeting visit to Britanny previously, I much appreciated the opportunity to immerse myself in the culture of the region. I did so with the assistance of extremely well-informed guides and through contact with friends that Camille introduced me to.

I particularly enjoyed a tour with a very entertaining local guide who knew all that was to be known about the Paimpol fishing industry. With her I was able to study the local statues and memorials commemorating the lucrative but hazardous exploits of Paimpol fisherfolk in Icelandic water.

I also appreciated the time Camille and I spent harvesting clams with her engaging friend Dominique.

My introduction to local history also included the viewing of a fascinating film featuring the part played by the local Resistance in the exfiltration of downed Allied aviators. A visit to the beach where the handover to the Royal Navy took place under the noses of the Germans had particular resonance for me as a student of military history.

My thanks to Camille for everything she did to make my stay enjoyable (including cooking some very tasty meals) and to her friend Jean-Loup who provided mobility with his Range Rover as well as much interesting conversation.

I am a beginning French student – I have never spoken French or taken a French class.  My wife, who speaks French very well, was going on a one-week immersion to Paimpol to study with Camille of “My French Friend.”  She invited me to go with her, but I was hesitant because I did not speak French.  I decided to go anyway.  What a great decision that was!

Camille spent one solid hour with me each morning, and one solid hour with my wife.  Our lessons were geared to our own individual level of knowledge and never overlapped.  I felt so comfortable with the basic learning and the French learning method Camille used.   I had fun with the lessons and couldn’t believe the French words were coming from MY mouth.

After morning lessons, and a delicious lunch made by Camille, we all visited many beautiful sites in Paimpol, had picnics, and spoke as friends. Camille would converse in French at my wife’s level and Camille would translate to English for me.  I never felt isolated or left out.  We walked several times to beautiful beaches and took pictures of the marvelous scenery.  I felt she had planned these walks specifically for me since I am an amateur photographer.  We visited a deserted Abbey, ate at wonderful restaurants, and explored the town market.  I felt very much at home.

If you’ve ever considered a French language immersion, this is the one to select.

C’est magnifique!

I was so excited to return this year for my second immersion with Camille of My French Friend! My stay with her last year was so wonderful that when I read she was offering immersions again this year I wrote immediately with a great big “YES! I want to come again!” And although I wouldn’t have thought it possible, this year’s trip was even more wonderful.

Camille is a gifted teacher and has a knack for tailoring lessons to each student individually rather than the one-size-fits-all approach from some other immersive experiences. Each lesson was designed specifically for me, for my level, my interests, and with an understanding of how I learn best. She is patient beyond words, and best of all, we had so much FUN together, laughing our way through even the most difficult grammar instruction- a particular challenge of mine.

All that plus a comfortable and beautiful home to live in, delicious, healthy food (again, tailored to my own specific tastes) and fabulous excursions and day trips- and the breathtaking scenery of Paimpol and Brittany.

Need I say more? Run don’t walk to study in this fabulous immersion with Camille.

I wonder… is it too early to apply for next summer?

I had studied French in high school and college, and also worked with a tutor several years ago with the goal of brushing up my language skills before a trip to France. I had lots of reading and writing experience, but no conversational skills….at all!

I discovered Camille’s French Today FB page several years ago and was curious about her audio teaching methods. I explored her curriculum and wanted to take advantage of her language study approach. When Camille opened up her schedule and home to Immersion students this year, I was excited to sign up.

My partner Andy joined me for our October 2023 study week in Paimpol with Camille. He had never studied French, but was ready to try!

It was fascinating to work with a teacher of Camille’s caliber. She accessed our individual and joint needs and expectations, and we jumped right into a group lesson plan.

Our daily 3-hour morning study sessions were focused and very fun! Using the French Today App/curriculum, Camille was able to structure the language grid I needed to make sense of my random years of study…with a focus on pronunciation. At the same time, she applied the same organization to introduce and work with Andy as a complete beginner. I had a bit more knowledge, but Andy was fearless and we made a good study team. Lol :)

We covered a lot of ground because Camille’s teaching method gave us the foundation to understand and review the basics, and to move forward from there – Andy and I left with the tools to continue our studies using our French Today materials at home.

Camille’s vibrant personality and beautiful peaceful home made our visit even more exceptional. We loved our food, wine and chat sessions (in French). Study breaks to the sea coast for walks, a swim, a picnic, to explore the town of Paimpol and field trips throughout the surrounding area – stopping in to visit with a local artist, cooking dinner with Chef Olivier, and much more made for a busy and again, very fun week!

I have taken immersion courses before in Nice and Biarritz, but each time my wife – who has no interest in learning French – has accompanied me, so the courses ended up more of a hosted vacation rather than a true immersion into the French language and culture.

But this course was different.
From the moment my train arrived in Paimpol to the moment I left, I heard and spoke very little English.  Although Camille and Oliver speak excellent English, they made every effort not to.  And none of Camille’s friends spoke English either.

When I arrived, I was greeted by a beautiful smiling Camille who picked up my 50 lb suitcase with one hand and tossed it into the rear of her car as if it were a baguette.  She then drove me to her home, carried my suitcase upstairs and showed me my suite consisting of 2 bedrooms, a bathroom and a WC.  For my privacy, the entire suite was curtained off from the rest of the upstairs.
My room was quiet, comfortable and well appointed.

As the weather was nice, Camille drove us to a remote isolated area and after following a trail through an old forest, we perched on a cliff overlooking a river and served a picnic dinner with champagne as we watched the sun set.
A goéland (seagull) that Camille had patiently been training to eat from her hand joined us for dinner

The next day settled into a routine.  Breakfast around 9:00 followed by 2 to 3 hours of instruction followed by a pause, then lunch followed by either a scheduled activity or some freetime, then cooking with Camille and dinner with her and sometimes a friend of hers.

There was usually 2 to 3 hours of devoirs (homework) assigned everyday, but I rarely if ever got to all of it (and would receive a disappointed look and sigh the next day – and was even chastised once for not knowing my verb conjugations well enough to respond without thinking in the negative imparfait or using direct and indirect object pronouns in the negative interrogative  form of past conditional. I’m joking of course !!)   

I started taking lessons from Camille about 20 years ago when she lived in Boston.
After she and Olivier moved to Paimpol, my wife and I visited them on several occasions and they were gracious enough to let us stay with them and be shown all the local sights. 

So for my activities since I had already seen the more common sights, I chose some unusual activities such as a tour of a local oyster farm followed by an afternoon of pétanque (unheard of in the US, but a national pastime in France). 

My host and guide Dominique assures me that pétanque will soon be an Olympic event (which I suspect  will get as much airtime as  curling  or badminton). I received instructions on how to hold the hefty steel ball lightly with 4 fingers, swing the arm fully  and launch the ball in a high arc so that it lands with a bit of back spin and doesn’t roll.

I still don’t understand the rules but here is what I took away.  The game is started when someone throws out a cute little ball called a cochonette (piglet).  Then each team takes turns trying to smash the bejesus out of it by tossing really heavy steel balls at it.

Dominique plays for hours every day and is quite good.  I was a complete beginner.
We obviously lost our first match, but we crushed the other team on the second match, 16 to 3..   After a couple of exhausting give-it-your-all matches, we were completely worn out and went to a bar across the street where Dominique bought me a beer and discussed the art of the game.
The next day Dominique asked Camille if I was available to play on his team again.

On another day I took a tour with a local guide and learned how the French resistance risked it all and frequently lost their own lives while smuggling downed Allied airmen to a local beach in the middle of moonless nights so that they could be picked up and returned to England.

One evening I received a cooking lesson from Olivier.  We (mostly he) made a spatchcock chicken on the weber and Jamie Oliver potatoes.  

And since the French food is cooked without any (hot) spices and since the French believe that corn is only for pigs and cows, I brought with me all the spices (including fresh jalapenos ) necessary to make a real mouth warming, sweat on the forehead SouthWest style Chili and all the ingredients to make cornbread.

Camille invited over a group of friends who had never had either before for a Chili soirée. She put the brakes on the spice telling me that her friends wouldn’t eat it if it were even mildly spicy. We found all the other necessary ingredients at the local Carrefour and I simmered the sauce and beef for two days.  We also found Tortilla chips (corn) and fresh avocados so we made guacamole as well.  We also served all the usual toppings such as grated cheese, creme fraiche, onions, black olives, etc…

To my surprise, Camille’s friends loved it (or at least pretended to !)  They finished all the cornbread, and most of the Chili.  Some wanted more and more jalapeno to amp up the heat in the Chili and Guacamole.  One of them took a whole fresh jalapeno home with her!    

So all in all, I had a great time, made some new friends and had an opportunity to practice speaking and hearing just French for my entire stay.  Camille should name her immersion courses “Learn French while having fun” or something like that 

If I can fit it into my schedule and can get another hall pass from my wife, I hope to be back next year.

We had a wonderful week with you in Paimpol, certainly exceeding our expectations. Many thanks for making us so welcome.

I was slightly apprehensive it has to be said as I had never overcome feeling daunted when attempting to speak French. My time with you was both encouraging and rewarding with your unique approach to teaching, creating a warm and relaxed atmosphere with lots of opportunity to have fun. A huge benefit of your immersion stay was that you provided a course specifically for me and that you addressed my very limiting lack of confidence. Speaking with Olivier and other delightful friends to whom we were introduced also helped enormously to overcome my fears and to go for it!

Humph really enjoyed himself too and very much appreciated being included in our various jaunts together and with your friends, including a memorable visit to the island of Bréhat in glorious sunshine, exploring Tréguier, enjoying crèpes Bretonne, Apérol Spritz and rosé generously poured at sunset picnics overlooking the sea. Merveilleux!

You provide perfect accommodation both spacious and comfortable; in fact you’ve thought of everything one could need for a combination of study and holiday in the lovely town of Paimpol.

Mon séjour chez Camille a été excellent. C’est une professeure très professionnelle et une hôtesse merveilleuse.

Le logement était de première classe. Une chambre, une salle de bain, un WC et un bureau. Le signal wifi était fort. Il y a un grand écran dans le bureau, et si vous oubliez votre ordinateur, elle en a un ordinateur en réserve.

Camille est une bonne cuisinière et bien sûr son mari Olivier est un grand cuisinier. Avec un ami de Camille, nous avons déterré des palourdes à la plage. Olivier les a transformées en un délicieux repas avec du saumon, du riz et des légumes.

Camille a eu la gentillesse de m’emmener à Carnac que j’avais toujours voulu voir. Les alignements de milliers de mégalithes étaient spectaculaires. Et bien sûr, on pense à Obélix et Astérix.

Je recommande vivement un séjour en immersion avec Camille. Je vous garantis que vous ne serez pas déçu.

Une semaine avec Camille a été absolument géniale. Camille est un excellent professeur de français ; elle est très facile de comprendre et elle explique la langue française d’une manière très facile et amusante.

Camille planifie cette semaine d’immersion incroyablement bien ; il y a du temps pour les cours, du temps pour les devoirs et du temps pour se reposer.

Les repas étaient délicieux et il était très agréable de participer à la cuisine. Camille était très attentive aux aliments que nous aimions.

Camille consacre vraiment du temps et de l’énergie pour s’assurer que vous passiez le meilleur moment possible, en explorant la région, en rencontrant ses très charmants amis et en organisant des activités surprises.

Tout cela était très amusant et je n’avais pas autant ri depuis longtemps !

Je ne saurais trop recommander une semaine avec Camille.