French Immersion Homestay At Teacher's In Picardie, France + Pool

Nancy : November 2021

I must admit it is difficult to write a review because why on earth would I want even MORE students to fill up Chantal’s very busy schedule? But that would not be fair to Chantal, and not fair to other english speakers who looking for an amazing, authentic, non-touristy, personally enriching french immersion experience.

For two weeks in November 2021, I had the honor to be a part of Chantal’s vibrant life. Along with Stephane (her partner), Liliane (her mother), Loulou and Grignote (their two spirited dogs), I was completely welcomed as if I was a long lost cousin from America. Chantal immediately recognized my level (painfully rusty), and magically spoke so that I could understand her. She patiently corrected my well-entrenched errors. While we had an official lesson time each day, in reality, it was a continuous, two-week french lesson. She/They took me on wonderful outings including the Château de Chantilly, the Compiègne Wagon, and a magnificent Florent Pagny concert at the Zénith Amiens Métropole. We met up with their friends on multiple occasions, all of them delightful and welcoming. Ok, so truth be told, I understood very little of their fast and lively conversations (my brain was always processing the words from 30 seconds prior). But I understood what was important – their friendships with Chantal and Stephane go way back, and they are kind, fun-loving, open-hearted, and open-minded people.

And now for my food review. (Mais bien sûr, on parle de la France n’est-ce pas?) Chantal is a fantastic cook! Almost every day, she whipped up a fresh, healthy, and amazingly delicious déjeuner, each different from the last. It was truly magic how she made it look so effortless. On one of the weekend days, we met up with their friends in the nearby town of Senlis. In true french style, we spent the better part of the day hanging out, drinking, and chatting (well, in my case doing a poor job of faking chatting), eventually ending up at one of their friends’ home for a wonderful Raclette dinner. Another outstanding meal was in celebration of Liliane’s birthday, where the four of us went to Auberge de la Grange aux Loups in nearby Apremont. The food there was SO delicious – take note here American foodies – I promise, it is worth the international airfare just to go to this restaurant! Yet another celebratory meal during my stay was Beaujolais Nouveau day, a day created to celebrate Beaujolais wine. Because apparently french people need another reason to hang out with their friends and drink wine with charcuterie, cheese, and bread. And of course my food review would not be complete without a shout out to the magnificent soups courtesy of Stephane’s Thermomix. Bravo, Thermomix!   

As if the two weeks at Chantal’s weren’t already mes plus belles vacances, I have yet to mention the most joyous thing of all: I was the very lucky student to be in residence when Chantal’s granddaughter was born! Her daughter Eliane and son-in-law Benjamin live just an hour away. It was with great anticipation that everyone awaited news of the baby Elena’s arrival, which was followed by a difficult three day wait until mommy and baby were released from the hospital. (Due to covid, only mommy and daddy were permitted in the hospital). You can bet that, on the baby’s very first day home, Chantal, Liliane, and I rushed over to Roye to meet la petite crevette. What an honor it was to witness the family welcoming their fourth generation:).

And last but most definitely not least, un grand merci à Loulou and Grignote. These two little characters were an unending source of amusement, strutting about like the own the place (they do). And no, they are not fed from the table (except for the exceptions). I miss taking long walks in the muddy fields with you boys!

Thank you again Chantal, Stephane, and Liliane for such a wonderful two weeks! I hope to make it back to Mouy again sometime in the near future. And of course, you always have a home in Cincinnati, Ohio!

A friend of mine who stayed with Chantal a few years ago encouraged me to do the same, and I’m grateful that he did. The immersion was exceptional in every way, from the accommodations to lessons to excursions. Chantal, Stéphane, and Liliane are delightful hosts who made us feel welcome in their daily life—at home, in conversations, doing errands, and walking the dogs (who are also very charming). Chantal is an excellent cook, providing a yummy breakfast and a traditional noontime meal, which included a course of cheeses that my partner especially enjoyed.The lessons were varied, and time flew by. As an upper-intermediate student, I was glad to have some structure as well as more spontaneous conversations, not only with Chantal but also with Stéphane and Liliane. I appreciated that Chantal maintained the French immersion for me by having me translate for my partner rather than slipping into English herself.

Mouy is a nice little town, enjoyable to walk around in. The excursions to sites in the area were really enjoyable, and the drives gave us more occasion to converse. The studio is very comfortable. I hope to return some day!

Paul & Diane : May 2022

It’s been a long time since my rather poor attempt at French when at school. I was keen to take it
up again and the immersion course was the ideal way to do it. It’s very encouraging to have planned
learning sessions and informal continuous opportunities to speak French. Many topics come up
around the meal table. Aspects of French culture arise along with excellent food in a convivial
atmosphere. Although not taking part in the study sessions, my wife found she was able to
remember enough small amounts of the language to join in the conversation. Trips varying from a
visit to a Chateau to strolls around the village and lovely country walks with the dogs broaden out
the experience. My wife and I have been starved of swimming in the lockdowns and welcomed the
opportunities to go in the garden swimming pool. This was truly an immersion course!
All the best to Chantal, Stephane and Liliane. Best behaved dogs award to Grignote and Loulou.

Barbara : April 2022

I just returned from two weeks at Chantal’s and at the risk of repeating everyone else it was wonderful! I was a little apprehensive never having done anything like this before and then there was covid to contend with. Chantal and Stephane picked me up at CDG airport which was great after a long flight.    

The morning lessons were fun and interesting.  My French is pretty basic and Chantal knew just what I needed. Afternoons were excursions or walks in the countryside and one afternoon I went with Chantal and her mom when they voted in the presidential election. In the evening I strolled around Mouy  and picked up something for a light dinner and then read or studied, usually on the patio because the weather was so nice.

The lessons, the company and must mention the lunches were all exceptional. Thank you Chantal!

Jennifer : April 2022

I recently returned from a wonderful week long immersion learning French with Chantal in Mouy. While I did, in fact, learn some French, the experience was much more than that. From the moment I arrived I was welcomed in to the family and felt like I was a visiting relative or friend. Chantal is a true expert at making one feel welcome and comfortable in an unknown situation. She easily figures out your level of french and then adapts her lessons and conversations to meet you where you are. She patiently corrected all of my many repeated mistakes and was an encouraging teacher. 
I did enjoy the lessons and learned some new grammar and vocabulary but my favorite part of the week was meeting Chantal’s family and seeing what everyday life is like living in France. I loved seeing the beautiful relationship Chantal and her husband Stephane have with Chantal’s mother Liliane. I was lucky to meet Chantal’s daughter, son-in-law and new granddaughter. I loved learning all of the new French recipes that Chantal expertly cooked everyday for lunch and was super impressed that she not only made a fantastic lunch for all of us but, at the same time, managed to cook something completely different for her mother. She is truly a gifted chef and host.
I also really enjoyed the several outings to different towns in the area. Chantal learned what I was interested in and tailored these outings to be something that I would enjoy. Despite repeating these trips many times herself she never seemed bored or annoyed at having to do them again. She truly loves what she does and it shows. 
Now that I am home I miss our daily 3-4 mile walk in the beautiful rapeseed fields near Mouy with the two dogs Grignote and Lulu. I miss the challenge of speaking French or let’s be honest, trying to speak French. It was a true immersive experience and I am looking forward to a day when I can return and be able to contribute more to the family conversations. I very much recommend a stay with Chantal and her lovely family.

Paddy : April 2022

It is a privilege to be permitted to share a week with Chantal and her family. It adds hugely to the experience of learning to speak, and to listen to, french in a warm family environment. The learning experience with Chantal was very relaxed and well tailored to my needs. A truly special experience!

Jonathan and Terry : March 2022

Our two weeks with Chantal and her family came and went quickly. There are many testimonials on her
site as to what a wonderful teacher she is: all must be true judging from our experience. Rather than
repeat those eulogies, I’d like to mention another aspect of studying French with Chantal: random acts of
kindness.
Our experience began with big hugs from Chantal when she picked us up at the train station and ended
with big hugs when she dropped us off after our two weeks. Midway through our studies, I had a health
issue for which I needed to consult a doctor. Chantal first tried to get me in to see her doctor. When that
didn’t work, she and we successfully navigated our first experience with French telemedicine. That
evening, there was a rap on our sliding glass door, and there was Chantal with two bowls of homemade
chicken soup to make us feel better. Seriously.
Another insight into Chantal’s character comes from watching her interactions with her 87 year-old
mother, who herself is a delight. The care she shows was evident each day. Our own conversations with
her mother were an added bonus to our French immersion, and it was nice that she, too, said she enjoyed
us and all the other students who have stayed with them.
Chantal’s partner, Stephane, is equally considerate and also a lot of fun. Once he discovered Terry loves
the end pieces (croutons) of baguettes (as does he), they all went to her. We also enjoyed watching him
telework (or pretend to work, as Chantal called it) and seeing if we could distract him.
Their two dogs are hilarious. Grignote (Snack) periodically limps to gain sympathy and then takes off
running if he thinks no one is looking. LouLou, on the other hand, associates their blue Ford car with
taking walks in the countryside and so is content to spend hours sitting in the parked car in the hope that
someone will take him somewhere. And he walks around looking for the Ford if it isn’t there.
Again, I thought not to repeat what everyone else has said about what a great teacher is Chantal and how
she helped us with speaking French. Suffice it to say we had a great experience: French 24/7, wonderful
family, comfortable accommodations, fantastic food. Also, Mouy is a really nice town in which to walk
around and not encounter anyone who speaks English. What better immersion is there than that?

I loved Chantal ! Not only is she cheerful, welcoming, and unflagging in her attention, she’s also a wonderful teacher.  She patiently pointed out my more common mistakes while, at the same time, managed to build up my confidence.  Her lessons evolved from our conversations and were exactly on point, and blessedly she didn’t try to force perfection.  And the little guest house gave me time to study, relax, watch a little French television, and try to integrate what I’d learned.  Her meals were yummy, and her family completely delightful.  Such a pleasure! I can’t wait to go again

Annie

I spent an absolutely delightful week with Chantal, her partner Stephan, her mother Liliane and her 2 adorable dogs Grignote and Loulou. Everyone made me feel so welcome! Not only did I get to learn and practise speaking French, I also got to experience daily life the French way!  

Chantal is a very gifted teacher who can gauge her students’ abilities quickly and give lessons accordingly. I love the flexibility of her teaching. She mixes casual fun conversations/story telling with proper grammatic corrections. She was so patient with correcting my repeated mistakes and bizarre pronunciation. Aside from French lessons, she also taught me how to cook some of her D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S French dishes!!! 

The excursions were another highlight of my stay. It was very rewarding to realise just how much more I could understand after just a couple of days with Chantal! I really enjoyed being out and about visiting the sites and just watching and listening to the locals. 

I would highly recommend an immersion stay with Chantal! It was so much more than just learning French. I felt like I went on a holiday in France and stayed with good friends! I will definitely be back!!

Ron : November 2021

Four years ago I finally realized a life-long dream to live in Paris. In preparation, I had taken many classes in many ways: groups, one-on-one, online, self-study. I tried everything I could find and thought I’d be fine. Not exactly. I quickly discovered that all my work left me miles short of fluent. A new burst of optimism convinced me that I would learn just by being here, listening, and being forced to communicate. Wrong again. I did make some progress but not nearly enough and was about ready to surrender when I found Chantal by an online search for French tutors.

We found dates that worked for everyone, and I spent the first week of December with Chantal and her family: Stephane, Liliane, and two of the friendliest dogs you’ll find anywhere. I was a bit apprehensive and more than a little skeptical that she could make a difference. Wrong again. Chantal is a great teacher. A week with her is not just a vacation with friendly hosts and great food, it is an opportunity to learn the French language and a good deal about French culture with a teacher who knows her stuff and how to get her message across. I learned more in a week with Chantal than all my previous efforts. I worked hard because she inspired me to dig in, applauded my successes and encouraged me to continue to learn.

I’m not done yet, but Chantal’s approach has given me the confidence to speak and the tools to grow.  I’ll work on my own and look forward to a return engagement.

Merci Beaucoup, Chantal

Marshall and Sarah : October 2021

I am on my third language, and it is hard to come up with the correct words to describe the quality of the experience.  Chantaal really makes you feel like an honored guest.  She is passionate about her native language and passionate about helping you learn it. The apartment was very comfortable to stay in. It is close enough to Paris to do some sight-seeing, but she will also do more language time if you like. I spent the mornings filling my head with French and the afternoons having fun in France, and it was a great balance. Her husband and mother were there. They are also a delight to be around. She is a stellar cook, and you will not want for good food. Best to be at an intermediate (A2-B1) or higher level to get the most out of it, but she will skillfully guide even a true beginner. If you are serious about learning French, you could not pick a better place to do it.

Allison : September 2021

It has taken me a while to sit down to write this review because I’m just coming down off the cloud from
my experience.
Initially I was supposed to have a week with Chantal in 2020 but Covid border closures intervened. It
was such a disappointment but good came from that. I started Zoom lessons and continued until I could
go to Mouy in September 2021. By then, I felt we knew each other and I was going to visit a friend!
My week began with a 10k hike in the forest with Chantal & Stefan and their large group of friends,
followed by an afternoon of wine and food in their friends’ garden. When my travel fatigue caught up
with me, they set me up on a chaise for a nap, as the pace of conversation was trop vite pour moi!
Really, I can only repeat what others have already said. The hospitality was exceptional with superb
French meals, spirited conversation, and the lovely addition of Liliane to the breakfast and lunch tables.
Stefan put me at ease with his easygoing personality and his sense of humor. I love dogs, so their little
guys were a plus for me. If you’re not into dogs, I assure you they are not at all intrusive.
Lessons were just challenging enough and Chantal intuitively knew just how much new information to
feed me and how much time I needed to assimilate the information. The guest accommodations were
very comfortable and private.
Upon leaving, I toured Normandy by car and was so pleased with my increased confidence. I did not
meet a situation that I couldn’t handle. Upon my return to the US, a French friend noted that my accent
was improved; always a good thing!
I am now planning a 2022 visit and I can’t wait! Chantal, get the baguettes and cheeses ready!

I don’t have much to say, because everything that’s been said already by Chantal’s other students is absolutely accurate. I’m just here to affirm it’s all true! I had a similar terrific time, and experienced all the same aspects of the immersion as did my predecessors. It was a fun and rewarding experience.I would like to really emphasize one point, though. Chantal is an excellent teacher. I speak French at the most basic level, and by nature I’m pretty shy and introverted. This class was something of a challenge I gave myself, way outside my usual comfort zone. Chantal was just great about knowing how far to push me and when. She was charming but instructive; technical but comforting. And when she wasn’t engaged in formal “instruction,” whiteboard included, all the other activities described by her other students allow for opportunities to speak and for further, less formal instruction. So in our visits to Beauvais and Chantilly, and in our walks in the fields, we talked and I learned a little more.I feel comfortable saying that my French improved enough to leave no doubt that it was a worthwhile experience, if not just for that primary purpose. My understanding of grammar improved; my comprehension improved; my accent improved; and my vocabulary improved. Not so much that I don’t still freak out the instant a Parisian starts jabbering away, but enough that it all feels like it’s coming together more easily; I hear the language better and I can express myself better. It’s a great foundation to build upon.And yes, the rest– the family (Stephane, Liliane, Loulou and Grignote), the food, the wine, the extracurricular activities –all enhance the experience. It was a week very well spent, and I look forward to doing it again someday. 

An immersion class with Chantal is pretty much the perfect French learning experience.  Chantal simply adopts you into her vibrant life all the while improving your French.  You live and work with Chantal of course but there is so much more.  You meet and interact with Chantal’s mother, Stephane, and of course, the two cutest dogs in all of France<g>. Chantal’s knowledge and experience are vast, so she can seamlessly adapt perfectly to your current needs or interests and target just the right approach.  Her excursions let you see and enjoy the history and beauty of the l’Oise area through Chantal’s eyes and they reinforce aspects of the French you are learning.  The accommodations were fabulous with everything you might need.  To top it all off, Chantal is a marvelous cook (see her website for recipes).  This is by far the perfect way to accelerate your current French abilities and it’s so much fun we can’t wait to return.

• I just spent a wonderful week with Chantal, her partner Stephane, her mother Liliane, and their 2 delightful dogs, Loulou and Grignote. They were so warm and welcoming that I immediately felt at ease. 
  Chantal is an excellent teacher. She was kind and encouraging and seemed to know immediately just how to adapt the lessons and experiences to my skill level. Although I was only there for a week I learned so much and feel much more confident. 
  Even though the purpose of the trip was to improve my confidence and skill level (which I absolutely did), the experience was so much more than that. In addition to the formal instruction and the many opportunities to practice speaking, Chantal and her family truly welcome you into their lives as though you are part of the family. I never felt the least bit uncomfortable nor wanted for anything. 
  Chantal is a FABULOUS cook and she even adapted the meals for me as I am vegetarian. I was also lucky enough to spend my birthday with them which was celebrated with a special lunch including champagne and chocolate cake and then topped off with a lovely gift. How kind and thoughtful!!
  Thank you again Chantal, Stephane, Liliane, Loulou and Grignote. You truly exceeded all my expectations. This was an experience that I shall never forget and I look forward to returning one day soon.