Trevor and I had a really enjoyable time staying with Marion and Melie for a week at
the beginning of July this year. I have nothing but praise for the value and pleasure
of French immersion weeks and I'm so glad I came across the possibility of
improving my French this way.
Apart from being a very skilled and experienced teacher Marion is also a warm and welcoming host. The combination of French lessons in the setting of her beautifully
designed house with its fantastic views and the wine option that Melie offers
provided more than enough interest and enjoyment for myself and Trevor that
week. We chose to go to Macon and Ouroux specifically because of the wine
option which offered Trevor a focus of interest for himself apart from the learning of
French which I rather than he wanted to do. The French tuition was done in a
flexible and pleasurable way - at times with word games which aided my somewhat
awkward process of finding the words and confidence to speak French. At my
request Marion helped me with two points of grammar which were integrated and
studied over a number of days and which I will continue learning now I am back
home. The important listening and speaking process went on during the meals that
we shared with Marion and Melie, were not exclusively in French so that Trevor,
who wasn't there for that, didn't feel bored and left out! We thoroughly enjoyed the
two trips that we did, one to the Abbey at Cluny along with the town itself, the other
to a weekly market in a nearby town to buy fresh local produce from lively vendors.
Apart from the great food that we bought to eat later this offered us an experience
of well known French food culture and once again more listening and speaking
practice. Trevor enjoyed his wine tasting sessions and walk to view the wine
making villages from a hilltop which ended with some more tasting. The extra
wine/food matching dinner was certainly enjoyable for both of us.
The setting of the house is beautiful, peaceful and surrounded by nature. A short
path enabled Trevor to walk to and from the village for necessary food items from
the local shop and a drink at the bar. The structure of the week with the lessons,
wine tastings, and meals gave us plenty of pleasant interaction along with time to
ourselves in the lovely apartment in the evenings. Though stimulating and
interesting (as well as good for the brain) learning French is intense and exhausting
and was particularly so for me since I was still recovering from long Covid. However
none of that got in the way and I always felt I could do things in my own time if
necessary. Marion and Melie are both warm, generous and genuine people who
clearly enjoy the experience of welcoming immersion guests. I would highly
recommend anyone wanting to improve their French at whatever level to spend an
immersion week or two with them. The week went very quickly and I was sad to
leave. My only regret is that we didn't stay longer and I will certainly be organising
another French immersion experience as soon as I can!