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TESTIMONIALS
Brenda
Françoise is an exceptional teacher. And an exceptional cook! Staying with her was like living with a friend. She is easy, relaxed, organized and generous. My French speaking skills are fairly good and she identified the grammatical problem areas immediately. Her lessons discovered even more areas where I could improve. Her approach is fun and challenging. Her patience is endless and I always felt her quiet dedication to my learning.
The excursions were a marvel. To discover a Paris without the tourists… that is a true accomplishment. Secret passageways and so many wonderful experiences (an auction of art and artifacts, the back alleys of Montmartre and hidden statues of historic celebrities!) Besides improving my French she gave me experiences beyond my expectations.
Jan
I stumbled upon an incredible opportunity while searching online for “French language immersion in Paris,” and voilà—I found this amazing experience! With only five days to spare last October, I wanted something meaningful, and this turned out to be perfect. Not only did it help me gain valuable insights around strengths and weaknesses with my French, it was such a treat to learn about them in the context of French life and culture.
Françoise is an exceptionally skilled teacher, a gourmet cook, and a fabulous Parisian tour guide. We spent five half-days together, during which I learned so much—not only about improving my language skills (with tips to practice later) but also about French food, culture, and hidden gems in Paris. Françoise introduced me to unique and fascinating spots I would have likely missed on my own. Even if I had found them, experiencing them with her made all the difference.
Her lunches were unforgettable—truly my favorite meals during the trip. I wish I had taken photos or written down every detail of her culinary gems. The personalized and authentic experiences she crafts for each student are truly special and rare.
I am deeply grateful to have connected with Françoise. I only wish I could have spent more time with her, and I look forward to returning in the future. If you’re considering a French language immersion, I wholeheartedly recommend booking a week (or more) with Françoise for an extraordinary experience in Paris!
Helen
I spent a week of French immersion with Françoise and I can sum up my stay in one word :
F-O-R-M-I-D-A-B-L-E !
F for Françoise: charming, warm and very welcoming.
O for organised: the programme was busy yet flexible.
R for relaxed: I felt very much at home.
M for marvellous forays into Paris to discover her everyday life and culture.
I for insightful: Francoise quickly understood my weaknesses in the language (level C1). She is an astute and experienced teacher.
D for delicious meals, Francoise is a very good cook!
A for accommodation: her apartment is inviting and comfortable with a wonderful view.
B for les Batignolles: a lively neighbourhood set apart from tourists but easily accessible to central Paris.
L for language immersion of the best kind.
E for excellent excursions with Françoise which were a highlight for me and during which she continually corrected my conversational French.
Un grand merci Françoise!
Megan
I discovered Francoise’s website while searching for a French immersion program in Paris. Having studied French on and off for years, I longed for an immersive experience without the confines of a traditional school. Her program description was exactly what I was seeking.
My time with her was everything I had hoped for and more. Francoise is a warm, vibrant woman with a genuine love for Paris and its history. She took me to charming neighborhoods and hidden spots that I would never have discovered on my own. Each day was perfectly balanced, featuring tailored coursework, delightful meals, and excursions, along with plenty of time for me to explore on my own.
Her home is situated in a wonderful, quintessentially chic area, surrounded by cozy cafes, bars, and shops, all within walking distance to the city’s main attractions. This trip was truly special, and I will cherish the memories forever. I can’t recommend Francoise’s program highly enough.
Celeste
I have stayed with Francoise six times now, with each visit equally memorable for the variety of excursions, the in-depth French study tailored to my specific needs and level, delicious meals, lovely accommodations in a spacious apartment---with a tremendous rooftop view!---in a well-located, vibrant, and non-touristy part of Paris.
My plan to visit in the fall of 2020 was, of course, interrupted by the pandemic, and I was terribly disappointed to miss my special French immersion experience. Always flexible and open to new ideas, Francoise suggested we try Skype to continue our program during the shutdown. In what have become weekly sessions, I am able to supplement my French study in a wholly new and substantial way, with ongoing lessons to address gaps and weaknesses as they arise and all manner of conversations discussing daily life, world events, books, movies, whatever comes up---in short, comprehensive, regular instruction that has become invaluable to my learning of both the language and the culture. My recent Paris visit---finally!---was as special as ever, all the richer for the gains in my French from my year of weekly lessons, which I plan to pursue until I return for my 7th visit!
Shayla
I spent a week with Françoise. Her home is warm and welcoming and had everything I needed. I really enjoyed our lessons together and Françoise was patient and kind in teaching me. I felt as though I made progress over the week. We walked the lovely arrondissement that Françoise lives in, drank coffee, went to brocante markets and auction houses, all things that I love. Françoise designed the excursions around my interests which was wonderful. I can't wait to return to Paris to stay with Françoise again !
Oliver
I have just spent a fantastic week in Paris having 2 hours of face to face private lessons every day with Francoise. The aim was to boost my French in preparation for the official GCSE French exams that students take at the age of 16 in the UK.
I have definitely made great progress because she has been able to quickly assess my level and needs, planning the lessons well to consolidate key grammatical points and to improve my conversation skills. We worked hard over the week and due to her broad experience, knowledge and passion lessons were always fun. Francoise is really friendly and has a positive and calm manner that really helped me to feel comfortable at all time.
I am confident and ready for my exams now. Francoise has also showed me what life is like in the city with plenty of cultural input and advice to visit local restaurants and trendy shops in the central neighbourhood of Batignolles as well as city landmarks. One day she took me on a walk to visit "non touristic Paris" around Montmartre, another highlight of my week!
I am already looking forward to my next visit as I am planning to take my French studies further.
Merci beaucoup Francoise. A bientot!
Isabelle
My immersion week with Francoise was fantastic! Upon my arrival, Francoise immediately made me feel comfortable and welcome. Her beautiful apartment is situated in a quiet, non-touristy neighborhood with easy access to metro and bus stops that make getting into central Paris simple. Francoise tailored our courses together to my level and took a holistic approach to language learning, incorporating a mixture of vocabulary, grammar, speaking, and writing into our sessions. The entirety of my week there we spoke in French (not as intimidating as it sounds!) and Francoise gently corrected any mistakes I made.
We took several excursions, including a tour of Montmartre which ended with a beer at a secret location I’ll save for you to discover when you go and a tour of the 3rd and 4th arrondissements that included a meal at Les Enfants Rouges (open air market) and a visit to le Musee Carnavalet (history museum in an old ‘hotel’). When I went out on my own, Francoise always had suggestions ready in order to enhance my plans and point me to little-known spots I wouldn’t want to miss.
Spending a week with Francoise was like someone learning your music taste and curating a personal playlist just for you. I left feeling that Francoise had helped me to improve my French in the areas that needed the most growth, to see the sides of Paris I had come there looking for, and to have an unforgettable experience in one of my favorite cities.
Shelley
Spending one week with Françoise was the best way to explore Paris, while greatly improving my French.
First of all, Françoise is a great teacher. She tailored her lessons to my level and even when we are not having classes, she corrects me when I speak, which is always greatly appeciated (it’s like I’m in class all the time). I truly felt that my French has improved just in the short 7 days I’m there!
As good as (if not better) the lessons, was how welcoming Françoise was as a host. She showed me around Paris the day I arrived before the course began the next day. We traversed her favorite parks, museums, and ended up sipping hot chocolate by the Madeleine. Françoise gets excited about (cooking) good food (like me). Not only was every meal restaurant-quality, Françoise prepared a dessert for each! I also got to try Christmas delicacies only found in the local markets once a year. Very special!
But the most memorable part of my stay was exploring Paris with a local and being able to stay off the beaten path. Françoise showed me the hidden rooftop bar behind Moulin Rouge, the shops and their history in the Passage Couvert, the hidden gems at Monmartre neighborhood, suggested cooking classes I could take, and not to mention her recommendation for hot chocolate and artisan teas !
I look forward to coming back and explore more and I hope more people get to experience Paris and learn French the way I got to with Françoise!
Bonnie
I had a wonderful week in Paris with Francoise and was grateful to have a local guide to the beautiful city. She took me to some off-the-beaten path locations and I loved getting to experience some of the non-touristic parts of Paris. She is an astute French teacher and prepared well for our lessons each day. She kept the lessons interesting by incorporating music and cultural information related to our excursions. The apartment was lovely and I felt like a Parisian for the week. Quelle joie!
Kathleen
Immersion home stay is the best way to improve my French! I have stayed with Francoise twice now and as we are talking casually throughout the day she notes any difficultes that I have so that we can work on those more in depth during our study time. Her apartment is lovely and well situated in a nice Paris neighborhood which is not touristy. To start with, we plan out the week for study time, excursions together and free time. We tweak this as needed. Francoise makes the study time interesting and I feel that she taillors the topics to my interests so that I am always learning something new. And, we both love la dictée! As we got to know each other we found many things to talk & laugh about together!
Teena
My week with you was ABSOLUTELY MAGICAL!! You completely tailored the week with lessons
that met my French learning level AND I grew in leaps & bounds with my conversational comfort!
Also the excursions were magnifiques ! I loved learning a bit of Paris history through exploring
different arrondissements and of course the shopping :).
Thank you for catering the lessons, excursions, the food (and wine ) to both help me gain the
maximum amount of learning and enjoyment during the week. I was truly both grateful for the
experience yet sad to leave when the magical week had ended. I am looking forward to learning
again with you sometime next year!
Thank you so very much!
Inga Lena
I spent a week of French immersion at Françoise’s cozy flat in “Les Batignolles”. The surroundings
are really nice, lively yet relaxed and not at all touristy. Each morning or afternoon I had either
language lessons or an excursion to interesting places a bit off the beaten track. The rest of the day
I could spend as I pleased, and even though I know Paris quite well
Françoise was able to give me suggestions for new places to discover. Françoise was a patient
teacher who quickly discovered my linguistic difficulties! In summary, a very nice « semaine
parisienne »!