A painting by Pierre-Auguste Renoir Hello, my name is Kathleen. In November 2019, I came to Provence with my husband Georges for a French immersion stay with Virginie. It was a dream for me: staying in France, practising French every day and discovering Provence in a different way. One of the places I absolutely wanted to visit during our stay was the Renoir Museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer. I mentioned it to Virginie, and she organised the excursion for us. It was raining that day,

Olive oil and olives in a Provençal setting There are some products that you see everywhere in Provence without really thinking about them. Olives are one of them. At the market, during apéritif, in tapenade, on a pizza, in a fougasse, or simply served in a small bowl on the table, olives are part of so many moments of everyday life here. And that is exactly what I love introducing you to during a French immersion: not only the landscapes of Provence, but also what we eat, th

Discover the Calanque de Sormiou near Marseille: swimming, cabanons and stunning landscapes for an unforgettable immersion in Provence

A round-the-world sailing adventure When I talk about French culture with my students, I naturally think about food, traditions, villages, history and the French way of life. But French culture is also about sport and the major events that millions of French people love to follow. The Vendée Globe is one of them. This round-the-world sailing race is particularly well known in France. And in our family, it has a special meaning: my husband Alex grew up in the Vendée, the depar

Light and remembrance on All Saints’ Day Hello! My name is Nina, and I live in Melbourne, Australia. This autumn, I decided to do something I had been dreaming about for a while: come to France for a French immersion stay in Provence. I chose Virginie in Provence on the recommendation of my friend Phil, who already knew Virginie. Of course, I wanted to improve my French, but I also wanted to experience everyday life and discover French customs and traditions from the inside.

Virginie and Nina during a French immersion in Provence Hello, my name is Nina. I’m Australian and I come from a small village near Sydney. When I decided to spend a week on a French immersion with Virginie, I chose to come in autumn. I wanted to discover Provence at a quieter time of year, enjoy pleasant temperatures and avoid the crowds of July and August. During my stay, Virginie suggested several excursions. One of them was Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, a village I had never he

Lily and Tom ready for Halloween in Provence I have no memory of celebrating Halloween when I was a child. No walking around the neighbourhood with a bag full of sweets, no pumpkin outside the house and no witch costume on October 31. Halloween simply wasn’t part of my childhood in France. With my children, it’s completely different. For Léo, Tom and Lily, Halloween has become an event they look forward to every year. They think about their costumes, talk about all the sweets

Alex after completing Marseille–Cassis At the end of October, there is one Sunday that feels a little different in our family. Very early in the morning, thousands of runners gather in Marseille with the same goal: to reach Cassis on foot, crossing the Col de la Gineste along the way. Marseille–Cassis is one of those events that everyone knows when they live in the area. In our family, it has become even more familiar since my husband Alex decided to take part. And in the end

Tree pose, between balance and concentration In Provence, autumn arrives gently. The mornings become cooler, the light changes, the vineyards take on new colors, and the days grow shorter. It is also a time of year when I like to adapt my yoga practice. I am a French teacher for non-native speakers and also a certified yoga teacher. These two worlds can actually come together very naturally: following instructions, naming different parts of the body, breathing, moving, listen

Sainte-Victoire, a mountain that is part of my everyday life in Provence There are some landscapes you simply never get tired of. For me, Sainte-Victoire is one of them. I live in Rousset, at the foot of the mountain, and Sainte-Victoire has been part of my everyday life for years. I watch its colors change with the light, see it disappear behind the clouds and, on days when the Mistral is blowing, stand out sharply against the blue sky. And of course, I also love hiking ther

The Château d’If, made famous by The Count of Monte Cristo I’ve always been a huge fan of The Count of Monte Cristo. When the new movie was released in 2024, I went to see it with my brother Alex and my eldest son Léo. We loved it so much that we went back a second time. Since then, we’ve watched it several more times at home because we bought the film. And I have to confess something: Pierre Niney, who plays Edmond Dantès, is absolutely amazing. He even reminds me of my husb

Jon and Marie at Glanum Hi! My name is Jon, and I’m staying in Provence with my wife, Marie, at Virginie’s home. This isn’t our first immersion stay here. In fact, it’s our second time staying with Virginie. We love this way of learning French: staying with a local, speaking French in everyday life, and discovering Provence at the same time. And even on a second visit, there is still so much to discover. Today, I’m taking you with us to Glanum, near Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. A

Fall in Provence, between mist and golden colors My name is Nancy, I’m American, and I chose to come to Provence in the fall for a French immersion stay with Virginie. During this week, of course I learned French. But I also discovered that learning continued once I stepped outside the house: in the vineyards, while talking with local artisans, or simply while walking in nature. I even learned an expression that I love: “un truc de ouf”! I’m not sure I can use it in every con

A new school year, and a new chapter for our family When you learn French, you quickly come across a word that you hear everywhere at the end of summer: la rentrée. Of course, people talk about la rentrée scolaire, the start of the school year, but also la rentrée politique, la rentrée littéraire and even la rentrée culturelle. On the other hand, when someone is simply going back to work after their holidays, we are more likely to say “bonne reprise !” than “bonne rentrée”. I

A new school year and a new stage for all three Back-to-school season has always been a special time in our family. For a long time, it meant getting three school bags ready, seeing friends again outside primary school, and finding out the name of the new teacher. This year, something is changing. For the first time, none of our three children is in primary school anymore. Léo is starting high school, Tom is continuing middle school, and Lily is taking her first steps into 6e

Sainte-Victoire overlooking the vineyards of Provence In Provence, the end of summer doesn’t just mean that the days are slowly getting shorter. In the vineyards, it is also one of the most important times of the year: the grape harvest. I had the chance to meet Ana Sofia, who was then in charge of events at Domaine Grand Boise, a winery located at the foot of Sainte-Victoire mountain. A few weeks before the harvest, she took the time to explain to me what really happens in t

A family French immersion in the heart of Provence This summer, we didn’t really have a choice about when to travel: with the children and the school holidays, we had to come right in the middle of summer. My name is Laura, I’m English, and I came to Provence with my husband James and our two children, Hannah and Ethan. We wanted to enjoy a real family holiday, discover the region and, at the same time, use our stay as an opportunity to practise our French. And we definitely

A French immersion in the heart of Provence Hi, my name is Emily and I’m from Canada. When I came to spend a week on a French immersion in Provence with Virginie, of course I wanted to improve my French. But I also wanted to discover the region in a different way, through its food, what people grow here and the traditions that are part of everyday life. And there was one thing I was particularly interested in: olives. I love olives. So when I mentioned this to Virginie, our c

Lonnie and Virginie in Lourmarin Hello, my name is Lonnie. My dream is to speak French fluently and, one day, to come and live in France with my wife for three months. While waiting to make that dream a reality, I chose to do a French immersion with Virginie in Provence. Some days made me realize just how much you can learn without feeling like you are in a classroom. This day in the Luberon is a perfect example. We spoke French over breakfast, visited the Château de Lourmari

Angela and Virginie in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue during a French immersion in Provence My name is Angela, and I came back to Provence for another French immersion with Virginie. This is already my fourth stay with her, but each time, I discover new places and, above all, new opportunities to speak French in everyday life. Today, we are heading to L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. With its canals, little shops, a rather unusual lunch and an exhibition, this day perfectly sums up what I love ab