Provençal cooking in immersion with a student Hello everyone, Today, I’d like to tell you about one of the most typical dishes of Provence: daube provençale . Here, everyone knows this culinary specialty. That doesn’t mean everyone loves it. My children, for example, don’t really like meat, so daube is not their favorite dish. I usually cook daube provençale when I have good eaters at home—especially meat lovers. I would be delighted to introduce you to this traditional recip

Sainte-Victoire Mountain, Paul Cézanne’s muse in Provence How it all began I am a big fan of Paul Cézanne. I’ve visited his studio in Aix-en-Provence about ten times. I deeply love his story and his paintings. I often include this visit in my French immersion programs in Provence. The visit of Cézanne’s studio lasts about 30 minutes. It can be done with a French-speaking guide, with an audio guide, or simply with me. I always truly enjoy guiding my students and sharing what I

Provence is felt before it is told For several years now, I have been welcoming people from all over the world for French immersion stays in Provence. Some come to improve their French, others to slow down their rhythm of life, and others simply to experience something more human, more rooted in everyday life. Often, they arrive with a rather vague idea of what a language immersion stay in Provence really is. And almost always, they leave with much more than they expected. He

French immersion in Provence: the Pont du Gard through Jon’s eyes A French immersion in Provence: our experience My name is Jon, and I came to France for a vacation, including two weeks of French immersion with Virginie in Provence. I came with my wife, Marie. We are retired and were looking for a new adventure—something different. I had been wanting to experience a language immersion in France for three years. From the very beginning, Virginie was very responsive to my email

Virginie and Axel share their perspective on women’s sports in Provence Hello,. My name is Axelle. I was born and raised in Provence, where I still live today. I work alongside Virginie to help prepare your immersion stays in Provence. In our daily work, we are passionate about helping you discover the emblematic places of the region… but also topics that truly matter to us. As both a student and a basketball player, I wanted, through this article, to share my perspective on

Angela and I during our pottery class in Aix-en-Provence My name is Angela. At the beginning of the year, Virginie’s husband gave her a voucher for a pottery wheel class. She invited me to join her… and I gladly accepted. After sharing breakfast, we drove to Aix-en-Provence. We arrived a bit early, which gave us time to stroll around and browse a few shops before heading to the studio. The class starts at 10 a.m. A bright studio and an intimate atmosphere A bright and peacefu

The scent of May in Provence May is one of my favorite months in Provence. The days are longer and the temperatures are milder. Even though I often recommend discovering Provence in winter—a quieter season—May is also an ideal time to visit the region. Spring is fully settled, nature is in bloom, and many cultural events and French traditions take place during this period. It is also an important month in French history and culture. Indeed, several major historical events are

View of Marseille and Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde during an excursion in Provence Hello, My name is Angela, and I would like to tell you about the excursion I did with Virginie during my immersion in Provence. During my second one-month French immersion in Provence, I wanted to return to Marseille, one of the most iconic cities in the south of France. We started the day by visiting the city of Marseille, then we went up to the famous Basilica of Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde , which offe

Easter egg hunt in the garden – a moment children eagerly look forward to Today, I’d like to introduce you to Easter traditions in France, and more specifically Easter traditions in Provence. Easter is a very important celebration in France, both religious, cultural, and family-oriented. In the Christian tradition, it celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The date of Easter changes every year. It is celebrated on the Sunday following the first full moon after March 21s

A peaceful place facing the pool, just minutes from Aix-en-Provence As you may know, I have been a French teacher for about ten years now. It is a profession I deeply love, for its human richness, the creativity it requires, and the connections it allows us to build. Over the years, however, I also felt the need to explore other dimensions of care and human connection. About seven years ago, I began training in somatic therapy. It was a long, intense, and fascinating journey.

Virginie cooking in Provence Those who know me know that I love to eat… and that I can eat quite a lot! What I especially love is discovering new flavors and sharing my favorite places. If you come for a French immersion stay in Provence, I can recommend the best restaurants in Rousset and around the Sainte-Victoire mountain. And yes… I also love champagne 🍾. I’ll happily share the cuvées Alex and I have approved. Here are my favorite restaurants near the house.  Le Bistrot

Les Baux-de-Provence, hilltop village How do you pronounce “Baux” in Les Baux-de-Provence? How do you pronounce Baux ? You pronounce Baux like the adjective beau . And I must say, this village truly lives up to its beautiful name. Where is Les Baux-de-Provence located?   Les Baux-de-Provence is located in the Alpilles mountain range, in Provence, in the south of France. It is a hilltop village with spectacular views over the surrounding valley. Val d’Enfer: a mysterious valle

Provençal cake by Pierre Mahieu at Weibel When I was pregnant (which happened three times in my life, after all 😉), I cooked a lot. And especially… pastries. Sweet indulgence is part of my story. During my first pregnancy, I even considered creating a food truck to sell crêpes in Australia. At eight months pregnant, I went to Brittany to learn how to make authentic Breton crêpes. During my second pregnancy, I wanted to take the French pastry diploma (CAP pâtissier). I rememb

Eguilles, a traditional Provençal village Provençal villages: beyond the clichés When we think of Provence, we often imagine: pastis, the singing accent, blue skies, cicadas, pine trees, lavender, sunflowers, the mistral wind, colorful markets, pétanque… Yes, all of that is part of Provence. But Provence is not just clichés. If you come for a French immersion stay in Provence, you will discover a more intimate, more authentic, more vibrant side of the region. The real Provenc

Colorful French macarons in Provence  Learning French by baking macarons My latest student during his French immersion stay in Provence wanted to learn how to bake macarons. That’s exactly what we did. We took the opportunity to work on questions, verb tenses, and cooking vocabulary… Cooking is a wonderful way to improve your French. We had a lot of fun preparing the macarons… and doing a little “interview” in French while following the recipe. We hope you will enjoy this exp

Upward-facing dog by the sea Hello everyone, I am a French teacher for non-native speakers, and also a certified yoga teacher for both children and adults. Today, I invite you to discover some yoga poses to practice in spring in Provence, along with useful French vocabulary related to this practice. Spring is a special season here in Provence. The light changes, the trees blossom, and energy gently returns. It is the perfect time to awaken the body… and perhaps improve your F

The colors of spring in Provence, between lavender and golden light Hello! My name is Oliver, and I had the chance to spend an incredible spring in Provence. For one week, I stayed with Virginie, who helped me improve my French while introducing me to the wonders of the region. Thanks to this immersion, I learned new words every day and experienced unforgettable moments. Here are three spring activities that I especially enjoyed around Marseille, Aix-en-Provence, and Rousset.

Arriving in France: the beginning of an immersion… and a change of rhythm The first two days of a French immersion are often the most unsettling. Even for people who “already understand French quite well.” Why the first two days are the most destabilizing Jet lag and physical fatigue The body learns too. And sometimes it needs time to recover The body learns too. And sometimes it needs time to recover. First, there is jet lag. That is why I always encourage people to arrive i

David climbing toward the summit under the Provençal sun Hello everyone. My name is David, I am English, and I came to stay with Virginie and her family for a French immersion program in July. As I am sporty, Virginie suggested that we go hiking on the Sainte-Victoire mountain, near Aix-en-Provence. I was very happy when Virginie asked me if I could write a few words about the excursion we did together. It’s a great way to practice my written French! So I’m going to tell you

Morgiou cove, one of the most iconic calanques in southern France Hello, my name is Jhané, and at the end of spring I went on a French immersion stay with a French teacher and her family in order to improve my French. I chose Virginie, near Aix-en-Provence, and I really had a great time. Discovering the Calanques during a French immersion stay When I arrived at Virginie’s place, she suggested several excursions.These guided excursions are part of the immersion stay. As I re