A day in Aix-en-Provence during a French immersion
Updated: Sep 22
There are some immersion days that might seem almost ordinary. Breakfast, a little shopping, a visit, lunch on a terrace, a conversation while walking down the street… And yet, these are often the moments when French truly comes alive.
That is exactly what happened during this day in Aix-en-Provence with Robin, a student I had already welcomed for a first immersion and who was coming back to stay with us.
Welcoming Robin back for a second immersion in Provence
I was very happy to see Robin again. When someone comes back for a second immersion, the reunion inevitably feels a little different. We already know each other, the children remember her, and everything already feels a little more familiar.
Her arrival was full of gifts, laughter and hugs. The children were especially happy to see her again. After her journey, Robin mainly needed some rest, so she relaxed in the studio before we really began our time together.
The next morning, we had breakfast together. As Robin is allergic to gluten, I had prepared gluten-free bread and red berries, which she particularly likes. These little details are also part of the immersion experience.
When I welcome someone into my home, I try to make sure they can quickly settle in and feel comfortable.
Heading to Aix-en-Provence in the footsteps of Cézanne
Heading to Aix-en-Provence in the footsteps of Cézanne
After breakfast, we headed to Aix-en-Provence.
We wanted to make the most of the day by discovering several places connected to Paul Cézanne, whose story is deeply linked to the city and the landscapes surrounding it.
Our first stop was the Tourist Office. We wanted to find out whether there were any places left to visit the Bibémus quarries. Located just a few kilometres from the centre of Aix-en-Provence, the Bibémus quarries became one of Cézanne’s sources of inspiration from the late 19th century onwards. The painter found there the geometric shapes, warm-coloured rocks and Provençal light that can be seen in several of his works.
Robin had also wisely booked her visit to Cézanne’s studio in advance. Availability was particularly limited at the time, and it had become very difficult to get a ticket at the last minute.
This is something I often recommend when visiting some of Provence’s most popular sites: it is always better to plan ahead.
Learning everyday French… while buying socks
But a French immersion does not only happen in museums or in front of historical monuments. That day, my daughter needed some socks, so we made a quick stop at H&M.
I am not a big fan of shopping for myself, but I love accompanying my students in these kinds of everyday situations because daily life is a wonderful place to learn.
The shop was very busy, so we used the self-checkouts. A member of staff explained how they worked, and Robin discovered, almost without realising it, several very practical French words: un cintre (a clothes hanger), enlever l’antivol (to remove the security tag), une caissière (a cashier)…
We thought we had finished our shopping when a forgotten security tag meant we had to go back to the checkout.
Of course, none of this had been planned.
And that is exactly what made it interesting.
When you learn a language in real life, you find yourself in situations that could never be predicted in a textbook. You have to listen, understand, ask a question, react and find the words you need at that precise moment.
That is also what learning French through immersion is about.
A cultural break at the Pavillon Vendôme
We then headed to the Pavillon Vendôme, one of the places I love introducing to people in Aix-en-Provence. Built in the 17th century for the Duke of Vendôme, the pavilion is linked to the story of Lucrèce de Forbin-Solliès, known as “La Belle du Canet”. After the Duke’s death, she retired to a convent.
Today, the Pavillon Vendôme is a museum surrounded by a beautiful formal French garden and regularly hosts exhibitions.
During our visit, an exhibition looked back at several historic exhibitions dedicated to Cézanne in Aix-en-Provence. There, we discovered a rather incredible story.
On the night of 12 to 13 August 1961, eight Cézanne paintings exhibited at the Pavillon Vendôme were stolen.
The works were eventually found several months later in an abandoned car in Marseille.
It is the kind of story that makes a visit much more vivid. You are no longer simply looking at works of art or dates: you also discover the stories hidden behind the places you visit.
Lunch at Café du Temps
After such a busy morning, we were hungry.
We sat down at Café du Temps, a place I really like in Aix-en-Provence where gluten-free options are available. We shared some stuffed aubergines before having a coffee. Robin was still feeling the effects of jet lag, so the coffee was particularly welcome.
These moments around a table are an important part of the immersion experience. We talk about the menu, what we like, what we have just seen and what we are going to do next. The conversation continues naturally, without ever feeling like a French lesson.
An unexpected encounter outside Monoprix
Later in the day, we stopped by Monoprix.
Outside the shop, some homeless people asked us if we could help them. Robin and I decided to buy a few Pasta Boxes and give them to them.
Pasta Boxes always make me smile because many of my students buy them when they come to France. They are quick and convenient and, as we say in French, “ça fait le travail”.
In other words, it may not be the most gastronomic meal in the world, but it does the job and fills your stomach.
Personally, I have never tried one and, whenever I look at the picture on the packaging, I always wonder whether the reality really looks anything like the promise!
Of course, this little detour had not been planned either.
But this encounter and the gesture Robin and I shared added another dimension to our day.
A French immersion also happens in the unexpected moments
When people imagine a language immersion, they often think about French lessons, exercises or cultural visits. Of course, all of these are part of the experience.
But immersion is also built around much simpler moments: asking for information at the Tourist Office, figuring out how a self-checkout works, learning the word antivol, ordering lunch, chatting over coffee or exchanging a few words with someone you meet in the street.
That is why I do not try to fill every day with a rigid schedule.
There are the things we plan together, according to each student’s interests and wishes, and then there is simply life happening around us.
And very often, that is when French becomes the most natural.
Robin had come to Provence to continue practising her French, but this day did not feel like a succession of lessons. She simply lived her day in French, between Cézanne, a few pairs of socks, lunch, some unexpected vocabulary and an encounter we had not planned. For me, that is exactly what immersion is all about.
Vocabulary from the day
Un cintre: a clothes hanger.
Un antivol: a security tag attached to an item in a shop to prevent theft.
Enlever l’antivol: to remove the security tag after payment.
Une caissière / un caissier: a cashier.
Une caisse automatique: a self-checkout where customers scan and pay for their own purchases.
Ça fait le travail: an informal expression meaning that something does what it needs to do, even if it is nothing exceptional.
FAQ – Learning French through immersion in Aix-en-Provence
Can you visit Aix-en-Provence during a French immersion?
Yes. Aix-en-Provence is one of the places we can explore during an immersion. Outings are an opportunity to practise French in real-life situations while discovering the culture, history and everyday life of Provence.
Do you need an advanced level of French to enjoy the outings?
No. Activities and conversations are adapted to each person’s level. The aim is not to understand everything perfectly, but to gradually use French in real-life situations.
Are the excursions planned in advance?
Some visits can be organised or booked in advance, especially when a site requires a reservation. But I also like to leave room for spontaneous ideas and unexpected moments. It is this combination that makes every immersion different.
Can you visit places connected to Cézanne during your stay?
Yes. Aix-en-Provence and its surroundings have several places connected to Paul Cézanne, including his studio and the Bibémus quarries. Depending on availability and each person’s interests, they can be included among the discoveries during the stay.
Would you like to experience French differently?
An immersion with Virginie in Provence is not only about learning vocabulary or revising grammar.
It means spending a few days living in French in Provence, sharing meals, talking, discovering the region and using the language in all those little everyday situations.
Every stay is different because each person arrives with their own level, interests, wishes and way of learning.
And sometimes, a simple day in Aix-en-Provence becomes one of the best French lessons you could have.
Read also
Continue discovering the world of Paul Cézanne by visiting one of the most iconic places from his life in Aix-en-Provence.
Discover another side of Aix, its streets, its atmosphere and everything I love sharing with my students during their stay.
Discover another immersion day and see how French naturally becomes part of the little moments of everyday life.
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