Guestbook

Sheila, Atlanta, Etats-Unis

Sheila et Jim

If you are looking for an immersion study/stay in France, I cannot recommend to you strongly enough the benefits of a stay with Claudine.

From exchanging emails and arranging our stay it was clear that Claudine was accomodating and helpful. Everything occurred just as she had outlined in her explanation of the immersion program at her home.

Every review listed here on her website gives a clear picture of Claudine’s expertise and abilities to teach and converse with you at your level. She will astutely access your abilities and needs. Then quickly move to a program aimed directly for your personal progress. She is truly a gifted and talented teacher with a heart for each student to accomplish their goals.

Each day, Claudine has a variety of activities to choose from, scheduled study time, and delicious meals. She plans and prepares traditional French family meals. She makes a generous consideration to provide enough for leftovers for an evening meal. Never were we disappointed!

From the moment we arrived, with each friend we met, at each activity, we were welcomed and made to feel comfortable in every situation. So then, read all the reviews and make your plans for a remarkable experience with Claudine in the quaint city of Montbard!

Marilyn, Seattle, Etats-Unis

Last year based on a recommendation from Alliance Francaise – USA, I booked a two-week immersion stay « Chez Claudine. » In 2020, I had resumed my French language studies with Alliance Francaise – Seattle after a sabbatical of 50 years! Although my written comprehension was at a A2/B1 level, my oral comprehension and speaking ability lagged far behind as did my confidence. Claudine helped me change that.

Marilyn Flavigny

During our first lesson, she observed me and very quickly understood that I was a visual learner. This has meant that I usually need to take notes in order to see what is being said. But, Claudine would not let me take notes! Instead, she took notes. I was, therefore, able to see what she was telling me and, more importantly, I was not actively multi-tasking, I was actively listening. Later that evening, I rewrote her notes of the day’s lessons into my notebook.

Lessons focused on my personal levels of grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary. For instance, after she explained a certain set of grammar rules, she provided examples and then I would do an exercise to ensure that I understood the rule and the concept around it. Claudine was always patient and understanding, even when I had moments of doubt. She has taught French for many years and uses many different types of activities and resources to help students learn and improve their language skills. Towards the end of my stay, we visited l’Abbaye de Fontenay where Claudine served as my personal tour guide (!) and described the history of the Abbaye in French. On the drive back, I realized that I had understood everything that she had told me! Amazing! She is indeed one of the best teachers I’ve ever had!

Lessons took place five days a week. On those days, Claudine arrived at « my » apartment at 8:30. (There is an independent, spacious apartment for her students on the floor below hers.) We enjoyed a « petit-déjeuner » together and then the morning’s lesson began. Mid-day we stopped for lunch. She always prepared a hot main dish with a salad or soup (or sometimes both) for lunch. Not only is Claudine an excellent teacher, she is an excellent cook! Every meal was delicious… and usually there were enough left-overs for my dinner! After lunch, we continued our conversations for an hour or two, unless we had planned an afternoon outing.

This spring (April 2023), I returned for three weeks. Our daily routine continued to be the same as before and I continue to be amazed at the progress I am making under her tutelage. As before, too, we took three excursions each week. During my stays, I’ve attended several community theatre productions and local concerts; visited nearby châteaux and villages; and shopped at the local farmers’ market. On sunny afternoons, I often walked along the Canal de Bourgogne, wandered the lanes of the historical center of town or stopped in one of the boulangeries for a café crème and a pain au chocolat or a local Bourgogne pastry called a gougère. I also visited the château on the hill above the city where there is a park and a museum that features the history of Montbard’s most famous person, Monsieur Buffon. (Quite a fascinating man and story!) And, when Claudine’s friends were available, we even got together for « game nights. » These evenings were always a lot of fun!

My studies with Claudine and taking part in the activities I’ve described have enriched my life. I will be returning here for two weeks in the fall to continue my studies with Claudine. I highly recommend that anyone who is interested in improving their language skills and experiencing life in a rural French town come and stay at Chez Claudine!

John, Californie, Etats-Unis

A huge thank you to Claudine for her warm welcome in Montbard in the beautiful region of Burgundy. I spent two wonderful weeks at her home, and I highly recommend that you take advantage of this opportunity as well. The Côte d’Or is filled with historical monuments: castles, churches, museums, vineyards, and medieval ramparts. It is an area where one will also find a variety of cultural activities: theater plays, concerts, and lectures of various kinds. Claudine will keep you updated on all of the activities and will be thrilled to accompany you. She has a remarkable knowledge of the region and a passion to share this knowledge with her students.
Claudine wants her students to completely immerge themselves in the French way of life. She invites her friends over, visits them at their homes and goes out with them in the evening. She will invite you to participate in these events and will offer you opportunities to meet other French people, to speak French with them, to have a good time, and laugh together. I especially liked the evenings when we played cards and board games.
Of course, you will have French lessons as well that will keep your interest. Claudine uses a variety of instructional strategies to help you learn and offers a variety of activities that will motivate you to persevere. She is challenging without being too strict, but takes her job seriously. She wants you to learn as much as you can so that you progress in your ability to express yourself in French. Her positive attitude, her way of correcting you without being critical, and her enthusiasm for the language will help you attain your goals.
You will be staying in a spacious apartment just below her apartment that is completely private, cozy, and very clean. You will be able to relax in the living room and watch television, sleep peacefully in a comfortable bed, and prepare your evening meals in a well-equipped kitchen filled with plenty of good things to snack on and plenty of good wine to drink. Actually, I didn’t need to cook much as there were lots of appetizing leftovers from the noon meal to eat in the evening. We always had breakfast together, and Claudine would come down to my apartment to prepare lunch. The food was plentiful, delicious, well balanced with an unbelievable variety. She prepares her dishes with fresh, healthy, and organic foods. One activity in particular that I absolutely loved was the day we went to the marketplace to buy groceries. It is a special place where you will find regional products of all sorts. Claudine would ask me continually what I found to be appetizing and wanted my opinion regarding her purchases. She goes all out so that her students eat well and that they eat what they love. Food is something that Claudine takes to heart as most French people do. I so appreciated her efforts to make sure that I was satisfied, and frankly, I was.
It is with great enthusiasm that I recommend that you reserve your stay at Claudine’s in Burgundy, especially if you want to progress in your language acquisition, immerge yourself in French culture, and spend an absolutely marvelous time with a fantastic, interesting, energetic, and friendly woman who will be anxious to share her wonderful life with you.

Christie, Canada

I spent a wonderful week with Claudine in November 2022. It is easy to get to her home in Montbard by train from either Dijon or Paris. Claudine spoke only French to me during my stay and she gently corrected me when necessary. We visited the lovely medieval town of Flavigny sur Ozerain, which is known for the manufacturing of Anis candies. We also visited the Chateau des Nuits sur Armançon. Claudine knows the chateau and it’s history very well so it was like having my own private guide! Also, one evening we played board games with a friend of Claudine’s. This was another great way to learn new vocabulary. If you have a dream of visiting Bourgogne and spending one or two weeks practicing your French, I recommend working with and learning from Claudine.

Nancy, Australia

Nancy à l’Abbaye de Fontenay

I spent one week with Claudine in August of this year. What a wonderful experience it was! Claudine is a very good teacher and a very generous host. The student apartment is very comfortable and very private and has everything you could possibly need, including snacks, and toiletries.
Claudine is a very good cook. She provided breakfast and lunch and gave me delicious leftovers every day, so I never had to cook dinner. I enjoyed discovering Montbard as it is a very lovely town and all the people there are very friendly. Plus, Claudine took me on interesting excursions so that I saw some of the surrounding area and learnt some of the local history. She also introduced me to some of her friends and gave me a personalised tour of the local market which added to my overall learning experience.

Claudine and I conversed in French all the time, which was difficult for me, but Claudine was very patient! I learnt a lot in one week, but I wish I could have stayed longer with Claudine and learnt even more about French language and culture. I highly recommend Claudine’s French immersion course.

Guillaume, Portland, United States

I strongly recommend Le Francais Chez Claudine to anyone who is serious about learning to speak French and understanding French culture.

I took the one week “experience” with Claudine (it is much more than a class …more on this later) for several reasons. My primary goal for taking this class was to improve my ability to hear and speak French, with a secondary goal of learning about French culture. Both of these goals are part of a larger effort I am making to “age well” (I am almost 73) by traveling to interesting places and through strenuous mental exercise. My experience with Claudine achieved the short-term goals and helped me achieve the longer term ones.

Claudine met my wife and me at the train from Paris in Montbard (it is an easy 1 hour train ride). She walked up to us and immediately started talking with us in non-stop, very rapid French. She had emailed me to ask if I wanted to have her mix English in to the conversation because my wife was going to be there and she was not taking the class. I, being a wildly optimistic person and having studied French for 3 years in the US, said no…all French. However, in the instant that she spoke to us in pure French, I had two immediate reactions: (1) This is what I wanted and (2) I am in deep trouble because I don’t understand anything.

That night she cooked us a great, very local French dinner and spoke to us non-stop, completely in French. The next day, we did 3 hours of incredibly intense instruction, particularly on pronunciation, with her correcting me every 20-30 seconds. Did you know that the French words corps (body), cours (school course), coût (cost), and coeur (heart) are actually different words? Apparently, you wouldn’t know that listening to me because they all pretty much come out of my mouth sounding the same. We spent hours drilling me on the shape of my mouth to make them sound different…and did I feel like a fool. But, this was the first time that someone was really working on my pronunciation. She was incredibly supportive and it was great! After many more days of intense drill – and I mean 3-4 hours each day of practice and more practice — I am speaking much better and know a lot more about grammar, though I still have a long way to go to achieve fluency.

I was thrilled to see that Claudine uses the newest, neuroscience-based approaches to adult learning. I have a Ph.D. from Stanford University in Education and am the CEO of a company that provides neuroscience-based software used for adult education, so I know a little about adult learning. It was clear that she was doing exactly the right things to simultaneously push me to be better by making me work hard and support me when I was frustrated. She was exercising my brain in a very healthy way, which directly supported my long terms goals.

Part of what makes the program with Claudine so great is that she incorporates French culture in everything she does. While we are eating, she is always talking about French table manners and food preferences. We stayed in an apartment under her apartment in a building dating from the 1600’s which felt very genuinely French. Several times she took us to local historical sites and shopping with her. She does these as guided tours, entirely in French (most of which I understood). One of the best things she does is to introduce you to some of her friends. We met with two of them for lunch and the next day for coffee. Lunch was in the backyard of their 230 year old farmhouse/home with lots of conversation, all in French. The food was excellent and the atmosphere amazing. I tried to speak and made some mistakes but was OK. Claudine is very clear at separating grammar and pronunciation coaching from conversations and comprehension, so I was able to understand and speak without feeling too foolish. These activities are what I mean when I say that the time with Claudine is an “experience” because this is far beyond a class.

Which leads to two important questions:

(1) Would I recommend this to my friends? Yes, but only if they are committed to the hard work required to get much better.

(2) Would I do this again? Yes, but for at least 2 weeks. I was just breaking through when the week ended. I would have loved more time.

My wife and I are already planning to return.

Don, Washington

with Annie

For a long time I have wanted to take an intensive French course in France. At age 72 I decided it was time to realize my dream, even if my family and friends thought that it was imprudent of me to travel alone. Despite their doubts, I am very happy to have enrolled for a week with Claudine in Montbard.

I have taken many French courses in the United States, but none of them focused on oral competencies. As teacher, Claudine helped me better understand the obligatory and prohibited “liaisons” and the slight differences in the pronunciation of vowels. But more than that, her daily exercises, our discussions, the great variety of new vocabulary, and the reading of articles helped bring my French to a higher level.

Claudine gave me the confidence needed to speak French with strangers. After leaving Claudine, at the Sunday market in Besançon I told stories (in French) and I sipped wine with new friends: Olga from Ukraine with her parrot, the former mayor of the town with his basket of fresh endives, a Kurdish immigrant from Iran, the owners of the wine stand, and other passers-by who were amused by an unexpected American visitor. I paid attention to my “liaisons obligatoires” and I followed Claudine’s advice about pronunciation of vowels. My new friends complimented my accent as well as my facility with the language.

The town of Montbard is charming and quiet. There are few distractions except the sound of the church bells at the top of the hill. The cries of the crows above the footpaths around the Parc Buffon. The whispers of the fishermen with their fishing poles along the canal. It’s the ideal place to focus on improving linguistic skills.

The apartment is very comfortable. I appreciated having my own bedroom and bathroom. The accommodations overlook a courtyard where a religious order of the seventeenth century once walked. I loved the air of mystery of this building. Perhaps the spirits of the nuns who slept in this former dormitory still haunt the courtyard. I am joking, of course, but nevertheless, I wondered how the cat could have climbed up to the roof of this medieval convent where I slept and why did it watch me.

As many other students have already noted, Claudine is a marvelous cook. I would like to add that Claudine was very attentive to my dietary needs. She always prepared delicious meals, even if she had to avoid cream and butter. Thank you, Claudine.

She proposed a varied program of afternoon activities. No, I did not choose to ride horses. Instead, we visited the Abbaye de Fontenay and the Chateau d’Ancy-le-Franc. In Semur en Auxois we took a guided visit. I was happy to be able to understand most of what the guide said. We had a big surprise when the gardener at an estate opened the doors for us. What a magnificent view we had of the town and gardens.

Claudine took me to see her friends the painter Annie Chazottes and René, who offered a superb meal of white boudin, mushrooms, and vegetables from their garden in their pretty country home. We spoke and laughed for more than two hours. I will always cherish the memory of that afternoon.

In summary, no matter your age, if you dream of studying French in France, I recommend a visit with Claudine.

Harry, Australian leaving in Geneva

I had a wonderful experience at chez Claudine. She is an excellent teacher with many years of experience and a lot of patience. I found Claudine very good at identifying where I needed to improve and combining formal exercises with informal conversation and practice. The apartment is lovely, as is the town, and the surrounding country is full of lovely historical sites. On top of it all, Claudine is a phenomenal cook, and will treat you to the most delicious food every day. Cannot recommend more!

Kayoko, California

Kayoko et Claudine chez Denise

Dear Claudine,
Thank you very much for all the things you did to make my two weeks of staying so meaningful.
My objective to come to your program was to experience an ordinary life of a small town in France. I wanted to talk with different people, sharing my opinions and life experiences with them, and at the same time I wanted to get to know their habits, values and behaviors.
First, thank you for giving me the opportunities to meet your friends. With Denise, I had three amazing game nights. I am not the person who likes to play games, but Denise and you introduced me to many different games and after the first game night, I was hooked. I was the one to request you to have another game night. On the second game night, I could not believe that we played until after midnight ( time passes so quickly when you are having a fun!). We walked home around 1am in darkness. I said, “I never do this in California; it is not safe to walk home so late,” and you responded to me, “C’est normal, pas de problème à Montbard!” On the third game day, we had an afternoon tea (some tisane and crepes) in Denise’s garden. I learned how to eat crepes in an ordinary French way (by putting some confiture inside and rolling it up to eat). Since all of us (Denise, you and me) are teachers, we shared the experiences of teaching and talked about different teaching strategies. These moments were so special to me.
I also had a wonderful time, talking with your other friends, Nadine and Annie. All your friends are great people who love to talk and share with an open mind. They are also very unique people with independent and strong mind, which I love to see in women.

Secondly, thank you for all the delicious homemeals. I loved them all and thank you for giving me the recipes. By eating with you everyday, I learned how to cut the bread and set up the table, how to start the meal with an aperitif, how to eat cheese and finish the meal with coffee. These are the things I can never experience anywhere else, and every time I am at the table, I will think about it.

Next, thank you for taking me to Château d’Ancy-le-Franc, Semur-en-Auxois, Emmaüs, Abbaye de Fontenay, some concerts, a sunflower field, and many other places… and I will not forget the little adventure when we almost got lost in a hiking path.

Lastly… but not the least, thank you for your French lesson everyday. I saw your commitement to help your student to improve as much as possible. The advice you gave me: 1) not to speak French so fast, 2) Start using ‘en’ in speaking, I will keep them in mind until I see you next time!

Claudine, my original objective to experience an ordinary life in a small town became an extraordinary experience of my life! Of course I would like to recommend your program to all the other people who are learning French.

I believe that teachers are facilitators; we try to give an optimal learning environment to our students. Claudine, you are a wonderful facilitator. Your teaching does not stay inside the classroom; it continues outside the classroom where your students see and feel the real French culture and people.
Thank you,
Kayoko

Greg, Danville, California

Greg à l’atelier cuisine à Semur

I’ve taken French lessons at home in California for a while and was intrigued with taking an intensive program in France. I looked at several and chose two weeks with Claudine. The combination of a private course in a home environment together with a rich cultural program in such a beautiful part of France seemed just right, and it was. Claudine quickly assessed my strengths and weaknesses and tailored a program to exactly meet my needs. Yes, the morning lessons were intense as you’ll read in other posts, but after all, I was there to learn. The focus was on grammar, pronunciation, expansion of vocabulary, and speaking. The opportunities for afternoon activities were vast. I visited a beautiful abbey, an art gallery, a chateau, a charming old village, and attended a play performed amid the tables at a restaurant. Claudine is an excellent guide too! As much as possible she described the places we went in French. When the complexity of the history went beyond my abilities, she added in some English. Hearing and understanding so much French improved my comprehension while at the same time she made sure I didn’t miss any important concepts. When I arrived in Montbard I couldn’t understand natively spoken French at natural speed. By the time I left I was watching the French news on television with decent comprehension.
And then there are her friends, they’re all wonderful people. I’m lucky to have had the privilege of getting to know and speak with them. We spent time with an artist, an elementary school teacher, the owner of the local bookstore, and several other friends and acquaintances. That experience was worth the trip all by itself. Finally, the food. After day two I told her she had to cook less food or I wouldn’t be able to get back on the plane. She didn’t stop but I didn’t really care, it was all excellent and authentic!
Thank you for everything Claudine! -Greg

Jan et Milou au salon de thé Arthémiss

Op internet vonden we “Chez Claudine” waar we een cursus Frans op maat konden volgen in een pittoresk oud klooster in het stadje Montbard.
Claudine is een fantastische docente Frans. Het was een groot plezier om les van haar te krijgen. We hebben ontzettend veel genoten en vooral geleerd. We kregen alle gelegenheid om ons optimaal te richten op het verbeteren van het Frans. Daarnaast is Claudine een goede kok en zeer gastvrije gastvrouw. Elke dag bereidde zij heerlijke traditionele Bourgondische gerechten voor ons, waar zij ons veel over vertelde, in het Frans. De maaltijden samen waren eigenlijk een extra les Frans. In een gezellige ambiance, staken we ongemerkt heel veel op van de informele tafelconversaties. Het werd steeds makkelijker om het Frans te volgen, dankzij de intensieve lessen in de ochtend en de informele gesprekken tijdens het ontbijt en de lunch. We kregen deze week ook volop de kans kennis te maken met de Bourgondische levensstijl en cultuur. Elke dag organiseerde Claudine wel een leuk cultureel uitje in de omgeving of een ontmoeting met een inspirerend iemand uit haar netwerk, waar we vervolgens zeer hartelijk werden ontvangen. Het was een fantastische ervaring, waarbij we hebben genoten van de prachtige natuur, schoonheid en gastvrijheid van het cultuurhistorisch zeer rijke Bourgondië. Het was volgens ons de fijnste en beste manier om Frans te leren en we hopen het in de toekomst weer een keer te doen.

Lieve Claudine ontzettend bedankt!

“

Helen chez Annie

My three weeks in Montbard at chez Claudine were a total immersion not just in the French language but in the culture and customs of France and in the civic activities of a small French town. This immersion enhanced my understanding of France and of its rich language.

Meals were delicious as Claudine is an excellent and generous chief. And although I had my own fully-equipped kitchen I never cooked but instead enjoyed the leftovers for dinner – and ‘leftovers’ doesn’t accurately describe her delicious Bourgogne menus. In addition, the kitchen is well stocked with all sorts of good things, including teas, cookies, breads, and cheeses.

Apart from the private lessons and Claudine-escorted excursions, the range of activities made for full days, whether riding the local train solo to neighboring towns, walking along the canal with the Bourguignons, or participating in the after-film discussions at the Cinéma le Phénix .

The lessons were rigorous. Claudine emphasized the proper pronunciation of vowels in our lessons. We both worked hard to undo my many years of incorrect pronunciation. I felt that I made real progress in those three weeks. And, I came away with simple but effective strategies devised by Claudine to maintain my progress and further develop my speaking and oral comprehension skills once I returned home.
Merci Claudine!

Helen de Portland

Maryann (right) and Nadine

Licha à la gare de Montbard