contact@french-immersion-teacher-home.com
contact@french-immersion-teacher-home.com
Welcome to our home in Bessé, a charming hamlet near Le Thoureil.
Set in the Loire-Anjou-Touraine Regional Nature Park, Le Thoureil is a petite cité de caractère along the Loire, with traditional boats, picturesque lanes, hillside vineyards, and many menhirs and dolmens to explore on foot or by bike.
Part of Gennes-Val de Loire, the commune boasts the longest Loire riverfront (18 km), perfect for discovering natural sites and historic monuments (Saint-Vétérin Church, Gallo-Roman amphitheatre, Cunault Priory, Saint-Maure Abbey) by bike, canoe, or traditional boat.
A large bridge links Gennes on the left bank and Les Rosiers-sur-Loire on the right, with shops, restaurants, bike rentals, weekly markets, a working watermill (stone-ground flour, bread, and fouées — a local specialty), and an excellent gym.
Within 30 minutes by car, downstream Angers offers its medieval castle and Apocalypse Tapestry, the Jean-Lurçat Museum, and renowned liqueur producers (Cointreau, Giffard).
Upstream, Saumur boasts its château, the Cadre Noir equestrian institute, sparkling-wine cellars (Bouvet-Ladubay), the Combier distillery, and mushroom caves. Nearby, Fontevraud Royal Abbey houses the tombs of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Richard the Lionheart.
To the north, the Joseph Denais Museum in Beaufort-en-Vallée is a rare cabinet of curiosities with 9,000 eclectic objects. To the south, explore the troglodyte village of Denezé-sous-Doué, Doué-la-Fontaine’s Bioparc (one of the world’s most ethical zoos), and Les Chemins de la Rose (13,000 roses).
End the evening at a guinguette — a relaxed riverside bar-restaurant with drinks, food, and music.
A teacher of French as a foreign language for 16 years, I am dedicated to sharing my native language in line with your expectations and through a variety of activities. I naturally take care to create a warm and relaxed atmosphere during lessons.
I first developed my experience during an extended period living in southern Germany, and since 2020 here in Anjou, my native region, where I teach not only at the University of Angers, but also to employees in various companies through the Maine-et-Loire Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
In addition to teaching French as a foreign language, I have another great passion: archaeology. I had the privilege of working as an archaeologist in France during the earlier part of my career. Since returning to France, I have been a member of an association dedicated to promoting our local archaeological heritage. I would therefore be delighted to share my knowledge in this field with you and to introduce you to the history and culture of my region.
My husband and I will welcome you into our home — a traditional tuffeau-stone house along the banks of the Loire (between Angers and Saumur) — where we will share meals with you, prepared together using local, seasonal produce.
I also love hunting for antiques at flea markets, then cleaning them up and finding ways to showcase them in my home. Hands-on activities (DIY, gardening, knitting, sewing, drawing) are an important part of my balance, along with indoor fitness (body pump, strength training, Pilates) and outdoor sports (walking, cycling tourism).
Passionate about archaeology since childhood, I first pursued university studies in History, then in Art History.
For 14 years, I took part in numerous archaeological excavations across France (in the Centre and Greater Southwest regions) as part of rescue digs with AFAN, and later with INRAP (the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research). During this first career, I developed solid expertise in field archaeology, archaeological artefact drawing, and ceramic artefact analysis. I worked extensively on the Gallo-Roman period, though my favourite era remains the Iron Age.
It was in preparation for a second expatriation to Germany that I returned to university in order to teach my native language in Munich. I first completed a Bachelor’s degree and then a Master 1 in French as a Foreign Language at the University of Grenoble.
This career change, which initially seemed challenging given my passion for archaeology, turned out to be remarkably rewarding and inspiring. I have now been teaching for 16 years in a wide range of settings — secondary schools, universities, programmes for asylum seekers, adult education centres, language schools, and Chambers of Commerce and Industry — always with patience and enthusiasm.
Having experienced expatriation myself, I am sensitive to the difficulties — both small and significant — as well as the moments of wonder, big and small, that come with life in a foreign country. I therefore strive to create a friendly yet focused learning environment that supports each learner’s personal and linguistic growth, while remaining attentive to their individual needs and expectations.
Our programme will of course begin with an introductory conversation to get to know one another and to clearly define your expectations and goals. Built on a structured teaching approach (discovery, reinforcement), the lessons will draw not only on prompt materials but also on everyday situations and your personal interests.
Classes will take place in the morning or afternoon, depending on the activities planned. For instance, since the weekly market is held on Tuesday mornings, you’ll be able to join my husband there and immerse yourself in the atmosphere of this small local market.
If you enjoy walking, we can set off to discover the menhirs and dolmens; head to the village of Le Thoureil along the banks of the Loire — perhaps stopping at a café terrace to enjoy a drink and the view; or visit the Moulin de Sarré to buy bread (and sample its wonderful chocolate-chip rolls).
If you prefer cycling, you can rent a bike for one or several days and explore the banks of the Loire either upstream (Cunault, Trèves) or downstream (Saint-Maure Abbey, Saint-Rémy-la-Varenne) from our home.
My husband and I will be delighted to share everyday moments with you, such as preparing a good meal together or tending the vegetable garden.
Should you wish to visit other iconic places in the region (Angers, Saumur, Doué-en-Anjou, and others), we will gladly help you plan these outings to match your interests as closely as possible.
To immerse oneself in the French language is to enter a world where every word carries the weight of history, every conversation reveals a culture, and every day becomes a discovery of the soul. —Maya Angelou
