Relaxing long weekend in rural France May 25th-28th 2012

Join us to relax in the rural peace of Mayenne at the end of May. The Mayenne is known throughout France (dare we say the world) for its food and wine. Being part of the Loire region, it also has a fair sprinkling of châteaux for good measure. The region is rich in history, culture and tradition. It has throughout the centuries managed to retain old fashioned values and is still to this date remained relatively unspoiled by modern life.

This residential weekend will take place in a pastoral landscape, at “Les Vallées”, near Le Mans where you will be able to experience the beautiful landscape, breathe, relax and improve your French at your own pace. 

The weekend will be led by an experienced tutor who specialises in “accelerated language learning” techniques and this should enable you to master a few mechanisms of the language quite rapidly. You will learn about local delicacies and partake in shopping and making regional dishes! No trip to France with The Way to France would be complete without excursions to local attractions, and being so close to Le Mans, we will be sure to go to Sunday Market and enjoy one of the best preserved medieval town centres in the whole of Europe. You will of course have heard of Le Mans because of the 24 hour races, but did you know that it used to be the papal centre of France and that many films such as "Le Mans" with Steve McQueen, "Cyrano" with Gérard Depardieu and "The Man in the Iron Mask" with Jeremy Irons and Leonardo DiCaprio were shot there? And of course you'll want try or enjoy if you are already the connoisseur "rillettes" from Le Mans! 

The language and cultural activities will be conducted in French and cater for all levels and abilities, though our hosts are English expats who have made their dream home in France. "Les Vallees" also has spa facilities on site and our programme will allow you plenty of time to make use of the facilities, or simply relax and enjoy a glass of wine in the gardens overlooking the stunning countryside.

Prices include full B&B for 3 nights' with meals and refreshments throughout the workshops and 20 hours of French language and culture tuition in a small group:

260€ per person sharing a room
305€ per person for a single room

165€ per person without accommodation, should you live locally or prefer to stay elsewhere.
 
Excludes travel expenses and outings, yet we can advise you on how to get there as you have the option of planes, trains and automobiles!

Contact us to find out more!

"A taste of Provence"

What an evening that was once again!  We transported ourselves, all fourteen of us, all the way to sunny Provence.  We marvelled at the colours of its landscapes,the vibrant ochre hues of the village of Roussillon, the dry dazzling white of Le Mont Ventoux, the deep blue of the Mediterranean Sea at one with the sky.  We visualised the rocky coast of the Côte d'Azur and its spectacular calanques, even heard  cigales' monotonous shrieking in the heat of a summer day, thanks to Corentin's perfect imitation. We also learnt about pétanque and pastis and about the importance of the shape of  wine bottles (but that shall remain a secret).  The fascinating Museum of Ménerbes entirely dedicated to corkscrews was mentioned and a hundred of other little details that make a region quite unique.  We even went to the market and sang Gilbert Bécaud's famous song "Les Marchésde Provence" full of all the vocabulary we needed for cooking our meal, complete with the accent de Marseille!
And there was a quiz or two one involving the mind, the other one making us guess the name of ingredients through tasting and smelling.  Not as easy as it sounds! There was also the most exciting hands -on cooking experience under Christine's expert guidance.  This ended with a very tasty Provençal meal that was enjoyed by all.  Many of us found it hard to leave and went on speaking French over a glass of Cointreau at the cosy bar of Cook's Barn until much much later...  That was another memorable night.
Remember that you can join us too.  There are two more workshops before the summer break.  The next one  on Wednesday 9th of May at the usal time of 6pm will explore the whole region of the south of France from the Alps to the Atlantic Ocean.  The last one on Saturday 23rd of June will start at 4pm.   We will take you to the Pays de la Loire.  Remember numbers are limited so do let us know if you wish to attend as soon as you can.  See you soon!

" J'irai revoir ma Normandie ♪ "

What a pleasure it was to spend a few moments in the company of our friends at Cook's Barn, our familiar venue, last Thursday. Our last workshop took us to the beautiful coast of Normandy from the white cliffs of Etretat to the famous beaches of D Day landings in Arromanches. We went inland to Rouen where we discovered the Gros Horloge surrounded by old Norman houses with"colombages" and the XVth century stained glass windows set in the futuristic architecture of Jeanne d'Arc church. We enjoyed Caen and its Peace Memorial, Bayeux and we discovered that the spectacular Jumièges cathedral was identical to the first Westminster Abbey...

We also visited Villequier and were moved by the tragedy that struck Victor Hugo's family there when his beloved daughter, Leopoldine was drowned in the river Seine. Lots of local celebrities were mentioned and then we moved on as usual onto our favourite topic.... gastronomy and what better place than Normandy for it!

We enjoyed studying the recipes, played with the vocabulary and learned lots of idiomatic expressions. Once the linguistic side of things was mastered we went to the kitchen and starting cooking under Christine's supervision.   Last but not least we sat round the table to enjoy a beautiful meal were cream, butter and cheese ruled! We ended the evening singing quite appropriately the classic "J'irai revoir ma Normandie".  Memorable!  Our next workshop will be a first as it will take place on a Saturday and start at 4.30pm.  A few places are still available.  Contact us soon as possible to share in the fun.  We'll help you prepare for your next holiday in the South of France the topic will be "A taste of Provence".

The "name game" at Madingley Hall

What a weekend that was! Our latest residential French course took place in beautiful Madingley Hall near Cambridge and the experience is still lingering in our memory.  We gathered in the spacious Board Room on Friday night after a superb candlelit dinner.  Surrounded by some fifty  portraits of French celebrities looking down on us with mysterious smiles on their faces! Armed with maps, brochures, books and encyclopedias, we embarked on a very special journey.  The aim of the course was to place in time and in space some of the famous writers, artists, musicians, scientists, historical figures or politicians whose names are attached to the streets and avenues of France as well as to schools and buildings of all sorts. A wealth of history and culture is bound up in those street names.

Very often the celebrity comes from that town or region and there will be a museum and places to visit, festivals, exhibitions and lectures to attend throughout the year, centennials and bicentennials to take part in.  This is the case in England too where Thomas Hardy, D.H. Lawrence or Beatrix Potter amongst others are remembered in that fashion.  However in France this phenomenon takes a much greater dimension.  We explored France region by region from north to south and west to east.

We even had the pleasure of welcoming Thirza Vallois on Saturday afternoon who delighted the audience with a powerpoint presentation of the region of l'Aveyron.  Thirza, better known for her historical guides of Paris  has recently written a book about the place and the people of that part of France: "Aveyron, A bridge to French Arcadia".
We met of course the great figures of Victor Hugo, Maupassant, Colette,  Pasteur or Monet but many more names equally important. Equally interesting to discover: someone like Paul Riquet whose masterpiece the "Canal du Midi" is now part of Unesco World Heritage along side the great pyramids of Egypt. We also learned about Jean Jaurès the great political figure assassinated on the eve of the First World War and whose name has been given to 414 schools and lycées.  Flora Tristan was the first French feminist and grandmother of Paul Gauguin, and Parmentier the promoter of the potato to the French. We also remembered beloved comic actor Bourvil and the unforgattable entertainer Josephine Baker, the latter whose name hs been given to a square in the XIVth arrondissement in Paris.  Many other celebrities and historical figures popped in throughout the weekend and by the end there was quite a crowd around the seventeen initial people who took part in the course!  Now they will no longer be travelling through France without trying to find out the story behind the street signs.

Paris in the Spring!

Film makers love Paris, and so do we! For our first trip to Paris of 2012, from March 23rd to 25th, we thought it would be fun to help you discover some of Paris' most famous cafés.  

You will not only have time to take in the sights and ambience, you'll also be sitting 'on location' of where some of the most iconic scenes in cinema have been shot. Join us for Paris autrement: Cafés et cinéma from March 23rd to the 25th for a dose of culture, history and cuisine. We'll even help you brush up your French! 

Some of the cafés that have appeared in movies include Le Train Bleu near the Gare de Lyon, which along with Le Procope, inspired the backgrounds in "Ratatouille", and was also where "Mr Bean's Holidays" was shot. The Café de la Mairie in the 6th was a set for "La Discrète" just across the road from where the "Da Vinci Code" church scene was shot!

The Café des deux Moulins served as location for "Amélie Poulain" and Woody Allen's latest film "Midnight in Paris" was shot at the "Polidor". And finally to illustrate the point, who wasn't impressed by the scene in "Inception" where Leonardo DiCaprio's protégée first learns how to "map" a city sat at the café Café Debussy in the 15th?

Is it too obvious to say that the French capital, is one of the most filmed cities in the world! Join our tour of Paris' famous cafés for just £125 per person for a weekend that includes language tuition as well as a full schedule of activities organised and chaperoned by our team (details below). As always we will give you all plenty of opportunity to explore on your own. We let you book your own travel and accommodation so you decide where you stay, for how long and how you prefer to get there. Early birds will get the best prices, so book your place now and start to dream of your trip to Paris in the Spring!

DETAILS

Price for the workshop is £125 and includes: 

• 15 hours French conversation
• Programme of activities
• Useful addresses & documents
• Guidance and coaching

A deposit of £60 is required to secure your place. Detailed programme available upon reception. Full amount payable a minimum 2 weeks prior to departure.

ACCOMMODATION & TRAVEL
We also recommend you BOOK now to save money on your travel arrangements and hotel booking. To give you some options, we recommend booking at least 30 days prior to travel on Eurostar to ensure return rates as low as £69 per adult, pending availability. Note we cannot offer travel arrangements as we are not an agent, yet we know from experience of regular trips to Paris, that deals are to be had the earlier you book. We can however, help you with booking your accommodation, for a small additional fee, if you are not confident using your French. Below are some suggestions of local hotels:

• Hôtel St Pierre 4 rue de l’Ecole de Médecine, 75006 Paris. Tel : +33 (0)1 46 34 78 80 
• Hôtel St André des Arts 66 rue Saint André des Arts, 75006 Paris
• Grand Hôtel des Balcons 33 rue Casimir Delavigne, 75006 Paris : +33 (0)1 46 34 78 50
• Odéon Hôtel 3 rue de l'Odéon, 75006 Paris : +33 (0)1 43 25 90 67

We look forward to exploring several cafés while following the footsteps of celebrities, stopping to sit and eat in the very places where past and present actors, writers, artists and historic figures have frequented!  

"Paris is magical at all times and who could ask for more than you as a companion!" Clare P, Cambridge

Thursday March 8th find out about “La belle Normandie” so close and yet so different…

Just a short way across the Channel, by ferry, train or plane, is the Normandy region which bears an uncanny likeness to the Southwest of England: it’s so green, so lush, so peaceful and the food is so good! Yet it is definitely a different world altogether, this region of France is not only famous for its local dishes of course, its verdant landscapes, its spectacular coast, and its architecture but also for its historical past. What makes it interesting particularly to English visitors is the connexion they can witness and feel with their own history. Further to being annexed by the Romans first then by the Vikings, it was disputed for centuries by English and French kings and it is where D-Day armies landed. 

Through the past centuries Normandy has been the home of numerous French celebrities, there’s even a tour called “La route des écrivains” that will lead you from the home of one author to another. On this "roadtrip", you will discover the lives of Flaubert, Maupassant, Claude Monet, Eugène Boudin and Victor Hugo, while setting your eyes on beauty spots along the River Seine, the coast between Honfleur and Deauville or further west the Mont Saint Michel (a larger version of Mount St Michael near Penzance).

As usual we will be carefully study the workshopt's recipes and you will get a chance to help cook some of the regional specialties for your dinner complete with the famous “trou Normand”! After the sacrosanct Aperitif we will learn to bake a Camembert as a starter, and prepare a traditional Poulet à la crème, Normand Chicken of course, served with a Salade campagnarde and the dessert will have to be a Tarte au pommes au Calvados. There will be a choice of cider and wines from the Pays de Loire. 

A few spaces are still available on Thursday 8th of March, for our next "French on your plate" workshop, so don’t miss this opportunity to practise your French! It's only £60 and includes the meal above, plus 4 hours of French conversation and tuition. Here's what previous participants walk away saying "Great food, great recipes and learning French at the same time"

And later in March we will be embarking on a trip to “Another Paris”. Contact us if you wish to join us and don’t forget to keep an eye on the next entry of this blog for more details.