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!