Welcome to Sophie
Immersion in a French family in the Vendée countryside!
I'm Sophie. I am 52 years old. I live in Vendée in La Réorthe, 30 minutes from La Roche-Sur-Yon, 40 minutes from Puy du Fou, 1 hour from La Rochelle, and 1 hour and 10 minutes from Nantes.
I work in the well-being sector (hypnosis, organizing well-being workshops, massages, etc.) in my home-based practice.
My eldest, aged 23, have left the nest!
I live with my 17-year-old daughter who will be starting her higher education next school year, in 2024.
She practices judo and is interested in computer science, judo, and many other subjects.
We have 2 cats and a dwarf hen.
We are available to welcome teenagers or adults of all nationalities for a friendly stay in our spacious house with a large garden.
I have decided to host foreigners in order to discover and be discovered by another culture, another way of life, another way of thinking, and other traditions and habits.
You will be considered as a family member and will participate in family life and its organization.
We have already hosted an Australian and two Austrians for several months (through an association). We have also been a host family for young Mexican girls studying in France. We have received young people for short stays of a few days.
If you are motivated to improve your French, open to the world, pleasant, tolerant, willing to share your culture, and engage in a new experience, we look forward to welcoming you!
It is important that your priority is learning the French language and discovering life in France.
I will be happy to welcome you to France and share our daily life with you for a few days!
I also want to help you effectively learn French.
I have previously taught French for a year in England.
We live in a 200m2 house with 6 bedrooms. Families can be accommodated in the same room.
We have a garden of 3000m2, which we enjoy on sunny days, where we set up garden furniture and sun loungers.
We have a small wooded area where we hang hammocks, which we particularly enjoy during hot weather.
In the summer, we can also enjoy a private pool 3 km away.
We do not have a television, and there is no wifi in the bedroom (only in the living room).
We make our books available.
The house is non-smoking and non-vaping. We tolerate smoking in the garden.
If you think you will enjoy the calm of the countryside, then write to us quickly... I am already looking forward to meeting you!
See you soon!
We welcome teenagers from 13 years old.
We welcome children between 10 and 13 years old only if they are accompanied (by a sibling, family member, parent, etc.) to be discussed.
We welcome children under 10 years old only with at least one of their parents.
We welcome families with pleasure. We accommodate a maximum of 3 people at a time, unless it is a family or individuals who know each other because we can accommodate up to 7 people.
We have the possibility to accommodate at the same time brothers and sisters, friends or couples who want to share an experience in France.
We can also accommodate families. In this case, you can choose to be accommodated in a single or shared room.
In the case of hosting several people at the same time without any connection between them, we guarantee that you will be from different countries to not hinder the learning of French and accommodated in a single room.
We can accommodate a maximum of 3 people without any connection between them, and we can accommodate up to 6 people if they are families or friends.
We live in the Vendean countryside, in La Réorthe, a village of 1100 inhabitants. It's a rural village. There is a very small convenience store with exclusive credit card payment. The nearest shops are 10 km away. We live 50km from the ocean.
Our department, Vendée, is known for its warm summers and mild winters (snow and frost are rare) and its culinary specialties, such as the Vendéen brioche...Yum!
We have a simple life.
We enjoy walking in the countryside or in the forest.
We like board games.
We enjoy reading, gardening, and DIY projects.
We like baking cakes or cookies and trying out new recipes. You can learn to make one or more French recipes to share with your family when you return…
We enjoy being outdoors, depending on the weather, and visiting family.
We do geocaching.
We sometimes go to the public swimming pool, bowling, and the cinema.
We go to the beach occasionally.
We enjoy visiting the Puy du Fou Park, twice voted "Best Theme Park in the World."
You can share all or part of our hobbies (according to your preferences).
Please note that I am not available all day, as I have a home-based professional activity.
A typical day during your stay (may vary):
9am/9:30am: Breakfast
10am: French lesson if you have chosen this option
11am: Free time
12pm/1:30pm: Lunch preparation + Lunch
2pm to 7pm: Free time
7pm/8:30pm: Dinner preparation + Dinner
9:30pm: Rest
Included or paid activities take place in the afternoon or evening, depending on the day and the activity. The duration depends on the scheduled activity. Every activity is an opportunity to speak French!
The stay includes:
*Accommodation in a single room (or shared if desired) with free access to the garden
*Assistance with the French language in daily exchanges
*Meals according to the chosen option (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
*Participation in meal preparation
*One activity per day together, to be adapted according to the age of the guest, the season, and everyone's preferences (walk, creative art, board game, gardening, DIY, beach, introduction to geocaching, outdoor activity, or cultural/sporting activity (with extra charge). Everything is an opportunity for French conversation!
Activities are suggested, but not mandatory! You can also choose to rest or take the opportunity to go sightseeing independently during the day if you have a vehicle and are over 18 years old.
Most of the time, we have our meals as a family. We rarely cook meat or fish (1 to 2 times/month maximum). Our meals are mostly vegetarian.
From 420 € / week