France
Welcoming guests for Toussaint 2023! Hello and welcome to my family!! - that consists of myself, my daughter Beth, aged 22, and all of our dogs, ponies and horses. Come and have fun with us! We love France and recently moved to Indre, "La France Profonde" to an old mill house with 3.8 hectares of land for our animals. It is very tranquil and unspoilt and a nature lover's paradise.
There are randonnees on the doorstep where we can walk the dogs, have a pony ride, take a picnic, or ride bikes. As I live in an old mill house the beautiful river Indre is a stone throw's away.
I am an experienced English Language teacher, I taught English Language formally in the UK for over 6 years and still teach English online. I love hosting students as I know language immersion stays are a very special and fun way to have a truly holistic language learning experience.
My students always make great progress while enjoying the freedom of the countryside and helping with the animals. I also have a First Class BA Hons in English Language and Literature (Trinity College Dublin) an MA in American Literature (Scholarship, Claremont Graduate School, USA) and from Oxford University an M. Litt in English Literature.
I prefer to take things more gently now and especially enjoy helping students with their language needs.
Re: Covid I am fully vaccinated and my home provides all the usual handwash and wipes, and is well aired/ ventilated.
A sojourn with me best suits independent minded young people or adults who like animals and are interested in a holiday in beautiful nature with horses and dogs.
Afternoon activities can include, for example, a trip to the water sports at Pouligny Notre Dame, a treasure hunt in Saint Severe, or a visit to La Chatre with its medieval streets and wonderful chocolate shop (very important!).
Previous students have loved meeting the horses and ponies, and helping with their daily care, perhaps giving them breakfast or putting them to bed at the end of the day, brushing and getting to know them and, if sufficiently experienced, (and insured, I can sort this for you) taking them on rides with me.
If you are a novice rider or uninsured there is a very good equestrian centre nearby where you can ride for a little extra cost.
There is also Geocaching in Berry, the UNESCO World Heritage sites at Bourges, vineyards and the museum to the well known nineteenth century photographer George Sands nearby as well as a weekly market in Saint Severe and a very large market on a Saturday in La Chatre.
In the evenings we can make some popcorn and watch a movie in English perhaps with French subtitles, play games with Beth on Zoom or boardgames here, or go to the lovely pizza house on the river in La Chatre.
Please ensure that your student arrives on or after 2pm of the day of arrival and leaves before 12 on the morning of departure as this helps greatly with the changeover. Thank you.
I am very happy to receive any guest who thinks they will benefit from a country sejour with horses and dogs.
All rates are in Euros.
Hello! We live en plein campagne surrounded by our horses, ponies and dogs and lovely unspoilt countryside! We recently moved here to an old mill house and 3.8 hectares of land in an idyllic natural location. It is still work in progress, rustic, but very comfortable and charming, a rural paradise and piece of French history! The day usually starts with coffee/hot chocolate/tea around 8 to 8.30 and then feeding and turning out the horses from their boxes, it doesn't take long and is a great way to start the day. You are welcome to stay in bed or with a hot chocolate though if you prefer! Then a big breakfast followed by an English Language session to suit your needs if requested, or, if you prefer, some daily morning activities like walking the dogs on the lovely randonnees near the house (There are always dogs who would like a ball game with you at any time!) or shopping in La Chatre. For lunch past students have enjoyed helping me make traditional English meals or sharing recipes which we can cook together in English. Then in the afternoon there are a local attractions: the Teleski Nautique water sports in Pouligny St Martin, the treasure hunt in Saint Severe, geocaching in Berry (36 sites), or a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Bourges Cathedral, crypt and tower. For film buffs Saint Severe also has the lovely Jour de Fete museum celebrating the early film of the same name by Jacques Tati filmed in the town with games and activities for young people.
Or there are simply lovely walks and bike rides right on the doorstep, ideal for taking a picnic and watching for wildlife.
In the evening you can help me put the horses to bed in their stables, groom them, if you wish, and then share a nice dinner. Alternatively as said the lovely pizza house on the river in La Chatre always calls! Later we can make some popcorn and watch a movie in English perhaps with French subtitles, or join my daughter Beth on Zoom if she is not here for a chat and some games.
Otherwise evenings we can light the woodburner and chat about your interests, or play a board or card game.
A sejour with me best suits young independent minded young people who like animals and nature.
《 notre fils de 13 ans et demi a passé deux semaines chez Catherine ; il était seul et a donc ainsi vraiment pu progresser en anglais. Catherine est une très gentille personne, notre fils s'est baladé à cheval dans la campagne environnante, a beaucoup joué avec les petits chiens, Catherine l'a emmené chez ses amies anglaises, chez un ami avec d'anciennes arcades de jeux en état de marche ( bonheur d'adolescent :), au restaurant... notre seule remarque serait que le confort de la maison est très sommaire, et le mode de vie très tourné vers les animaux, donc ce séjour linguistique fut aussi une occasion de découvrir une autre façon de vivre. Une expérience positive et enrichissante pour notre fils!》
I’m a forensic Psychologist and I’ve decided to attend Catherine’s lessons for improving my Academic and working English. Catherine is the best teacher I could have ever asked for: she’s brilliant, always extremely kind and patient with me. During the lessons there’s always time for discussing new topics and learning something new from each other. The lessons are always super interesting for me and suited to my needs: Catherine is extremely attentive to details and she makes me feel comfortable even with my mistakes. Since I’ve started lessons with her, I surely improved my English, especially my fluency. I would recommend Catherine to all those not only interested in improving their English but also interested in meeting a great professional and person! Prisca
Catherine perfectly organizes your stay according to your needs and preferences. The language learning process becomes easy, invisible, but intense. If you like animals and interesting conversations - welcome to Catherine.
À partir de 690 € / sem
01 88 24 03 72