The quick way to learn French – immersion in France. It’s focused and tailored to your level, fun – you learn better when you’re enjoying something, and you get fast results.
Some people want to learn French for fun or to make their holidays in France more interesting. Others want to learn because it will enhance their lives in France, especially if they plan to stay there for a long time. Some people have to learn French because they need to speak it for work, intend to move to France, or already live there.
I fall into the have-to-learn-it category. I live in France, and although it wasn’t a requirement when I moved here to be fluent in French, but since new laws passed by the French government in 2024 and are due to come into force by 2026 – it will be part of the requirements of an application for most types of residence permits though there are a few exceptions, (and of course for the citizenship test) – don’t worry, you do have time to learn after you move here. And that’s of course quite aside from the fact that life is much easier if you speak the language of the country you live in, you’ll integrate better, and be able to make new friends with the locals.
I’m pretty good at understanding French when it’s written or people talk to me, and I can converse quite easily, I even have a slight northern French accent – but I am aware that my grammar is terrible. I have real trouble dealing with the past tense, and I’ve known for a while that I need to get a grip on it. I’ve tried many methods of learning – most courses just don’t suit me. It takes discipline to keep going at it alone and to keep motivated, and it’s very easy to get distracted or just give up without someone to help and engage your attention.
I’ve found the best method is a mix of things – a good app to work on your vocabulary (with some element of teacher/student interaction) and general comprehension, watching French films and TV shows to hear real French spoken, classroom-based lessons in person or online really help, and an immersion course in France. And for me, the latter has made an enormous difference.
The quick way to learn French – immersion in France
I did my immersion course in Brittany with SL Immersion, who offer home stays across France with private teachers – a mix of formal lessons, excursions and living an authentic French life.
Before going, I “met” my SL Immersion teacher Coralyne on WhatsApp, and we discussed what I most wanted to achieve from the course, and she also assessed my level of French (she’s qualified to teach all levels). Coralyne met me at Vannes station and made me feel welcome straight away – in French, of course. From the moment I arrived, everything was in French.
It’s a big thing to move into someone’s house and become an instant part of the family. I’m a very private person, I live a quiet life with my husband and animals and often don’t see another human for days on end, but Coraylne and her family were so lovely and welcoming; it just felt natural. Coralyne’s husband Julien made me a cup of tea, and their daughters, 9-year-old Louise and 6-year-old Zoey, immediately accepted me as part of their lives, albeit for a short while, and put on a magic show in French. And I settled into their lovely home near Vannes. I had my own study, bedroom and bathroom, but I was welcomed into the life of the family as much as I wanted.
Mornings were spent on lessons, focusing on the rules of passé composé (my big problem past tense area) and practising speaking. The first day was exhausting. Despite the fact I live in France, I speak in English at home, and my French friends like to practice their English, so I always give in to them. I rarely speak in French for more than 15 minutes non-stop. Speaking in French for hours wasn’t easy. Coralyne has bags of patience, corrected me when I got things wrong, explained grammar rules, gave me tips, wrote down the bits I needed to practice and gave me heaps of encouragement.
Afternoons were spent doing excursions, visiting the area and discovering Brittany’s culture, history and gastronomy. Coralyne gave me a tour of Vannes, a lovely port city with oodles of history and lots of lovely tea rooms and crêperies (yes, we did visit several over the time I was there!). We spoke in French the whole time, and I conversed with people we met in French. If I didn’t know a word, Coralyne encouraged me to explain it as best I could and then told me the right expression. And yes, I can now say Kouign Amman like a Breton!
Meals with the family were all in French. Zoey insisted on sitting next to me on one side of the table to explain what everything was “tarte tatin – miam” (Coralyne and Julien are both excellent cooks), and Louise on the other side of me asked me questions in French about anything and everything.
Day 2 was a bit easier. I knew what to expect, settled into the routine, and started to relax and enjoy it—the visit to a local cider producer may have helped! I was thrilled to be able to say, “J’ai bu du cidre cet après-midi” (“I drank cider this afternoon”) when I chatted with Julien later over an aperitif with a range of delicious canapes instead of my usual “I drink cider this afternoon.”
On day 3, I had a mind-shift moment. I woke up expecting to speak French; it felt normal. I found myself thinking in French even when I wasn’t speaking it, translating my English thoughts automatically, wondering how to say something in French and looking it up, and writing it down in my notebook so I could try to anchor it in my brain. By now, the kids were also teaching me, both natural teachers, speaking slowly (instead of their usual excited chatter) to help me get the words right, “un spectacle de magie” was my daily treat and an explanation of their favourite foods – especially cheeses. They even let me choose what film to watch on their weekly “Friday film night.” I went for The Incredibles, called Les Indestructables in French! And though it didn’t have subtitles like I’d usually have when watching a French film, it didn’t matter.
Coralyne’s home is in the gorgeous countryside on the outskirts of Vannes, and there were ancient megaliths, Stonehenge style, strewn in a forest at the end of her street, perfect for a walk to clear the mind. One evening, I went with the family to their neighbour’s home to feed his ponies, donkeys, sheep, goats and chickens while he was on holiday. We all strolled and chatted away as if we’d known each other much longer than a few days.
By the end of the stay, I’d lost my anxiety about speaking French. I worked out how to explain myself in French when I didn’t know the correct phrase, and I found myself thinking in French more and more. The normality of speaking it, even for a few days, changed how my brain functioned.
I also wondered if the family might like to adopt me!
Just a week’s immersion can make an enormous difference (though sometimes people stay for a month or more, often unable to speak a word of French when they arrive, able to communicate when they leave). I’m already planning to go back after I complete a course of online immersion lessons (face-to-face with a teacher as if we’re in the room together) to keep the momentum up. Several weeks later, I’m still translating my English thoughts into French; it’s like my brain has been ‘rewired’, and I carry a notebook in which I make a note of words I don’t know or to check I got the tenses right, it takes a few minutes per day, but it’s making a difference and keeps the learning process progressing.
And I’m now confident I will get to grips with those tricky tenses once and for all.
Find out more about SL Immersion courses in France: slimmersion-france.com/French-immersions
