Ten years ago, I arrived at IS Aix-en-Provence for a French immersion course, having never taken a French lesson. Two weeks later, I left the language school at an A2 level —and I could actually speak some French.
Why had I suddenly gotten serious about learning the language after putting it off for the first three years I’d lived in France?
As luck would have it, I was in an accident while crossing the road in Aigue-Morte that put me in the hospital and two different rehabilitation centers for ten weeks. Needless to say, I was surrounded by French doctors, nurses, therapists, and patients whom I struggled to understand.
Up until then, I had managed to “get by” speaking little French. Most of my acquaintances in France were English-speakers. Suddenly, that wasn’t enough. I actually needed to communicate in the language where I’d chosen to live.
After I came out of rehabilitation, I signed up for two weeks of intensive French at IS Aix-en-Provence.
A French Immersion School in Provence
Before attending IS Aix-en-Provence, I had heard from a friend about its interesting history. The French language school began in 1972 as the Institut Suédois, founded by a Swedish educational organization as business between France and Sweden grew and Swedish industry needed more French-language training.
Over the years, the school expanded its focus to adults from around the world. Today, the average age of students in its short intensive courses is 40, and many are retirees combining French lessons with time in Provence.
And it was in Aix—a city I had wanted to experience.
I wasn’t looking for a leisurely introduction to French. After struggling to communicate, I wanted to learn as much as I could, as quickly as I could.
Those two weeks didn’t make me fluent. Far from it. But I was pleased with the results. I reached A2 level, giving me a foundation I could build on. Years later, that French proficiency also helped me meet the language requirement for my ten-year residency in France.
And I had a certificate to prove it.
Now I’m going back to school. At 80. This time, I’m not trying to learn French just to get by.
I really want to communicate with my French neighbors and friends—to follow a conversation, to join in without struggling for every sentence, and to feel more part of the French life around me.
Can two weeks of immersion move me closer to that?
I’m going to find out.
Why French Immersion Again?
I haven’t stopped learning French. I’ve studied on my own, taken private lessons, and I use French every day. But I’ve never reached the point where I feel truly comfortable in a conversation with French people.
At first, I needed French to manage my life in France. Now I want French to enlarge my life in France. And because immersion worked for me once, I want to see what it can do again.
At 80, I also know myself well enough not to confuse immersion with exhaustion. I want to be challenged, but I want enough energy left at the end of class to go out and use what I’ve learned. That’s part of the appeal of returning to IS Aix-en-Provence: French in the classroom, with opportunities during the week to put it to work in everyday life.
Back to Aix
There’s another reason I’m looking forward to going back. I get to spend two weeks in Aix-en-Provence.
The first time, I had just come out of rehabilitation and was still recovering physically, so I didn’t see nearly as much of Aix as I wanted to. My mobility is better now, and I’m looking forward to revisiting places I remember and discovering others I missed. This time, spending more time getting to know Aix-en-Provence will become part of the course.
French in the Morning. Tasting Provence in the Afternoon.
For two weeks, I’ll take the General French program, with half-day lessons in small groups. But this time I’m adding something new: the Discover Gastronomy program.
Along with my French classes, I’ll be getting out into Provence for experiences that can include a Provençal market visit and cooking class, a French bakery workshop, a vineyard visit and wine tasting, and other activities centered on the region’s food and culture.
That’s part of what makes this interesting to me. I won’t just be studying French in a classroom. I’ll have to use it.
How Will I Know If It Works?
I’m not particularly interested in coming home with another language level. I want to know whether I can follow more of a conversation, respond without first putting the sentence together in my head, and spend time with French friends feeling that I’m participating rather than trying to keep up.
That would be progress. And that’s what I want to test.
Want to Join Me?
I’ll be at IS Aix-en-Provence for two weeks, October 26–November 6.
If you’d like to be there at the same time, choose those dates when you enroll. I’ll be taking the General French course and adding the Discover Gastronomy program, but you can choose the program that suits you.
For my October 26–November 6 dates, French Footsteps and Barefoot Blogger readers have a special offer
Enroll here: https://www.is-aix.com/enrolment/
Enter the code in the “comments” section at the site when you enroll.
Can’t make those dates? IS Aix-en-Provence offers French courses year-round.
Whether you come while I’m there or choose another time, I’d love for you to experience an immersion course at IS Aix-en-Provence—and discover what a little French immersion might do for you.
