Residential Immersion
VIVEZ à la française à la MAISON DE STE CLAIRETake ownership of your growth and achieve real results with us.
What is the la Maison de Ste Claire French Immersion Experience?
“Apprentissage chez l’habitant.”
La Maison de Ste Claire offers a complete concept for accelerated eco-language learning and cultural understanding, enables mastery of the French language through total immersion. Eco-language learning develops strong motivation for higher proficiency in a convivial, environmentally friendly atmosphere. Simply put, the la Maison de Ste Claire is education by experience - using French in your daily activities, just as the French do.
You will also enjoy a healthy natural environment, fresh local and organic food, provincial French cuisine from the different regions of France and local natural spring water while you stay in total privacy surrounded by the spectacular scenery of northern NSW.
Eco-language learning at la Maison de Ste Claire further offers a joyful, satisfying and wholesome experience when you can revive and improve your health, to maximise your ability for accelerated language learning, away from the hectic high-tech city lifestyle.
“A unique experience with guaranteed results”
“Complete Immersion for Accelerated Language Development”
“Small but professional French language learning for everyone, at all levels”
Your French Experience and Program Information
Eco-language learning offers you a wide range of French courses from beginners to advance, for youths (organised directly with parents), adults, the Corporate World, school groups (organised through your school) and educational institutions. Whether your interest in French is recreational, professional or somewhere in between, you will be well satisfied by la Maison de Ste Claire’s French programs.
This French experience is an opportunity to improve your French and enjoy 12-acres of private property, unique accommodation, French cuisine and while surrounded by nature at its best.
Our French experience includes:
- Daily 4-hour French lessons.
- An integrated program of focused activities: French cooking lesson, pétanque (French ball game), French board games, role-plays, French musical, debates etc.
- Social conversation (for adults).
- Daily writing task (corrected and discussed in class the day after, compulsory for the youth and school groups and optional for adults).
- Oral Exam Preparations and short monologues (for youth and school groups).
- Daily French movies subtitled in French (class discussions the next day. Includes topical issues).
- 1:1 with your teacher if required.
- Pre-dinner wine and aperitif o’clock (BYO and for adults only).
“Teachers constantly at hand to help”
“A range of accompanied activities with focus on fun in learning”
Your Learning & Living Environment
You will enjoy:
- A unique home, set atop a hill, on 12 acres of privacy, surrounded by subtropical rainforests with spectacular valley views to a few of the World Heritage-listed Australian National Parks, Border Ranges, Springbrook, Numinbah and Mount Warning (Wollumbin or the Cloud Catcher).
- The architecturally interesting house, incorporating two of the 1950s train carriages (the Red Rattlers) and a very spacious yurt containing a comfortable and spacious living area, well-appointed accommodation (with ensuite) and classroom.
- A classroom equipped with French books (literature and contemporary), French magazines, dictionary and thesaurus, audio-visual facilities and access to the French Channel, TV5 Monde (via satellite).
- The pool, the covered decks, and playing table tennis and pétanque.
- A tranquil, natural, healthy and abundant environment that fosters peace and relaxation, as well as enhances the learning process.
- Fresh local produce and organic food.
- Local natural spring water and energised “Grander” water.
- Picking fresh fruit from our seasonal fruit trees such as the variety of mandarins (Imperial, Honey Murcott, Emperor, etc), oranges, passionfruit, tamarillo, raspberries, strawberries, starfruit, to name but a few, fresh vegetables and herbs from the organic garden.
- The beautiful northern NSW climate.
Your Accommodation
As our guest, you are provided with onsite accommodation and the rooms are:
- Fleur de Lys: 1 king size bed or 2 king-single beds with an ensuite (double spa bath and separate shower). Direct access to main house, garden classroom and deck.
- Fleur Violette: 1 king size bed or 2 single beds with ensuite. Direct access to deck.
- Les Chambres Roses: Rose 1 & Rose 2 (bunk beds with shared bathroom) and Rose 3 (1 King size bed or 2 single beds with shared bathroom). Direct access to main house and garden classroom.
- L’annexe: 1 double and 1 single bed with shared bathroom. Direct access to deck.
We have the dormitory style accommodation for our youth and school groups.
“Teachers constantly at hand to help for the development of your confidence and motivation.”
“Just bring your enthusiasm and curiosity for an accelerated progress. And save TIME and MONEY in the process!”
“Attend this course to fine-tune all your language skills.”
Your Teachers & Tutors
- This program has been designed by our highly qualified team, led by Dr Gilles Berger.
- Our language consultant, Dr Gilles Berger was awarded the highest distinction for a PhD (Doctorat de sciences du langage et linguistique) from the université de Franche-Comté in Applied Linguistics for his research on the Hybrid French Online Program for français langue étrangère (FLE) or French as a Foreign Language in October 2015 so Maison de Ste Claire could keep abreast with the cutting edge technology in language learning.
- Both Dr Gilles Berger and Zarina Berger have presented papers in linguistics and participated in various International Conferences around the world for their professional development.
- Our teachers are highly experienced and also well trained in français langue étrangère (FLE) or French as a Foreign Language.
- All educators have the Working With Children Check.
Your Daily Routine
- The morning starts with a delicious French or continental breakfast.
- This is followed by an intensive four-hour French lesson, with a morning-tea break.
- Lunches and dinners are mainly two to three-course meals, with provincial cuisines from throughout France. The type of food is of course, seasonal and we cater for specific dietary requirement whenever applicable.
- Afternoon activities varies, which could include indoor games, role play, revision, playing pétanque, swimming in the pool, French cooking, gardening, bush walking, watching French Musicals or simply relaxing in this beautiful environment.
- We encourage our students to converse in French throughout the day, in a very relaxed atmosphere.
- An hour daily writing task (corrected and discussed in class the day after) before dinner.
- Evening activities include watching French movies (subtitled in French).
It is a morning arrival on the first day, so you will have one session before lunch and another one from 15:00 to 17:00 hrs. The usual daily routine commences on the second day. Departure on the last day is in the afternoon, after the completion of your last morning session and lunch.
You'll Love Our French Adventure ParadiseA unique family home, set atop a hill, surrounded by subtropical rainforest, with spectacular views over the valley, the Border Ranges, the World Heritage-listed Numinbah Nature Reserve and glimpses of Mount Warning behind the majestic white gum trees. Fresh organic food, produced and cooked daily at Maison de Ste Claire. Local natural spring water, and special energised water.
WILDERNESS
FRESH ORGANIC FOOD
HEALTHY CUISINE
ACCOMMODATIONHere's what others have said about la Maison de Ste Claire.
- “Gilles Berger was a brilliant classroom teacher .... he gave his students the ability to speak French, frequently to the point of fluency, by going far beyond the bounds of the traditional French teacher.” Ben Urwand, Doctoral Program in Cinema and Media Studies, University of Chicago.
- “He was the outstanding teacher of French of the decade. Intelligent boys flourished under his tuition, to the extent that boys taught by him were way ahead of their peers when they went to university. His teaching was widely regarded as quite inspiring ... He is a most unusual person, combining imagination with wisdom.” Dr. R. D. Townsend, Headmaster, Oundle, England.
- “M. Berger is a man of great culture and civilisation, and an absolutely first class teacher... Boys studying French here now leave with a good working knowledge of the language as a conversational tool, as well as a sound acquaintance with its literature. M. Berger's achievement here has been quite extraordinary.” Dr. J. T. Vallance, Headmaster, Sydney Grammar School.
- “La Maison de Ste. Claire est une petite France içi en Australie. C’est formidable !”
- “Que je suis heureuse d’avoir été ici. Dans une semaine, j’ai appris des choses que je pensais je ne comprendrais jamais ! Si j’avais la chance, je retournerais a la Maison de Ste. Claire tout de suite ! C ‘est vrai, c’est juste comme « la petite France ».”
- “On a chanté, bien discuté dans le classe, mangé, joué a la pétangue, sauté des crêpes, etc ... et nous avons aimé tout ! C’etait fantastique !”
- “Very good teaching Monsieur Gilles! I have learnt so much in just four days than at school for two and a half years! Would love to come back.”
- “The small class made me confident to voice my opinion and even make regular mistakes comfortably. I found at the end of the week that listening to and reading French came more naturally and fluently.”
- “I have no idea that my French could improve so much in 5 days! I think I learnt more through the activities because I was able to put everything into context. This experience has certainly been a great way for motivation and improvement for me.”
- “The food was “vachement bon”, fresh and copious! Never experienced this at a camp! None of us was ever hungry as there was so much.”
- “The service is excellent, all expectations unsurpassed! Such an accommodating and welcoming family.”
Maison de Ste. Claire21 Kazungula Place, Upper Crystal Creek NSW 2484 Australia
The closest airport is the Coolangatta Airport (OOL) on the Gold Coast
BE PART OF THE MULTILINGUAL FELLOWSHIP
MISSION
We believe in creating a multilingual World Community for World Peace and the development of spiritual growth.OUR VISION
is to act as a force of good throughout the world. We achieve this goal through education, ecology and ethics, and nurturing our love of humanity and nature, and celebrating the cultural and linguistics diversity of the world.OUR VALUES
We embrace all the people of the world and belief in equality in humanity. And to have a heart that certainly beats with the pulsation of humanity.
