Join me in the Loire Valley
Announcing weeklong, small group French Immersion workshops in Tours, Loire Valley
Bonjour, c’est Véro
Staying inside the box (or not)
They say France likes labels, that people are put inside boxes early on, that they are supposed to stay dans les cases (inside those boxes) for most of their lives, choosing (if they can) a path early on and staying in their lanes from there on.
There’s some truth to that even in 2025.
What about those who don’t know what they want to be for the rest of their lives, who only know what they don’t like, who prefer to try different things, who may succeed, who figure things out along the way?
They need stamina, determination, flexibility and an ability to ignore what others may think or say - My countrymen like to speak their mind in case you haven’t heard!
I was never good at staying dans les cases though I was a dedicated student (a professional student?) and someone who mostly stayed out of trouble, sans faire de vagues (without rocking the boat.)
From the start my path was teaching yet I let decisions, interests or opportunities take me away from it for a while from the corporate world to entrepreneurship. It wasn’t always easy but I did ok. I observed; I learned, eventually returning to teaching. It’s become the focus of my work.
I was lucky. Some never figure out what they were meant to be. That’s all right too.
I know now I am a teacher even if I teach my own way, as an adult educator, a tour guide and a writer.
In fact it doesn’t bother me to wear several hats or to be called on occasion “a jack-of-all-trades.” As times goes by I see this as a compliment. The expression seems to acknowledge all past endeavors, risks taken, challenges overcome and achievements collected along the way.
What will I be doing in five years’ time? I could never answer that question even during job interviews. I just don’t know; I am open to whatever comes this way.
Yet the years have gone by. I feel it now: There’s no time to waste.
What I will be doing in 2025: some of the old and something new
After teaching French in the United States as an entrepreneur for more than two decades I launched online French conversation classes in 2020 when the world stopped turning.
They became an integral part of the small business created just a year after I relocated back to France.
Once again this spring French classes will pause as I put my tour guide hat back on and start leading groups of travelers around Paris and la Belle France.
When I switch back to teaching in the fall at the end of touring season there will be a new addition to the list of services offered by France with Vero.
In 2021 I moved to Tours, Loire Valley a city once known as “the Little Paris” where locals were rumored to speak “the purest form of the French language” (an unaccented version.)
There were other cities on my list but the close proximity to Paris, the unlimited historic potential of this beautiful region French kings once chose as their home-base, and the general vibe of this medium-sized city convinced me Tours was where my future adventures and professional endeavors would take place.
A good move.
This fall I will be launching weeklong, small-group French Immersion workshops in Tours at two levels, Intermediate and Advanced.
Immersion when done right brings great results once a student has acquired some basics in the target language.
There are other options out there but after looking around I decided to do things my way. Quelle surprise !
🇫🇷 French Immersion workshops: Join me in Tours, Loire Valley 🇫🇷
My workshops’ objectives are easy to introduce. They answer many adult learners’ needs: They focus on communication (favoring group discussions over structured classes) and on building confidence.
There will be only 6 participants in each group to maximize interactions and help us blend in as we connect with locals on our urban adventures. We will meet daily for group discussions in the mornings and for activities each afternoon, our days filled with opportunities to learn and speak French.
Wanted! Active, flexible, easy-going travelers, students of the French language: We will experience Tours and French life as locals do by walking and riding public transportation when needed.
These programs are not for everyone and that’s all right.
The France with Vero website has just been updated with a lot of relevant information about the workshops.
Interested? What’s next?
First visit the site where many of your questions will get answered. Take your time. Read and click away!
To register, two options:
⚜️ Pre-launch: from Saturday March 29 through Saturday April 5
Most of my stories and online content are free to all, yet I like to reward those who continue to support my small business.
France with Vero Patrons, French students and paid Substack subscribers get priority registration, a 7-day head start (and a discount.)
I will be meeting them in a Zoom call on Sunday March 30 at 6:00pm (France) to tell them more and answer questions. The fun starts early in Véro’s new French Immersion workshops.
Students, paid Substack subscribers: Contact me (vero@francewithvero.com) to get the Zoom link if you are not a patron.
Patrons: Find more information and a video message here. A dimanche. See you on Sunday!
⚜️ Public launch: From Saturday April 5 onwards
You are not a France with Vero patron, French student or paid Substack subscriber and are interested in the workshops?
Reach out via the France with Vero site from April 5 onwards. I will update you on availability at that point.
When all spots are filled we will start a waiting list for this year’s programs and future workshops.
Am I excited to bring a (fun, educational) new child into the France with Vero world?
Oui !
I hope to meet some of you in person later this year in Tours.
Until then, bon weekend à tous !
Good luck, this sounds like a great idea!
Your friendly witty style of writing always makes me smile and want more !