Language in Provence is a perfect school for many different reasons. WHY I WENT I went to Language in Provence for three weeks in May. My time there was rewarding and enriching. This was my first trip to Europe and I didn't know what I didn't know. My overall intent for the trip was to improve my French language skills. Afterwards I was heading out to work with French families that did not speak any English. Starting at a school would prepare me for the later portion of my stay in France. From the start, even before I arrived, the owner of the school, Susan was professional and welcoming. She responded promptly to my emails, answering questions and sharing information. Susan creates an environment that makes you feel as if you are coming to visit close friends or family. She opens her family and life up to you. For me it was a perfect place to have my trip begin. Learning a language not only unlatches the door to the rest of the world but also opens your mind. We all have personal expectations of our French studies and understandably schools fit everyone differently. Language in Provence is a perfect school if you are: 1. Looking for a vacation along with studying a bit of French 2. Traveling alone 3. Enjoy a more casual, warm setting than an institutional setting 4. Would love to discover Provence 5. At a beginning level or can book private sessions that will adjust to your personal needs 6. Great for foodies! 7. Believe in supporting small businesses MEALS AND HOMEY SETTINGS Susan has been fortunate to have Francis in her life. He is one of the primary, French hosts where students stay while studying at Language in Provence. Incroyable! Francis created amazing meals each evening. He also accommodates for vegetarians! If you enjoy time alone, I would suggest renting a small apartment in Saint Saturnin BUT THEN A MUST joining the others for meals with Francis. Often though the beginning students had a natural propensity to switch to English at meal time even though Francis spoke only French. However with Francis's excellent cuisine, wine flowing, and his little dog Ponie joining in the nightly festivities, we all left the table glowing, with smiles on our faces and good food in out bellies! EDUCATION Laetitia was my teacher at the little school. From the minute she entered the school everyone felt the need to switch to French. It was not anything she said just what she quietly portrayed. Code-switching ceased and true immersion began. Our classes were small, 3-4 in each class. Laetitia was vested in our studies and very aware of everyone's level. I was in the intermediate/advanced (it fluctuated based on the arriving students' level each week). Laetitia had the difficult task of adjusting her lessons based on all our different strengths and weaknesses. We came from all over the world! In addition to handouts I would have benefited receiving a French language book to aid with my lessons. I could have studied more and worked on other exercises on my own time. I would seek Laetitia out again for my French studies. She was extremely understanding, fun, passionate, and adjustable to all of our various needs and reactions. REGION The region is incredible. Saint Saturnin is in the heart of France and is nestled alongside the Lubéron. The sound of church bells still echo in my memory. Francis's home is near the cathedral and I enjoyed listening to it chime regularly. Saint Saturnin looks like a quaint movie set as you walk around feeling the history of the area and taking in all of its richness. Vineyards and cherry trees rest in the valley around the Lubéron and you have views of it all from the village. From where you stay you can go out and take one of the trails for a nice hike or outing. I enjoyed my time alone with Ruby, Susan's dog hiking in the surrounding Lubéron. After school even if it is not a specialized, themed week, there are still excursions to see the beautiful region and neighboring Provencal villages. In fact if you are not a beginning student it is more like a vacation than an immersion program. read more

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I do not recommend this business. I went there for what was advertised as an advanced French immersion course in the summer of 2009. It was not at all what they advertised and I left after one day. I couldn't get away from there fast enough. The course consisted of four English-speaking women and a "teacher" sitting around the kitchen table in a tiny, boiling hot, stuffy kitchen. There was no real French spoken at all. The teacher went around the table and had everyone tell their ethnic heritage...very racist in my opinion. The students spoke very broken, halting French...some spoke only a couple of words. There was no real French spoken at all because the owner is British and her new husband is Portuguese. To hear this kind of French for a week would corrupt even the French one has already learned. There was no text...not even one page of text given to us. No vocabulary lists, no practice lists...nothing. We received an empty plastic three ring binder. The whisky-voiced "teacher" glared at us like we were juvenile delinquents if we asked a question. There was no written word other than a word or two she wrote on a whiteboard after we insisted on knowing how to spell some word she said. It was not teaching at all. The hotel was not as it had been described on the website or on the phone. Very uncomfortable and noisy. Prior to signing up for the course, I had asked the language school owner about the hotel on the phone but it was a bait and switch advertisement and misrepresented. The "leisurely luncheon" was very rushed and very unfriendly. Everyone sat uncomfortably as the teacher ignored all of us. It was a tasty salad, though. And the dinner the night before at the man's apartment was very nice. He was very nice. When I asked for my money back I was turned down cold and very arrogantly by the woman owner. What a financial loss this was for me. I waited a year to write this review so I could experience a different French course from different owners before I commented. I went to western France this summer (2010) and took a course that was absolutely marvelous. The owners were friendly, generous and kind. It was even more than promised. Don't throw your money away on SARL Language in Provence. It is not as represented on the net or when you talk to them on the phone. read more

In September, 2011, I attended a two week session at Language in Provence. The school and entire experience exceeded my expectations in so many ways, its hard to know where to start. I had read the only review I could find on this school, and almost did not attend. But after further research and numerous emails with the director/owner, I decided to give it a try, as it appeared to be exactly what I was looking for in an immersion experience. I am very glad I did. My course consisted of two classes of students. My class was the beginner/intermediate group of 3 students with one teacher. What a perfect ratio! The other group was an intermediate/advanced class of 2 students with one teacher. The school takes place at the owner/director's beautiful home in the small village of St. Saturnin. We walked through the charming village to class in the mornings. Upon arrival we were offered coffee or tea out on the terrace over looking spectacular views of the countryside. Classes began at 10 upstairs in two classrooms, with students seated around a conference type table with the window opened and overlooking the same spectacular countryside view as the terrace. Both teachers were local French residents, and certified French teachers. My teacher was fabulous. She has a strong background in phonetics which proved very helpful in teaching her English speaking students how to master difficult French sounds. She was encouraging, patient, friendly and smart. We did not use a formal textbook, instead we were given a binder with a weekly calendar and some other useful local information, plus some note paper for class. The teacher began by asking each of us to tell where we were from as a way to assess our speaking levels. From there she crafted each session to meet our needs. There were pages of 'hand-outs' used throughout the week, even some pages full of vocabulary words. Homework was given to students who wished to do it. Nothing was forced on anyone. We listened to French speakers on tape and also read from text provided by our teacher. I came home with more paperwork than I wanted to carry on the plane! As for the lunch and accommodations. Oh my, they could not have been better. The director/owner cooks a homemade meal everyday so the group can have lunch together. The meals were fantastic and included a wide variety of offerings (so good, that several people were begging our hostess to write a cookbook). Anything from a main course salad to a cheese vegetable tarte to a delicious home made pea soup. All of these would be served with fresh bread from the local boulangerie and followed by a home made dessert. Some days we would also have a cheese course. Wine and water were served each day. There are a variety of options for accommodations. Out of the 8 people who had classes with me during my two week stay, I never once heard a single complaint. I opted for a 2 BR cottage owned by the individual who also houses students in his home. Understanding that you are in an ancient village in the French countryside should go a long way in managing your housing expectations. St. Saturnin is a very old, active French village in the heart of Provence. It is not Paris, London or New York. Do not choose this school if you are looking for a 5 star hotel as it is simply not available. What is available is a variety of charming, local accommodations in very old French homes or hotels. None have air conditioning, but most have fans. (There actually could be a couple of newer places with AC, but I did not stay in or see these). My cottage was situated in a two story century old French building in the heart of the village. Steps from the bakeries, grocery, cafes, and butcher. My neighbors were village residents. I had my own kitchen and bath, and loved every minute of it. Finally, the French spoken at this school is perfect French. The instructors are native French citizens. Our two instructors were from different parts of France, one growing up in Provence, and so their accents were a bit different. The owner/director is completely fluent in French. The host, who houses some of the students and provides dinner for anyone interested, is a local Frenchman who does not speak English. You can't get much more French than that. I would love to go back to this school at least yearly, and more often if I had the funds. If you are looking for a small school, with lots of individual attention, in a gorgeous, authentic French setting, you cannot go wrong with this choice. read more

The first time I attended an immersion course at Language in Provence was in 2006 and I have returned each year since then - this June will be my 6th visit. My experiences there have been nothing but positive and fulfilling. For a bit of background, I minored in French at UCLA, was a board member of the Alliance Française in my home city and while I consider myself reasonably fluent in the language I know that I will never master it which is why I continue my studies. The tone of the classes at Language in Provence is relaxed, sociable and encouraging. Students are encouraged to use their language skills in normal, everyday settings such as at meals or during walks through the beautiful countryside around St Saturnin. I have seen many students who arrived scarcely able to complete a sentence for fear of making a mistake and by the end of their first week they are enthusiastically joining in discussions. Of course, we're all making mistakes but that's part of learning a language and that is the wonderful thing about Susan's school. She has created an environment where students are made to feel at ease using their French and so of course, their language skills improve. Susan is very careful in her choice of teachers and searches not only for the right qualifications but also the right personality that will fit in with the relaxed and open atmosphere she has worked so hard to create. All of her teachers are native speakers and in my years of attending Language in Provence I haven't met one who wasn't friendly, helpful, and patient. Personally, I have been so pleased with the progress in my conversational skills since I began attending Language in Provence as that was the main area where I felt I really needed improvement. Reading and writing are one thing but being able to have a real conversation with someone is a whole other matter. I can now sit down to dinner with a French speaker and not only follow the conversation but hold up my end of it and that gives me a great deal of pleasure, I must say. I do not hesitate for a moment to recommend Language in Provence. If you are looking to improve your language skills in a relaxed and welcoming environment while staying in a lovely corner of Provence, I honestly don't think you need to look any further read more

In 2015 my wife and I took one week of French lessons at the school Language in Provence in Saint Saturnin lès Apt. We returned for two weeks in the spring of 2016. We found the program and related services to be excellent, and we recommend the school very highly. Why did we do this? We love to travel in France, and we have made friends in that beautiful country. We wanted to be able to join them for sustained conversation, talking about more than how we're doing and what the weather will be. We feel we'd like to show respect for people living in the places where we travel by speaking with them in their language, rather than hoping they will speak ours. Based on the recommendation of people we trust, we chose Language in Provence, and we're very happy we did. In my own case I had a rather good idea where my language-learning challenges were. Going in, I felt I had some grasp of vocabulary and grammar, but a great deal of trouble deciphering the words and expressions of French speakers. The staff of the school - the Director, Susan Bento, and the instructors - adeptly identified my problems and gave excellent advice on how to work on them. They just as capably assessed the challenges my traveling partner was dealing with, and gave very helpful advice on moving forward. The program at Language in Provence is arranged with a 3-hour class from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. Learning sessions are not organized around drills on vocabulary and grammar but rather on speaking about experiences. Typically, one professor would ask about what we did in the previous afternoon or evening. What did we like or not like about it? Why? This approach required us to describe events in various forms of the past tenses, and express opinions and reasons. Another professor asked us to comment on current events in our own country, and give context around them. We found this approach to language-learning to be extremely effective. There are other components of the overall program beyond the classroom sessions. The school arranges for accommodations (optional) with a French-speaking host. He is most welcoming and gracious. He prepares excellent meals for breakfasts, dinners, and that wonderful French gathering called L'Apéro. And he has a charming little dog. For some other meals Susan Bento hosts two outstanding luncheons at her home. She also arranges themed excursions to some the magnificent gardens and other sights that abound in Provence. In all these activities we were in frequent contact with people who speak fluent French yet were able to allow for our deficiencies, even willing to step in and switch to English when they sensed that's what we needed. We found Language in Provence to be perfectly suited to what we were looking for. If your interests and requirements are similar, and you would like a learning experience in Provence, we recommend you consider this wonderful school. We think you'll be happy you did. read more

I was so pleased with my first experience at Language in Provence that I returned again six months later. In light of the review above, I thought I should go into some detail about the school, which is nothing like the reviewer described. Courses are held in a beautiful home with a garden and pool, overlooking olive groves and the valley below. It has no kitchen to sit in while classes are held, as the previous writer wrote; rather, classes are held in two classrooms upstairs. There is a galley kitchen where the owner, Susan Bento, who is a marvelous chef, prepares lunch, which is held on a terrace among the olive trees or in a lovely atrium. Susan speaks French like a native, having spent her adult life in France, and has an advanced degree in the subject. All her professors are well credentialed, friendly, and eager to share with the students. Our written course materials were taken from the same texts the Alliance Française in Paris uses, and were supplemented with video selections from the internet that I've since been able to use at home. The school presents a rare opportunity to experience life in a Provencal village as yet barely touched by tourism. The sheer beauty of the place is overwhelming. On the day of my second arrival, an elderly couple invited me and another student into their beautifully renovated home to share with us a bit of the history of the town, and on another occasion Susan invited me to attend a language class in Italian given in the town hall for the locals. I felt that I had gone back in time to discover the life here, rooted in the agricultural rhythms of the centuries, barely changed since Roman times. Students stay in bed and breakfasts, apartments or villas in the town, which is spectacularly strung along a ridge high in the Luberon, and presided over by a castle in ruins. The town, as yet unspoiled, has just enough tourist life to make it interesting, with a couple of hotels, several cafes and restaurants and a wonderful weekly market, and Susan shares these in class cocktail hours and dinners with the students. During the week, depending on the theme, the school takes students by van to explore the very interesting countryside, replete with famous tourist towns, wineries and outstanding restaurants. There are themed weeks for exploring farther afield. In short, a great opportunity to experience life in Provence while immersed in the language. If you're lucky enough to visit Language in Provence, I suggest staying at M Julien's bed and breakfast, as he will cook delicious gourmet meals for you and speak only in patient French, pretending all the while that he understands no English. read more