Maison de Ste Claire

I have had the pleasure of attending Maison de Ste Claire on two occasions. Gilles and Zarina are incredible hosts and have perfectly mastered the balance between extensive academic support and generous hospitality. The classes, while dense in content, are very well supported by Gilles' desire to get the absolute most out of every student irrespective of their ability or rate of retention. I cannot recommend the program highly enough.

My brother and I came three times to Maison de St Claire, to learn with Gilles, take part in french cooking lessons, play in the beautiful pool and enjoy the surrounding nature. My brother and I both performed very well in the HSC in French and continue to speak it well until this day, in a major way thanks to Maison de St Claire. I have friends who I keep in touch with who I met here, one of whom I will meet up with in Europe in the next couple of weeks. I cannot recommend this program more highly. Sydney’s top HSC French performers go to Maison de St Claire but it would also be heaven for recreational learning. Immersive learning in a perfect setting.

I spent a week in the Maison de St Claire and it was an unforgettable experience. This completely changed my understanding of the french language.There are a wide range of teaching resources and methods: class work, practical film, exercises and even cooking, all in french. The accomodation was great with a beautiful view and a nice pool, as well as great food.The head of the program Dr Gilles Berger was incredibly engaging and understanding, thoroughly helping to achieve an experience of french immersion. This was a great experience which I will never forget.

Having spent a week in the French immersion camp run by Maison de Ste Claire, I can confidently state that my understanding in the French language and it’s various nuances has greatly improved with the help of our teacher, Dr Gilles Berger, who has provided us so passionately every day with invaluable resources and information with the intent of improving our fluency. His straightforward manner of teaching, almost completely in French has immersed us in the culture- The food was always delicious, and there were plenty of activities to keep oneself occupied. Would highly recommend for anyone passionate or interested in learning French!

I was lucky enough to go to Maison de Ste Claire multiple times during school - as did my siblings and friends - and each time helped my French enormously. Gilles is a charismatic and passionate Frenchman! This translates into stimulating and enriching lessons, but also into great cultural activities in the kitchen or outside. Thank you Gilles and Zarina for such a memorable experience that helped equip and motivate me to continue studying French into university.

I managed to attend la Maison de Ste Claire 5 times during high school, each time more valuable than the last. I can confidently say that I owe a lot of my French ability to Gilles Berger. He's a great teacher, funny guy and a true Frenchman. Gilles' classes were always both really educational and really engaging. I'm currently studying French as part of my degree at university and am definitely grateful for the learning experiences offered by Gilles that have got me where I am today. Highly recommend.

We spent a week at maison st claire. It is a very good option if you want to progress your french towards fluency. The program challenged my thinking which pushed me past the blockages of learning french previously. The experience is well structured including food, movies, writing and video. When we went to a Cafe we had to remember that we weren't in france! The most authentic experience of french language outside of France. It will challenge you and you will progress. It also set in a beautiful setting in the northern rivers region.

My 7 day french immersion experience far exceeded my expectations. Gilles is an extraordinary prof! Not only is he an expert teacher but his motivation is infectious and my approach to learning french has been turned around, positively!Zarina is a perfect host also, a magnificent chef and she made us very welcome in their home at Maison de Ste Claire.Our immersion included private tuition, daily writing exercises, interpreting french and current affairs, a french movie each night and review with Gilles in the morning, a french cooking class with Sylvia, a day trip walk to the Natural Bridge. All in all a most enjoyable and beneficial experience. Merci beaucoup Gilles et Zarina ❤️

Hello, I am a extreme supporter of Maison de St Claire, I have been there over 6 times and every time I’ve been there I’ve gained new & insightful experiences. The residents are some of the most welcoming people I’ve ever met, they will open their arms to you and welcome you as if you were one of their own children. The facilities are pristine with many beautiful bedrooms, a grand living area (with a ping-pong table), a beautiful pool and some of the most stunning views. It’s remote location really allows you to embrace the French experience and immerse yourselves within it. The main professor, Gilles, has one of the most comprehensive understandings of the French language and it’s phonetics. I went from a below average student when I entered in year8 and ended by ranking first my school in year12, all thanks to Maison de St Claire. That short 1 week of French immersion exceptionally improves all elements of French language, especially the oral component. I highly recommend this for anyone hoping to improve their French with a stellar French immersion!

Attending the Maison de Ste Claire entirely changed my understanding of the French language and it still remains as one of my most cherished memories.The head of the programme, Dr Gilles Berger, is one of the most passionate, entertaining and interesting people I’ve ever met and I am extremely thankful for all of his work both within the camp as well as for the additional support and tutoring which he is happy to provide outside of it.With amazing and authentic food, a beautiful pool, rustic yet comfortable accommodation, extremely engaging and worthwhile lessons and so many different activities available each day, the Maison de Ste Claire is an experience unlike any other. Irrespective of your ability or background in the language, I highly recommend it!