This is it. The coliving month we’ve been asked about more times than we can count
A day in the life: French immersion coliving
Picture this: you wake up in a castle in Normandy, admiring the mist over the marshes. Wrapped up warm, you pad down the centuries-old spiral staircase to join your new friends on an early morning trip to the nearby French market. Stallholders smile encouragingly as you practice new vocabulary; un café au lait enjoyed avec croissants before heading back to the Château coworking space for the work day.
In the afternoon, during a study power hour, you make your way through a French news article, armed only with a dictionary. A native French speaker nearby helps you out when a sentence structure trips you up, but the sense of achievement at the end feels awesome.
The sun sets, and you prepare your contribution for the communal potluck. After, you split a bottle of French wine with your accountability buddy during the post-dinner movie night. The fire crackles in the hearth and candles flicker. You feel calm and held, surrounded by like-minded people. Deep in the French countryside, the stars shine bright and clear. What a start to the New Year.
Why coliving and language learning is the perfect match
Colivers often tell us how much they enjoy the opportunity to learn or practice French while they’re staying with us – whether that’s with other colivers, team members, or at the many museums, galleries, and shops in the local area.
Those opportunities will always be there for coliving guests. But this January will be different.
We’re gathering a bunch of people who want to deepen their knowledge of French, so we can all learn together.
Here are five reasons why a coliving is the perfect setting for a French immersion:
1.Easy to make progress – being surrounded by people with similar aims is great for accountability
2.Practice with new friends – it’s easier to be brave with friends than it is with a stranger, colleague, or family member
3.Sustainable skill building – it’s proven that spreading your learning out over time makes you more likely to remember it
4.Genuinely useful vocabulary – apply French language skills to your everyday life, not a holiday situation
5.Habits are built on consistency – after a month of learning French, you won’t want to stop!
If you’ve spent time in an independent coliving, you’ll already know why a French immersion just makes sense.
Yet to experience the magic of coliving? You’re in for an incredible time. Check out some of our Google Reviews.
What to expect during French Immersion Coliving
We know a thing or two about learning languages. The Château Coliving team are all bilingual – and many are multilingual!
It’s key to practice in different ways, at different times, and with different people.
Here’s how we plan to successfully increase your French proficiency over the month:
- A weekly class (one beginner, one intermediate) with a French native or qualified teacher
- Accountability partner: after an initial goal-setting session, keep each other on track
- Daily 15-minute morning conversations in French (partners are rotated each week)
- Power hours: two slots per day for focused French study (no phones, no distractions)
- Duolingo Challenge: commit to your streak and cross off each day on our whiteboard for everyone to see
- Everyday French life: buy your groceries at the market, chat with locals at the nearby bar, and practice ordering your food at a restaurant
- Adventures: visit museums, beaches, galleries, and artisanal shops to learn about French culture and history
- Film nights: switching between French and English films and subtitles unveils language subtleties and curiosities
- Weekly book club: read a short story or poem and discuss it with other colivers
- A cooking class: a French Chef will help us all learn some classics (all dietary requirements catered for)
- Activities led by you: whether it’s a French song chorus at karaoke or a cooking challenge with French-only recipes, we encourage all your suggestions!
The sort of people who will come to our French Immersion Coliving
We have years of experience running a coliving, so we know what usually works well.
The people who come to our French Immersion Coliving will probably be:
- Ready to gently challenge themselves
- Open to helping others, and being helped themselves
- Able to take the initiative to co-create the experience they want
- Looking to fit language learning around their usual daily activities
- Happy to share communal spaces, as well as enjoy privacy
- Respectful, independent, kind, and responsible
Unsure whether our French Immersion Coliving is right for you? We totally understand – new experiences can be daunting. Send us an email on welcome(@)chateaucoliving.com with any questions, concerns, or thoughts. We’ll send you a friendly reply as soon as we can.
FAQs
Must I have some expertise in French to join?
We would love you to have some basic vocabulary and speaking skills before you arrive in January 2025. We’re talking bonjour; pardon; une baguette, s’il vous plait and the like. The good news? You’ve got plenty of time! Download a free app like Duolingo to easily reach a very basic proficiency level.
Can I do my usual job / passion project / remote work during French immersion coliving?
Absolutely. This isn’t a French speaking course, or intensive language-learning retreat. This is for people who want to dedicate an hour or two a day to learning French – alongside their usual daily activities.
Do I have to join in with all of the activities?
Non! Participate to the level you enjoy.
Most importantly: suggest (and run) your own activities.
Want to challenge your peers to a French spelling bee? We’ll grab the dictionary.
Fancy attending a nearby museum? Go for it.
Need a day off? Same here – you’ll find us doing a cider tasting in the kitchen.
Why is it worth learning French?
The simple answer is: we’re in France!
The longer answer is: French is an incredibly valuable language to learn. It’s one of only two languages spoken across all five continents (the other is English). The French language is the second-most taught language in the EU, and the fifth-most spoken language in the world.
If you’re a nomad, traveller, or an internationally-minded person, French competency will get you far indeed.
Could I attend for just a few days, or a week?
For any logistical questions such as facilities, travel, and meals, please visit our General FAQ section here.
Are you ready to supercharge your French language skills?
Book here
We’re so excited to welcome you to our gorgeous French Château!
Use the calendar feature below to select January 4, 2025.
Deposit payment of 50% is required upon reservation and final payment will be charged on the day of arrival. Extras and costs accumulated during the stay will be paid at the end of the experience.
Questions? Email us at welcome(@)chateaucoliving.com.
Minimum number of 10 participants is required. If we are not able to reach this minimum 45 days prior to the starting date, the participants who have paid the deposit will be fully refunded or credited for a non-curated stay at Chateau coliving during the same dates in order to avoid loss of transportation tickets.
We understand that committing to a month can be a challenge. However, based on our experience with similar events, we know that connecting with others and creating community is a crucial part of making the trip worthwhile.
If there’s anything we can do to make the month’s commitment more possible for you, let us know. We often have colivers joining us who work across timezones, for example, or who bring their pets, partners, or children.
Of course, if travel arrangements require you to arrive a day later or leave a day earlier, that’s totally fine.