Rebecca, Biert, France
We live with our two wonderful boys, Ludovic & Félix, in a Regional Park of the Pyrénées, a 1hr45 min drive from Toulouse. We are surrounded by beautiful forests with lovely views of snow-capped mountains. We have a donkey, a cat & two Pyrenean goats. We also have a cosy cabin, just behind & above the house, available for adult students choosing to stay with us during the summer months.
Your host
Rebecca & James
Rebecca is a fully qualified, experienced English teacher & interpreter. She began teaching languages in 2000, and spent three years teaching in Japan. Since 2015, she has hosted and taught students in France & Australia. She enjoys playing the harp, cooking delicious vegetarian food & gardening. She greatly enjoys helping students to feel comfortable & relaxed enough to speak lots of English! Rebecca uses a broad range of ice-breaking activities such as games & exercises that help students get the most out of their English lessons. She provides fun, communicative, tailor-made lessons to help students understand & express themselves in useful English, be it for travel, exams or the workplace. That’s what language learning is all about!
James has worked as a transport planner in London, and Perth in Australia. Currently he works remotely with Western Australian schools on an environmental student leadership project. He has also taught English in Spain and Portugal. He plays violin, loves hiking and cycling in the mountains. James is self-employed and thus participates fully in welcoming students, helping them to feel at home.
Ludovic & Félix
Ludovic was born in 2011, is interested in everything & everyone! Things he really enjoys doing are playing the oboe & flute, baking apple pies, reading & mountain-biking. Félix was born in 2016 and loves people! He is an adventurous bundle of energy. He enjoys accompanying & helping his parents in anyway, playing in his tree house cabin, exploring music, riding his bike down the mountain & skiing.
The home
Located at 800m altitude in a very peaceful setting, there are mountain views from the lounge & terrace. They have a sweet house filled with laughter & music. The student bedroom is spacious, luminous and is located on the first floor. They can welcome one or two guests (sharing the guest room) at any one time. There is also the cabin available during summer only, which has an additional two beds. There is a television, & although they don’t watch it much, they do generally watch a movie or two in English with their students during. Wifi is available on request but they discourage teenage students spending excessive time on their phones.
Location & Things to do
They are in the mountains so there is so much to do! It just depends on your interests! From swimming in clear mountain lakes, picking wild blueberries, cycling some of the traditional Tour de France roads, hiking the mountain paths (to the top please!), going on a donkey trek, skiing, visiting castles or ruins, discovering the designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the neighbourhood,
bathing in the river, enjoying good local food, attending cultural events, to simply playing badminton or totem tennis (swingball) on our ‘terrace with a view’! The choice is yours! They will be happy to do any of the above activities because that is their life in the mountains. They love it!
Local Amenities
Tennis court, Post office, Pharmacy, Doctor, Organic food store, Bar, Restaurant, Supermarket
Other details
They don’t smoke, smokers are accepted but not in the house, on the terrace or around the children. The closest airport is Toulouse at 1hr45min drive away. Public transport from Toulouse is possible to Saint-Girons, where they will be happy to pick you up from if necessary.
Other languages spoken
French, Japanese, Spanish