.jpg)
.jpg)
Practical Information
.jpg)
Accommodation
Your Study Stay in Burgundy
Set in lovely rolling Burgundian countryside 90 minutes from Paris and 25 minutes from Auxerre, Classyonne is ideally placed for a holiday or study stay in France. there is so much to see and enjoy nearby, including Guédelon, Vézelay, Druyes, St Fargeau (château et spectacle), the colourful Toucy market, St Sauveur (Colette country), and the students' favourite, Lac du Bourdon (a swimming lake 20 minutes away). Students stay in our typically Burgundian spacious farmhouse. Rooms are allocated depending on who is coming to stay and specific accommodation will be confirmed in a study stay proposal and quotation.
Le Marronnier, where Classyonne is based, is named after the impressive horse chestnut tree in our gardens. It nestles in a peaceful hamlet surrounded by picturesque, rolling countryside. This is the ideal base for access to the best of France with nearby gorgeous villages, excellent restaurants, the old town of Toucy with its wonderful market, the vineyards and cellars of Chablis and local popular attractions including Vezelay, and Lac de Bourdon. Students study and learn English or French in lovely surroundings and enjoy the local gastronomy and nearby wonderful walks and bike rides. We also have our own library and table tennis table. The farmhouse oozes character and provides spacious accommodation with two large bedrooms, which can accommodate up to four students each. There are also other attractive rooms, with communal areas including a comfortable lounge, a spacious shower room and a farmhouse kitchen... Couples looking for language immersion stay in a cozy appartment upstairs, with double bed, private shower room and kitchenette for self catering.
​
One of the most appreciated advantages of staying here is the use of our lovely gardens, in which students and couples can study and relax...
On warm days, we sometimes organise a barbecue and dine under the shade of the impressive marronnier (horse chestnut tree), which is also a wonderful place for language tutorials...
Activities
As a homestay / study stay provider (not an activity centre), we want our guests to be as happy as possible during their stay and help them to arrange and, where relevant and possible, accompany our guests on local excursions. Local and home-based activities, which students and / or families might enjoy during their stay here include:
Sports and Leisure
​
Swimming (Lac de Bourdon swimming lake; Toucy and Auxerre swimming pools)
Kayaking, horse riding and pedaloes can be arranged for guests in season
Cycling - we have a range of cycles, which students can use during their stay to explore the local countryside with us
Table tennis - we have our own outside table at le Marronnier
Lots of board games and other garden games - pétanque, croquet, quoits...
Football, basketball, tennis - there are local public facilities, which our guests can use
Gym / Keep Fit / Yoga - we have facilities here for those students wishing to keep fit
Treetop Adventure Park - students have really enjoyed this in the past
Walking and picnics - we are keen walkers and enjoy accompanying guests on lovely walks in the Burgundian countryside with a picnic by a lake of river
Cooking - students sometimes like to be involved in making French crêpes for example
Films and Books in French and English
​
Visits to local visits to towns and villages
​
Auxerre (capital of Yonne with Cathedral, medieval buildings and river walks)
Toucy (reknowned French market)
Vézelay (lovely hill top village with basilica and great views)
St Fargeau (Château and superb outside historical 'spectacle')
St Sauveur (birthplace of Colette)
Noyers (lovely medieval town)
Les Rochers du Saussois - rocky cliffs overlooking Yonne river with nearby picnic park with river swimming
Chablis and Sancerre - we are in Burgundy, where some of the best wines in the world are produced
Druyes-les-Belles-Fontaines - one of our favourite gorgeous villages for picnics and walks
and many more...
​
We ask our guests to let us know what they are most interested in advance of their stay so we can advise and organise accordingly. Please note that all activities mentioned above, based at the Marronnier are free to guests, but for external visits and excursions transport costs are shared, while entrance and other fees are payable by guests. An indication of trip prices can be provided before arrival.
Meals
We cater for all tastes and request dietary and other information before our guests arrive so we can provide safe, enjoyable and tasty meals. While family stays are self catering, we provide breakfast, lunch and evening meals for individuals and groups, which are included in the price. Living in the French countryside, we produce many of our own vegetables and fruit organically. Our farmhouse kitchen is carefully cleaned daily to ensure the highest standards of hygiene are maintained. Gastronomy is an important part of French culture and we aim to make our meals reflect this while accommodating our younger guests' tastes and preferences. We enjoy offering new, delicious French culinary experiences such as tomates farcies and clafoutis:) Students eat with us at meal times, which is an ideal time to discuss culture while encouraging conversation in French.
​
Safety
With very many years' experience of accompanying younger and older students on visits, as well as welcoming students for homestays and study stays, we are very careful with regard to safety and safeguarding. We are in a very safe area - a small country hamlet surrounded by fields in accommodation, which is locked at night. We have systems and procedures in place to ensure that your child is as safe as possible during their stay, while allowing for reasonable age-related independence. Any outings with ourselves are risk assessed and children are briefed carefully before undertaking activities such as swimming and cycling. We require parental consent for such activities as well as permission to act in loco parentis with regard to health and emergencies. Please note that students must arrange their own health insurance before their stay.
​
Travel
We welcome students from around the world and are very happy to discuss your travel to and from le Marronnier with you. Pick-ups from Joigny and Auxerre train stations or the Paris airports incur an extra payment based on mileage and time. The nearest airport to us is Paris 1 hour 30 mins from le Marronnier.) Although we are not involved in and accept no liability for travel arrangements and payments, we are happy to discuss options with you. There is no extra charge for travel to and from nearby activities, although any entrance fees for students are not included in the quoted prices.
Prices
Please click here for 2023 prices:
​
​
.jpg)
