Virginie and her family live 25 minutes from Aix-en-Provence. They are living in Rousset, a small village of 5000 inhabitants where you can find everything you need: a hairdresser, bakery, post office, and some very nice restaurants. Among the many possible restaurants on the list, it's the bistro-restaurant Grand Boise that left the strongest impression on us.
Grand Boise in Provence with our first immersion teacher.
With Georges, my husband, we had already done an immersion with Virginie in 2019. You can read about one of our excursions to the Renoir House in Cagnes-sur-Mer in this article. This year, we decided to go to Italy. But we wanted to make a detour to visit Virginie and her family. Despite her busy schedule, she welcomed us with open arms. We visited her house and then decided to go to the Grand Boise restaurant, which is a 5-minute walk from her place. We still took the car because Virginie didn't feel like walking back with the kids. They would probably be tired after dinner.
Grand Boise in Provence and its delicious “bouffe”
Grand Boise offers starters, main courses, and desserts from traditional French cuisine.
"Bouffe" means "food." It's an informal word. Upon arrival, we immediately ordered a good glass of wine: white for Virginie, red for Georges, and rosé for me. Then we ordered duck breast. The server asked us how we wanted it cooked, and it was cooked perfectly. We chose homemade fries and salad to accompany our duck. It was delicious! Virginie had told us that we absolutely had to try the French toast for dessert. She goes there regularly with friends or family. She told me it's THE dessert to try. The truth is, we were no longer hungry. The portion was very generous, so we stopped there.
Grand Boise in Provence: kid-friendly?
Virginie says, "Yes, yes, and yes!" We arrived with her three children. The servers immediately took the children's orders. This way, the children didn't have to wait and didn't start getting restless because they were hungry. The children's menu is really great. It includes nuggets/fries, truffle ham and fries, and steak/fries. It's real chicken, real ham, and real homemade fries with real potatoes. Tom, Léo, and Lily all chose nuggets/fries. Even though the dish didn't include vegetables, the children were able to eat healthy food. Also, while they waited for their food, they could play in the tapas area without bothering anyone.
Grand Boise in Provence: a lovely reunion evening
We had a wonderful evening together. Virginie told me the next day that her children already want to go back. It was their first time there. We all went home for a good night's sleep. We decided to meet again the next day for a leisurely walk at the foot of Montagne Sainte-Victoire.
I conclude this article by highly recommending Virginie as an immersion teacher. She is a humane and patient person who will give you confidence in yourself.
If you are coming for an immersion stay in Provence, I really invite you to contact Virginie in Provence. She will be happy to make you discover the different aspects of Provence: landscapes and scents, but also culture, gastronomy... while helping you to improve your French.
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