Gérard Chartrand

Co-founder, Dir. of Administration

Gérard is responsible for Coeur de France's administration. His favorite pastimes are winemaking, fly fishing and aviation "not necessarily in that order". He owns a small vineyard where he can often be found on summer weekends -- when he's not buzzing the Loire Valley in his small airplane (Gérard is an enthusiastic pilot). We asked him to describe a typical day.

"We're a small organization so everyone here wears many hats, me included. Most of my time is spent in the office during the week. A typical day starts at about 7:30 am with email correspondence (due to the time differences around the world, most e-mails arrive overnight from prospective students).

Some days I'll lead a cultural excursion of students to discover a local vineyard. This begins with a drive out to the vines where we scratch around in our famous "terroir". Whenever I leave the office my camera is with me and throughout the day I'll take a few pictures for the website. The office officially closes at 6:00 pm, but I usually stick around another hour or so to catch up on whatever issues may have popped up while I was out and about."

Coeur de France recently began offering students the opportunity to experience an aerial tour of the Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé vineyards and châteaux. "I usually fly the Cessna for these visits and students are always impressed with the sheer beauty of the Loire Valley and vineyards. Most people don't have the opportunity to enjoy a bird's eye view of castles and cathedrals and I love sharing it with them."

What's does he find most interesting about his work? "The variety -- office work, flying over chateaux, winetasting fantastic Sancerre vintages. Sometimes I have to remind myself that it is supposed to be 'work', not a dream! I also have the opportunity to communicate daily with people from places I've only dreamed about. I always try to put myself in their place: If I were contemplating a language holiday with my wife and 3 kids in a country I had never been to before, what would I want to know?"

Any funny stories? "Too many to tell here. I'll just let you imagine the good-natured comedy that can arise when enthusiastic beginner students encounter helpful -- and curious -- locals! We also get messages from people saying how much they appreciate the many photos on our website.... We know the statistics for website visits, but getting such messages reminds me that it is always about people.

My cardinal rule: Be honest, never exaggerate, never try to 'sell' Coeur de France. The prospective student knows better than anyone if Coeur de France will be the right place for her.

Gérard