PODCAST | APPLE PODCAST |  SPOTIFY  | YOUTUBE 

 A Life-Giving Approach to Learning French: A Conversation with Madame Lee

“You don’t have to be fluent to begin. You just have to be willing to start.”
– Sue Lee, French with Madame Lee

I just got back from the most magical trip to France—and let me tell you, it was everything I dreamed it would be. The art, the architecture, the bread (oh, the bread!)—everywhere I turned, I felt like I was walking through a living museum of beauty and culture.

But do you know what made the trip even richer? Preparing for it with Sue Lee’s Charlotte Mason-inspired French course. Sue is the creator behind French with Madame Lee, and her approach to teaching French is unlike anything I’ve experienced.

She doesn’t just teach vocabulary and grammar—she invites you into a feast of beauty, culture, art, and connection.

That’s why I knew I had to invite her onto The Feast Life Podcast. What started as a casual post-trip chat turned into a deeply encouraging conversation about language, education, and embracing the beauty of starting slow.

Why Most of Us Struggled With French in High School (And Why Our Kids Don’t Have To)

Like many of us, Sue’s early language experience in school was dry, disconnected, and forgettable. It wasn’t until an art history class in 11th grade that she realized education could be beautiful. That spark changed everything—she began to see connections between history, literature, language, and the arts.

Later, as a homeschool mom discovering Charlotte Mason, Sue realized that French—when taught through a living, relational approach—could become something truly life-giving.

Charlotte Mason and the Feast of Language

In our conversation, we talked about how Charlotte Mason viewed foreign language as part of the full feast of education. But let’s be honest—most of us don’t have a French governess on hand (thanks, Charlotte 😉), and teaching a language we don’t speak can feel completely overwhelming.

That’s where Sue’s courses shine. She meets moms where they are—with no pressure to be fluent, no rigid workbook schedules, and no devices required.

Instead, she teaches families to:

• Start with beautiful pronunciation using simple tools and bite-sized lessons
• Learn through repetition, art, music, food, and scripture
• Embrace slow learning and meaningful conversations over checkboxes
• Integrate French organically into daily life and morning time
• Cultivate a love for language and culture—rather than fear of “getting it wrong”
  
  

As Sue says: “It’s not about becoming bilingual overnight. It’s about training our affections for what is good, true, and beautiful.”

The Beauty of Slow French for Families

I loved hearing how Sue’s courses help families start small—introducing colors, numbers, greetings, and cultural context through art, poetry, and even scripture. Her free guide (linked below!) gives moms an easy on-ramp: curated playlists, movie ideas, and a sample lesson you can try today.

She’s even launching a Paris-themed French Feast course, where kids will “travel” through the City of Light, learning conversational French as they explore museums, bakeries, and hidden alleyways—all from home. And yes, you know I’ll be the first in line for that one!

Encouragement for the Mom Who Feels Intimidated

If you’ve ever thought, “I’d love to teach my kids French, but I don’t even know where to start,” this episode is for you.

Sue reminds us that:

• You don’t need to speak perfectly to begin.
• Language learning is not all-or-nothing.
• Even simple exposure to beauty and culture can shape a child’s affections for life.
• And yes—you can totally learn alongside your kids (even if you’re starting at bonjour).
  
  

About Our Guest:

Sue Lee is a homeschool mom of two adults and one high-schooler. She knew the Charlotte Mason Philosophy was how she wanted to teach her kids because of how she herself fell in love with Art History and French. She teaches used to teach in the public high school until she became a mom, and now she teaches French to homeschool families. Her greatest delight is to see her kids loving Christ on their own, and serving as a family at their local church. She loves reading CS Lewis, Wendell Berry, and is always planning her family's next trip to France.

Connect with Sue:

Website: https://www.frenchwithmadamelee.com/ 

Instagram:  @frenchwithmmelee

Grab the Freebie

Sue has generously shared her Free Guide: 5 Simple Ways to Bring French into Your Home, including music playlists, language immersion tips, and a free lesson from her French Feast course.
👉 Download the guide here

Let’s Chat

Have you tried teaching French—or another foreign language—in your homeschool? What has worked for you? What’s been a challenge? I’d love to hear in the comments!

À bientôt,
Julie
Founder of A Gentle Feast & Host of The Feast Life Podcast