France: Spend spring break with the family learning -- what else? -- French

Who wants to be bothered studying French over spring break? This cultural stay for families in a small Provence village in France might change your mind.

The package: The Hotel Crillon le Brave is offering two spring break packages, each five nights long, in April. Located in a small village of the same name, the hotel is actually a rustic resort made up of seven stone houses that date to the 16th and 17th centuries.

But rustic in this countryside setting hardly means roughing it. The resort, part of the upscale Relais & Chateaux association, offers a pool, tennis courts, a golf course and a horse riding stable nearby.

Under the package, kids learn can French, try their hand at making chocolate mousse and crepes, and visit a village bakery to see how baguettes and croissants are made. Parents also get French lessons, made more palatable by sippings of Rhone Valley wines paired with regional cheeses. The package also includes a pizza-and-movie night, a barbecue, a game of petanque -- kind of a cross between horseshoes and bocce -- and other activities.

When: Available April 17 to 22 and April 24 to 29.

Cost: The price, which doesn’t include airfare or meals, is $3,072 for a family of four. A bit pricey, but what a way to learn French.

Contact: Hotel Crillon le Brave, 011-33-4-9065-6161. I found it best to e-mail with an inquiry because the hotel is closed at this time of year; you may also leave a phone message. I received an e-mail reply within a day when I wrote to check on the package.