Homestay/Farmstay over Christmas/New Year

Hi all,

Does anyone have recommendations for a homestay/farmstay in New Caledonia over the Christmas/New Year period (from December 19, 2009 to January 3, 2010)?

I'm currently learning French and I think a homestay/farmstay with a family (where I hope I'll speak nothing but French for 2 weeks) will help me enormously. I've contacted CREIPAC but they're closed during the Christmas/New Year period.

I understand most families would want to spend the holidays by themselves, so I'm flexible with the dates I can stay with them, and with days where I might have to get a hotel room (e.g. Christmas Day, New Year's Eve.) If anyone can recommend anything, that would be much appreciated!

The only homestays I know of are those in Kanak villages, where you stay in a basic traditional hut separate from the family, though kind of surrounded by village life.
The Hienghéne area has lots of these, arranged by the tourist office in town.
All Kanaks speak French (and will do so to you), though may speak it with a certain Melanesian accent and I think they mostly still use their native language among each other.
Staying in a Kanak village for 2 weeks could be an interesting cultural experience, if not really a French one! And if you book for that long, I don't think they'd kick you out for Christmas or New Year either.

The French farmers in NC didn't seem to be into hosting tourists in their homes, but keep reasearching... my personal impression was that the running of cheap homestays/campsites in NC was mainly the business of Kanaks, with the French running bigger businesses.

Thanks Laszlo!

I'm currently living in Vanuatu, and have been adopted by/stayed with several ni-Van families on different islands, so quite used to the village life. I guess why I hadn't considered a Kanak homestay is because I found that local language in Vanuatu is more prevalent in the villages than English or French, or Bislama, even. For example, even though my little brothers and sisters go to an English school, they're too shy to chat with me in English. When I was staying in Tanna recently, the family I was staying with would chat to each other in their local language, then translate only portions to me in Bislama out of courtesy. I'm not sure if this is also the case in New Caledonia. Nevertheless, it'll still be very interesting to compare the Kanak and ni-Vanuatu cultures!

Thanks again - will keep looking, but if nothing else is suitable, perhaps a Kanak homestay is the way to go.

French is more strongly entrenched in NC than in Francophone parts of Vanuatu, simply because it's the only official/national language, so it only has to compete with the native tongues, while in Vanuatu it has to eke out a sphere for itself alongside English and Bislama.

I'm far from convinced this is a good thing overall, but it sure is when you want to practice your French.

Biers, I was just reading thru n was wonderign how easy it is to organise homestays in Vanuatu (Efate and Tanna). Am waiting for new edition of lonely planet to come out so have not done much research yet. My sister and I will be there over NYE which would be a more memorable experience in a homestay perhaps. Pleased to hear any suggestions u have.