I would add 6
months living in Belgium but I can imagine the French reaction to that! ;-)

I spent a weekend in Belgium last year - I speak French but I found them
very difficult to understand.

We spent last Friday night in a lovely old hotel on the French border in
Northern France and heard Walloon French, Wow, different to anything I
have heard before - mind you the food and wine were superb so I didn't
have to speak too much!
--
Judith Lea