Mini-Break

Hi guys, sorry for the absence for the long weekend!
My family left Paris for Burgundy on Sunday and spent all of Sunday and Monday out in the countryside, which was absolutely amazing!  Wine-tasting, medieval villages, delicious country food....
What did you do for your fourth of July?

French

To say the least, my French has deteriorated in the month that I've been travelling.   True, the lovely Alexandra and I occasionally spoke French to each other and once we carried on an entire conversation with another couple in French (we were very proud), but it's not as good as it once was - a month ago.
To rectify this before I get to college and get put in a French class that's too easy, I'm going to do what Alexandra's friend J did to learn Italian (and now Japanese): get a grammar, read through it, and then start learning lists of words.  If he can read "Harry Potter" and pass his A-levels in Italian by doing that, then I can do the same with French, right?  AND I've got a head start with the French I've already had....
Any tips for learning a language on your own?