France

French Language & Culture

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Advance your French language through classes and cultural immersion. Find inspiration while visiting the world’s most celebrated art museums in Paris and go on a quest to capture the city’s charm under the guidance of French artists.

  • Art

  • Certificate

  • Culinary

  • Language

WHY STUDY LANGUAGE IN FRANCE?

Embark on a creative journey through French language, culture, and art. Visit the “City of Light” and experience art galleries and museums in Paris during your orientation. Develop your photography skills and art appreciation through workshops and projects with formal direction from professional photographers and local artists. Learn about photo composition and explore French life through the camera lens, and practice your darkroom skills by developing and sizing photos and creating your own photogram.

During your homestay, you will have continual opportunities to enhance your French language skills and knowledge of French culture. Take classes with a local teacher while immersing yourself in la vie quotidienne, or daily life, of a French family. Delight in the regional food and discover some of the places, activities and landscapes that make up the region’s identity. After your homestay, get the opportunity to explore a new area including a visit to Nantes, a city which keeps reinventing itself, renowned for its vitality, culture and also named European Green Capital in 2013.

You will rendezvous in Rouen, located along the River Seine, to reflect on your journey and capture some final snapshots.

At the conclusion of this program, participants will earn a language certificate noting the number of hours of language classes completed.

Notice: The 2024 Olympics are being held in Paris, therefore be aware that there may be limited and restricted entry to major tourist attractions and monuments due to safety and security and the high volume of visitors.

LEARN BY DOING

The Experiment’s programs are designed to build skills that will help you succeed. In France, you will learn:

TECHNICAL SKILLS

  • French language
  • Photography

INTERPERSONAL SKILLS

  • Time management
  • Intercultural communication
  • Problem-solving
  • Adaptability
  • Relationship-building

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

  • Temperatures and humidity can be high in France during the summer.
  • Students will explore urban life on foot (lots of walking!) and learn to navigate the public transit system.
  • Homestay communities are located in rural areas to learn about French daily life outside of tourist locales.  
  • While French cuisine is centered on meat and cheese, vegetarians and vegans can find alternatives.
  • Access to the internet is limited and internet speeds and connectivity vary.
  • The diverse personal and social identities of participants may, in part, shape their experience abroad. In-country partners will discuss cultural norms and the local context during orientation. Please read our approach to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for further information. All students will have a safe space within the program spaces and with the local staff and group leaders.
  • The Experiment program structure is rooted in experiential learning and cohort-based learning. The participant group experience is a major source of learning for Experimenters and is facilitated by trained Experiment group leaders.

AT A GLANCE

Program Availability

No Longer Enrolling

Program Date

Jul 1 - Jul 28

Prerequisite

French (at least one year)

Program Fee*

$6,921.00

(does not include airfare)
Group Airfare Cost

$1,334.00

Departure City

New York, NY

*Program fees may increase by
$500 -$1000 to account for changes
to lodging accommodations.

WHAT'S INCLUDED
  • Certificate of completion
  • Lodging
  • Meals
  • All program activities
  • In-country transportation
  • Health insurance
  • Experienced group leaders

Families or partner organizations are also responsible for arranging and paying for participants' domestic travel to the international departure/return airport in the U.S., whether flying, driving or by other means. By its nature, domestic airfare varies by airline, timing, destination, and availability.

TALK TO AN ALUM
Questions? Ask Us! APPLY NOW
Study in France to improve your French language skills through classes and cultural immersion. Visit the world’s most celebrated art museums in Paris and go on a quest to capture the city’s charm under the guidance of a French photographer. There is no better way to study abroad in France! Students in front of one of the glass pyramids of The Louvre
Study in France to improve your French language skills through classes and cultural immersion. Visit the world’s most celebrated art museums in Paris and go on a quest to capture the city’s charm under the guidance of a French photographer. There is no better way to study abroad in France! Students looking at art
Study in France to improve your French language skills through classes and cultural immersion. Visit the world’s most celebrated art museums in Paris and go on a quest to capture the city’s charm under the guidance of a French photographer. There is no better way to study abroad in France!
Study in France to improve your French language skills through classes and cultural immersion. Visit the world’s most celebrated art museums in Paris and go on a quest to capture the city’s charm under the guidance of a French photographer. There is no better way to study abroad in France!
Study in France to improve your French language skills through classes and cultural immersion. Visit the world’s most celebrated art museums in Paris and go on a quest to capture the city’s charm under the guidance of a French photographer. There is no better way to study abroad in France! Students standing on the steps in front of Sacre Coeur
Study in France to improve your French language skills through classes and cultural immersion. Visit the world’s most celebrated art museums in Paris and go on a quest to capture the city’s charm under the guidance of a French photographer. There is no better way to study abroad in France! Student taking a photo of plants
Study in France to improve your French language skills through classes and cultural immersion. Visit the world’s most celebrated art museums in Paris and go on a quest to capture the city’s charm under the guidance of a French photographer. There is no better way to study abroad in France!
Study in France to improve your French language skills through classes and cultural immersion. Visit the world’s most celebrated art museums in Paris and go on a quest to capture the city’s charm under the guidance of a French photographer. There is no better way to study abroad in France! Students in front of the Eiffel Tower
My experience with The Experiment was more than anything that I could have imagined. Not only did I learn about a new culture, I met the most incredible people and had the time of my life. No matter which topic you chose, you will come home a different person!

HILDA, The Experiment alum, France

Sample Itinerary

This itinerary is only a sample and is subject to change. Because of factors such as group size and availability of in-country offerings such as festivals, your experience — including sites visited and the number of days spent in each location — may differ somewhat from the one presented below.

View Itinerary Details

Day 1-5

Orientation in Paris

  • Learn about the history and culture of France as you visit famous sites and museums throughout the city, and catch breathtaking views of the Eiffel Tower, and the Arc de Triomphe.
  • Get to know other members of your group during activities and group discussions.
  • Navigate the capital city and its famed metro as you explore diverse neighborhoods and practice your French language skills with the locals and shop clerks.
  • Sample French cuisine in street-side cafés, shop for picnic ingredients at open-air markets and boulangeries, and visit chocolate shops to sample a variety of treats and specialties.
  • With the guidance of local arts teachers, explore Paris’s many museums and art institutes that make it a treasure trove for classic pieces and modern cutting-edge modernity.
  • Walk the inspiring Parisian streets with your art teacher in pursuit of the perfect photos to capture the City of Light.

During the orientation period, you and your group will stay in a centrally located hotel.

Days 6-20

Homestay

  • Become fully immersed in the daily life of a French family and community as you share meals and family activities with your hosts.
  • Explore your host community and the surrounding area with organized outings and a tour of the city.
  • Attend French language classes in the mornings then practice what you learned in the community on outings with your teachers and with your homestay family.

During this period, you will stay in the home of a local family.

Days 22-25

Excursion in Nantes

  • Travel with your group to nearby places of interest to discover the French countryside and other picturesque local towns.
  • Explore different cities to gain fresh insight into another region and explore the nuances of local French life.

During this period, you and your group will stay in a hotel.

Day 26-27

Program Reflection and Wrap-up in Rouen

  • Enjoy a final French meal and farewell with your group.
  • Reflect with your group on your experiences during the program.
  • Final art project showcase with your group and art teacher.

During the reflection period, you and your group will stay in a centrally located hotel or hostel.

Day 28

Departure

Past Group Leader

The Experiment’s group leaders go through a rigorous selection process and have extensive experience with youth education, local expertise in the country or region of their program, language abilities, knowledge in their program theme, travel logistics and management know-how, and experience with health, safety and risk management.

Veronica Harris

Veronica Lynn Harris is a native of Washington, DC. Veronica graduated from Seton Hall University with a BSE in Health and Physical Education. In 2005, Veronica earned an MEd in Teaching specializing in Instructional Technology, and in 2017 she earned an MS in Higher Education, specializing in Integrated Studies. Since September 2000, Veronica has been a Health and Physical Education teacher at Edison High School located in Edison, New Jersey. She was the varsity boy’s Head Track & Field team coach for 10 years where she guided her program to several conference championships.

Veronica began her international traveling career as a sophomore in high school. During her junior year, she lived in Harnosand, Sweden for one year as an exchange student. Since the summer of 2002, Veronica has traveled with students and athletes to Australia, New Zealand, France Italy, Switzerland, England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Malta, Hong Kong, and China. She has also traveled to Hungary, Belgium, The Netherlands, Jamaica, Canada, Finland, Russia, and Germany. Veronica traveled with the Experiment in 2009 (Australia), 2011(Poland), 2016 (Ireland), 2022 (Switzerland), and 2023 (France). Besides her love of adventure and learning about new cultures, Veronica enjoys reading, horseback riding, and mentoring young people.

Program experts

The Experiment's programs are led by accomplished and experienced faculty and staff who typically live in the country of study. Program leaders are responsible for instructional content, classroom and field experiences, and daily program operations.

Halix Mourrier

Halix Mourrier is a graphic designer & artist, committed to queer identities. It was during a complete course in applied arts in Etienne from 2006 to 2011 that she committed to transidentities, and carried out OPÉ-TRANS, in collaboration with the association OUTrans, a project relating to the various operations feminizing and masculinizing for trans* people. In 2012, she joined the Beaux-Arts de Paris, and specialized in ceramics, installation, and performances. At the same time, Hélène responds to graphic design orders for feminist circles and collaborators and belongs to several collectives fighting for LGBTQI + people.

In 2018, she completed her course by following the Ateliers des Horizons training course at the Magasin de Grenoble. Halix now teaches graphic and editorial design, while continuing her transdisciplinary practice, and is part of the inclusive typographic research collective Bye Bye Binary. She made her first short film in 2021: HERMAN @ S (Les Adelphes).

From 2014 to 2018, Hélène worked with CEI & The Experiment to teach plastic art to young people in Paris, Arles and Aix-en-Provence. The program focused on the discovery of Impressionism and contemporary photography.