France - Summer Cultural Exploration

Explore

The Summer Cultural Exploration program in Amboise, France provides students with the opportunity to study French in a friendly historic atmosphere while experiencing a taste of French culture. Students will attend language classes, experience French culture through organized weekday activities and explore France on the weekend through guided excursions. Participants will live with a host family.

Known as the Garden of France, the Loire Valley is a beautiful region famous for its cuisine, castles, and the purity of its spoken French. Amboise is located above the Loire River in the center of this region. The preferred residence of Charles VIII, Amboise is still dominated by the castle the monarch built there in the 15th Century. Only a 20-minute train ride from the busy university city of Tours, Amboise is a charming, small town with a rich history and beautiful natural setting - the ideal environment in which to study French.

Learn

Intensive French courses take place every morning, Monday through Friday, for four hours per day in a historic 19th century building in the center of Amboise. Students will be given a placement exam upon arrival and are assigned to a class of the appropriate level. A personalized, interactive approach is emphasized, and the average student-to-teacher ratio is 10:1.

Experience

AYUSA maintains a good balance between planned activities and free time throughout the program. Two to three days per week, organized activities are offered such as: lectures on topics in French history, literature, art and cinema, screenings of French films, tasting of produits régionaux, and a visit to Leonardo da Vinci's home at the Clos Lucé.

Travel

Participants will explore France through the following included and guided excursions.

• Chambord, Cheverny and Blois - Explore two of the region's famous châteaux. Chambord, the largest of the Loire castles, was built by the great Renaissance king, Francis I. The Cheverny castle was built in 1630 and has belonged to the same family for over 600 years. Visit the old town of Blois, the former "capital" of the Kingdom from the 15th through the 18th Centuries.
• Villandry and Saché - One of the last Renaissance castles to be built along the Loire, Villandry, is also known for its flower and vegetable gardens. The lovely manor of Saché was a favorite retreat of the great 19th writer Honoré de Balzac.
• Program Finale: Paris - Discover the City of Light, famous for its fashion, food and art during a three-day excursion to Paris! Walk along the Seine River, visit the Notre Dame Cathedral and explore the streets of the Latin Quarter, the center of Paris' student community for centuries. Discover some of the city's famous museums including the Louvre and the Musée D'Orsay.

Below is a sample week for the Summer Cultural Exploration program in France. The actual activities and the timing of the activities may vary.

Housing

Students stay with carefully selected host families. Homestays allow for a deeper immersion into French culture and provide invaluable personal contact with native French speakers. Adjustment to host family life and French culture will be assisted by an On-Site Coordinator. There is an 11pm curfew for this program.

Requirements

• 16–18 years old
• 2.5 GPA or higher (4.0 scale)
• Flexible and mature personality; desire to be challenged, ability to remain open-minded and tolerant of cultural differences