Explorica Summer Academy - French Immersion in the Cote D'Azur

  France

• Paris: 
Paris
• Nice: 
Nice

Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks

Description: French immersion and summer teen travel for those who know how to do it right. You'll spend two weeks at the Azurlingua language school in Nice, where you'll study French with native speakers who use all the available technology -- websites and CD-roms as well as current newspapers and improvised conversation -- to make sure you get the most from the program. You'll also tour Paris, then head south for sunshine, sunflowers, and the sunny Southern personality that makes Provence a favorite vacation spot.

Highlights:
Paris guided sightseeing tour
What's that huge white arch at the end of the Champs-Elysees? The Arc de Triomphe, commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 after his victory at Austerlitz. A licensed local guide will give the goods on this, and other, Parisian landmarks. Spot chic locals (and tons of tourists) strolling the Champs-Elysees. Look up at the iron girders of the Eiffel Tower, built for the 1889 World's Fair to commemorate the centenary of the French Revolution. See Les Invalides (a refuge for war wounded), the Ecole Militaire (Napoleon's alma mater), and the Conciergerie (the prison where Marie Antoinette was kept during the French Revolution). Then head to the Ile de la Cite -- a small island in the Seine -- to see Notre Dame Cathedral. Look up at the great gray spires, grotesque gargoyles, and huge, round stained-glass windows (even more impressive than in the Disney version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame).

Provence Tour Director-led sightseeing tour
Lush lavender fields, olive groves, terra-cotta roofs, and ochre walls lit by golden sunlight...your Tour Director will guide you through the splendor that is Provence. Explore legacies of the Roman Empire like the Pont du Gard aqueduct, a sophisticated work of engineering that is intact after more than 2,000 years, and visit the Nīmes amphitheater. Built by the Romans nearly 2,000 years ago, it was once the site of gory gladiator and animal combat, and is still used today for performances and bullfights (some things never change). Also visit the medieval ruins of Baux-de-Provence.

Travel to Cote dAzur via Aix-en-Provence & Cassis
Journey to the Cote dAzur by way of the tree-shaded boulevards and carved fountains of Aix-en-Provence and Cassis, where the coast is riddled with Calanques. These deep channels, carved into the white limestone cliffs by ancient rivers, make a perfect backdrop for your cruise through the crystalline waters.

Learn French on the Cote d'Azur
Study French in the heart of Nice at the Azurlingua school. Lively, fun lessons and a building with spacious, air-conditioned classrooms, a computer room with internet access, and a large central garden provide the perfect setting for learning or improving your language skills. Students learn from degree-holding teachers, all native French speakers, in small-class settings. Six course levels cover everyone from total beginners to proficient speakers, and there are four 45-minute lessons each day with course books (included in the fee) developed by the school. Chaperones may participate in the language lessons for free. Students who study during June reside in a two- or three-star hotel, with three students per room and each room with private bathroom; breakfast and dinner are included each day. In July, students room in two- and three-bed dormitory rooms, and breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included. A full-day excursion to Monaco and Eze and a half-day excursion to Cannes, Antibes, or St. Paul de Vence are also included. Azurlingua is accredited by SOUFFLE Professional French Federation and the Council of Europe (European language framework, European Comenius program). Academic credit is available to students through Truman State University.

Cost in US$: Starting at $4338

This Program is open to American and Canadian Participants.

Participants Travel to France Independently Or in Groups

Typically Participants Work Independently Or in Groups of up to 30 students

Application Process Involves:

• Letters of Reference
• Online Application plus Application Assessment

Explorica Summer Academy's Mission Statement: Explorica Summer Academy stemmed from the idea that students should have opportunities for in-depth cultural exploration outside the classroom. So with a management team that boasts 150 years of combined industry experience, Explorica offers high-quality, road-tested tours for adventurous students and teachers. Our three-week programs let high-school students from across the country, ages 14 to 18 years old, combine international travel, study, and adventure as they learn about the world from teachers and from each other. And each three-week tour presents unique learning opportunities with accredited institutions, from French schools on the Cote d' Azur to conservation organizations in Costa Rica or South Africa.