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
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.
The Experiment’s programs are designed to build skills that will help you succeed. In France, you will learn:
TECHNICAL SKILLS
INTERPERSONAL SKILLS
*Program fees may increase by
$500 -$1000 to account for changes
to lodging accommodations.
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.
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
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.
Orientation in Paris
During the orientation period, you and your group will stay in a centrally located hotel.
Homestay
During this period, you will stay in the home of a local family.
Excursion in Nantes
During this period, you and your group will stay in a hotel.
Program Reflection and Wrap-up in Rouen
During the reflection period, you and your group will stay in a centrally located hotel or hostel.
Departure
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 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.
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 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.
1015 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20005
PO Box 676, 1 Kipling Road Brattleboro, VT 05302
P: U.S. 1.800.345.2929 | Intl. +1.802.258.3481
F: 802.258.3427