Language Immersion France

Overview

To learn French—and to enjoy it, to be comfortable in the language—there is no substitute for studying in France, a gorgeous country with a rich culture and a beautiful language. And yet, just to travel in France is not enough…language learning requires sustained effort (because learning French, really learning it, is not easy!). You must have good instruction—and lots of it. Outside of class you must have dynamic leaders who inspire you to speak and read French. And you must be ready to dive into the culture by experiencing everyday life in small towns and big cities. Overland’s Language Immersion France does all of this and more, and we do it in a small, supportive, fun-loving Overland group with two caring leaders whose goal is to give each of our students the skills and confidence to approach language learning with relaxed enthusiasm. We believe it’s the best language study abroad program you’ll find.

Language Immersion France: Three Weeks

For 8th & 9th Graders (a minimum of one year of French is required)
We’ll start with a weekend trip in the French Alps for hiking and exploration. This time in the mountains builds friendships and begins the language immersion process. Then, for three weeks, we’ll live in exciting Chamonix in the French Alps. For four hours a day and five days a week, we’ll attend language school in small classes and native-speaking teachers will provide instruction. After school, we’ll get outside and enjoy daily hikes in the spectacular mountains that tower above world-famous Chamonix. When we’re not in the classroom or on the trail, Overland’s leaders will organize activities and outings to immerse each student in the French language and culture. On our two weekends we’ll travel: first to Paris to discover the parks, neighborhoods and museums of France’s greatest city; then to the Côte d’Azur to explore Provençal villages like Saint-Paul de Vence and to enjoy swimming in the brilliant blue Mediterranean. Over the course of three weeks, our daily lessons and activities will give us the chance to strengthen language skills, and our hikes, outings and weekend travel will show us the beauty and variety of France.

Language Immersion France: Four Weeks

For 9th-12th Graders (a minimum of one year of French is required)
At the start of the program, we’ll head into the French Alps for a weekend of hiking and exploration. At the end of this orientation trip, we’ll base ourselves in exciting Chamonix for our first week and settle into a routine of morning lessons, afternoon hikes and evening language immersion activities. For our second week, we’ll travel to Paris where we’ll continue morning lessons and spend afternoons and evenings exploring the museums, parks and neighborhoods of France’s greatest city. From Paris we’ll head south to the brilliant sun and sparkling blue water of the Côte d’Azur where we’ll study every morning and play at the beach every afternoon. We’ll return to Chamonix for our fourth week of instruction and exploration. We’ll get back into the mountains for fresh air, fitness and fun as we enjoy the close friendships and camaraderie of our small Overland group. Overland’s winning combination of superlative leadership, native-speaker instruction and extensive travel gives each student plenty of opportunities to strengthen language skills while enjoying the best of France for a month of language study abroad.

Highlights

• Receive daily native-speaker language instruction
• Immerse yourself in the French language & culture
• Explore Chamonix, Paris & the Côte d’Azur
• Discover France’s art & architecture
• Experience the sights, sounds & tastes of France

Grade

Language Immersion France: Three Weeks - For students who will finish grades 8 & 9 in June 2010.

Language Immersion France: Four Weeks - For students who will finish grades 9-12 in June 2010.

Call us (800.458.0588) to check on current availability.

Challenge Level

3 (1-10, 1 is easiest)

Start and End Location

All Language Immersion France programs start and end in Geneva, Switzerland.

Families are responsible for making travel arrangements to and from the Geneva International Airport. Overland’s leaders will be on hand at the airport to provide supervision and assistance at program start and end.

Dates and Fees

LI France Three Weeks

Saturday, June 26 to Friday, July 16
Saturday, July 17 to Friday, August 6

$5595 (airfare not included)

LI France Four Weeks

Saturday, June 26 to Saturday, July 24

$6595 (airfare not included)

Itinerary

Program Start

Language Immersion France programs start at the Geneva International Airport where Overland leaders will be on-hand to meet arriving students. Once everyone has arrived, we’ll embark on a short bonding trip in the Alps. Day hikes and active on foot outings as a group will allow us to get to know one another and forge long-lasting friendships before we begin our classes in the pristine setting of Chamonix.

Language Classes

On both LI France programs, we’ll spend four hours in class every weekday with native-speaking instructors. Students will be split into classes of no more than six and will only be in class with other Overland students from their group. We'll take some short breaks during the school day and there may be some light school work outside of class a few days a week. Our time spent in the classroom with native-speaker instructors will vastly improve our language abilities and give us the the language skills we'll need to experience France and communicate outside the classroom. On the last day of class, all students will receive a certificate marking the progress they have made over the course of the program.

LI France Three Weeks will attend classes at INSTED.

LI France Four Weeks will attend classes at both INSTED and  Languages Abroad.

Afternoon Activities

After classes are over for the day, groups enjoy a picnic lunch together before setting out for their afternoon activity. These daily activities will allow us to explore the places, history and culture of France and are a perfect way to put our classroom language skills to the test. In Chamonix we might explore the beautiful mountain village, enjoy scenic hikes in the Alps or find ourselves gazing across the horizon from panoramic mountain tops. In Nice and the Côte d’Azur, we'll visit the beach, explore this exciting coastal region or play games in a local park. In Paris we'll visit famous sites like the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Louvre. At the end of our busy afternoons, we'll return to our group accommodations for dinner.

Group Accommodations & Travel

On LI France Three Weeks, we'll live in Chamonix in the French Alps for our three weeks together in France. We'll either stay in apartments or large Chalets (where rooms are separated by gender), coming together as a group for meals and activities. On our first weekend, we'll head into Paris to visit the classic sights and museums that make Paris one of the most magnificent cities in the world. Our second weekend, we'll travel to the Côte d’Azur to explore this beautiful coast and visit exciting villages like Saint-Paul de Vence. By program's end, we'll feel at home in Chamonix and have visited some of the best sights in France.

On LI France Four Weeks, we'll live and study in Chamonix, Paris and Nice, giving us the chance to explore diverse aspects of French culture: village life in the French Alps, coastal life on the Côte d’Azur and city life in the cosmopolitan capital. In each location, we'll live together in apartments or hotels, sharing our activities and meals together as group.

Program End

At program's end, we'll return to Chamonix before departing from Geneva, Switzerland. Under the starlit skies that grace the night air above the Alps, we'll celebrate our improved language skills and reflect on the wonderful French sites and culture we've experienced on LI France summer program abroad.

“Ellen had the experience of a lifetime. She made great new friends, truly advanced her French language abilities, saw important highlights around France and was extremely well-taken care of by her program leaders.” Maeve Zamsky, Darien, Connecticut

Trip Details

LANGUAGE IMMERSION - INSTRUCTION HOURS 

Language Immersion France Three Weeks

50 hours of native-speaker classroom-based instruction
30 additional hours of structured language immersion

Language Immersion France Four Weeks

65 hours of native-speaker classroom-based instruction
40 additional hours of structured language immersion

Students: Is This the Right Trip For You?

Overland offers two LI France programs, each with different language requirements:

Language Immersion France Three Weeks: Introductory / intermediate; one year of French is required.

Language Immersion France Four Weeks: Intermediate / advanced; one year of French is required.

All Language Immersion summer programs abroad require dedication to mastering a language and understanding a new culture. Although there is no language pledge, students will be expected to speak only French while in class and during approximately two hours a day of structured language immersion outside of class. Students will be encouraged to speak French amongst themselves outside of the classroom as much as possible.

Your enjoyment of this program will hinge on several factors:

1. Your motivation. Learning a language requires dedication in and out of the classroom. The amount of effort that you put into this summer program abroad will determine how much you get out of it.
2. Your open mindedness. Living abroad requires a willingness to try new things.
3. Your commitment to teamwork. Overland summer programs abroad require compromise and patience. Support your leaders and your fellow students and you’ll find that you will have a great experience.

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Prepare & Pack

Overland's Language Immersion programs offer an unbeatable combination of native-speaker instuction, activities, excursions and travel. The key to preparing for these programs is to keep it simple; this information is designed to help you do just that. Don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

Preparing for the Demands of Language Immersion

Language learning and cultural understanding require dedication, patience and hard work. Begin your preparations for a great summer now by organizing your luggage. As the summer nears, stay active and fit through sports and exercise. The more you prepare, the more you will enjoy your program. Then once your program starts, commit yourself wholeheartedly to your group and all of its activities.

Luggage

On language immersion programs we travel light —we cannot emphasize this enough.  Please bring just one duffel bag and one small day pack for weekend excursions and day hikes. The dimensions of the duffel bag should not exceed 24"L x 13"W x 11"H.   We recommend checking out duffel bags from EMS, REI and L.L. Bean as guidelines for size.  The day pack should be a regular school backpack with two shoulder straps, large enough to fit a rain coat, water and snacks.  It must be worn on both shoulders (satchels and one strap bags will not be appropriate for day hikes and weekend excursions). Use your day pack to carry essentials on the plane (but do not use this bag as additional luggage space).  Be sure to tag all items with your name, address and phone number. 

 

Packing for Your Program

Please stick to the following guidelines when packing for your program; your group will have access to laundry on a weekly basis. In many of the places we visit, it is culturally inappropriate for girls to wear short skirts, short shorts or spaghetti-strap tank tops; this clothing can bring unwanted and possibly unpleasant attention. Please pack accordingly.

*Keep in mind that the weather will be hot in Barcelona; however, it can be very cool in the Pyrenees.

Clothing

• Tennis Shoes or Sneakers. 2 pairs of comfortable shoes to wear around all day AND on day hikes.
• Sandals or Flip Flops. Casual sandals for the beach or dinners out
• Waterproof Raincoat.
• Fleece Pullover or Sweatshirt. One only.
• Comfortable Shorts, Skirts or Pants. Four; one pair of shorts and one pair of pants must be suitable for day hikes, one should be suitable for a casual restaurant.
• Shirts. Five short-sleeve shirts or tank tops. One of the short-sleeve shirts should be synthetic. One long-sleeve shirt.
• One (and only one) casual/nice outfit. We will dine at a typical Spanish restaurant once a week. Boys—one pair of khaki pants and one casual, nice shirt; Girls—one skirt or dress.
• Underwear. Seven pairs.
• Socks. Five pairs.
• Pajamas. One pair.
• Bathing Suit.

Gear & Miscellaneous

• Valid Passport. Also bring a photocopy of the inside front cover of your passport and leave another at home.
• Student ID. Current school identification (if you have one).
• French-English Dictionary. Small travel size.
• Toiletries. All travel size.
• Beach Towel. Medium size.
• Water Bottle. Any kind, to stay hydrated out in the sun.
• Hat. Optional, with visor (e.g., baseball hat).
• Sunglasses, Sunscreen (SPF 30+) & Chapstick (with SPF protection).
  
• Camera/Batteries/Memory Card
Optional. Interested in seeing your photographs or videos on Overland's website next year? Bring a camera with lots of pixels (10 or more) and lots of memory (4GB or more). Buying a new camera? One of our favorites is the Canon PowerShot SD960 IS digital camera.
• Spiral Notebook & Pen. For class and immersion activities.
• Journal. Optional.

Note: Please do not bring any type of knife or multi-tool (e.g., Swiss Army Knife, Leatherman).

We do not permit personal electronics on our programs (for example, cellphones and iPods). We do, however, allow students who fly to their program to carry a cell phone while traveling; on arrival, Overland's leaders will collect all cell phones and personal electronics for the duration of the program and return them for flights home. Perhaps, a better option would be to bring a pre-paid phone card so that the leaders do not have to carry cell phones for the duration of the program.

 

Admissions

Below is the Admissions Material packet and other information for Language & Exploration France.

Admission Material 2010

Flight & Travel Information 2010

Program Start & End Information 2010

Apply

We welcome your interest in joining Overland this summer!

To apply, please complete and sign the application on page 47 of the Overland catalog or download an application. (You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to download the application).

Please refer to page 46 of our catalog for important information you should know before signing the application.

Send your application and $795 deposit to:

Overland
P.O. Box 31
Williamstown, MA 01267

For overnight mail via UPS or FedEx, please use our street address:

Overland
63 Spring Street
Williamstown, MA 01267

Sorry, we are unable to accept applications by fax, and we do not take credit cards. Applications are reviewed in the order in which they arrive at our office and we cannot hold spots over the phone.

To learn about our admissions process, please click here.