Québec
CANADA Program on French Language and Francophone Culture
Program Overview
Town:
Québec City (Québec province)
Dates:
July 20 – August 10, 2009
Day Trips:
Cap Tourmente, île d'Orléans, Lévis
Optional Travel Extension:
Montréal (3 days, 2 nights)
Primary Subject:
French Language Immersion
Electives:
French Conversation and Culture
Housing:
Student Residence
Level:
Grades 9-12 *minimum 3 years of French
The largest city in the Québec Province, known as the Little France of the Americas, Québec City is a must-see for anyone passionate about French culture. The Québec pre-college program immerses students in the French language and Francophone culture while living like a Québécois college student on a university campus. The program staff and faculty speak with students in French at all times and encourage those who are less-advanced to make their best effort to use their language skills. True to its focus on Québécois culture, the group will visit various historical sites and museums in order to learn more about Québec’s capital city and its unique foundations. If you have a serious interest in improving your French, being immersed in Québécois culture, and having the summer of a lifetime then apply now!
About Québec
The beautiful and unique Québec City boasts a rich heritage as a French settlement and trading hub. This French-speaking city is located along the banks of the Saint Lawrence River and is the capital of the Canadian province of Québec. Vieux Québec (Old Québec), the only fortified city on the continent north of Mexico whose walls are still intact, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. With the Castle Frontenac dominating the skyline of Québec, one can’t help but feel the magic of this fascinating city.
Whether enjoying the fine dining along the rue St. Jean, sampling the region’s maple syrup or freshly picked fruits and vegetables at the Marché Vieux Port, or taking in the fantastic view of the St. Lawrence River from the Plains of Abraham, students will be immersed in one of the most fascinating francophone cultures in the world.
Optional Travel Extension: Montréal
Montréal is the second largest French speaking city in the world after Paris and is one of the most popular destinations in North America! Largely considered to be the Culture Capital of Canada, Montréal is the perfect complement to the Québec program. Participating students will spend 3 days and 2 nights in a 3-star hotel located within walking distance of many beautiful sites and monuments. The itinerary may include visits to the Musée de Beaux Arts de Montréal and the Musée D'Archéologie. Exploring Vieux Montréal and the Quartier Latin is a favorite among our students and they spend hours sipping cafes, shopping and simply having a good time together.
Academics
Primary Subject:
All students will be enrolled in the French language course.
French Language:
The language course is three hours per day and focuses primarily on communication and daily usage. The city will be our classroom for much of the course, and the hands-on interaction makes the class not only fun, but more advantageous to learning the language! The Abbey Road Experiential Learning Method (AR-ELM) is designed to offer students an immersion experience that would be difficult to reproduce in a classroom in their home country. Students put what they learn into practice by interacting with the local community.
Elective Options:
Students will have the opportunity to enroll in the elective course. This option will be 3 days a week for 2 hours per class.
French Conversation and Culture:
You will spend extra time with Abbey Road faculty in casual settings to focus on improving you verbal proficiency and accent. Discussions will cover a wide range of subjects from French music to Quebecois culture. We will take advantage of the café scene while improving conversation skills and having fun!
Residence
You will learn what it is like to live as a college student for the ultimate pre-college experience. Students will live in a dormitory on the beautiful Laval University campus. After the daily French class, students may spend the afternoons enjoying Laval’s picturesque campus with its modern student center and one of Canada’s largest sports complexes, which includes an Olympic-size swimming pool, tennis courts, and a weight room. You will have the opportunity to interact with university students from around the globe and experience university-living first hand. All rooms are singles, and are furnished with a desk, bed, lamp, phone, and sink. The group will eat meals in the campus dining hall and will sample the local fare with the meal stipends that Abbey Road provides when we are off campus.
Daily Schedule
During the week, students being their day with the French language course. In the afternoons and evenings, students choose from a variety of social, recreational, and artistic activities based on their interests. In the past, students have gone on picnics, attended live concerts in the Grand Place, organized dances with local teens, participated in cooking workshops, visited the Palace Royal and Maison Chevalier, strolled through le Parc de la Montmorency and relaxed on the Sainte-Foy beach!
We strive to maintain a perfect balance between structured activities and free time. Consequently, in addition to planned activities with the Abbey Road group, students will have free time to pursue personal interests. While we give our students this privilege, we expect them to adhere to the program rules and safety guidelines, especially the policies on alcohol and curfew, and to uphold our standards of responsibility and maturity.
Day Trips
The students will spend their weekends exploring all that this beautiful region has to offer! Destinations will include Cap Tourmente, Île d'Orléans, and Lévis.
Now is the time to apply! There is currently availability on this program. Due to strong interest, however, we encourage serious students to apply soon.
If you would like to receive a brochure by mail, please complete the short online Preliminary Inquiry, and we will send one immediately.
If you are ready to apply now, click on the Online Application to get started.
For general questions about the application process, please visit our Application & Fees page.
If you have any special questions about the program or need assistance with the application process, please call us toll-free at (888) 462-2239. From outside the U.S call +1-310-473-7300 or email us at info@goabbeyroad.com.
