Connecting Through Academics
Two semester courses taught in modular format. These condensed courses do require diligent work, but at the same time your French studies are a lot easier when they connect you directly to daily life, activities, and culture around you.
Connecting Through Friendships
In Franceville. The Jacques Lefevre Institute owns its own center (called Domaine l’Estuaire) in Franceville -- a small town on the Normandy coast just 2 ½ hours from Paris and 20 minutes from Caen. Cafés, shops, crêperies, bakery, butcher and grocer provide many opportunities for you to connect with French people and practice your French on a daily basis. The town square and kiosk host a number of activities including concerts and open-air markets.
The Buddy Program. This is another casual but structured way for you to forge deeper connections with a French person. Our friends in Normandy volunteer to spend an hour or so a week visiting with 1-3 students over a café, crêpes, a walk on the beach or a trip into Caen. 
During your visits you will be able to apply your classroom learning while getting to know someone on a more personal level.
At the Center. Friends and neighbors often drop by for coffee or to chat, creating many opportunities for you to meet new people and to practice your French. French friends will also join us for meals and other activities as part of the Chez Vous program. You will continue to improve your language skills as you meet French people from a variety of backgrounds.
At church. You can connect with some of the few evangelical believers in our area, exercising your French once again as you fellowship in another culture.
Connecting Through Worship and Service
Service Opportunites. Three service projects provide opportunities for you to show the love of Christ by meeting needs in the local community and in one of the few evangelical churches of Lower Normandy.
French Chapel. French chapel and church involvement enable you to worship and to experience your faith in a French context and with French believers.
Connecting Through History and Culture
Excursions will also open new windows on French history and culture - letting you experience many of the most interesting places in France . . .
Paris ! With 4 days in the city of lights you can shop down the Champs-Elysées, stroll along the Seine River, relax in the Jardin du Luxembourg and sip a “café crème” in the Latin Quarter. Transportation and admission passes let you enjoy the Louvre, the Orsay Museum, Versailles, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Eiffel Tower, Sacre Coeur and much more . . .
And in the evenings, live like a real Parisian with reservations to a variety of happenings, often including special events such as . . .
* Paris Opera where you’ll enjoy a ballet or other event in the exquisite Palais Garnier
* La Comédie-Française -- one of the most famous theaters in Paris
* Le Procope -- the oldest restaurant in Paris.
* or other unique opportunities!
Also discover Paris “ indepth” through:
* A Roman Medieval Walk beginning with original Roman ruins
* A Spiritual Heritage Walk exploring key sites from the French Reformation
* And a Modern Paris Walk from the Louvre to the Arc de Triomphe along the Champs-Elysées.
And in Normandy some of the sights you will see include . . .
Mont St. Michel - Climbing to the clouds at this architectural wonder, you’ll learn about the cultural, political and spiritual dimensions of France since the 9th century.
Giverny - The beautiful home and gardens of Monet display the lifestyle and inspiration of the father of French Impressionism.
Caen - William the Conqueror -- Duke of Normandy and King of England -- made his capital in Caen. Here you will visit his castle, abbeys and tomb.
The Bayeux Tapestry - This tapestry from the Middle Ages depicts William the Conqueror’s invasion of England -- a significant part of French and English history.
Rouen - In this town where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake, you’ll be transported back in time as you walk the narrow cobble-stone streets and visit the cathedral that inspired some of Monet’s paintings.
Cheese and Cider farms - A real “taste” of Norman life that has endured for hundreds of years.
World War II Memorial Museum - This museum provides a superb overview of WWII through uniquely presented artifacts and information. You’ll get a better understanding of the historical link between France and the U.S.
D-Day Beaches - Explore the bunkers and bomb craters of Pointe du Hoc, stand on the cliffs of Arromanches, gaze on Omaha Beach and stroll quietly through the American Cemetery.
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