Faculty-led Program in France (Prof. Zwanziger)

LANG 2020-6A/FREN 2020: Constructing Cross-Cultural Bridges  (3 credit hours) 

France is globally known for its art, history, architecture, literature, science, philosophy, fashion, and cuisine. It holds the title of the world’s leading tourist destination and a cultural history rich in diversity. Students traveling to Paris and Nîmes will learn not only about French culture, but also about its intersection with Roman civilization. The interdisciplinary nature of the course incorporates a variety of learning experiences, including but not limited to: cultural readings, lectures, presentations, class discussions, and tours of iconic cultural and historical sites. These experiences will allow students to examine culture’s role in an individual identity and reality formation. Students will explore France through many lenses with the objective of reaching a greater understanding of its cultural, historic, and linguistic diversity, culminating in a cultural comparison between France and the U.S.

Participation in this program requires five class meetings throughout the spring semester, on per month (January through May), prior to departure. The specific dates of these meetings will be scheduled through a meeting scheduling application sent out to the entire group once the entire group has been established. The actual travel is scheduled for the summer. If you are a summer graduate, you must notify the course leader in order for coursework completion and grading to be adjusted in a timely manner for your graduation. Not doing so could result in delayed graduation, since final grades are assigned either in June or August for this program. Please contact the program's course leader for more information on coursework requirements due dates.

No prerequisites. All majors welcome. Participation in this program requires several class meetings during the Spring semester, although the course is scheduled as a Summer session course. The Study Abroad Center will enroll participants in the course. Please contact the program's course leader for more information on academic requirements.  

This course can be taken as a UNIFI requirement or elective or as a French course. If taken as FREN 2020, it may satisfy a requirement for the French 2+2 major, credits toward a French Language Teaching Endorsement, or an elective for the Interdisciplinary French Minor or Certificate in French Language Studies.

Talk to your academic advisor about how this course would work for you!

NOTES:

• Students planning to participate in the spring commencement ceremony in May can enroll in this summer term program, however, their degree will not be conferred until the end of the summer term and is contingent on the successful completion of the program and all required coursework.
• Students attending colleges and universities other than UNI are welcome to participate in this program. If you are not currently a UNI student, but would like to participate in this program, please contact the UNI Study Abroad Center prior to starting your program application.

Tentative Program Dates: Tuesday, May 20 - Sunday, June 1, 2025. (Dates do not include travel to/from destination)

Sample itinerary is subject to change.

Day 1: Depart from the U.S. the day prior on your international flight. Arrive in Paris in the morning or early afternoon. Make your way to the hotel on your own or in small groups via Paris' public transportation system. In the evening, enjoy your first taste of authentic French cuisine with a multi-course French dinner at a restaurant with the whole group. Bon appétit!

Day 2: Get acquainted with Paris, and especially the Eiffel Tower. We will stroll past the tower in the morning to board our Seine River Cruise in the late morning, which will take us past many of the famous sites of the city and give us the lay of the land. Some highlights include the Louvre Museum, the Musée d'Orsay, the Palais Bourbon, and Notre Dame Cathedral. The rest of the day will be spent in the Eiffel Tower neighborhood. Students who desire may purchase tickets to ascend to the very top, and others may choose to picnic on the lawn and admire her beauty.

Day 3: Enjoy a free morning in Paris, then travel to Nîmes in the south of France on the high speed train, which travels at speeds up to 320 km (200 miles) per hour. Once reaching Nîmes, enjoy exploring our new hometown, which feels very small compared to Paris. Find a quaint café to have dinner.

Day 4: Take a guided walking tour of Nîmes to see the Roman amphitheatre, temple, and charming town center. Following the tour, savor a two-course group lunch at a local French restaurant. Bon appétit! Enjoy a free afternoon in Nîmes as you like, now that you know the city a bit better. Choose between its museum offerings and artisan boutiques, winding streets, or peaceful parks to spend your time.

Day 5: Travel by train for a day trip to the charming city of Avignon. Take a guided tour of the majestic medieval palace where nine popes lived before the papacy returned to Rome. Then do the traditional dance on the Saint-Bénézet bridge over the Rhône River. Enjoy some strolling and café time in this lovely walled city before getting on the train back to Nîmes.

Day 6:  Enjoy a road trip in the countryside in an air conditioned minibus on the way to the nearby Pont du Gard Aqueduct. After visiting the welcome center and museum to learn about the amazing history of this breathtaking structure, this 2000 year-old Roman architectural masterpiece will serve as the backdrop for a lunchtime picnic and light hike (for volunteers only). If time allows, the minibus may make a stop for a cultural shopping experience in the region. Group dinner together in Avignon - bon appétit!

Day 7: Take the train to the second largest city in France, Marseille, which was founded by the Greeks in 600 BC. Walk from the train station to France's largest and oldest port, and find a café to enjoy lunch in small groups. Then hop aboard a two-hour cruise of the breathtakingly blue Mediterranean coast and its "calanques", gigantic rocky coves, after which we will board the train back to Nîmes.

Day 8: Enjoy a free morning, which may include resting, visiting a park, going to a museum, the market, or specialty boutiques. Be sure to eat lunch. Meet at noon to check out of the hotel to get on the high speed train back to Paris, where we will check in to our second hotel in our new neighborhood. The evening will be one of exploration of the new surroundings.

Day 9: Take the metro to the Arc de Triomphe and climb the 284 steps to the best view that Paris has to offer. Enjoy lunch and some window shopping on the Champs-Élysées, one of the most beautiful and well-known streets in the world. Then take the metro to the Latin Quarter to visit the stunning Sainte-Chapelle, a Gothic style royal chapel. Next, visit la Conciergerie, a beautiful palace that became Marie-Antoinette's prison before her execution. Finally, see the gem of all gems: Notre Dame Cathedral. After this mammoth day, a multi-course group meal is most welcomed. Bon appétit!

Day 10: Take the metro to visit the iconic Louvre Museum, where you will see the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, Winged Victory, and have your choice of paths to take in this former palace of the French royalty. After lunch in groups, we will meet on the other side of the Tuileries Gardens at the Orangerie Museum to see Monet's eight spectacular Water Lilies paintings. Remember that your museum pass is valid, so a visit to the Centre Pompidou Modern Art Museum is possible in the evening.

Day 11: Student Free Day in Paris.

Day 12: Take the metro way up to the Montmartre neighborhood. Visit the Sacré-Cœur Basilica and browse the artists' work in the Place du Tertre square. If you so desire, have your caricature drawn, your silhouette cut, or your portrait painted. This final afternoon can be used for last wishes, final souvenir gathering, strolling, or resting. One last hurrah at our last group dinner, and we shall eat well. Bon appétit!

Day 13: Make your way to the airport on their own via public transportation. Safe travels! Bon retour! 

What an experience! Fantastique!

Meet your Advisor:

Stephanie is a full time study abroad advisor who will help you throughout the application process to France, including documentation, finances, scholarships, and more. From your first steps meeting until you take off for your new adventure, Stephanie will help you every step of the way. 

Important information to review:

Study abroad is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be challenged by new experiences in new environments and cultures. UNI study abroad programs are designed to prioritize educational opportunities for students. Students are encouraged to embrace the adventure of exploring how housing, meals, and daily routines differ abroad.

Entry and Exit Requirements 

Review and follow the travel recommendations of the U.S. State Department for travel to France

Students will stay in hotel rooms arranged by the Study Abroad Center and paid for before departure. All breakfasts abroad are eaten at the hotels as a group and included in the program cost, as well as 4 lunches/dinners. They include fresh croissants and other pastries, cheeses, yogurt, fruits, fresh-pressed fruit juices, and Italian-style coffees. As a large group, students will be treated to approximately six French-style, multi-course meals in French restaurants throughout the program. For the remaining lunches and dinners, students are encouraged to try the local foods of the country in the café settings that the culture offers or by visiting open-air markets or supermarkets and picnicking in cultural settings of their own choosing.