Program Directed by
Julian Hartmann-Russell
If you have questions or would like to talk further about this program, please get in touch!
Immerse yourself in French language and culture this summer as you explore villages, cities, and natural landscapes in six regions of France. During your travels, bike to village markets and interview local fishermen, make truffles with an artisan chocolatier, savor the culture and cuisine of Paris, surf in the Mediterranean, and hike to glaciers in the Alps. Spend a week living with a French host family, gaining firsthand insight into daily life and building lasting cross-cultural connections. Throughout the journey, engage in real-world conversations and hands-on experiences that deepen your understanding of French language, history, and identity.
- Program Highlights
• Visit Cézanne’s studio and discuss modernism in French
• Surf the Atlantic, swim in the Mediterranean, and hike in the Alps
• Ride a téléphérique high above Alpine peaks and glaciers
• Interview a farming family about their Breton heritage
• Surf the Atlantic, swim in the Mediterranean, and hike in the Alps
• Ride a téléphérique high above Alpine peaks and glaciers
• Interview a farming family about their Breton heritage
“I am so happy and proud of myself that I can now truly speak in French with confidence.”
—Josh H., Walt Whitman High School, Bethesda, MD
Itinerary
This itinerary represents our best projection of the group’s schedule. However, we may implement changes designed to improve the quality of the program.
Departure — Travel Day
Meet your fellow high school student travelers and one or more of your leaders in New York, and fly together to Paris, France. To learn more about how we organize travel, click here.
Brittany — 5 days
After landing in Paris, board a train to spend five days in a traditional Breton fishing village on the rural coast of Brittany. Stay in a small family-run inn on a working farm, and explore the area by bike. Warm up your speaking skills by working alongside local shop owners, market vendors, and artisans.
Paris — 4 days
Return to Paris by train and spend four days savoring the pleasures of Parisian life. Discover your favorite boulangerie, visit the world’s most renowned art collections, taste escargots at grand Art Deco brasseries once frequented by Picasso and Sartre, and cruise down the Seine River to see the city illuminated at night. Explore the neighborhoods of the Marais, Île de la Cité, and Montmartre, and visit our favorite local spots as well as renowned sites such as Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre, and the Musée d’Orsay.
Homestay in Montpellier — 8 days
Immerse yourself fully in French language and culture by spending eight days living with a local family. Both leaders will remain in the same town as students and get the group together for excursions along with their French host siblings several times during the homestay.
Provence — 3 days
Head east to Aix-en-Provence to explore this university town and take day trips throughout the region. See where van Gogh painted, visit Cézanne’s studio, and swim beneath the Pont du Gard, an ancient Roman aqueduct.
The Riviera — 3 days
Continue south to the Mediterranean coast and relax on the sunny beaches of the Riviera in the town of Saint-Raphaël. Spend your days on the glittering sea learning to sail, surf, and tube in the warm waters. Sample seafood and peruse the waterfront night markets.
The French Alps — 4 days
Journey to St Gervais Les Bains, a small town near Chamonix, surrounded by endless opportunities for outdoor adventure. Hike through wildflower fields with panoramic views of snowcapped peaks, try canyoning through glacial streams with professional guides, and ride a cable car up to the spectacular Aiguille de Midi to take in the spectacular backdrop of the Alps.
Return — Travel Day
Fly with your group and a leader from Paris to New York, then continue on to your final destination. To learn more about how we organize travel, click here.
Featured
Program Leaders
Meet some of our featured leaders. Please note that these may not be your leaders for the program.Â
Frequently Asked Questions
Review specific program questions here. For more general information, visit our full FAQ:
What are the main focuses of this program?
The goal of our French language immersion program is to improve your fluency in French by building vocabulary and confidence in speaking, while also exploring France’s culture through outdoor activities and authentic interactions with locals. Each day, program leaders hold dynamic conversational language lessons designed to help students become comfortable communicating during their time in France. Language lessons are fun, interactive, and incorporate hands-on elements such as scavenger hunts, games, and informal interviews. To learn more about our Language programs click here.
How much French experience is required for this Language program?
Two years of French language study are required for our high school Language France program.
What is the Putney Language Pledge?
Each student signs a language pledge to speak only French during the program, not only with the many local people you meet, but also with your leaders and within your group. To learn more about our Language programs click here.
How does the homestay work?
Homestays during the program are organized in Montpellier by a local coordinator who Putney has worked with for 25 years. She is well connected in the community and works to identify local host families, interviewing and vetting them to find the best fits for our students. Our host families are incredibly enthusiastic about sharing their culture, customs, and language with our students. Host families have at least one student around the same age as our Putney students and our homestay coordinator works with the family and host sibling to identify shared interests, so that she can best pair them with our Putney students. Homestays are a longtime staple of Putney’s language programs and our alumni often report that it is one of the most impactful portions of their experience and leads to measurable progress toward fluency.
What is an Independent Project?
All students on Putney programs pursue an independent project as a way to more deeply engage with aspects of local culture that are of particular interest to them—in France, you might set up an easel at Cézanne’s favorite lookout and paint a landscape in his style, create a recipe book with traditional recipes from your homestay family, or interview mountaineers preparing to climb Mont Blanc.
What is the technology and cell phone policy?
To encourage full engagement and immersion in the Putney Student Travel experience, we limit the use of cell phones and other devices on our High School programs. Students are allowed to use their phones in transit to and from the program. During in-country orientation, leaders facilitate a call home, then collect and securely store all phones for the first half of the program. At the end of this tech-free period, leaders return student phones for the second half of the program. During the tech-free portion of the program, students have the opportunity for a weekly call home according to a pre-arranged schedule. For more details, please see our FAQ.
How physically active is this program?
This is a physically active summer travel program. Students can expect to participate in hiking, biking, surfing, canyoning, and walking during their time in France. You do not need to be at peak fitness to participate, but it is important that you have a desire to be physically active, and that you are excited about trying all activities.
Does this program visit high altitudes?
Yes, this program visits one high-altitude destination. On hikes in Chamonix, the group climbs up above 9,000 feet/2,743 meters.
What are the accommodations for this program?
Our accommodations in France include hotels, mountain chalets, and homestays with trusted local families. Rooms are a mix of doubles, triples, and quads, with common spaces for meetings and socializing. Leaders reside with students for the duration of the program.
What are meals like in France?
We begin each day with a traditional French breakfast at our residence. For lunches and dinners, we complement meals at restaurants and bistros with delicious picnics and plenty of stops at cafés and boulangeries.
What type of student is most successful on this program?
Putney’s Language France program is designed for high school students (grades 9–12) who are excited about improving their French language skills through real-world cultural immersion. Successful students are curious, open-minded, and eager to step outside their comfort zone. They should be motivated to actively use French in daily life, even when it feels challenging, and willing to learn through mistakes as part of the process. Students who are ready to embrace cultural immersion, participate fully in group life, and engage with homestays and local experiences tend to gain the most from the program.
What makes France a good location for a Putney Student Travel program?
Putney’s Language France program offers full cultural and linguistic immersion in the home of one of the world’s most widely spoken and studied languages. Students are able to practice French daily in real-world settings, during homestays, market visits, and guided activities, accelerating language growth. Combined with rich history, beautiful vistas, diverse regions, and vibrant culture, France provides a deeply engaging environment for language learning and exploration.
How does the France program compare to Putney’s other Language programs?
Language France is our only high school program with a focus on in-depth French language learning. This program also emphasizes real-world practice and cultural connection, with France itself offering especially broad regional diversity and deep connections to global French language and culture.
Do students need prior experience or specific skills to join this program?
This program requires two years of French language study. Several days of this program include cycling around a small village, so some comfort on a bicycle is recommended.
What outcomes, skills, or growth can students expect to gain from this experience?
Students can expect to significantly strengthen their French language skills through daily immersion and real-world practice. They build confidence, adaptability, and communication skills by navigating new cultural and social settings. The experience also fosters independence, global awareness, and a deeper appreciation for French language and culture.
A Day in the Life: Saint-Raphaël​
Due to the traveling nature of this summer program abroad, each day is different. Here is a snapshot of a day in Saint-Raphaël on the French Mediterranean Riviera.
- Morning
8:00am
Breakfast on the terrace of our waterfront hotel, steps from the Mediterranean
9:00am
Language lesson focused on modern art
10:00am
Take an excursion to the tiny medieval village of Saint-Paul de Vence
- Afternoon
12:00pm
Shop for local specialties and picnic on the medieval fortress walls
1:00pm
Relax, enjoy some downtime, and join a game of boules in the village square
3:00pm
Head to the nearby Fondation Maeght, a tucked-away wonderland of modern art
- Evening
6:00pm
Cool off in the Mediterranean waves, and sample fresh seafood at a beachside restaurant
7:00pm
Take an evening walk along the beach and shop at the nightly market
9:00pm
Get some gelato and watch fire jugglers dance on the beach, or dance to live music
10:00pm
Meet as a group to discuss the day and upcoming schedule
“I really enjoyed living with a French family and getting to experience their daily life.”
—Zara J., Pembroke Hill School, Westwood Hills, KS
