You will enroll in two courses, each for one credit. Classes will be taught exclusively in French. Students must register for both courses. No pass/fail option or auditing is permitted for either course. 

Students must have at least a B average in French and be qualified to take 300 level French courses. Students may have fulfilled this requirement either through course work at the college level or through advanced placement testing.

FRENCH 345A 
Aspects of Contemporary French Culture
(CCI, CZ, FL) 1.0 Credit
Instructor: Professor Christelle Gonthier

This course is an exploration of the idea of a French “je ne sais quoi” and some of the social, cultural, and literary determinants of that perception. In order to better understand this French peculiarity, we will establish a conversation between today’s France and the eighteenth-century France through a series of texts, videos, sociological documents, as well as visits to museums and cafés. Discussion topics will include sociability, the use of language, the art of conversation, culinary trends, aesthetic norms as well as the luxury industry. In the manner of 18th century salons, this course will encourage critical analysis and an exchange of ideas. We will therefore study the art of oral and written expression in order to give students the tools to communicate with precision and ease. Course taught in French.

FRENCH 346AS 
Paris, Capital of Modernity: Visions of the City from Surrealism to the Present 
(ALP, CCI, FL) 1.0 Credit
Instructor: Prof. Anne-Gaelle Saliot

This course will investigate the representations and images of Paris in French and Francophone literature and cinema from the interwar years to the present days. During our exploration of the material and imaginary geography of Paris, we will make excursions into the interstitial spaces of the city, from the hidden arcades to the "banlieue parisienne," across its "quartiers," and through the "non-lieux" of modernity. Our "traversée de Paris" will also include films and photographs. Course taught in French.

Attendance is required at all classes, excursions, and any other planned outings.

Note: We encourage Duke in Paris students to think of themselves not as tourists, but as residents of the city. To improve both their cultural and linguistic fluency, students will sign a “language pledge” at the beginning of the program.

You will enjoy a great number of excursions during your stay. They range from museum visits to a cooking class, from a concert at the famous Philharmonie de Paris to the visit of a national newspaper. As they are an integral part to your cultural experience, attendance to all excursions is compulsory.

You will also get the chance to experience different regions of France as the program includes a 3-day excursion to Provence, and a 2-day trip to Normandy/Britany. During these weekend excursions, all participants will be staying at a hotel (double/triple/quad rooms). Breakfasts, visits and transportation are included.

All students will live with French families, an essential cultural and linguistic immersion experience that will greatly enrich their time abroad. All homes are located within Paris proper, are equipped with internet access, and are near metro lines. To help us find the homestay that best matches each participant’s needs, students will be asked to specify the degree to which they would like to interact with their host family. If, for any reason, a student feels uncomfortable or finds that the match is not quite right, the director will work to facilitate communication, mediate, and, if necessary, re-locate the student. Exact housing placements will be given to participants upon arrival.

Homestays include breakfast and a limited number of meals per week. 

Classes will be held near the centrally located Bastille (89, rue du Faubourg Saint Antoine), where students will find countless restaurants, shops and entertainment.

The program will provide a Paris transit pass to each participant, valid on bus and métro for the duration of the program.

Attendance is required at all classes, excursions, and group events. Given the intense nature of this program, late arrival and/or early departure is not permitted.

• Arrival: May 15, 2023
• Departure: June 28, 2023

Flights

You will make your own travel arrangements to and from the program site. You are expected to arrive on the arrival date cited above, which usually means departing the U.S. one day prior. Once you have a flight itinerary, log in to MyExperientialEd to update your travel registry.

Housing Before/After

You will need to make your own housing arrangements if you will be arriving before the program start date or leaving later than the program end date.