French Language & Culture
Sharpen your eyes and French skills in gorgeous Paris.
Everyone dreams of a trip to Paris, but how many get to actually live there like a local? Here’s your chance to enjoy an unparalleled gap year experience in one of the world’s most beautiful and culturally important cities.
There’s a reason tens of thousands of students flock to Paris to study abroad every year. Writers, artists, and composers from around the world have been drawn to this city for centuries as well. Inspiration fills the air. Spend your mornings in French class improving your language skills and your afternoons practicing your conversational skills in cafés, shops and museums. Explore the city’s village-like neighborhoods, and soak up the rich culture all around you.
Living with your welcoming homestay, you’ll converse in French, prepare, and share meals, and enjoy the everyday life of a native Parisian. When you’re not in class or at home, you’ll have your pick of things to do. Hit the literary cafés and old haunts from the days of Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Gertrude Stein. Visit priceless masterpieces at the Louvre and the Musée d’Orsay, take a sunset boat tour on the Seine, see spectacular ballet at L’Opéra Garnier. Relax in the city’s many parks, or unwind with an espresso at a café perfect for people-watching. Further afield, enjoy day trips and excursions to unforgettable destinations like Normandy, the Loire Valley, and Champagne. Make the most of this amazing opportunity!
The Take-Aways
Language Proficiency
15-20 hours per week of French language learning designed to improve real world language skills
Global Perspective
Build a strong foundation in the core components of intercultural learning. Come home with an improved sense of self and awareness of what shapes others
Certificate
Earn a Certificate of Learning in French
96%
of alumni said their language skills improved
94%
said they learned to interact with different cultural backgrounds
89%
said their level of independence increased
The Destination
Art, architecture, and history abound in one of Europe’s most culturally important cities.
Home to the Eiffel Tower, the first couture fashion house, some of the best culinary chefs in food today, and an abundance of cafés (one for every 200 inhabitants), the “City of Lights” is an amazing place to spend a gap semester or full gap year.
Famous museums hold rare treasures and draw visitors with a range of interests. The multi-level Louvre, the world’s largest and most visited museum, displays more than 35,000 pieces of art. Best known for iconic masterpieces like the Venus de Milo and Mona Lisa, it also features major galleries dedicated to Middle Eastern and Islamic art. The Musée d’Orsay, originally a train station designed for the 1900 World Fair, houses the largest collection of impressionist and post-Impressionist masterpieces in the world. The Cluny Museum, set inside the ancient Roman baths, is filled with incredible artifacts and artwork from Medieval Europe. Interested in science and technology? Head to the National Museum of Natural History and the Museum of Arts and Trades. For those with a more eclectic taste, there’s the Museum of Magic and the Catacombs of Paris.
Drink café au lait in outdoor cafés, linger in bookstores and galleries, and stroll the famous Champs-Élysées. When you make France’s capital your classroom, you open yourself to a world of educational opportunity and cultural inspiration. You could easily find so many adventures within Paris that you choose to never leave the city! But if you get the urge to explore, there are many exciting and easily accessible choices, several of them included in your CIEE program. Take a day trip to hotspots like Versailles, Mont-Saint-Michel, and Giverny. If you have more time, try Lyon, Marseille, or Alsace. Many other major cities of Western Europe are just a cheap flight away.
CIEE wants all our students to feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to succeed while studying abroad. Local CIEE staff have provided details about conditions and cultural attitudes that students with specific identities might encounter in Paris.
Program Blogs
Laissez-les vivre: A story about talking plates
The unwashed espresso cup sits next to the machine for hours. It goes through three transitions, I've noticed: white, then off-white and then finally, brown. This cup sits untouched from... keep reading
I Wrote This In The Moment
"Where's your favorite place to be?", Francis asked. [Three weeks Later] There's something fascinating about looking outside the window during long train rides. It's the thrill of expectation about a... keep reading
Sun in our hair, in our eyes, on our skin: a blissful week in the Sun
I prayed for the Sun and the Sun came. It came every single morning. It comes at 7:30 am, it's golden hue waking the city from its slumber. In the... keep reading
Sample Activities
Visit the Atelier des Lumières, a renovated foundry in Paris’ 11th arrondissement, and enjoy an immersive art experience of their current exhibit.
Discover the Montmartre neighborhood located in north Paris. Discuss with staff the area’s artistic significance. Walk the winding cobblestone streets to visit several landmarks, including the Sacre Coeur Basilica, the Place du Tertre artists’ colony, and the I Love You wall.
Learn about French pastries and taste test some of the most famous examples like éclair au chocolat or tarte au citron meringuée.
Sample Day Trips
- Take a train for a day trip to visit the royal château in Versailles in the Île-de-France region of France. When the château was built, Versailles was a small village dating from the 11th century. The grand destination is now home to a magnificent palace, garden, and Marie Antoinette’s estate.
- Visit the city of Reims in the Champagne region to learn about the local wine industry and see the church where French kings were coronated. Enjoy local delicacies while you’re there, like their famous pink rose biscuits.
Please note this list of activities is based on past programs and subject to change at CIEE's discretion to both adapt to local circumstances and participant feedback. Our goal when revising itineraries is always to enhance your experience. Every activity is designed to provide you with a deep immersion in your topic, local culture and sights. Get ready for maximum fun!
Eligibility
- Program open to recent high school graduates (no more that 1 year post-graduation) who:
- Are at least 18 years old at the time of their departure
- Are in good academic standing
- Demonstrate—through the application and interview process—flexibility and maturity.
- No previous language experience required.
- Please note Gap participants may volunteer at local organizations with prior authorization from CIEE. Gap participants however, are not authorized to take any job or seek employment during their stay.
For more information, refer to our detailed GAP essential eligibility criteria.
Dates & Fees
Fees
$50
Priority deadline discount: Apply to a fall semester or academic year by June 1 and get a $400 discount. Apply to a spring semester by October 1 and get a $400 discount. Discounts are deducted from final balance.
Program fee includes iNext travel insurance.
Additional information about insurance can be found on the FAQ page.
Program |
Application Due |
Start Date |
End Date |
Costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program Academic Year 2025 30 weeks | Start Date * | End Date * | ||
| Program Spring 2026 12 weeks | Start Date * | End Date * | ||
| Program Spring 2025 12 weeks | Application Due Deadline Passed | Start Date | End Date | Costs $18,500 |
| Program Academic Year 2024 30 weeks | Application Due Deadline Passed | Start Date | End Date | Costs $33,250 |
| Program Fall 2025 12 weeks | Start Date * | End Date * | ||
| Program Fall 2024 12 weeks | Application Due Deadline Passed | Start Date | End Date | Costs $18,500 |
*Dates for this program are provided as tentative dates. Please consult with your study abroad advisor to confirm dates before purchasing your flights.