Tours, France

2008-2009

Offered every year

The Setting
Facilities
Courses
Academic Calendar
Extracurricular Activities
Housing and Meals
Health Care
Financial Information
Resident Director
Eligibility and Application Information
Additional Program Information


The Setting
In September, fall semester and academic year students enjoy several weeks in Paris - La Ville Lumière - taking courses at the Alliance Française language institute and living in a student residence.

Toward the end of September, students move to Tours, the cultural capital of the Loire Valley. Known for its historic towns, Renaissance châteaux, and striking natural beauty, the Val de Loire has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The city of Tours boasts a rich and varied architectural heritage, with the old city – Le Vieux Tours – attracting students and visitors alike to its lively Place Plumereau. A network of regional trains connects Tours to Orléans, Chenonceaux, Amboise, and other nearby sites of interest. Paris and its attractions are fifty-five minutes away by high-speed train.

Facilities
The University of Tours - Université François Rabelais, which offers courses in literature, language, arts, and the social sciences, sits on the banks of the Loire River.  Named in modern times for François Rabelais, the university welcomes 22,000 students, many of whom come from other countries in Europe and around the world.

The Institut de Touraine founded in 1912, under the auspices of the Université François Rabelais, specializes in teaching French to foreigners.  Highly regarded for its success in language teaching, the Institut offers courses in French language, literature and civilization, including art history and French history for students on both the semester and academic year programs.  A proficiency test, upon arrival in Tours, places students in the appropriate language courses. 

Courses
Academic Year Course Options

Fall Semester Course Options

Spring Semester Course Options

All courses are transferred back to Davidson as ungraded credit for Davidson students, except for the director's course which may be taken for graded credit.  Students from other colleges and universities will receive grades for all their courses.

Academic Calendar

Academic Year Program:Departure from US: end of August
Intensive language course in Paris: month of September
Institut courses: early October - mid-December and early January - late March
Université courses: late September - late May
End of program: end of May

Fall Semester Program:
Departure from US: end of August
Intensive language course in Paris: month of September
Institut courses: early October 1 - mid-December
End of program: mid-December

Spring Semester Program:Departure from US: end of December
Institut courses: early January - late March
Spring vacation: late March - early April
Group trip: early April - late April
End of program: late April

Extracurricular Activities
In Paris, a rich cultural program proposes outings to plays, operas and other musical events plus visits to museums and to nearby marvels such as Giverny, Versailles, Vaux-le-Vicomte, and Chartres.

Students participating in the academic year and semester programs have access to the university sports facilities in Tours. Cultural opportunities include an interesting and varied selection of plays, concerts, operas, and films. Moreover, Paris is only a short train ride away.

The program arranges visits to a variety of the famous Loire Valley castles, such as Chambord, Azay-le-Rideau and Chenonceaux. In addition, extended excursions are planned to other regions of France. Typical excursions include Normandy with the Bayeux tapestry and the World War II invasions beaches, Provence and the Côte d' Azur or Brittany with its rugged coast and neolithic alignments.

Housing and Meals
In Paris, students live in a student residence where they also take their meals. In Tours, students are housed with families with breakfast and dinner provided by the family. The program provides an allowance for lunch, which students may take at student restaurants or in the many restaurants, cafés, and bistros in the city

Health Care
Tours boasts a medical school and a teaching hospital. Doctors are readily available and their fees are reasonable by American standards. Foreigners are not covered by the French national health service and the program requires that students carry their own medical insurance or be covered under their parents' medical insurance policy. 

Financial Information
While in France, most students use their U.S. bank ATM card for cash. Students open bank accounts in Tours for local banking needs. 

The program fee for the 2007-2008 academic year based on the Davidson comprehensive fee, is $40,814, covering round-trip Trans-Atlantic airfare, all expenses for the September intensive language course, tuition in Tours, excursions, plus room and board. The fall or spring semester program fee, also covering the above, is $20,407. 

Resident Director
The Resident Director oversees the work of each student and is available as adviser and counselor in matters with which students need assistance. With a group limited to no more than 25 students, the Resident Director can give personal attention to the needs and problems of each student. The Director serves as primary liaison with both the Université and the Institut. As a member of the Davidson faculty, the Resident Director exercises his/her authority and that of the Davidson administration in academic and disciplinary questions. For 2007-08 and 2008-09, the resident director is Dr. Henry Buckley.

Eligibility and Application Information
Students in good standing who attain sophomore class status as of July 1, who have at least a cumulative B- average, and who have taken the equivalent of at least three semesters of college French (completion of French 201 at Davidson) may apply.

Application forms can be found at the top right of this webpage.  Please be sure to download and complete ALL necessary documents including:

PART 1 - GENERAL APPLICATION
PART 2 - APPLICATION RECOMMENDATION FORMS
PART 3 - APPLICATION WAIVER & RELEASE FORM

For NON-DAVIDSON students ONLY:
PART 4 - APPLICATION HOME SCHOOL APPROVAL FORM 
Also, please have an OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT sent to the Davidson College Study Abroad Office.

Applications, including all supporting materials, are due in the Study Abroad Office.

Deadline:          February 1
Notification:       March 1

Additional Program Information
Davidson College reserves the right to cancel or modify part or all of this study abroad program should changing circumstances make it necessary to do so.  Davidson admits qualified students without discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, age, handicap, gender, or sexual preference.

For more information, please contact:
Study Abroad Coordinator
Duke Residence Hall
704-894-2250