Paris: French Then and Now

For more than a thousand years, the French language has united a people and left its imprint on the landscape. Yet despite its reputation for rules and order, French has always been defined by variation, change, and conflict. Explore how language has shaped and been shaped by history in Paris, the capital of the French-speaking world. As you increase proficiency in modern French through coursework and real-world interactions, you will also discover the why behind the language: what events influenced its grammar and how speakers continue to flex their linguistic creativity today. We will trace the physical manifestations of language from ancient Roman inscriptions and medieval manuscripts to graffiti and shop signs across Paris’ multicultural neighborhoods. We will consider intersections between art, culture, and language as we visit jaw-dropping cathedrals and museums filled with masterpieces. We will also venture further afield: to border city Strasbourg, where bilingual street signs bear witness of a contested past; to Normandy, where we’ll read the story of Joan of Arc in her own words; to the palaces of Versailles and Villers-Cotterêts, where kings decreed how a nation should speak; and to sunny Provence, where southern dialects have flourished and faltered in tension with the north. Join us for a one-of-a-kind adventure with the language, history, and people of France!

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