"I can surround myself with French students and absorb a part of the university life."

Laurie Schroeder
College: College of William and Mary
Major: Kinesiology/French minor

Students from colleges and universities all over the US enroll in the IAU's leCentre d'Avignon. Offering an innovative and interdisciplinary approach to understandingFrance in the new millennium, students find Avignon a unique and rigorous learningenvironment. Together, students and faculty use language, art, politics, and socialstudies to better understand the country they call home for a summer, semesteror year at a time.

"This experience has been a key to opening other doors."

Joseph Fiacco
College: University of Vermont
Major: Civil Environmental Engineering

Provence is known for its sunny, temperate and generally dry climate, so sunshine and outdoor activities abound. Beaches, hiking, skiing in the nearby alps, travelling to European destinations, as well as cinema and theatre, museums, lectures and concerts are just some of the possible activities for students.

Life in Avignon
Because of the language skills with which they arrive, Avignon students tend to adjust quickly and are able to integrate well with the local community. There are far fewer students than in Aix-normally between 25 and 30. As a result, there is a more cohesive familiarity felt in the group. This relatively intimate number also offers an excellent opportunity to become fluent in the French language.

The Institute for American Universities' Avignon center is housed in the XIIIth century Chapelle Saint Antoine. This graceful stone building has been renovated to accommodate the necessities of contemporary classrooms without losing a sense of the original integrity of the building.