is a country worth getting to know on a more intimate level than through brief holidays when interactions with locals are kept to a minimum and sightseeing impressions are a blur. Here are three options to consider if you're interested in taking a more educational trip – the kind that broadens your horizons and deepens your understanding of the French mystique…
Summer camp
Summer camp can be about so many fun and educational opportunities. You could ride horses in Provence, go on an adventure tour in a thorny part of the country, try a new sport, or take a
French summer camp language course in Paris, Marseille or any other city. Whatever you are looking for – whether your need to improve your tennis backhand or speak French with a less obvious accent – there is a
summer school France offers with a programme to suit you.
Work and travel
A solid option for the young and the restless is to obtain a temporary work visa (EU citizens can freely work in France) and spend a summer (or other season) working in a casual job such as grape picking, bartending, babysitting, or language teaching. Although it takes real initiative to find a job in the country of the Gauls, the experience of living and working in France is a highly character-enriching and valuable one. You can perfect your command of the language, improve your job skills and add an impressive job description to your CV – all while making some money to boot! Travelling after your work stint is always an option, too. France currently offers a working holiday visa (Permis Vacances Travail or PVT) to citizens of Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea.
Volunteering
There's an abundance of long- and short-term volunteer opportunities in France. One of the problems the country faces, particularly during the cold season, is the growing number of homeless individuals. French charity organisations are always looking for help to carry out shelter and aid programmes for the homeless.
Guide Solidarité in Paris lists homeless shelters where anyone can help. Participating in a charitable programme not only boosts the spirit but also enables you to develop ties with locals and learn the language.
