French: Les Voyageurs
Ages 11-18
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
History comes alive as you canoe, hike and camp for one, two or four weeks. Your nametag will be a leather pouch you make yourself. You'll spend lots of time in l'eau and every night ends around le feu de camp.
Get ready for the rendezvous at French Voyageurs!
You're stronger than you think you are. You're smarter than you think you are. And you speak French a lot better than you ever thought you would! That's what former young Voyageurs tell us after following in the historical footsteps of the French-Canadian trappers and traders who explored the beautiful North Woods of Minnesota in the 1800s. Even today, nearly 200 years after the height of the beaver fur trade, many people enjoy learning about that historical time and re-enacting it in outdoor museums or re-enactment festivals.
Learn More Than French
Given the outdoor nature of the program, participants should expect to learn a great deal of French orally and through the practice of repeated tasks rather than with the support of books. But, if you’re looking for a little extra adventure with your French immersion experience, Les Voyageurs may be just the ticket. Learn wilderness camping and canoeing skills at our base camp near our permanent Language Villages on Turtle River Lake before setting off on Le Grand Voyage to explore northern Minnesota's pristine waterways along the Canadian border.
Explore the Great Outdoors
Adventure and exploration define every day as you work with your brigade mastering basic wilderness survival skills as you prepare for the upcoming Grand Voyage. Learn to pitch a tent, split logs, portage a canoe and paddle through sun and rain.
Learn About Native Cultures
One of the many things we love to do here chez les Voyageurs is eat amazing food that we cook ourselves over an open fire each day. With native foods available like wild rice and maple sugar, voyageurs in the 1800s learned to live off the land like their Anishinaabe (Ojibwe) neighbors. And since the true voyageurs made meaningful and lasting relationships with the native peoples of these Northern woods, we focus heavily on learning about how indigenous communities lived and thrived on the waters we all learn to love.
All villagers, regardless of language level or previous camping experience, grow into a tight-knit community who can accomplish anything they set their minds to! Join us! No previous camping experience necessary!
Participants will be taught and are expected to:
- Know how to swim and rescue themselves should a canoe capsize
- Be able to maneuver a canoe
- Carry equipment and handle a load up to 50 lbs/day for the week
- Canoe, cook and live outdoors in all weather, including rain
EARN HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT
If you are 14-18 years old, you can earn one year of high school credit at a four-week session. We strongly recommend that students have at least the equivalent of one to two years of high school French.
TYPICAL DAY
This schedule will vary from year to year depending on the age of villagers and session length, but basic activities remain the same.
8:00 Reveille
Villagers are awakened with a voyageur song.
8:30 Morning Activité
We begin the morning with singing and the Presentation de Repas around the Feu de Camp.
9:00 Dejeuner
Villagers enjoy a hearty breakfast every morning.
10:00 Leçon
A lesson or activity to learn about voyageur history.
10:30 Canotage
Canoeing is our most important activity in preparation for our Grand Voyage.
1:00 Diner
There's nothing like canoeing to work up that voyageur appetite!
2:00 Sieste
Zzzzz...
3:00 Leçon et Temps Libre
Afternoons are dedicated to free time, which includes activities and crafts, as well as French and wilderness skills lessons.
5:00 Preparation du cuisine
Villagers learn hands on how to prepare gourmet meals outdoors at our site.
6:00 Souper
Our meals are often typical voyageur dishes, but we also enjoy French African recipes and a variety of international cuisine.
7:00 Les Tâches
Villagers and staff keep up our wilderness site all by ourselves, and our evening chores include such tasks as chopping wood for the Feu de Camp or helping collect water from our water pump.
8:00 Activité du soir
Evening activities are special treats, such as canoeing on Turtle River Lake at sunset.
9:00 Chansons
We end the day with songs and a fun-filled campfire time.
9:30 La fin de la Journée
Bedtime.
* Une Petite Note:
Times are estimates. Because we live in the woods, we often change plans for weather or as needed! And, on our Grand Voyage, our schedule is always changing.
LEARN MORE
Visit our Village Production Pages to see pictures of past years' villagers and camp activities.
Meet our deans:
LOCATION
Base Camp, Bemidji, Minn.
Every program experiences base camp on Turtle River Lake near our other permanent Language Villages. We live in shared outfitter-quality tents and sleep on the ground in sleeping bags. We have a port-a-potty, the same kind you see at large public events. We wash in the lake or take bucket baths using biodegradable soap. Please make sure the soap you bring with you specifies that it is biodegradable.
Le Grand Voyage: Voyageurs National Park and the Boundary Waters National Canoe Area, Minnesota
At camp sites in national parks and the Boundary Waters, we can expect to have the U.S. Forest services latrines, the same kind you have seen at national parks in remote sites. On the trail, we’ll be out in the woods. In certain weather-related or other situations, we should also expect to spend some nights at a site without a latrine. In these instances we will also use the trail system.
WHAT TO PACK
When packing, bring good quality gear for all temperatures and both wet and dry weather--but don't expect it to return home with you in "like-new" condition.
Voyageur packing list (one week program)
Voyageur packing list (two- and four-week programs)
SCHOLARSHIPS
Thanks to generous donations to the Passport Fund from our supporters, scholarships are available. Apply by February 28.
clv@cord.edu
1.800.222.4750
1.800.222.4750