This course is specially designed for English-speaking students who are not yet able to take, in the French language, the « French Culture » and « Contemporary French Society » courses.
« French Culture » and « Contemporary French Society », the school’s hallmark, are the two courses at the heart of our school’s identity and approach since its founding. The courses were created because of the observation that, to truly understand the French language and people, knowledge of certain cultural references shared by all French people is essential.
This new course is designed to provide students with a comprehensive overview of French history from its origins in 52 BC to the present day, so that they can better understand contemporary French society and culture.
This course proposes an overview of cultural trends and major works of art over six different periods in French history, with a focus on their cultural relevance to the present day. The objective is to analyze cultural landmarks within French history and the history of the French people, to better understand contemporary French society, and to grasp the main cultural references shared by all French people.
Each class will be organized by historical period, exploring the history, geography, major personalities and events, art, science and society. of each period, with a presentation of major artifacts from each period (architecture, painting, sculpture, music, literature, etc) and exploring their resonance in contemporary French society. Subjects are selected based on their omnipresence in contemporary French society, so that students finish the course with knowledge of the literary and artistic works and historical events that French politicians, journalists, and authors reference today because all French people learned these shared cultural references at school between the ages of 6 and 18.
The course also explores contemporary society and politics, providing an overview of different aspects of society that have a direct influence on the daily life of residents in France: the political system, media, the educational system, religion, demographics, the welfare system, administrative organization, leisure activities, gastronomy (how to choose wine), etc.
