Lyon is one of the most attractive cities in France, creating a fresh combination of the bustle of a large, modern, European city and the simplicity of French tradition. The Presqu’île of Lyon serves as the city center with towering business buildings, blocks of busy shops, and streets lined with cafés full of Lyonnais taking their afternoon break. The charm of the city lies in your ability to escape the crowds by turning onto a quiet cobblestone street and ducking into a small bistro, where you are sure to get a chance to practice your French. Spend your weekends biking or strolling along the Rhône or Saône rivers, planning a Sunday picnic with friends, or wandering through some of the most well-preserved Renaissance architecture in the world. Choosing a homestay while you are abroad will give you the opportunity to see into the heart of French home life, culture, and cooking.

The Lyon semester and yearlong program offers an intensive language approach at at L’Université Catholique de Lyon (Lyon Catholic University, where you will be able to earn up to nine credits of French in one semester. Depending upon your language level, you will choose electives in culture, political science, cinema, economics, or literature taught specifically for USAC students. The university itself also offers the opportunity to enroll in courses with French students, taught in either English or French. You may choose to stay for one semester or a full year.

However, the academic courses are only part of the intended value of the program. Participation in a homestay, cultural events and local festivals, and program field trips also form an integral part of the program. You can spend your weekdays taking language courses, your evenings chatting over dinner with your host family, and your weekends meeting up with French friends at cultural events and social gatherings.