This sample schedule will vary depending on the age of villagers and session length as well as from year to year and site to site, but basic activities remain the same.
7h30 Le sauna/Les douches - Sauna and showers.
Villagers have the choice of a refreshing dip in the lake and a warm-up in the sauna, or a more traditional shower.
8h00 Le réveil - Wake up time!
8h30 Le petit déjeuner - Breakfast in our dining hall, Paris
Usually consists of le muesli and la baguette, with juice and sometimes hot chocolate. After breakfast, villagers have the chance to take an étiquette de Super Français, which they try to keep until the evening's cabin council by not speaking any English. Villagers who succeeded the previous day are awarded beads for their own étiquettes.
9h30 Les ateliers - small group activities that last 3-4 days each.
Villagers get to choose which ateliers they'd like to participate in. Some examples of popular ateliers are le foot (soccer), la faïence, le canoë (canoeing), and le batik.
10h30 Star Académie - The new hit show at Lac du Bois
Star Ac is a chance for Villagers to sing, dance, listen to the top French and Francophone hits, and meet famous celebrities.
11h00 Le nettoyage - Cleaning time!
During this time, the villagers go back to their cabins to balayer (sweep), ranger (tidy up), and vider la poubelle (empty the garbage). The cleanest cabins receive certificates from La Tornade Blanche - the White Tornado.
11h30 Les projets et cours - small language learning groups
reinforce the language themes of the day within the framework of a larger theme such as les animaux or le journal, tailored to the language level of the villageois. During this time, the four-week credit villagers have their first cours of the day.
12h30 Le déjeuner - Time for lunch à Paris.
Two-week villagers have free seating for this meal, and the credit villagers eat with each other and are graded on the French they use (Cours de Conversation).
13h45 La sieste - quiet time in the cabins.
Villagers can nap if they choose, or use the time to write letters home. Mail is also delivered at this time.
16h15 La récré-action - This activity provides a short break for two-week villagers to run and play.
This may be a large group game, several small group games, a new song, or a new dance. The name of this time period is a play on words: Récré means “recess” (like a school day recess) and action refers to the active part of this period.
16h45 Les francofolies (les projets culturels) - Cultural activities done with the projet group.
Some examples are bandes dessinées (comics), la géographie (geography), and la musique africainne (African music).
17h45 Le dîner - Dinner à Paris is with family groups, a randomly selected assortment of villagers
After dinner, prizes (beads for les étiquettes) are awarded by les monos mystérieux to villagers who've been trying especially hard to speak French. Also, the PTT is delivered - the inter-Lac du Bois mail system, through which villagers can send each other and their monos letters.
19h15 La pause
19h30 Plaisirs d'Amour - a soap opera, Lac du Bois-style.
A storyline is developed every day through short skits - in French, of course! Almost always humorous, this is one of the favorite moments during the day.
20h00 La veillée et l’ heure d'études
Every evening, an activity that further explores the cultural theme of the day is organized. Treasure hunts, capture the flag, and simulations are popular activities. Sometimes the four-week villagers participate, or sometimes they go back to Paris for a study hour
21h15 Le feu de camp
Most days end with a campfire, which is a moment to relax and, of course, sing.
21h45 Aux chalets - At this time, villagers are dismissed en cabane.
Cabins get ready for bed together, and every night winds down with a Cabin Council. Cabin Council is a time to talk about the previous day, and work through any concerns the villagers might have. The final activity of the day is a story or song from one of the many monos.
