Concordia Language Villages staff may speak a Village language, creatively teach culture, work and play hard. They also develop skills and qualities that will make them excellent employees in any field.
Les Voyageurs
French Language Village
About Les Voyageurs
Les Voyageurs takes place at our own poste on Turtle River Lake near Bemidji, Minn. There, you will take time to develop the skills needed to become a voyageur. You will find the life of a voyageur to be a busy and challenging one. Throughout the stay, you will concentrate on four main tasks of equal importance: speaking French, living in nature, building a community and studying the history of the voyageurs. While at camp, you will practice canoeing skills and learn essential camping skills, including cooking over a fire. This summer, you can choose to attend a four-week high school credit program, or a one- or two-week enrichment session. All options provide immersion in French, learning about the historic culture of the French Voyageurs and building your outdoor and leadership skills.
Prefer to stay in a cozy cabin? French Lac du Bois is your choice!
Typical Day
Get ready for the rendezvous (gathering) at French Les Voyageurs! You become a voyageur as you canoe with your tent partners, learn to pitch a tent, split logs, cook over an open fire, paddle, tip and rescue a canoe, sing songs, learn jokes in French, prepare roubabou (traditional split pea stew), identify plants and carve a spoon or make moccasins. You may also build a fire, knead bannock (quick bread), danse la Bastringue (folk dance), meet fur traders, listen to the loons, watch the sunset with your friends by fire and fall asleep on the shore of lakes carved in the Canadian shield.
The daily schedule will also include arts and crafts, recreational swimming, working on projects, singing, campfires under the stars, gathering wood, cleaning the dishes and pumping potable water.
Because an experience with Les Voyageurs is different than staying in a village we have a special packing list. Click the link to find out what to bring and not to bring for your adventure.
12 Items
Life at Les Voyageurs
Friendships That Last a Lifetime
Natural Splendor
Following the Voyageurs' Path
Jumping into the Lake!
Our Amazing Staff!
Packing for the Grand Voyage
Canoeing on our Trek
Rest Time
Capturing the Views
Sunset Lake Time
Prepping Our Canoes
Lakeside Dining
Explore the Great Outdoors
After five days at base camp, you and your brigade is ready for the "grand voyage" in Voyageurs National Park. You’ll pack up your sac étanche (waterproof bag), sac de couchage (sleeping bag) and chamallows (marshmallows) and set out along the historical route of the fur trade, traversing the southern lakes of Voyageurs.
As you engage in a one-week adventure, you’ll build and strengthen your skills in the French language while making new friends and paddling with (or against) the wind. One afternoon you’ll find yourself on the edge of two countries looking at a U.S.-Canada border marker, and the next morning you’ll be on the edge of history looking at pictographs left by early native dwellers of the land.
On the layover day you’ll be the sole guests of a parcel of forest. Later around the fire, the brigade will debrief one-another about their experiences. After two weeks as voyageurs, the castor (beaver) and aigle à tête blanche (bald eagle) will have become your friends. Back at basecamp, the last day is filled with stories, voyageurs-style competitions and a closing ceremony around the campfire.
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Les Voyageurs in Action
Practicing Fire Building
Art in the North Woods
Campsite Cooking
Fun & Games
Pumping Potable Water
Paddle Racing!
Campsite Music
Tent Setup
Tip and Rescue Simulation
Chopping Wood for the Campfire
Dishwashing on the Go
Experience Les Voyageurs
Summer 2027 Schedule
Session descriptions coming soon. Registration opens Oct. 15.
| Language | Session Type | Session Category | Ages | Start Date | End Date |
| French Voyageur | Youth | One Week | Ages 10-14 | 6/21/2027 | 6/26/2027 |
| French Voyageur | Youth Credit | Four Week | Grades 9-12 | 6/28/2027 | 7/24/2027 |
| French Voyageur | Youth | Two Week | Ages 14-18 | 6/28/2027 | 7/10/2027 |
| French Voyageur | Youth | Two Week | Ages 12-16 | 7/12/2027 | 7/24/2027 |
Upcoming Voyageurs Camps & Programs
Minimum registration fee $200 This beginners Voyageurs program is ideal for villagers ages 10-14 who are ready for a 5 night camping experience, are new to outdoor living or canoeing, or who just want a taste of the Voyageurs program, but aren’t quite ready for a longer experience in the woods with a multi-day canoe trip. All French levels are welcome! Our 1 week program provides an opportunity to live outdoors while learning about the historical French-Canadian voyageurs while acquiring skills in French. The days are filled with language learning, canoeing, camping skill development, arts and crafts, swimming, singing, hanging out with your brigade, and daily tasks like chopping wood, cooking food and doing dishes, all with gusto and joie de vivre! This session emphasizes community building, immersion in nature, and the joy of paddling through beautiful landscapes, all while speaking French. It’s an ideal introduction to the voyageur experience with a manageable physical challenge!
Registration closes May 24, 2027
Minimum registration fee $300 Our 2 week programs are our most popular, providing an opportunity to live outdoors while learning about the historical French-Canadian voyageurs who travelled the same lakes and rivers we will travel, all while acquiring skills in French. At basecamp, the days are filled with language learning, canoeing, camping skill development, arts and crafts, swimming, singing, hanging out with your brigade, and daily tasks like chopping wood, cooking food and doing dishes, all with gusto and joie de vivre! Then you’ll embark on a canoe trip that offers challenges and rewards - paddling much of each day, experiencing nature in its glory. This session is ideal for campers ages 14 - 18 who are ready to challenge themselves physically and mentally, all while learning French, living the voyageur lifestyle, making friends, and receiving support from your community. By living this outdoor life in community, villagers increase their skills in speaking and listening in French, teamwork and resilience, canoeing and camping, and gain confidence to navigate the outdoors and new situations. All French levels are welcome.
Registration closes May 31, 2027
Minimum registration fee $600 Want to gain an entire year’s worth of high school French language credit while spending four weeks canoeing and camping? In addition to language immersion and instruction, our program teaches fur trade histories and their connection to French Canadian culture today. Credit villagers will have two wilderness expeditions in Voyageurs National Park. After four weeks of working together on paddling adventures, learning français and making friends, you’ll come out more experienced, prepared and skilled in both French language and wilderness skills. This program welcomes language learners of all levels, and focuses both on written and spoken French as well as building community through camping, canoeing and leadership skills. Fully accredited by Cognia, credit programs include standardized curriculums, assessments, and transcripts to meet your local school system’s requirements. Please check with your school district in advance to ensure that credit from Cognia will be accepted if you wish to have the credit reflected on your villager’s high school transcript. High school credit sessions are designed for villagers entering grades 9 and up in Fall 2027.
Registration closes May 31, 2027
Minimum registration fee $300 Our 2-week programs are our most popular, providing an opportunity to live outdoors while learning about the historical French-Canadian voyageurs who travelled the same lakes and rivers we will travel, all while acquiring skills in French. It’s an ideal introduction to the Voyageur experience with support to meet the challenges of living immersed in nature and the French language. At basecamp, the days are filled with language learning, canoeing, camping skill development, arts and crafts, swimming, and singing. While hanging out with your brigade, you’ll learn to do daily tasks like chopping wood, cooking food and doing dishes, all with gusto and joie de vivre! Then you’ll embark on a canoe trip in Voyageurs National Park that offers the chance to apply your base camp learning. This session is ideal for campers ages 12-16 as well as those who are new to the outdoors or canoeing. This session emphasizes community building, immersion in nature, and the joy of paddling through beautiful landscapes, all while speaking French. All French levels are welcome.
Registration closes June 14, 2027
Learn About Scholarship Opportunities
Need-based scholarships are available for Les Voyageurs summer youth immersion sessions through the Passport Fund. Scholarships are based on a family’s adjusted gross income, number of dependents and the length of the session.
Additionally, the Minnesota Office of Higher Education offers a $1,000 stipend for Minnesota students who qualify for free or reduced lunch at school.
Our Location: Les Voyageurs
Turtle River Lake
The Les Voyageurs permanent base campsite is located on Turtle River Lake, just a short distance from the French Language Village, Lac du Bois. Check-in for Les Voyageurs programs is at the Lac du Bois site.
Up to four villagers share a tent and staff share tents nearby. Canoes are used for tripping and transportation of food and supplies, as well as mail. All meals are prepared by villagers and staff over an open campfire. Groups portage their tents and supplies on five- to nine-day camping excursions.
Minnesota is typical of a continental climate. The North Woods of Minnesota experiences the widest variety of weather in the United States. Although summers are generally hot and humid, it is normal to experience rain showers, thunderstorms and cool nights. Summer temperatures average 85 F but can get down to 55 F. This program lives outdoors, regardless of the weather, so come packed and prepared to handle a wide variety of temperatures and dry or wet weather.
Meet Our Team
Read more about our professional staff at Les Voyageurs, our French Voyageurs Language Village.
David Dahveed Benson
Dean
David Dahveed Benson is the French Les Voyageurs dean. Dahveed has been on staff since 1989, serving as dean since 1994, and was a villager at Lac du Bois for seven years. Dahveed is fluent in French and has studied Hausa, Swahili, Fulfulde, Yemba, Malgassy and Pidgin. Dahveed graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in French and history. He earned his master’s degree in African history from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dahveed currently lives in Bemidji, Minn., where he teaches World Geography at Bemidji Middle School, and coaches Model United Nations and Knowledge Bowl.