Learning in Action: Site-Specific Academic Experiences

Each year, we ensure that the courses offered in Talloires integrate a thematic excursion to a relevant site in the region. In an effort to be true to our legacy of experiential learning, we want to provide students with the opportunity to take their learning outside the classroom and witness the real-life applications of their studies. Here are just some of the places where we have taken students over the years!

The World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland

One of the key organizations of the United Nations, the World Health Organization works toward improving the health and wellness of the world’s many peoples. Typically, students in Professor David Gute’s Emerging Global Health Crisis course visit the WHO and meet with an officer of Health and Multilateral Partnerships to get a sense of how this NGO functions and executes its programs.

The Gallo-Roman Museum in Vienne, France

Discovered in 1967 as a high school was being constructed on the site, the archaeological site at St-Romain-en-Gal is now preserved as part of the Gallo-Roman Museum in Vienne. Students in Professor Bruce Hitchner’s Roman Gaul: Gauls, Greeks, and Romans and the Shaping of French History course visit the site and the museum to witness firsthand the ruins of an artisanal and residential quarter of the Roman settlement of ancient Vienne. This site constitutes one of the largest ensembles of Gallo-Roman ruins in France.

The Annecy International Animation Film Festival in Annecy, France

Since 1960, the city of Annecy – just a few kilometers from the European Center – has played host to the International Animation Film Festival, bringing together filmmakers and film appreciators from around the globe. Film entries range from short to feature-length, and they represent creators from about 96 different countries. Students in Professor Joel Frenzer’s Animation in the Alps course get to be inspired by attending some of the activities, events, and viewings that are organized by this unique festival.

Les Charmettes in Chambéry, France

Just outside of Chambery, France is the former home of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, one of the most influential thinkers and writers of the Enlightenment. The house, which is located in a wooded hollow, served as Rousseau’s home with his mistress, Madame de Warens, beginning in 1736. It featured prominently in his work Confessions, Books V and VI, and since the 19^th century, it has been considered a symbol of his revolutionary thought. Students in The French Enlightenment: Art and Political Thought course with Professors Vickie Sullivan and Andrew McClellan will have the opportunity to visit Rousseau’s home and hopefully be inspired by the site!

Le Col des Aravis, France

Professor George Ellmore’s Flowers of the Alps provides students the opportunity to see fields of alpine wildflowers in their native settings! The course requires that students learn to identify several species of flowers and plants that are native to the Alps, all while gaining a more holistic understanding of the ecology of the region and the impact of climate change. The Col des Aravis, the mountain pass that connects the villages of La Clusaz in Haute Savoie and La Giettaz in Savoie never fails to offer students an extraordinary display of alpine flora.