Housing/Homestays

To fully engage in French language, life, and cultures, students stay in Parisian homes with French-speaking hosts. Our homestays are within Paris city limits and the attached neighborhood of Boulogne (usually between 30 and 45 minutes from Reid Hall).

By the end of their time in Paris, most students consider the homestays to be one of their favorite and most effective parts the program.

In our homestays, Hamilton in France students are insiders rather than outside observers. They are able to discuss with their hosts, in French, topics from the serious to the mundane on a daily basis.

Cost Included

The cost of the homestay half-board (five dinners and all breakfasts when school is in session) is included in the program's fees. We encourage students to be flexible in their habits and take most meals with their hosts. However, students should inform HiF early in case of medical, philosophical, or religious dietary food restrictions.

Sanitary rules: Hamilton will recruit families who will adhere to all health rules imposed by Hamilton College and the French government. However, hosts will not be held responsible for students' own adherence to rules.

Students may suggest the name of a host with whom they would like to live before May 1 or November 1 prior to departure. The host must be French-speaking and adhere to HiF language pledge, live in Paris and provide demi-pension, which includes breakfast and substantial evening meals five times a week.

What to Expect

Individual room, with appropriate furniture, proper storage and lighting. Linens are provided, and students can expect one laundry a week in the home.
Students receive keys to the apartment and have access to some common rooms in the home.
Support from the host, but student independence is respected.
Demi-pension (all breakfasts and five dinners a week) when school is in session. Students are responsible for the cost of two dinners a week and all of their lunches, which they are normally expected to take outside the home.
During academic breaks (during the semester and between semesters), students have access to their room only, but are not provided meals and have no cooking facilities. The expectation is that hosts will have some private time during breaks.

Homestay Assignments

Soon after acceptance, students complete a detailed, confidential form through Via-TRM describing their living habits.

About 10-12 weeks before departure, students participate in a 20/30-minute Zoom conversation (French or English) with the Associate Director to discuss specific needs including allergies, religion, and cultural restrictions.

The program attempts to accommodate individual requests, but the directors will make the final homestay decision. Students are normally expected to remain in the same home during the entire academic semester or year.

Assignments are usually finalized by mid-June for fall and year, and by mid-November for spring semester. On rare occasions, changes in assignments may occur before a student's arrival.