Canoe Island French Camp

Summer Address:
P.O. Box 370
Canoe Island, Washington, USA 98280
Phone: 360-468-2329

Off-Season Address:
P.O. Box 370
Orcas, Washington, USA 98280
Phone: 360-468-2329
Fax: 360-468-3027

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Camp Focus:

Academic and Pre-College Camps: Languages

Adventure Camps: Kayaking

Adventure Camps: Sailing

Arts Camps: Photography and Video

Description:

At Canoe Island French Camp, live and explore your own 47-acre island. Days are filled with new friends and exciting activities, all with a French flair. With only 40 campers on the island, you can choose what sort of program you want: theatrical and artistic, athletic and adventuresome or a combination. Make a fantastic mask for the masquerade ball, bake a tarte aux pommes or crème brulée, safely rapelle down to the ocean’s edge, or kayak to an island beach.

Each session focuses on a French historical theme: During La Révolution Française, storm La Bastille, search the island for Marie-Antoinette and King Louis XVI, and sing La Marseillaise. Enter the 1800s as a French Voyageur exploring island shores by canoe, holding a potlatch, and forming your own settlement. In Les Chevaliers be a knight following clues across the island to find the Holy Grail, and use a trebuchet to attack a fortress. In Le Monde Francophone, investigate other francophone countries by trying African and Vietnamese cuisine, playing Caribbean and Cajun music, participating in Les Jeux Olympique, and a World’s Fair of culture, food, and music.

Don’t be afraid that your French speaking ability won’t be adequate or will be too good. Les débutants play games to learn French basics, while les étudiants avancés put on French plays and write fun stories and poems for l’Observateur, the camp journal that each camper takes home.

With only four campers and a counselor per tipi you will enjoy close camaraderie with your tipi mates. Counselors, from France will share their culture, food, and history with you.

Walk on the ferry at Anacortes and meet your counselor at the Orcas Island ferry dock where you will board the camp’s 27’ ferry for the 20-minute trip to Canoe Island. Or fly to SeaTac Airport near Seattle or the Lopez Island airport where camp staff will meet your flight and bring you to camp.

Certified, CPR-trained lifeguards lead all swimming and boating activities. Counselors are at least 18 and have had at least a year of college and are fluent French speakers. Our camp nurse makes sure everyone is healthy, and our gourmet chef serves delicious and nutritious food. Paramedic services and physician-staffed medical clinics are available within 15 minutes on the major, ferry-served islands, and area hospitals are 20 minutes away via medivac helicopter. Background checks are prerequisite for all staff positions.

Nestled in the “rain shadow” of the Olympic Mountains, between Shaw and Lopez islands, Canoe Island enjoys a sunny, mild climate common to the San Juan Islands. Whales, dolphins, seals, and sea birds are frequent sightings on the whale watch cruise and bald eagles, great blue herons, sea stars, anemones and river otter make their homes on the island’s shores.

Take home memories of new friends and experiences you won’t ever forget.

Camp Season: 2006-06-25 to 2006-09-04
Sessions:

Canoe Island Open House Sunday, June 21 11 am-4 pm Free Open House provides a chance for families and friends to tour the island and meet the staff. Campers attending Session 1 may stay over with full supervision and special activities until other campers arrive on Sunday. Lunch is included and the pool and tennis court are open. Information will be sent upon registration, or, if you just want to visit, contact us for Open House information.

Session 1 Les Voyageurs (3 Weeks) Sunday, June 22 to Friday July 11 Form your own colony, make fire with flint and steel, and venture to neighboring islands as you explore the traditions and travels of the French Voyageurs and Native Americans. Share gifts in a potlatch, shoot bows and arrows, do traditional arts and crafts, and cook outdoors. Take an off-island trip by kayak, canoe, sailboat, or bike while still taking part in all the traditional activities of Canoe Island French Camp.

Session 2 La Révolution Française (13 days) Sunday, July 13 to Friday, July 25 Storm the barricades (with water balloons), sing La Marseillaise, and become Louis XVI or Marie Antoinette. Or be a peasant and find out how the American Revolution helped spur their uprising and search for the royalty as they hide on the island. Celebrate Bastille Day, July 14. Fencing, theater, sports, and outdoor sports are all a part of this session.

Session 3 Le Monde Francophone (3 weeks) Sunday, July 27-Friday, August 15 ; Polynesia, Africa, the Caribbean, North America, and Asia: explore other countries where French is spoken. Participate in Olympics in your favorite sport, present your region in a World’s Fair: native foods, crafts, clothing, sports. Listen to Cajun music, try Vietnamese food, and paint your face like those in Vanuato. Canoe across the channel to Shaw Island for an afternoon of beach play.

Session 4 Les Chevaliers (12 days) Sunday, August 17-Thursday August 28 Celebrate chivalry, knights, kings, and queens from les chevaliers de la table ronde to the Middle Ages. Learn to fence, become Lancelot or Guinevere in theatrical productions, and practice archery and traditional arts and crafts. Use a trébuchet and try jousting for rings with your team. Work toward your knighthood through acts of chivalry. Experience a medieval feast.

FAMILY CAMPS Memorial Day Weekend Friday-Monday, May 23-26 Spring Family Weekend Friday-Sunday May 30-June 1 Labor Day Weekend Friday-Monday, August 29-September 1 Relax on Canoe Island with your family while exploring the natural history of the San Juan Islands and experiencing French culture and cuisine. Sailing, kayaking, swimming, tennis, exploring tide pools and campfires. French classes will be offered Spring and Labor Day Family Weekends. This is a great way for potential campers and parents to find out about activities and the camp facilities P>

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