Dijon is located approximately 300 kilometers southeast of Paris and is easily accessible from the capital via high-speed train. The principal industries in Dijon are wine and mustard making, and the city has preserved a large old quarter, which is now a pedestrian mall. A course in the economics of the European community is also available, and freshmen are required to take a special seminar with the resident director.
Students live with French families in Dijon which are selected with care by the resident director.
The homestay, in which students live, eat, and participate in French everyday life, is as important an element of the program as the academic courses. With their host families students practice their French, learn about French customs, and develop cross-cultural sensitivity. Colby in Dijon is supervised by Colby's French department. The resident director for 2001 is Guilain Denoeux, a bilingual associate professor of government who has taught at Colby since 1990. His residence, located in the center of the city, also serves as an office and is open to students on a regular basis, every day.