Académie Saint Joan of Arc

Our Soul-Booster Trails are particularly designed for newly Graduates before they begin their university curriculum, and students already in their higher studies. Therefore, the ideal age range to participate is 18 to 23 years old.

From camping to abbeys or hostels, you can expect to be in the heart of the action! During your stay, you will be mostly hosted by religious communities and accommodated in dorms, or in 2-people tents when camping. Either way, boys and girls will be separated, including for shower and toilet access.

For meals, you will have the opportunity to eat like a local, which is one of the best parts of travel! Our program includes 3 meals a day, with additional snacks when the outdoor activity is more intense. As we are generally hosted, we cannot guarantee that dietary requirements can be met so please make sure you check with one of the team before you book. During cultural, sporting or leisure activities, picnic or lunch boxes will be the preferred option. If you have specific questions, please contact the team.

At Académie St Joan of Arc, we are proud to have a very caring and professional staff looking after you on the ground. Our 2 groups (boys, and girls) will be accompanied from start to finish by experienced French Instructors and Educators, all fluent in English. We will always respect the gender distribution of the staff within the groups.

Teachings will be provided by clerics from the communities hosting us, a senior theologian, philosophers, artists and former military officers, all experienced specialists in their field.

Our programs include arrival transfers, activities listed in the brochure, accommodation and all meals. The main components that are not included in the program fee and you will be responsible for acquiring yourself are: flights, insurance, visas if necessary, vaccinations, personal kit and spending money.

As part of the spiritual and human training provided by the Académie, you will have a limited usage of your mobile phone. Daily breaks and rest times will be scheduled for you to communicate with your loved ones. Outside of those slots, you will be asked to put your phone on airplane mode.

You should also let your friends and families know that you won’t have constant access to the internet while you are on your trip. Whilst Wifi is widely available in Europe, not every place you visit will have free wifi. As we take pride in exploring off the beaten track locations as part of the experience, there will definitely be times where you are out of contact so we encourage you to let loved ones know in advance times when you will be out of communication for a few days so they don’t worry. The Académie staff and project partners will always have a way of getting messages out in case of an emergency.

The program has 2 main types of activities: immersion in religious communities, for which you are asked to be modestly dressed: legs covered by non-tight clothing (no leggings), stomach, back and shoulders covered; and outdoor activities for which relevant clothing is advised: sports, smart casual, trekking.

The minimum age to join the program is 18, which is the legal majority in France. The program is open to all nationalities, with a large majority joining from the USA. It is your responsibility to ensure you meet the passport, visa and immigration requirements for France and Spain (both part of the Schengen area).If you are a North American citizen, you do not need a visa for less than 90 days.

Physically speaking, no specific condition is required, apart from the ability to walk several miles with a 5kg backpack on your shoulders. The programs are designed by experienced officers to grow your walking endurance. If you are unsure or think we need to be aware of a special medical situation, please check with us beforehand.

You need to apply to join the Summer programs before March 1st 2025, and before Sept. 1st 2025 for the Jan 2026 program.

Places are subject to availability and we therefore recommend booking as soon as possible to save any future disappointment. You need to pay a 30% deposit when you book to secure your place. As well as securing your place on the program, your deposit also secures the price and means you can start planning and getting excited about your adventure.

Your initial point of contact will usually be one of our program advisors who are well-travelled themselves and passionate about the benefits that travel brings. Their job is to provide you with all the necessary information. Once you have booked your place, you will receive detailed documents and instructions to guide you through the planning and preparation stages. Our team is always available by email or phone in case of any doubt, and they will regularly check on you to make sure you have everything you need before you go.

Yes. ASJA is committed to the highest levels of safety and security. We cannot remove risk from overseas travel altogether but by following a clear set of security and management matrix, we aim to reduce your level of risk.

Yes. We offer full financial protection for all customer money paid to us. In the unlikely event that the Académie was to become insolvent, any money you have paid towards an unused course will be returned to you. In the case of a course interruption, specific details are clearly stated in our Terms & Conditions, which you can find on this website and will also receive with all the necessary information once you apply to a program.

We are committed to exert a positive impact on the regions and communities which we visit. Local organizations we partner with will benefit from our cooperation. We achieve this working with authentic local service providers and project partners whose policies and codes of practice align with our sustainability goals.

If you have a question that wasn’t answered above, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help!