Courses run from late Saturday afternoon to the following Saturday morning. Most gîtes & rented houses follow the same Saturday-to-Saturday schedule.  Per course, there will be 15 hours of instruction plus many informal discussions. In addition, some  instructors  offer an evening conference for participants, their accompanying friends/relatives, & the general public. And, there will be other evening conferences.

Le séminaire commence par un dîner le samedi soir et se termine par un petit déjeuner le samedi suivant. Chaque séminaire comprend 15 heures de cours  ainsi que de nombreuses occasions de discussions hors cours. Les instructeurs et autres conférenciers offriront aux participants des conférences variées ouvertes au public.

The week begins by registering at Latitude between 4-6 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. After checking into your accommodations at Latitude or a nearby gîte or B&B, you rejoin us for dinner at 8:00 p.m. Starting Sunday, breakfast is served at Latitude daily  between 9:00 a.m.-9:30 a.m. Morning courses run from 9:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Afternoon courses run from 2:45 pm to 5:45 p.m. Dinner is normally at 8 p.m. (20h). It is earlier -- 7 p.m. -- on Conference evenings

Please note that
   (1)  On Sunday morning, participants visit the colorful Sunday morning  market in nearby Limogne.  (2)  One "morning" course runs partially in the afternoons : A Taste of Southwest France schedules visits to some local artisans/producers (e.g., the goat cheese maker; the organic gardeners who produce sorbet)  who can receive us only after lunch. Similarly, some "afternoon" classes may start earlier, particularly if there is a fa-off destination. (3)  Except on Wednesday (breakfast beverages only) and Sunday (breakfast and lunch only), course participants will be served three meals a day-- and what meals !!!   Some may be held in nearby restaurants.  Breakfast and lunches will be buffet-style, served in the converted tobacco hangar.

On Wednesday, a  free day for all participants, only coffee/tea/juice will be served in the morning. You may wish to explore the countryside with its architectural gems, fascinating places, & gastronomic specialties &/or to swim & relax at Latitude. (Most shops in the region close between noon & 2 p.m. but remain open until about 7 p.m. Restaurants serve dinner after 7:30 p.m.)

Journée libre le mercredi. Cela vous laisse ainsi  la possibilité de vous reposer à Latitude, ou bien d'explorer la campagne à l'entour, ses dolmens, ses pigeonniers, ses châteaux, ses grottes et ses peintures néolithiques et d'apprécier les spécialités gastronomiques.

For morning* participants: a typical day at Latitude..........

* For afternoon participants: Breakfast times remain the same. There's free time until lunch at 1:00 p.m. Afternoon classes typically run from 2:45 p.m. - 5:45 p.m. If you decide to explore the area, skipping either breakfast or lunch, please let Barbara know (so she won't send out the gendarmes or start phoning the hospitals!)

Les enseignants à Latitude sont hautement qualifiés avec une grande expérience professionnelle. La plupart viennent de pays d'Europe ou d'Amérique du nord. Ils peuvent aussi être experts dans un domaine spécialisé. Ils ont tous le don d'enseigner et l'aptitude de rendre leur sujet intéressant et accessible bien que spécialisé.

Courses in English or French have two prerequisites: curiosity & the ability to understand the language at least at the intermediate level. 

La plupart des professeurs sont bilingues (ou presque bilingues) en français et en anglais. Par contre, quelques experts locaux sont bilingues -- en français et en occitan -- et ne parlent pas anglais.
   

(1)  PEOPLE   If a non-participant  friend or relative accompanies you, he or she pays for lodging and meals but not the course.

Children & young adults  The Lot offers a host of activities for children & young adults. Among the most popular sports are rock climbing, cave exploring, biking, horseback riding, hiking, swimming, fishing (with a short-term license), canoeing, & kayaking. Other attractions include an open-air museum (with demonstrations of sheep-shearing, etc.) at nearby Cazals; circus training (by the day or week) about 40 minutes away in the Aveyron; Pech-Merle's cave paintings; castles (Bonaguil, an early military fortress near Fumel, is especially interesting); bateau-mouche rides on the river Lot;  an animal park near Gramat, & spectacular underground caverns at Padirac. Please note that most courses are not open to children or young adults under 16 ;  provisions should be made for their activities during those hours.

(2)  DOGS   Latitude, many gîtes -- and some hotels-- not only allow well-behaved dogs; they are dog-friendly! If you wish to bring your well-behaved dog with you from the U.S., it is fairly easy to do bureaucratically.  There is no quarantine in France. However, please note:  Since 2003, a microchip or tattoo,  proof of rabies vaccination & a vet's certificate of health, plus a special blood test confirming the strength of the rabies vaccine are required for a companion dog entering France. Note well:. This blood test must be conducted  at least 40 days before leaving the U.S.  In 2003, there was only one lab in the U.S. where this test could be done: the University of Kansas. Please check with your local vet and the French Embassy in Washington, D.C. (if you are American) or their website to doublecheck specifics. Note that U.K. regulations changed in 2000;  it is now possible to bring a dog back when certain conditions (e.g., an implanted microchip) are met. Please check specifics with the proper authorities.  Most airlines allow small dogs to travel in the cabin -- in a crate or Sherpa-type bag.. If you have a larger dog, be cautious: Travelling in the baggage compartment can be hazardous to your dog's health. Watching Latitude's late mascot, Bonkers/Bon Coeur (1986-2000) -- in his kennel -- fall from the conveyor belt (about two stories high at Paris's Orly airport ) & land wrong-side up on the ground was not as unusual as one could hope....The good news: There are excellent vets in the Lot's administrative capital, Cahors, as Latitude's present mascot, Jack la Lang-ue, might attest -- could he speak something other than "dog"; he was successfully treated for a burrowed-in foxtail in September, 2000. (Political notes: In March, 2001, Jack's vet was elected mayor of Cahors!  Less than 2 years later, however,  he was forced to resign after a local political scandal.)  A word of advice: Most vets advise against tranquilizers for animals aboard airplanes. Why? Because tranquilizers and sedatives can prevent rapid adjustment to changes in altitude or pressure-- a leading cause of animal fatalities.

(2)  LES CHIENS  Comme beaucoup de gîtes et hôtels, nous acceptons les chiens bien élevés.

(3) CATS  Sorry, we are allergic, & (we are told by a non-random sample of catpersons) they are happier chez vous.

   LES CHATS.  Hélas, nous  y sommes allergiques et, on nous l'a dit, ils sont plus heureux chez vous.