Canoe Island French Camp was founded in 1969 by the late Dr. and Mrs. Warren Austin when they could not find a French camp on the west coast for their daughter.  First established for just a few weeks each summer on Orcas Island, the French Camp moved to the Austin's beautiful new facility on the 47-acre Canoe Island located just off the southern shore of Shaw Island.  The Austins continued to play a vital role in the camp's mission, program, finances and publicity until their deaths in 1990s. 

In 1992 the Austins established the camp as a 501(3)(c) non-profit camp and set up a modest trust to help maintain the facility in order to continue their dream of an island French camp.  Today it is run by a board of directors and led by an Executive Director and Camp Director.  

Because of their vision, today's youth have the opportunity to take part in this unique experience of living on a private island, learning about France, its language and culture while participating in all the fun of a classic Northwest summer camp.  The blend of fine arts, performing arts, language, culture, sports, and outdoor activities melds the activities of mind, body and spirit into the best of a liberal arts education. 

Canoe Island French Camp is accredited by the American Camp Association, and is a member of the Western Association of Independent Camps, which means it meets the highest standards of camp excellence.

 Why a French Camp?

A message from Canoe Island French Camp's founder, the late Dr. Warren Austin

When I was young, as World War I was ending, I used to read every book in the little lumber-town library at Cosmopolis, Washington. One of my golden discoveries was a series of "Twin" books: in each of these the author would reveal a new country to me through the eyes and adventures of a set of twins, always a boy and a girl. My favorite book was "The French Twins," (although "The Belgian Twins" was a close second). Right then and there, I decided that, outside my own country, the French, especially the children, were the most wonderful people in the world. I marveled at their courage, their fierce loyalty to their country, their charming manners, customs and traditions. And best of all, they could speak that beautiful, musical language, French! Thus began my love affair with the French.

My enthusiasm only increased as I swept across France with General Patton's Third Army, in the 49th Field Hospital, during World War II. Years later, when my daughter was ready to learn a foreign language, we could find no appropriate French school or camp in the West so, with the help of Le Lyceé Francais de Los Angeles, we created one on Canoe Island: Institut Francile, the French Camp in the San Juans.

With such a glorious setting, in the heart of the San Juans, on our own 47-acre island, and under the "umbrella" of the surrounding Olympic and Cascade mountains, our success was assured. But we wanted to be something more than a healthful outdoor camp with swimming, sailing and other appropriate activities. We wanted our campers to grow to appreciate, consciously or not, the wonders of the forest, the sky and the water - the environment - while living and growing up with other intellectually curious young people from around the world. Without being academic, we wanted them to learn to appreciate the manners, morals and traditions of their own country by comparing them (in sports, language, drama and other activities) with those of France. We wanted them to learn to be ladies and gentlemen and future leaders of their country without losing the spontaneous joy of shared outdoor living, without the artifices of a pseudo-sophisticated society. We wanted them to discover that being kind, courteous and curious was not old fashioned and out-of-date, but filled with the pleasure of discovery and maturity. We wanted them to be proud of themselves. With a French Accent!

And now, almost three decades later, we are thrilled with the results that our wonderful staffs and campers have created. These are the traditions that you are entrusted with. We hope you, too, will have great pleasure carrying on our traditions and becoming part of the fabric of this, surely one of the most wonderful and unique camps in the world. Welcome! Bienvenue!

Warren R. Austin, M.D., C.C.D

Founder: 1911 - 1999

Vision

Canoe island French Camp promotes leadership, diplomacy, learning, cultural understanding, and fun in an extraordinary, natural and beautiful environment.

Mission

To promote positive world citizens

To give kids a good camp experience

To teach French language, culture and customs

To connect people with the natural environment

To make a valued contribution to the San Juan Islands community