À travers les carnets, la Grèce / Greece through the sketchbooks

Le voyage d’étude en Grèce a offert à notre groupe de l’Université de Montréal une immersion rare dans les paysages et les vestiges qui ont façonné la pensée et l’esthétique du monde antique. D’Athènes au Péloponnèse, les étudiants en architecture et en histoire de l’art ont observé, exploré et surtout dessiné avec une sensibilité remarquable. Leurs carnets témoignent d’un regard attentif, curieux et profondément humain. Ce blog rassemble leurs créations, pour célébrer à la fois leur talent et la beauté intemporelle des lieux qui les ont inspirés.

The study trip to Greece offered our group from the University of Montreal a rare immersion into the landscapes and ancient sites that shaped the thought and aesthetics of the ancient world. From Athens to the Peloponnese, the architecture and art history students observed, explored, and above all sketched with remarkable sensitivity. Their sketchbooks reveal an attentive, curious, and deeply human gaze. This blog brings their creations together, celebrating both their talent and the timeless beauty of the places that inspired them.

« Bonjour! Je m’appelle Clara et je m’apprête à débuter ma dernière année au baccalauréat en histoire de l’art. »

“Hello! My name is Clara, and I’m about to begin my final year of the bachelor’s degree in art history.”

« L’hiver dernier j’ai suivi le cours ART1800 : Techniques et procédés picturaux, où j’y ai découvert un intérêt pour le dessin et l’aquarelle. De mon coup de crayon novice, je me suis donné le défi de continuer mon apprentissage en voyage en peignant et en dessinant les œuvres d’art grecques qui m’interpellaient le plus. Les étudiant.e.s en architecture m’ont été d’une aide précieuse pour aiguiser mon œil et surpasser mes préoccupations perfectionnistes. Merci a elleux! Je continue désormais à remplir mon carnet de croquis dans les grands musées parisiens. » Clara Jacquoudet étudiante au baccalauréat en Histoire de l’art à l’Université de Montréal.

“Last winter, I took the course ART1800: Techniques and Pictorial Processes, where I discovered an interest in drawing and watercolor. With my novice pencil stroke, I challenged myself to continue learning while traveling by painting and sketching the Greek artworks that resonated with me the most. The architecture students were an invaluable help in sharpening my eye and pushing me beyond my perfectionist worries. Thanks to them! I’m now continuing to fill my sketchbook in the great Parisian museums.” Clara Jacquoudet student in the Bachelor’s program in Art History at the University de Montréal.

« Je m’appelle Chaza Rafaee et je viens de terminer ma première année au baccalauréat en architecture à l’Université de Montréal. »

“My name is Chaza Rafaee, and I’ve just completed my first year of the bachelor’s degree in architecture at the University of Montreal.”

« Ce voyage en Grèce a été une expérience particulièrement marquante pour moi. Voir en personne ce que nous avions étudié en classe – incluant l’histoire de l’architecture grecque, les temples, les châteaux, les sanctuaires, les différents styles architecturaux, les textures, les matériaux ainsi que les méthodes de construction utilisées à l’époque – était réellement fascinant. J’ai également beaucoup apprécié découvrir l’histoire et le contexte propres à chaque site. La manière dont chaque lieu raconte une partie de l’histoire de l’architecture m’a permis non seulement d’enrichir mes connaissances architecturales, mais aussi de m’inspirer pleinement pour mes futurs projets. »

“This trip to Greece was a particularly meaningful experience for me. Seeing in person what we had studied in class — including the history of Greek architecture, temples, castles, sanctuaries, architectural styles, textures, materials, and the construction methods used at the time — was truly fascinating. I also greatly enjoyed learning about the history and context specific to each site. The way each place tells a part of the story of architecture allowed me not only to deepen my architectural knowledge, but also to find genuine inspiration for my future projects.”

« Durant ce voyage, réaliser des croquis a été très important pour moi. Le dessin m’a permis de capturer des détails architecturaux tout en observant les sites d’une manière différente, en prenant le temps de remarquer des éléments que l’on aperçoit parfois moins lors d’une simple visite. Pour moi, ces dessins sont à la fois des souvenirs de ce magnifique voyage et un moyen de mieux comprendre l’architecture, son histoire et les traces qu’elle laisse à travers le temps. » Chaza Rafaee étudiante au baccalauréat en architecture à l’Université de Montréal.

“During this trip, sketching was very important to me. Drawing allowed me to capture architectural details while observing the sites in a different way, taking the time to notice elements that can sometimes be overlooked during a simple visit. For me, these sketches are both memories of this wonderful journey and a way to better understand architecture, its history, and the traces it leaves through time.” Chaza Rafaee student in the Bachelor’s program in Architecture at the University de Montréal.

« Les compositions classiques suggèrent des arrangements réguliers, des proportions reconnaissables, une symétrie bilatérale, des points de vue frontaux forts, bref, une certaine rigidité dans la composition géométrique. Ces a priori pourraient être induits par les figures canoniques néoclassiques comme le Capitole de Washington et l’urbanisme entourant le National Mall jusqu’au Lincoln Memorial, ou à une autre échelle, l’articulation des villas palladiennes. »

“Classical compositions suggest regular arrangements, recognizable proportions, bilateral symmetry, strong frontal viewpoints, in short, a certain rigidity in geometric composition. These assumptions might be influenced by canonical Neoclassical figures such as the Washington Capitol and the urban layout surrounding the National Mall up to the Lincoln Memorial, or, on another scale, the articulation of Palladian villas.”

« Alors en visitant les sites séculiers et sacrés grecs, j’aurais cru y apercevoir des systèmes orthogonaux stricts, des grilles de mesures et des modules normalisés et peu de place à l’accident. Après tout, la Grèce antique demeure réputée pour son développement des arts, des sciences, des mathématiques, de la géométrie, de la juste mesure. C’est ce que suggère d’ailleurs le terme « classique » : un juste milieu des qualités, caractéristique d’une référence incontournable servant de modèle. »

“So, when visiting Greek secular and sacred sites, I expected to find strict orthogonal systems, measurement grids, standardized modules, and little room for accident. After all, ancient Greece remains renowned for its development of the arts, sciences, mathematics, geometry, and the pursuit of precise measure. This is, after all, what the term “classical” suggests: a balanced set of qualities, characteristic of an essential reference serving as a model.”

« Or, bien que j’aie pu observer fondamentalement un langage visuel et formel ubiquitaire, riche et sophistiqué, la planification des sites semblait pour le moins arbitraire : les décalements des bâtiments, les arrêts et détours dans les parcours et les changements d’angles et de plans se multiplient ; l’implantation acquiert des caractéristiques semblables à un développement organique, spontané, et surtout, pittoresque. »

“Yet, although I did observe a fundamentally ubiquitous, rich, and sophisticated visual and formal language, the planning of the sites seemed rather arbitrary: building offsets, pauses and detours along pathways, shifts in angles and planes multiplied; the layout took on characteristics akin to organic, spontaneous, and above all picturesque development.”

« À la première année du bac d’architecture, nous sommes encouragés à analyser l’espace grâce au croquis. Armé de mon carnet et de crayons, je tentais de comprendre l’implantation, la relation entre les bâtiments et l’expression formelle générale des lieux. Par le relevé au pas, par la promenade, par de longs moments méditatifs, j’ai voulu saisir l’esprit du site et réfléchir aux règles de composition sous-jacentes régissant le déploiement des systèmes : c’est la nature des études de cas plus techniques. D’autres fois, paralysé par le sublime ou simplement ennuyé pendant dix minutes d’attente de l’autobus, je sortais mon carnet et ma plume pour composer un sketch rapide. »

“In the first year of architecture school, we are encouraged to analyze space through sketching. Armed with my notebook and pencils, I tried to understand the site layout, the relationship between buildings, and the general formal expression of the places. Through pacing measurements, walking, and long meditative moments, I sought to grasp the spirit of the site and reflect on the underlying compositional rules governing the deployment of its systems: this is the nature of more technical case studies. Other times, paralyzed by the sublime or simply bored while waiting ten minutes for the bus, I would pull out my notebook and pen to compose a quick sketch.”

« De nos jours, la pratique de la photographie reste plus accessible que jamais, et c’est une chance fantastique. Alors quelle est la place du croquis? L’intérêt reste qu’il encourage au plus long moment de pause. Il nécessite une certaine concentration et une meilleure observation des détails de la Nature de chaque chose ; l’apprentissage s’intègre finalement de façon durable. »

“Today, photography is more accessible than ever, and that is a fantastic opportunity. So what place does sketching still hold? Its value lies in the longer pause it encourages. It requires a certain concentration and a sharper observation of the details and the Nature of each thing; the learning ultimately becomes deeply integrated.”

« Deux mois plus tard, au moment où j’écris ce texte, mes croquis me rapportent à des moments précis du voyage, à des souvenirs vivides dans mon esprit : parfois à des logiques architectoniques uniques, parfois simplement à des moments heureux avec un groupe de voyageurs étudiants/enseignements fantastiques. » Émile Goyer étudiant au baccalauréat en Architecture à l’Université de Montréal.

“Two months later, as I write this text, my sketches bring me back to precise moments of the trip, to vivid memories in my mind: sometimes to unique architectonic logics, sometimes simply to happy moments shared with a group of wonderful student travelers and teachers.” Émile Goyer student in the Bachelor’s program in Architecture at the University de Montréal.

The Anglophone Summer School 2026

From May 17 to June 6, 2026, the Canadian Institute in Greece welcomed 22 students from universities across Canada for its annual Anglophone Summer School. Combining lectures with visits to archaeological sites and museums, the program offered participants the opportunity to experience firsthand the monuments and landscapes they had previously encountered only in textbooks. The first and third weeks of the course combined lectures at the Canadian Institute with guided visits to major archaeological sites and museums of Athens and Attica. The second week was dedicated to a field trip across the Peloponnese, allowing students to explore key archaeological monuments firsthand. Throughout three weeks of travel across Attica and the Peloponnese, classroom discussions came to life as students explored the monuments, museums, and cultural heritage that have shaped the history of Greece.

The program started on May 17 with a welcome dinner, giving students the opportunity to meet one another before embarking on their journey through Greece. Lectures began the following morning at the Canadian Institute, introducing many of the themes that would accompany the group throughout the program. During the first week, morning lectures explored topics including Bronze Age Greece, the Acropolis, the topography of ancient Athens, and Greek pottery and sculpture. Each afternoon, students stepped beyond the classroom to experience these subjects in the places where history unfolded. 

The first excursion took the group to the summit of Mount Lycabettus, where panoramic views provided an introduction to the topography of Athens. Over the following days, students visited the Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum, admiring, among other monuments, the Parthenon and the Erechtheion, while considering their architectural, historical, and cultural significance. Visits to the Classical and Roman Agoras offered insight into the civic, political, and commercial heart of the ancient city, while the National Archaeological Museum provided the opportunity to examine masterpieces spanning thousands of years of Greek history. A day trip to the island of Aegina concluded the week, where students explored the Temple of Aphaia before enjoying free time by the sea, followed by a free day to discover Athens. 

On May 25, the group departed for the Peloponnese, where the program shifted from lectures to an intensive week of visits across some of Greece’s most important archaeological sites. The journey started at the Sanctuary of Demeter at Eleusis before crossing the Corinth Canal to visit Acrocorinth and Ancient Corinth, whose Temple of Apollo remains one of the city’s most recognizable monuments. 

The following day students immersed themselves in the world of the Mycenaeans through visits to the Late Bronze Age citadels at Mycenae and Tiryns. Entering the tomb of Atreus, walking through the Lion Gate, exploring the palatial remains, and standing beneath the Cyclopean fortifications brought Bronze Age Greece vividly to life. The day concluded with an exploration of Nafplio’s old town and a visit to the medieval Palamidi Fortress, adding another chapter to the region’s long and fascinating history. 

The journey continued to Epidaurus, where students explored the Sanctuary of Asklepios, one of the most important healing centres of the ancient Greek world, and tested the remarkable acoustics of its theatre, which continues to host performances today. At ancient Nemea, they visited the sanctuary of Zeus and its museum before learning about the region’s long-standing wine-making tradition while enjoying a tasting of local wines at the Bairaktaris Winery. 

Travelling south, the Summer School visited the Archaeological Museum of Sparta before exploring the medieval city of Mystras, with its many churches, Frankish castle, and the recently restored Palace of the Despots. The day concluded with a free afternoon in the city of Kalamata.

The following two days focused on Messenia, beginning with a visit to Ancient Messene, where students explored one of Greece’s best-preserved ancient cities including its Theatre, Stadium, Agora, and Asklepieion.  The trip continued to the west coast of Messenia, where the group visited the Castle of Pylos and its museums, which display material from important archaeological sites in the region as well as underwater discoveries from across Greece. Students also learned about the Battle of Navarino, a decisive event in the Greek War of Independence. The visit to the archaeological site of the Palace of Nestor, the best-preserved Mycenaean palace, was followed by a stop at the impressive medieval fortress of Methoni, and well-deserved time at the beach in front of the fortress. The next day the group continued north to Ancient Olympia, birthplace of the Olympic Games, where students explored the sanctuary of Zeus and practiced running at the ancient stadium. 

The final week began with the journey across the Rio-Antirio bridge to visit the Panhellenic Sanctuary at Delphi, at the foot of Mount Parnassus, home to the famous Oracle of Delphi, whose pronouncements influenced political and religious decisions throughout the ancient Greek world. The spectacular mountain landscape provided a dramatic setting for one of the most important sanctuaries of the ancient Greek world. A stop at the fortress of Eleutherai brought the group back to Athens, and the next day students presented the results of their on-site projects and reflected on their experiences of sites visited along the trip. The final trip took students to the Sanctuary of Artemis at Brauron and the Sanctuary of Poseidon at Cape Sounion. 

The Summer School concluded with a farewell dinner in the picturesque neighbourhood of Anafiotika in Plaka. After three weeks of shared discoveries, lively discussions, long bus rides, and unforgettable archaeological sites, students said goodbye carrying not only a deeper understanding of Greece’s past, but also friendships and memories that will remain long after the journey home.

Reflecting on the Summer School, many students emphasized that the program offered far more than the opportunity to visit famous archaeological sites:

"The trip was absolutely amazing! It was surreal to see all the ancient sites I've been learning about in class for years and walk the same paths as the Ancient Greeks. The bus trips through the countryside were lovely, the food was delicious, and swimming in the Mediterranean was fantastic. I also made really great friendships with people I would never have met otherwise. I am so glad I went!"

Another student reflected on the diversity of experiences the Summer School offered:

"Overall, my experience on this trip has been amazing! I tried new foods, tasted local wines, met new people who I now consider friends, and saw places I never thought I would get to experience in person. One of my favourite stops was the island of Aegina, with its beautiful landscape and the impressive Temple of Aphaia and Sanctuary of Apollo."

La découverte du monde égéen antique : L’école d’été 2026 des Cyclades et de la Crète, Partie 2 / The Discovery of the ancient Aegean : The 2026 Cyclades and Crete Summer School, Part 2

Par / by Marianne Locas-Ouimet

Du 10 au 29 mai, les étudiants ont voyagé entre Athènes, les îles des Cyclades et la Crète afin d’étudier l’histoire et l’archéologie de la Grèce antique.

From the 10th to 29th of May, the students traveled from Athens into the Cycladic Islands and then to Crete, in order to study ancient Greek history and archeology.

Après la découverte d’Athènes, de Paros et de Délos, le groupe de l’école d’été du circuit Cyclades et Crète a poursuivi sa route vers Santorini.

After discovering Athens, Paros and Delos, the Cyclades and Crete Summer School  continued towards Santorini.

Dès notre arrivée, la route en épingle qui grimpe au sommet de la falaise nous a offert une vue à couper le souffle (pour celles qui ont eu le courage de regarder !). Cette visite a été l’occasion d’admirer cette île magnifique, emblématique des Cyclades, et de plonger dans la civilisation de l’Âge du Bronze grâce à la découverte d’Akrotiri, site jadis enseveli sous les cendres d’un volcan. Certains ont profité de leur temps libre pour contempler la vue sur la caldeira, d’autres ont sillonné les ruelles étroites, tandis que d’autres encore ont visité l’exposition sur l’histoire des femmes dans l’Antiquité au musée archéologique de Fira. Coup de cœur pour les fresques vivantes et colorées du musée préhistorique de la capitale !

As soon as we arrived, the winding road climbing to the top of the cliff offered us a breathtaking view (for those who dared to look!). This visit gave us the chance to admire this magnificent island, an emblem of the Cyclades, and to immerse ourselves in Bronze Age civilization through the discovery of Akrotiri, a site once buried beneath volcanic ash. Some took advantage of their free time to enjoy the view over the caldera, others wandered through the narrow streets, while still others visited the exhibition on the history of women in Antiquity at the archaeological museum of Fira. A special favorite was the vivid and colorful frescoes in the prehistoric museum of the capital!

Par / by Kadeeja El Barkouki

Après une traversée sur une mer houleuse (où nous avons dû défendre ardemment nos sièges sur le bateau !), nous sommes finalement arrivés à destination : la Crète!

After a crossing a rough sea (during which we had to fiercely defend our seats on the boat!), we finally arrived at our final destination: Crete!

Par / by Sonia Thibeault

Notre dernière semaine de voyage a amené les étudiants à parcourir l’île de Minos du nord au sud et d’est en ouest : des montagnes aux gorges d’Imbros, des musées incontournables comme celui d’Héraklion aux trésors de petits musées jalonnant la magnifique route de la Messara, de l’Antiquité minoenne aux monastères byzantins, des palais grandioses comme Phaistos aux sites prisés des férus d’archéologie comme Gournia, sans oublier les plages et les eaux cristallines de Matala.

During the final week of our journey, the students explored the island of Minos from north to south and from east to west: from the mountains to the Imbros Gorge; from must-see museums such as the Heraklion Museum to the treasures of the small museums scattered along the magnificent Messara route; from Minoan antiquity to Byzantine monasteries; from the grand palaces of Phaistos to archaeological gems beloved by enthusiasts such as Gournia; and, of course, the beaches and crystal-clear waters of Matala.

Par / by Sonia Thibeault

Les coups de cœur ont certainement été le site archéologique de Knossos, dont les reconstitutions d’Evans ont au moins le mérite de faire revivre la monumentalité des centres de pouvoir minoens, les grottes de Sfendoni, où nous avons admiré chauves-souris et stalactites, les kilomètres de marche dans les gorges d’Imbros, ainsi que la charmante ville de Chania, dernière étape de notre périple crétois.

The highlights were certainly the archaeological site of Knossos, whose reconstructions by Arthur Evans succeeded in bringing back to life the grandeur of the Minoan centers of power; the Sfendoni Cave, where we admired bats and stalactites; the many kilometers of hiking through the Imbros Gorge; and the charming city of Chania, the final stop on our Cretan journey.

Par / by Élizabeth Fortier

Après une dernière nuit en mer, nous avons profité d’une ultime journée libre à Athènes avant de nous retrouver pour une soirée de clôture à l’Institut canadien, le temps d’un bilan, puis de festoyer dans une taverna traditionnelle pour les derniers au revoir !

After one final night at sea, we enjoyed a last free day in Athens before gathering for a closing evening at the Canadian Institute—a time to reflect on the trip and take stock of our experiences—followed by a celebration in a traditional taverna for our final goodbyes!

Par / by Kadeeja El Barkouki

Ce magnifique voyage a été riche en découvertes, en exploration de l’histoire et en amitiés pour cette superbe cohorte 2026 !

This wonderful journey was filled with discoveries, exploration of history, and friendships for this outstanding Class of 2026!

 

Par / by Roxane Dansokho & Lena Bach