Private Schools: A multicultural and bilingual learning legacy

What began as a school for the children of French expats working in the oil and gas industry in Calgary is now a full-fledged bilingual independent school marking its 60th anniversary.

Lycée international de Calgary has continued to grow and evolve since the school was first established in 1966 as École Elf Aquitaine. It was constructed by and for French citizens who moved to the city to work for energy company Elf Aquitaine (now part of TotalEnergies).

Back then, not a single Canadian student was enrolled. When it was incorporated in 1982 as Lycée Louis Pasteur, it opened its doors to both Canadian citizens and French expats and began delivering the Alberta curriculum on top of France’s French curriculum.

Renamed Lycée international de Calgary in 2021, the school upholds a high standard of academic excellence, with graduates completing their studies under both the internationally recognized French Baccalaureate and the Alberta High School Diploma.

A bilingual, multicultural learning environment, Lycée Calgary supports students from preschool to Grade 12 in developing fluency and proficiency in French and English while they gain the confidence and cultural awareness to flourish as citizens of the world.

“Bilingual education is far more than language acquisition; it shapes how our students think, connect and navigate the world,” says Françoise Bougaeff, head of school since 2024.

“By learning through both French and English within an inquiry-driven environment, our students develop the agility and empathy needed to thrive anywhere, while remaining deeply rooted in our local community.”

Bougaeff acknowledges Lycée Calgary’s unique standing in Alberta, noting the “quality and portability” of its programming fills a gap in Western Canada. “No one else delivers a dual curriculum like us; you’d have to go to Ontario to find one.

“Local families discovered a strong French immersion designed as a Francophone program that didn’t exist anywhere else. Families who choose us want the bilingualism for its open-minded education — open to the world.”

The school’s evolution has included a number of key moments including its establishment as a model loop independent school (where a teacher stays with the same group of students for two or more consecutive grades), the move to its current Garrison Boulevard location in 2000 and the opening of its senior high in 2011.

In 2025, eight new classrooms and a gym for younger students were added to the school. With 482 students attending this year, the school’s enrolment has grown by 30 per cent since 2016-17. Further expansion could be on the way.

“We have an aggressive growth target of 20 per cent in our enrolment by 2030. But it comes with some space challenges in our current footprint. So, one of the big goals is to develop a master campus plan that will allow us to secure our future,” says Bougaeff.

When asked what makes Lycée Calgary special to both students and teachers, she is quick to respond.

“Our tight-knit community is definitely the DNA of Lycée Calgary,” she says of the school, which is holding an open house on Nov. 7.

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