Educational Tours

Discover France10 days | Summer 2019

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Educational Tours

Discover France

Round-trip flights on major carriers; full-time Tour Director;weShare, EF’s personalized learning experience; hotelswith private bathrooms; breakfast and dinner daily

Sightseeing: Paris; Versailles; St. Malo

Entrances: Notre Dame Cathedral; Louvre; Sacré Coeur; Museed'Orsay; Seine cruise; Tour Montparnasse; Reims Cathedral;Versailles Palace and gardens; Normandy cheese factory; CaenMemorial; American Cemetery at Colleville; Normandy beaches;Pointe du Hoc; Mont Saint Michel Abbey; St. Vincent Cathedral;Chartres Cathedral

Overnight stays:Paris (4)Normandy region (2)St. Malo (1)Paris (1)

Your itineraryDay 1: Fly overnight to Paris

Board your overnight flight to Paris!

Day 2: Paris

Arrive in ParisWelcome to Paris, cosmopolitan City of Light. Over the centuries,Paris has grown to become the undisputed center of France, and oneof the world's most important cities both culturally and politically.Equally famed for its high fashion, awe-inspiring museums andelegant cuisine, Paris has also been a center of theater, literature andphilosophy throughout the ages.

Walking tour of ParisJoin our walking tour of the chic Opéra district and the haute coutureboutiques of Rue du Faubourg St. Honoré. Stroll through Place de laConcorde, the city's largest public square, built to honor Louis XV.The next Louis was not so lucky--he was beheaded here during theRevolution, along with Marie Antoinette. Continue through thegeometric gardens of the Tuileries as you make your way to PlaceVendôme, a vast square wrapped in 17th-century façades. Pass theRitz hotel at no. 15, a favorite haunt of Ernest Hemingway. (The exactwalking route may vary depending on your hotel location and otheractivities.)

Visit Notre Dame CathedralBuilt between 1163 and 1361 over the remains of an ancient Romantemple, it was here that Napoleon crowned himself emperor in 1804.Victor Hugo once described the sculptured façade of Notre Dame as“a vast symphony in stone.” However, had it not been for the creationof his famous hunchback, Quasimodo, the cathedral might neverhave returned to its former glory. Hugo's novel The Hunchback ofNotre Dame helped inspire a 23-year restoration of the cathedral thatbegan in 1841. Step inside to admire the stained-glass rose windowand seemingly weightless vaulted ceilings.

Day 3: Paris

Guided sightseeing of ParisDiscover the city on the Seine during your bus tour. Learn aboutParis' origins as a Roman settlement as you pass through the Île de laCité, where you will also see Notre Dame Cathedral. Pass by theimposing Arc de Triomphe, and the Place de la Concorde, dedicatedto King Louis XV and the site where Louis XVI and Marie Antoinettewere executed during the French Revolution. Continue down theelegant Champs-Elysées to the École Militaire, where a promisingyoung Napoleon launched his rise to power. Then, head through theLatin Quarter where you will see the world-renowned SorbonneUniversity. Drive along the Seine for wonderful views of the MuséeD'Orsay, the Louvre, and the Pont de Neuf, or “new bridge,” which isironically Paris' oldest. Finally, make a photo stop at the iconic EiffelTower, built for the 1889 World's Fair. Learn why this impressive, yetcontroversial symbol of Paris was spared the wrecking ball in 1909.

Visit the Louvre MuseumThe Palais du Louvre, built to defend the city in the 13th century, nowsafeguards one of the world's greatest art collections. Enter themuseum through world-renowned architect I.M. Pei's 1989 modernistglass pyramid. Inside, discover priceless antiquities from Egypt,Greece, Italy and Asia such as the statues of Venus de Milo and Nikeof Samothrace, better known as Winged Victory. You'll also see someof the Louvre's most prized paintings by Renaissance and Europeanmasters, including Leonardo da Vinci's painting of the mysteriousMona Lisa.

Visit Sacré-Coeur and MontmartreVisit the spectacular Sacré-Coeur, a Catholic basilica built atop theMontmartre hill. From here enjoy some of the most breathtaking viewsof the City of Light before heading to the cafés and shops that line thesmall and quaint streets. Relax at the Place du Tertre and watchtalented artists at work or choose to have your own portrait done.Montmartre was once home to many struggling artists, includingPicasso, Monet, and Renoir.

Day 4: Paris

Visit the Musée d’OrsayPart of this museum's draw is the building itself, not just the artworkthat adorns its walls. Built for the 1900 Universal Exposition, the Gared'Orsay functioned as a train station until 1939 and was convertedinto a museum in 1986. The high, arching ceiling and enormous wallclocks hint at the days when trains zipped in and out of the spaciousstructure. The museum is noted for its collection of Impressionistpaintings-a walk through the upper gallery will reveal works by Monet,Renoir, Degas, Sisley, Pissarro, and countless others.

Exploration time at the Marché des Enfants RougesEnjoy time to explore the oldest covered market in Paris, Marché desEnfants Rouges, a 16th-century orphanage turned expansive foodmarket.

Seine river cruiseThis evening, take a narrated river cruise along the Seine. As yourboat glides from one graceful bridge to the next, sit back and gaze atthe illuminated landmarks of Paris as they pan into view.

Visit the Montparnasse TowerAs one of the tallest buildings in central Paris, the MontparnasseTower gives you panoramic views of the entire city from a bird's eyeperspective.

Day 5: Reims | Paris

Excursion to ReimsTake a day-long excursion to Reims. Meticulously restored after WWIand again following WWII, Reims is endowed with handsomepedestrian boulevards, Roman remains, art-deco cafes and aflourishing fine-dining scene that counts among it fourMichelin-starred restaurants. Along with Épernay, it is the mostimportant center of Champagne production, and a fine base forexploring the Montagne de Reims Champagne Route. While in Reims,you will visit the Cathedrale de Notre Dame, which was restored byJohn D. Rockefeller after World War I.

Group Leader-arranged visit to Lasallian SchoolToday your Group Leader will arrange a visit for your group to aLasallian school. (Please note that any costs associated with thisactivity, other than transfers, have not been included in your totalProgram Price. See your Group Leader for more details.)

Day 6: Paris | Normandy region

Guided visit of VersaillesTake an expertly guided tour of Versailles. Nobody does decadencelike Louis XIV, and there's no better testament to this than Versailles.Under the direction of the Sun King, the château that began as amodest hunting lodge exploded into one of the largest palaces onearth. On your excursion to this lavish estate, explore the stateapartments of the king and queen and the magnificent Hall of Mirrors.Walk through the meticulously landscaped gardens and marvel atdozens of ornate fountains. Discover why Versailles was more thanjust a vacation home: Louis XIV hosted his royal court here to reign intheir power and prevent their political rise. (Because of the extremepopularity of Versailles, guided visits of the interior cannot beguaranteed during peak seasons. In this case, your group will hear apresentation from your guide before entering the palace.)

Travel to the Normandy regionTransfer to Normandy, the location of many of the battles that turnedthe course of World War II. Despite its connection with major militaryevents, Normandy is also a region of scenic beauty with elegantlandscapes and patchwork fields as well as the majesty of its twomajor towns-Caen and Rouen.

Visit a cheese factoryWhile France is famous for producing nearly 400 different types ofcheese, the Normandy region is home to four varieties includingCamembert, Livarot, Neufchatel and Pont l'Eveque. Today you willhave the chance to visit a cheese factory.

Day 7: Normandy region

Visit the Caen Memorial: Museum of PeacePay tribute to WWII troops who fought on the beaches of Normandyas you visit the Caen Memorial. You'll see a short film about theD-Day invasion, followed by a slide show on WWII. A thirdaudio-visual presentation recounts the wars in Korea, Afghanistan,and Vietnam, as well as the continuing quest for world peace.Afterwards, tour the museum and see displays that depict pre-WWIIEurope and trace the events that eventually led to the outbreak ofwar. Take time to walk through the Nobel Peace Prizewinners'Gallery, a gallery that highlights the accomplishments of the men andwomen who struggled for peace.

Visit the American CemeteryVisit the final resting place of 9,386 American military dead, most ofwhom gave their lives during the landings and ensuing operations ofWorld War II. The site also includes a memorial commemorating thesoldiers and a chapel bearing the poignant words: “These endured alland gave all that justice among nations might prevail and thatmankind might enjoy freedom and inherit peace.”

Visit the Normandy BeachesAt daybreak on June 6, 1944, the Allies' D-Day landings took place,sparking the largest sea-borne invasion in military history and one ofthe bravest acts of World War II. As you walk on the same shores thatwitnessed so much courage and sacrifice over half a century ago, youcan still see shelled out craters on the rocky cliffs alongside theoccasional remains of German bunkers.

Free time for lunch in ArromanchesVisit the seaside town of Arromanches, whose coastline hosted someof the D-Day landings in 1944. As part of the designated `Gold Beach'area, British troops landed here. Arromanches was also important inWWII as one of the chosen sites for the Mulberry Harbours built bythe British forces to aid in the allied invasion of Normandy. Themassive concrete blocks can still be seen today.

See La Pointe du HocThe Pointe du Hoc was a vital position on the Atlantic Wall because itcontained guns capable of firing on Omaha and Utah Beaches. It wasone of the strongholds in the German fortifications. Colonel Rudder's“Rangers” battled the German observation-post on the edge of thePoint and the monument commemorates their courage on themorning of June 6th.

Day 8: Normandy region | St. Malo

Travel via Mont-St-Michel to St. MaloTravel along the coastal region of Brittany to St. Malo. It was fromhere that Jacques Cartier set sail in 1534 to explore Canada's St.Lawrence River Valley. Today the city acts as both a popular touristdestination as well as one of the channel's busiest ports.

Visit Mont-St-MichelTour the breathtaking islet monastery of Mont-St-Michel. Perchedhigh on a granite rock, this 8th-century abbey is surrounded by waterat high tide and quicksand at low tide.

Guided sightseeing of St. MaloPirates once set sail from this rocky Atlantic island. Learn how thetown's seamen fought Barbary pirates and plundered English, Dutchand Spanish merchants. Take in the narrow streets, tall granite homesand medieval ramparts on your guided tour. Your tour also includes avisit to Saint Vincent's Cathedral, the former seat of the Bishop of St.Malo.

Day 9: St. Malo | Paris

Travel via Chartres to ParisHome to one of the world's finest remaining examples of a gothiccathedral, Chartres has been a major catholic pilgrimage site forcenturies. Explore its wonderfully preserved medieval old town with itstimbered houses, narrow streets and footbridges that cross the EureRiver. Dominating the skyline of this town, the 13th-century cathedralis one of the most amazing achievements in Western architecture.With its two towers, one Gothic and the other Romanesque, this is atruly unique experience. Take time to enjoy the picturesque gardensthat surround the cathedral. Afterwards, return to Paris for your finalnight of tour.

Day 10: Depart for home

Transfer to the airport for your return flightYour Tour Director assists with your transfer to the airport, whereyou'll check in for your return flight home.

Itinerary is subject to change

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