Language Immersion in France

This itinerary is the starting point for your tour, but it’s not set in stone. If there are days you would like to change, or specific places you’d like to go, we can work with you to create a personalized program that fits the needs of you and your students.

Day 1: Overnight Flight

Depart from the USA.

Day 2: Nice

Bienvenue en France! Today you'll unwind and get acquainted with Nice, one of the crown jewels of the Côte d'Azur. A stroll through the Place Rossetti, the heart of this city, or perhaps the Musée Matisse or Musée Marc Chagall, will provide opportunities to practice speaking French with locals.

Day 3: Nice

Begin your day with an orientation tour led by your ACIS Tour Manager. As you explore its history and culture, enjoy the city's many fine attractions, from Place Massena to the winding streets of the Old Town to dazzling Mediterranean views. Then it's time to practice your sporting French vocabulary with local experts who teach you how to play the traditional French game pétanque. Similar to lawn bowling, the sport dates back to the early 1900s.

Day 4: Nice

The morning starts with a drive to Monaco, the glamorous playground of the rich and famous and home of the Grimaldi royal family. After viewing the Prince's Palace, you'll travel along a spectacular corniche to Eze, a fortified medieval-age village perched high atop a rocky peak. There you'll enjoy sweeping vistas from the fragrant Jardin Exotique, a magnificent botanical garden, and tour the Fragonard Perfume Factory, where you'll learn about the centuries-old French art of making parfum. Return to Nice to spend your last afternoon on the French Riviera relaxing and enjoying the sun and sand.

Day 5: Paris

After a morning flight to Paris, a sightseeing tour with an expert local guide shows you the city's most impressive monuments, from the magnificent Arc de Triomphe at the top of the Champs-Élysées to Napoleon's final resting place at Les Invalides to the Gothic wonder of Notre Dame. Later, enjoy a free evening in the City of Light, perhaps chatting in French with a waiter or talking with street vendors as you stroll along the Seine nibbling on colorful macarons.

Day 6: Paris

In the morning, breeze by the crowds with your timed entrance to the Louvre and discover the many famous masterpieces that call it home. Insightful commentary from your local guide highlights the Mona Lisa, Winged Victory, and the Venus de Milo, believed to depict the Greek goddess Aphrodite. From its beginnings as a royal fortress to its current status as the world's most visited art museum, the Louvre has long been at the center of Parisian culture and home to a collection of 35,000 works of art from around the world. Then enjoy a free afternoon to explore Paris at your own pace, perhaps strolling one of Paris' lovely parks or gardens, or getting to know the historic yet trendy Marais neighborhood. After dinner, give your French skills a thorough workout with a night at the French theater—a unique cultural experience alongside the locals made accessible with English surtitles (translations shown above the stage).

Day 7: Paris

When available, a visit with local students at a Paris school will engage your morning. Depending on the time of year (only when French schools are in session), the visit could include lunch in the canteen and an afternoon sporting or social activity. (If a school visit is not available, a hands-on morning École de Boulangerie baking class for aspiring boulangers and pastry chefs will be substituted). For dinner, you'll receive restaurant vouchers along with insider suggestions about where to dine with locals at neighborhood bistros.

Day 8: Paris

This morning, you'll visit Louis XIV's jaw-dropping palace at Versailles. Your all-access pass includes the Hall of Mirrors, where the Treaty of Versailles was signed, Marie Antoinette's Hameau, a small rustic village that served as her retreat from the pressures and intrigue of palace life, and the Petit Trianon, a personal palace the king gave to her in 1774. After wandering about the exquisite and intensely manicured gardens on two feet, hop on two wheels and experience Versailles by bike, exploring the palace's surroundings beyond the gardens. Then return to Paris, where you'll ride up to the third floor of the iconic Eiffel Tower for sensational views of this splendid city.

Day 9: Departure

Depart for the USA.