Le Parisien

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: Paris

Bienvenue Paris! After a warm welcome from your ACIS Tour Manager, you’re free to start exploring this enchanting city's famous sites, aided by an unlimited public transport card. Also, at some point during your stay in Paris, you’ll visit the Louvre at a day and time scheduled to best maximize your experience. 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 it is home to a collection of 35,000 works of art from around the world. A timed entrance will let you breeze by the crowds, and insightful commentary from your local guide will highlight the Mona Lisa, Winged Victory, Venus de Milo and more as you wander through the galleries. Tonight’s highlight gives you a completely different perspective of the city as you enjoy a serene evening boat cruise along the Seine.

Day 3: Paris

Your day begins with a guided sightseeing tour that takes you past some of the most famous attractions in Paris. Your expert local guide will show you the magnificent Arc de Triomphe at the top of the Champs-Élysées, Napoleon's final resting place at Les Invalides and the Gothic wonder of Notre Dame. In the afternoon, marvel at the masterpieces of the Musée d'Orsay with a guided tour. Built in the late 1890s on the Left Bank of the Seine, this architecturally significant former railway station now houses one of the world’s largest collections of Impressionist and post-Impressionist paintings.

Day 4: Paris

In the morning, practice your French sporting vocabulary with local experts during a lesson on how to play a traditional, favorite French pastime: pétanque. Similar to lawn bowling, the sport dates back to the early 1900s. In the afternoon, you’ll pay a visit to the headquarters of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), where you’ll immerse yourself in the history of this global peace-building organization, founded in 1946. Your guided tour will give you an insight into how UNESCO works, its mandate, the values it defends, and how you as a global citizen can help to support that mission. After dinner, visit an independent Parisian cinema for a screening of a French movie, made accessible with English subtitles.

Day 5: Paris

Today is yours to explore Paris at your own pace, perhaps by strolling one of Paris' lovely parks or gardens, getting to know the historic yet trendy Marais neighborhood, or visiting a lesser-known museum. Or you may choose an optional excursion by train to Rouen. A historic port town on the Seine with a provincial feel, it’s known for its museums and well-preserved medieval architecture. A walking tour of the historic center includes a stop inside Rouen Cathedral and a self-guided visit of Historial Jeanne d'Arc. Housed in an archbishop’s palace where Joan of Arc was put on trial and condemned to death in the 1400s, this unique museum offers an immersive dive into the life and times of the French heroine. Then you’ll return to Paris by train.

Day 6: Paris

This morning you’ll board an RER commuter train to visit the ornate Palace of Versailles, originally built as a hunting retreat by King Louis XIII in the early 1600s and then transformed into an opulent complex by his son King Louis XIV, the Sun King. Your visit includes the Hall of Mirrors, where the Treaty of Versailles was signed, and the breathtaking surroundings. Don't worry if you don't have time to cover every room of this vast palace. The best stuff is in the gardens and grounds, which includes 1,976 acres of gardens, 200,000 trees, 50 fountains and 620 jets of water. After wandering about the exquisite, manicured gardens on two feet, hop on two wheels and experience Versailles by bike, which allows you to explore into the estate’s surrounding grounds. Back in Paris this evening, you’ll head up to Montmartre, a charming hilltop artist’s enclave filled with cafes and shops. Here you’ll visit the Sacré-Coeur Basilica, an iconic city landmark, and enjoy an authentic dinner on the Place du Tertre, a nearby café-filled square where, legend has it, the word “bistro” was popularized by Russian soldiers during the Napoleonic Wars (derived from “quick” in Russian).

Day 7: Departure

Depart for the USA.



Optional Extensions and Extra Nights:

Enhance your European experience with a two-night extension to London via Eurostar, including a city sightseeing tour with an expert local guide, entrance to the Tower of London and an Oyster Card to help you get around.