Paris, Alsace et Le Lac

The itinerary is the starting point to your tour, but it’s not set in stone. Your group leader may make changes leading up to departure.

Day 1, Friday April 16: Overnight Flight

Depart from the USA.

Day 2, Saturday April 17: Paris

Bienvenue à Paris! Meet your ACIS Tour Manager and get acquainted with this graceful city’s cobblestoned streets, charming cafés and vibrant neighborhoods. Paris is called the “City of Light” for its role as a center of education during the Age of Enlightenment (it was also one the first cities to adopt streetlights). After settling in, immerse yourself in local culture by practicing your French with painters and vintage book sellers along the storied Seine. (D)

Day 3, Sunday April 18: Paris

A morning sightseeing tour takes you past some of the city’s best-known attractions, such as the magnificent Arc de Triomphe at the top of the bustling Champs-Élysées, Napoleon’s final resting place at Les Invalides and the Gothic wonder of Notre Dame. The afternoon is yours to explore any lesser-known attractions of your choice, such as the Musée Marmottan-Monet, home the famous artist’s Impression, Sunrise, from which the Impressionist artistic movement purportedly drew its name. In the evening, ascend to the top of the iconic Eiffel Tower for breathtaking views of Paris. (B,D)

Day 4, Monday April 19: Paris

The day begins on a sporting note as an expert teaches you how to play the traditional French game of pétanque, a sport that dates back to the early 1900s. In the afternoon, 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, Venus de Milo and more as you wander through the galleries. 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. In the evening a tasty cultural exchange awaits—separate into small groups and be welcomed into the homes of local Parisians to enjoy an authentic dinner and lively conversation. (B,D)

Day 5, Tuesday April 20: Strasbourg

Start the day with a high-speed TGV train ride to Strasbourg, the seat of the European Parliament. After eating lunch, your ACIS Tour Manager takes you on a walking tour of this beautiful city, known for its rich architecture and considered the cultural center of France’s Alsace region. After dinner, enjoy an evening canal cruise through this vibrant city. Our local expert will point out the beautiful half-timbered homes of the Grand Île, the Gothic Strasbourg Cathedral, with its astronomical clock, and the Parliamentary buildings. (B,D)

Day 6, Wednesday April 21: Strasbourg

In the morning, you’ll travel to charming Colmar, filled with cobblestone streets, canals and quaint buildings that date back to the Middle Ages. Later, explore the medieval Château Haut-Koenigsberg, a towering mountaintop castle. Built in the 12th century, it affords sweeping panoramic vistas of the vast Alsace plains. You’ll return to Strasbourg hungry and just in time for an authentic Alsatian tarte flambée dinner (a French type of flatbread). (B,D)

Day 7, Thursday April 22: Lausanne

After a morning drive to Bern, explore the capital of Switzerland on a walking tour with your ACIS Tour Manager. Bern is famous for its stately buildings, public fountains and its history as the city where Einstein developed his theory of relativity. Following lunch, indulge your sweet tooth at a chocolate tasting and tour at the nearby chocolate factory in Broc. Satisfied, we continue on to picturesque, lakeside Lausanne. Enjoy a fondue dinner tonight. (B,D)

Day 8, Friday April 23: Lausanne

After a morning visit to the Olympic Museum, you’ll take a drive to Geneva, where lunch and a tour manager-led walking tour of the city’s charming Old Town awaits. Later, enjoy a Mouette water-taxi cruise across Lake Geneva that travels past the world-famous Jet d'eEau, a 450-foot tall fountain that’s visible from 30 miles way. The day concludes with a visit to the Red Cross Museum which details the history of this humanitarian organization. Head back to Lausanne for a final dinner to cap off your European adventure. (B,D)

Day 9, Saturday April 24: Departure

Depart for the USA. (B)