Independent Paris: People, Places, Culture

After checking in to the hotel and getting your room, take some time to freshen up and relax before our Orientation session. Orientation. In the late afternoon, we will gather with our Group Leader who will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. This is a Road Scholar INDEPENDENT program. It is designed for participants who want high-level Road Scholar instruction, a few group activities, and who are capable and comfortable setting out on their own for a significant part of the day/night. There will be several hours each day of educational content, a number of meals on your own (excluded from the program cost) to enjoy what you like, and substantial free time for personal independent exploration. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. This program is staffed by a knowledgeable Group Leader as well as an expert instructor who will accompany scheduled field trips and provide commentary. In addition to expert led lectures and field trips, two outstanding benefits of this program are the included Paris Visite Pass (Metro Pass) and Paris Museum Pass we will use for some field trips. They will make free time and personal independent exploration easier and more rewarding. For further information on the Museum Pass, please visit: https://www.parismuseumpass.fr/t-en Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

We will walk to a nearby restaurant for a 3-course plated meal featuring traditional French food, plus a glass of wine; other beverages available for purchase. In France, meals are accompanied by complimentary bread (“pain”) and water (“eau” or “l’eau”), so you need not ask for them.

At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow participants, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead. In addition to free time suggestions from the Group Leader throughout the program, you can find information on local events by visiting: https://en.parisinfo.com/discovering-paris/major-events/what-to-do-in-paris.

At the hotel, the breakfast buffet offers hot and cold choices such as eggs, breads and pastries, juice, coffee, tea, water.

Our instructor, who is a licensed expert, will give us a lecture on the origins of Paris from Roman development through the Middle Ages. Archaeologists estimate that the area has been inhabited for about 9,000 years. What eventually became Paris began in the 3rd Century BCE when members of the Parisii tribe settled on an island in the Seine River. We will board a motorcoach for a panoramic view of some of the most famous monuments and Paris sites as our Paris expert instructor continues to present aspects of the city’s history and architecture through the ages. We will also stop for photos as permitted in approved areas. Our motorcoach exploration concludes on the Île de la Cité in the vicinity of the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris.

This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

We will regroup at a designated time and place for a field trip to the Sainte-Chapelle and Notre-Dame. Begun in 1239, the Sainte-Chapelle is one of the glories of Gothic architecture. Construction on the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris began in 1163 and was not finally completed until 1345. Damaged and restored a number of times, it remains one of the largest and finest examples of Gothic architecture anywhere. A fire in April 2019 destroyed the 19th-century oak-and-lead spire by architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc and the vaulted ceiling. Repair work began almost immediately and continues. The Group Leader will accompany those who wish to return to the hotel. Those who wish to stay out and explore independently are welcome to do so.

On your own to have what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

At the hotel, our instructor will give us a presentation on the Paris during the Renaissance period into the 18th century. We will then head out with our instructor via Métro to experience the Latin Quarter as though we were medieval students. The University of Paris and its core college, the Sorbonne, were founded on the Rive Gauche (Left Bank) about 1257, one of the first universities in the world. This quickly became the intellectual heart of the city, called the Latin Quarter as Latin was the language of the educated classes. Over succeeding eras, it attracted artists, writers, and bohemians. Among the highlights we will see are the Sorbonne, Cluny Museum, and Boulevard St Michel.

On your own to have what you like. There are many choices available in the Latin Quarter.

Free Time. This would be a good opportunity to spend more time in the Rive Gauche neighborhood known as St. Germain des Prés. Once a gritty haven for artists, philosopher, and writers, many of whom frequented the famed Café Les Deux Magots or the Café de Flore, it has become an upscale neighborhood that still retains much of its historic ambience. It is also the home of Café Le Procope, the oldest café-restaurant in France (1686) that was a favorite — at different times! — of Voltaire, Danton, Hugo, Balzac, Rousseau, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson. We will re-group at a designated time and place for an early evening boat ride along the Seine to view and hear about the magnificent illuminated monuments lining the river.

We will take the Métro to a local restaurant.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

We will head out with our Group Leader on foot and via Métro to experience the sights, sounds, and scents of a traditional open-air market. We’ll see how Parisians experience Paris.

On your own to have what you like. You might want to make a picnic lunch from specialties at the market or dine at a nearby café. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

We will rendezvous with our instructor to explore the Marais District during a walking field trip. This area was once known as the Jewish Quarter and was the most populous Jewish community in Europe. Perhaps the most famous feature is the superb Place des Vosges, the oldest planned square in Paris, built by King Henri IV in the early 1600s.

On your own to have what you like.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

At the hotel, our instructor will provide an overview of the masterpieces in the Musée du Louvre. We will then take the Métro to the Palais-Royal. This “village in the city” that faces the Louvre was a seat of power and high position for centuries. It was built by Cardinal Richelieu in 1629 and bequeathed to King Louis XIII. It went through a series of royal owners and became the focal point of a lively social scene with notable theaters, restaurants, and promenades that attracted many visitors. The Palais-Royal was also a center of free speech in the period leading up to the Revolution. We will explore some of the covered passageways, hidden courtyards, and learn about its history through the centuries.

On your own to have what you like.

Afternoon We will walk with our instructor to the Musée du Louvre, the world’s largest museum. Its unrivaled collection includes the most famous painting, the “Mona Lisa,” and the most famous sculpture, the “Venus de Milo.” We will see these masterpieces and other highlights of the Denon Wing before returning to the hotel.

On your own to have what you like.

at leisure

At the hotel.

We will walk to the Métro station and ride to the Musée d’Orsay. Led by our Instructor, we will explore the world’s largest collection of Impressionist paintings at the Orsay on the Rive Gauche. The first work of art is the building itself, the former Gare d’Orsay railway station, built for the Universal Exhibition of 1900. The collections of painting, sculpture, and decorative objects display the tremendous diversity of artistic creation in the western world from 1848-1914, showcasing many of the most remarkable works of the early modern era including the Impressionist, post-Impressionist, and Art Nouveau movements.

On your own. The museum has several choices for dining, or you might like to eat at a nearby brasserie.

The Group Leader will take those who wish to explore further via Métro to the church of Les Invalides in the Musée de l’Armée with the extraordinary Tomb of Napoleon. Another possibility will be to explore the Rodin Museum and sculpture garden independently. Or, just relax.

On your own.

We will travel to a Paris venue and enjoy a special concert.

At the hotel.

At the hotel, our instructor will give us a lecture on Paris in the 20th century. Led by the instructor, we will then take a field trip via Métro to see the collections of the Musée de l’Orangerie that houses some of Monet’s magnificent Nymphéas (Water Lilies) paintings. The museum also contains works by other great artists of Impressionism.

On your own. For those interested, the Group Leader will accompany participants to Montmartre via Métro.

The Group Leader will take those who wish to explore further via Métro up to the “village” of Montmartre, home of many artists during Impressionist and post-Impressionist periods. This is an opportunity to explore popular Place du Tertre (Artist Square), Sacré Coeur Basilica, or simply to meander through the neighborhood and see streets that inspired so many artists. We will then return to the hotel.

We will walk to a nearby restaurant for a 3-course meal with choice of entrée and a glass of wine included; other beverages available for purchase. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.

At leisure. Returning to the hotel, prepare for departure in the morning. If you need assistance with transfer arrangements, please consult with the Group Leader.

At the hotel. This concludes our program.

If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!