Aventure en Famille à Paris: The City of Light With Your Family

Orientation: The Group Leader 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. The program is staffed with an instructor — a licensed professional “Guide-Conférencier” in Human & Social Sciences — who will give lectures, accompany field trips, and provide expert commentary as well as a Group Leader who will deal primarily with logistics There is extensive use of public transit during this program. Participants must be prepared to go up and down unavoidable steps, navigate crowds, and stand when seats are not available. Expect the metro to be hot during warm months. There are also several long motorcoach transfers during this program. Due to ecological regulations in France, new motorcoaches do not have restrooms on board. Older models have restrooms, but they are not available for use. A rest stop will be made along the way for rides longer than 90 minutes. The Group Leader will announce when rest stops will be made; speak with the Group Leader if additional stops are needed. This program includes tickets for museums and the Paris Mètro. The Group Leader will explain how to use them. This is a Road Scholar Family program. Adult participants are responsible for their children at all times. If/when separate age group activities are conducted concurrently, program staff will supervise. 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.

At a restaurant near the hotel, we’ll have a plated welcome dinner including wine or soft drink; other beverages for purchase. French restaurants take pride in creating a relaxed atmosphere where patrons expect to take their time, savor every bite, and set the pace of the meal, requesting “l’addition” — the check — only when they are ready. Meals are accompanied by complimentary “pain” (bread) and “eau” or “l’eau” (water), so you need not ask for them. When wine is offered, it is customary to fill your glass only half way so the wine can breathe and to be sure everyone has a share. Servers wait until everyone at the table has finished their dish before clearing and bringing the next course. To indicate that you have finished your meal, place your utensils together on the right hand side of your plate.

At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow participants, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

At the hotel, we’ll have a breakfast buffet with hot and cold choices and beverages choices of coffee, tea, water, juice.

At the hotel, our Instructor will provide an informative overview of French art. In the 12th century, France was at the helm of intellectual and artistic life in Europe, most recognizable through its architectural contributions. For example, France is the birthplace Romanesque and Gothic architecture and the home of patrons and artists alike, such as Fouquet, Poussin and Monet. We will head out via the Metro to La Tour Montparnasse to experience the best view in all of Paris! We will take an elevator all the way up to the 56th floor in 38 seconds to the observation deck and open-air panoramic terrace. From here, we will see an astonishing Parisian panorama. Our Instructor will point out key monuments and teach us about their history. One of the monuments we will see from the observation deck is the famous Tour Eiffel (Eiffel Tower), which was built from 1887-89 as the entrance arch for the Exposition Universelle, World's Fair, marking the centennial celebration of the French Revolution.

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 board a motorcoach with our Group Leader and Instructor and travel to the Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, which is one of the most magnificent private residences in France. Once there, we will explore the castle with audio provided by the museum. After, we will divide into groups and do a special activity with our Group Leaders! The Grandparents will learn about the fine dining etiquette of the Nobles of the 17th century while the Grandkids play an escape game. It was built for Nicolas Fouquet from 1615 and 1680. The ambitious Fouquet ascended politically and became a patron of the arts. Rising from a member of the Parisian Parlement to Louis XIV’s Superintendent of Finances in 1653, he commissioned the grand baroque estate and set a precedent for French architecture and design. The Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte, known for combining architecture, interior design, and landscape into a unified masterpiece, served as inspiration for the palace of Versailles. Unfortunately for Fouquet, the magnificence of Vaux-le-Vicomte was his undoing. He fell victim to a plot by his rivals and King Louis XIV ordered his arrest — but not before attending an extravagant fête at the château in 1661.

We’ll ride via motorcoach to a local family’s home and have buffet meal featuring traditional French dishes and a beverage choice of wine or soft drink.

At leisure.

Hotel buffet.

We will head out via the Metro to the Musée du Chocolat (the Chocolate Museum) where museum staff will teach us how chocolate is made. We’ll then make our own chocolate!

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 take the Métro to Flyview for virtual flying over Paris! With a virtual reality headset, in 360°immersion with or without a simulator, you will be immersed in incredible places as if you were flying over Paris! Later in the afternoon, we will regroup and we'll head to the Arc de Triomphe where our Instructor will provide expert commentary on the history of this monument. Begun in 1806, it honors those who fought and died in military service, especially the Napoleonic Wars, and stands over France’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Inspired by the Arch of Titus in Rome, it stands 164 feet tall with a museum in the attic detailing its construction. We’ll reflect on what we have learned and experienced in our program as we view the city from above.

On your own to enjoy what you like in Paris.

At leisure. Share highlights of the day with fellow Road Scholars, conversing en français, bien sûr!

Hotel buffet.

At the hotel, our Instructor will lead a class on the basics of the French language. One of the most common languages in the world, French is spoken by more than 400 million people worldwide. This is an opportunity to master essential phrases we will need to use during our week-long Parisian adventure. We will set out on foot and take the Métro to Montmartre with our Group Leader and Instructor.

In Montmatre, We will provide meal vouchers known as “tickets restaurant” that can be used at restaurants, bakeries, brasseries, and cafés displaying a TR sticker on the window with messages such as this: “Nous acceptons les Tickets Restaurant.” (Change is not given back if the meal cost is less than the value of the voucher.) The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Our assignment will be to read the menu and order in French. Try not to use a dictionary or guidebook unless absolutely necessary.

We will regroup at a specified time and place, then walk to Place du Tertre, the heart of bohemian Montmartre. We’ll continue mastering our skills in French as we converse with local artists. Then, we’ll each have an artist draw or paint our portraits. We’ll embark on a 'behind the scenes' exploration of Montmartre led by our Instructor. As we explore the area, our Instructor will provide some information about the artists who once lived there. The main square has been a gathering place for artists for generations and is still a focal point for the local artistic scene. It is situated next to the famous Basilique du Sacré-Coeur (Sacred Heart Basilica) built on the summit of Butte de Montmartre, the highest point in Paris. If you prefer not to climb the steep steps to the entrance, you can ride in the funicular. Then, we will take the Métro to the Musée d'Orsay, which houses the world's largest collection of Impressionist art. With our Instructor, we’ll learn about learn about French Art dating from 1848 to 1915, including paintings, sculptures, furniture, and photography and the masterpieces of Impressionism and Post-Impressionism. The former Gare d’Orsay railway station, built in Beaux-Arts style for the Universal Exhibition of 1900, was refurbished, repurposed, and reopened as the Musée d’Orsay in 1986. The collection of paintings, sculptures, and decorative objects show the tremendous diversity of artistic creation in the Western world from 1848-1914, showcasing remarkable works of the early modern era including the Impressionist, post-Impressionist, and Art Nouveau movements. We’ll have some independent time before dinner. You may either return to the hotel by metro or continue your exploration of Montmartre.

We’ll meet at a local restaurant, and have a plated meal with a beverage choice of wine or soft drink; other beverages available for purchase.

At leisure. Share highlights of the day with fellow Road Scholars, conversing en français, bien sûr!

Hotel buffet.

Accompanied by our Group Leader and instructor, we will take the Métro for a field trip to the center of Paris, the Île de la Cité. It was originally occupied by the Iron Age Parisii tribe, who legend says claimed their name from Prince Paris of Troy. It became a prominent settlement in Roman Gaul as Lutetia and later capital of the Merovingian dynasty. Today, it is home to some of Paris’s most iconic sites including the Sainte-Chapelle, the Conciergerie, and Cathédrale de Notre Dame. The Sainte-Chapelle, one of the glories of Gothic architecture, was begun in 1239 and completed less than a decade later. Originally part of the royal palace of Capetian monarchs, it was built by King Louis IX to house religious relics he acquired from the Holy Land including the Crown of Thorns, a piece of the True Cross, a nail from the Crucifixion, and more — all of which cost more than the construction. The sense of other-worldliness in the upper church creates a sensation of being inside a jewel box due to its slender columns and flamboyant architecture. A former palace and prison, the Conciergerie rises out of the Île de la Cité’s western bank. The seat of the medieval kings of France, it was expanded and fortified under Louis IX and Philip IV in the 13th century. During the French Revolution, it became a prison where many spent their last days while awaiting the guillotine, including Marie Antoinette. Though rebuilt throughout the 19th century, numerous parts remain from medieval times, including the Hall of the Guards. Notre-Dame Cathedral was conceived in 1160 by the Bishop of Paris who wanted a much grander edifice than the existing Merovingian building. Construction began in 1163 and was not finally completed until 1345. Damaged and restored a number of times — including the disastrous fire of April 2019 — it remains one of the largest and finest examples of Gothic architecture anywhere. We will be able to admire the exterior.

At a crêperie, we’ll have a plated salad along with a choice of savory or sweet crêpe and a beverage choice of water, cider, soft drink; other beverages available for purchase.

We’ll then take the Métro to one of the greatest museums and one of the most important collections of art in the world, the Louvre. On arrival, the Group Leader will divide the grandkids into teams and they will set off on a scavenger hunt. Meanwhile, the grandparents will have independent time to explore the exhibits. The largest museum in the world, the Louvre’s unrivaled collection includes thousands of masterworks including Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” and the statue of a goddess known as “Vénus de Milo” for the island where it was discovered in 1820. Note: Crowds may make it difficult to get a good look at some of the most popular works. MPORTANT NOTE: Group reservation to enter the Louvre Museum is highly regulated, very difficult to secure. In case there is no group reservation, this will be a self-guided field trip. The Instructor will give a lecture at the hotel covering the Masterpieces of the louvre.

With Meal Vouchers (Tickets Restaurant). Group leader will be happy to give you restaurant suggestions.

We will attend a performance. Our program was planned far in advance when details of performances were not available and will be confirmed by the Group Leader during Orientation on Day 2.

Hotel buffet.

We will take the Métro to one of the city's many open-air markets; these markets display food from local farms and are an important part of French culture. During our field trip to the market, our Instructor will explain how food is an important part of French identity and talk about regional specialties. We will then enjoy a narrated study cruise along the Seine to view the magnificent monuments lining the river. We’ll learn about the history behind the monuments.

Picnic lunch near the Eiffel Tower.

Free time. This period of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

On your own to enjoy what you like in Paris.

At leisure.

Hotel buffet.

We will depart the hotel by motorcoach to Giverny, where Claude Monet created and painted his incredible gardens. We’ll explore his house and gardens and observe the pond that inspired his famous water lily paintings. We’ll learn about his famous art and the Impressionist movement with commentary by our Instructor. Walking through the water garden and Clos Normand, we may feel as if we have stepped right into one of Monet’s famous water lily paintings! Monet drew pictures as a child, went to a school for the arts, and painted many outdoor scenes during his career. Monet and his artist friends rebelled against the kind of conservative art approved by critics and created their own style. It was called Impressionism because it was an “impression” of a scene, painted outdoors to capture the look of natural light. Today, Impressionism is one of the most popular art forms in the world.

At a restaurant in Giverny near the Monet house, we’ll have a plated meal with beverage choices of water, soft drinks; other beverages available for purchase.

Free time. This period of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

We’ll take the metro to a local restaurant where we’ll have a plated meal and beverage choices of water, wine, soft drinks; other beverages available for purchase. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends.

At leisure.

Hotel buffet. 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!