Online Program
Adventures Online: The Art & History of Paris
Program No. 24171RJ
Explore the City of Light — from the comfort of your own home! Embark on an online adventure to explore famous museums and landmarks and enjoy Q&A sessions with our expert.
Itinerary
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date.
Day
1
Origins, Île de la Cité, Sainte-Chapelle, Notre Dame, Cluny
Location:
From the comfort of your own home.
Orientation
Orientation and Introductions
As we meet our staff, we will have a brief overview on how to use Zoom, the program’s topic, guidelines, and the daily schedule.
Session 1
Paris from Roman Development to the Middle Ages
(Lecture)
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.
Break
Break
Take some time to stretch, relax, and prepare for our next lesson.
Session 2
Roman and Medieval Heritage on the Île de la Cité and the Left Bank
(Field Trip)
We will visit the city’s old Roman road and the Arènes de Lutèce, before exploring the exterior of Notre-Dame. We will study the beautiful stained-glass windows of the extraordinary Sainte-Chapelle. It was commissioned by King – later Saint – Louis IX and consecrated in 1248. The magnificent stained glass windows consist of 1,113 individual scenes that — when filled with light — make the chapel a veritable jewel box of color. We will continue with a visit to the Musée de Cluny — National Museum of the Middle Ages — with its unique collection including the renowned series of tapestries known as “The Lady and the Unicorn.”
Q&A
We will have time for questions with program staff.
Wrap-up
Daily Wrap-up
We will end with a review of the topics we have discussed today and a preview of what’s ahead for tomorrow.
End of Day
Today's session will end.
Day
2
Renaissance Paris, Musée du Louvre, Place de Vosges, Q&A
Location:
From the comfort of your own home.
Session 1
The Renaissance in Paris
(Lecture)
We'll learn about the arrival of the Renaissance in Paris and the city’s central role in the Enlightenment.
Break
Break
Take some time to stretch, relax, and prepare for our next lesson.
Session 2
The Latin Quarter, La Sorbonne and the Collège de France
(Field Trip)
We will visit the founding educational institutions La Sorbonne and the Collège de France, situated next to each other in the Latin Quarter. Further afield, we will examine the Place des Vosges in what was originally called the Place Royale and is now the Marais district. This bold example of rational urban planning was commissioned by King Henri IV and inaugurated in 1612. One of its most famous later residents was Victor Hugo. We will also learn about the highlights of the Musée du Louvre. The largest museum in the world, the Louvre’s unrivaled collection includes thousands of masterworks including Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” and the Hellenistic statue of a goddess known as “Vénus de Milo” for the island where it was discovered in 1820.
Q&A
We will have time for questions with program staff.
Wrap-up
Daily Wrap-up
We will end with a review of the topics we have discussed today and a preview of what’s ahead for tomorrow.
End of Day
Today's session will end.
Day
3
Revolutions, Musée Carnavalet, Bastille, Conciergerie, Q&A
Location:
From the comfort of your own home.
Session 1
The French Revolution
(Lecture)
This lesson will focus on the French Revolution(s).
Break
Break
Take some time to stretch, relax, and prepare for our next lesson.
Session 2
Musée Carnavalet
(Field Trip)
The Musée Carnavalet consists of two townhouses in the Marais with more than 100 rooms and a collection of some 600,000 items that trace five centuries of Parisian history. We will look into the “Revolution” rooms. We’ll then move on from the Place de la Bastille through the Marais, to the Conciergerie — nicknamed “antechamber to the guillotine” — where Marie Antoinette and more than a thousand others were imprisoned, and to the Place de la Concorde.
Q&A
We will have time for questions with program staff.
Wrap-up
Daily Wrap-up
We will end with a review of the topics we have discussed today and a preview of what’s ahead for tomorrow.
End of Day
Today's session will end.
Day
4
Capital of the 19th Century, Museums, Montmartre
Location:
From the comfort of your own home.
Session 1
Modernization of Paris under Napoleon III
(Lecture)
Our instructor will address the modernization of Paris under Napoleon III and how the city became a global cultural and artistic hub. In particular, we’ll learn about Baron Haussman, the Opera Garnier, and the Grands Boulevards.
Break
Break
Take some time to stretch, relax, and prepare for our next lesson.
Session 2
The Orsay, Orangerie, and Rodin Museums
(Field Trip)
We will explore the Orsay, Orangerie, and Rodin museums. We’ll see some of the most significant masterpieces in these museums followed by a walk in Montmartre — the hill and neighborhood which exemplifies artistic Paris.
Q&A
We will have time for questions with program staff.
Wrap-up
Daily Wrap-up
We will end with a review of the topics we have discussed today and a preview of what’s ahead for tomorrow.
End of Day
Today's session will end.
Day
5
The Seine River, Monuments, Louvre
Location:
From the comfort of your own home.
Session 1
The Belle Epoque to Modern Paris
(Lecture)
Our lecture will explain the city’s architectural and artistic development during the Belle Epoque, with the large urban projects of the Universal Expositions of 1889 and 1900. It will also explore how Paris became the center of the avant-garde, a place of innovation in the arts. We will learn what occurred afterwards with a look at key events that marked the city in the 20th century. Many of these ideas and conflicts still echo today and inform the city’s recent challenges, such as migration, terrorist attacks, and the Yellow Vest protests.
Break
Break
Take some time to stretch, relax, and prepare for our next lesson.
Session 2
Grand & Petit Palais, Alexandre III Bridge, Pompidou & Picasso Museums
(Field Trip)
Our field trip will include the Grand and Petit Palais and the Alexandre III Bridge. We will also learn about the masterpieces of the Centre Pompidou, as well as the Musée National Picasso-Paris, dedicated to one of the 20th century’s most important modern artists.
Q&A
We will have time for questions with program staff.
Wrap-up
Program Wrap-up
We will recap what we’ve learned over the past few days and say farewell. This concludes our 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 like our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
Program Conclusion
This concludes our program.