Paris & the Chateaux
🔹 Curated experiences: Every program is intentionally designed to feature guided learning, cultural engagement, and independent exploration experiences to drive global competency development, denoted on each itinerary with a blue diamond. Learn more about these experiences.
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Day 1: Fly overnight to France
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Day 2: Paris
Meet your Field Director at the airportTake a walking tour of the Latin Quarter, so named because the language was once commonly spoken by the Sorbonne students that populated the area
See Notre-Dame Cathedral, known for its sculptured facade, stained-glass rose windows, and seemingly weightless vaulted ceilings, and see the progress of its restoration following the 2019 fire which damaged much of the building
Enjoy dinner in the Latin Quarter -
Day 3: Paris
🔹 Guided learning: Take a guided tour of Paris
With your expert local guide you will see:
- Place de la Concorde, a major public square
- Champs-Élysées, an elegant boulevard packed with high-fashion boutiques
- Arc de Triomphe, a monument honoring those who fought for France in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars
- Eiffel Tower, built for the 1889 World's Fair and an iconic symbol of Paris
- Hôtel des Invalides, a grand hospital commissioned by Louis XIV
Take a guided tour of Versailles, where Louis XIV hosted his royal court to reign in their power and prevent their political rise
With your expert local guide you will see:
- State Apartments of the King and Queen
- The lavish Hall of Mirrors which depicts political successes on its vaulted-ceiling murals
- Meticulously landscaped gardens and dozens of ornate fountains
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Day 4: Paris • Loire Valley
Travel via Chartres and Chambord to the Loire Valley
Visit Chartres Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that looks almost exactly as it did centuries ago
Take a photo stop at the Château de Chambord and admire the Renaissance-style architecture of this 16th century marvel where the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo were stored for safe keeping during World War II
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Day 5: Loire Valley
Take a guided excursion to the Loire Valley
Visit the Château de Chenonceau, a breathtaking architectural marvel that actually extends across the River Cher, supported by submerged pillars that form a pattern of arches on the water’s surface
Visit the majestic gardens of Amboise, a Renaissance-style château
🔹 Cultural engagement: Visit a wine cellar
Visit and dine at a troglodyte cave dwelling, a subterranean grotto still used today as chapels, bakeries, wine cellars, and more
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Day 6: Loire Valley • Saint-Malo
🔹 Cultural engagement: Visit the Mont Saint Michel Abbey, a commune and abbey perched on granite that has attracted pilgrims for more than a thousand years
Visit St. Vincent Cathedral to see the tomb of Jacques Cartier, who is credited with discovering Canada
🔹 Guided learning: Tour Saint-Malo with your Field Director, an ancient walled city almost totally destroyed during World War II and now one of the most popular destinations in France
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Day 7: Saint-Malo • Normandy
Visit the beaches of Normandy to see where the campaign that eventually liberated mainland Europe from Nazi's was launched
See Pointe du Hoc, another important location of WWII
See the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial and pay tribute to WWII soldiers
Visit the Caen Memorial, dedicated to reminding visitors of the fragility of peace
Enjoy dinner in the Normandy region
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Day 8: Normandy • Paris
Travel to Paris, the City of Light
Explore art from around the world at the Louvre, home to over 35,000 objects including Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece, the Mona Lisa
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Day 9: Depart for home
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Day 1: Fly overnight to France
-
Day 2: Paris
Meet your Field Director at the airportTake a walking tour of the Latin Quarter, so named because the language was once commonly spoken by the Sorbonne students that populated the area
See Notre-Dame Cathedral, known for its sculptured facade, stained-glass rose windows, and seemingly weightless vaulted ceilings, and see the progress of its restoration following the 2019 fire which damaged much of the building
Enjoy dinner in the Latin Quarter -
Day 3: Paris
🔹 Guided learning: Take a guided tour of Paris
With your expert local guide you will see:
- Place de la Concorde, a major public square
- Champs-Élysées, an elegant boulevard packed with high-fashion boutiques
- Arc de Triomphe, a monument honoring those who fought for France in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars
- Eiffel Tower, built for the 1889 World's Fair and an iconic symbol of Paris
- Hôtel des Invalides, a grand hospital commissioned by Louis XIV
Take a guided tour of Versailles, where Louis XIV hosted his royal court to reign in their power and prevent their political rise
With your expert local guide you will see:
- State Apartments of the King and Queen
- The lavish Hall of Mirrors which depicts political successes on its vaulted-ceiling murals
- Meticulously landscaped gardens and dozens of ornate fountains
-
Day 4: Paris • Loire Valley
Travel via Chartres and Chambord to the Loire Valley
Visit Chartres Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that looks almost exactly as it did centuries ago
Take a photo stop at the Château de Chambord and admire the Renaissance-style architecture of this 16th century marvel where the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo were stored for safe keeping during World War II
-
Day 5: Loire Valley
Take a guided excursion to the Loire Valley
Visit the Château de Chenonceau, a breathtaking architectural marvel that actually extends across the River Cher, supported by submerged pillars that form a pattern of arches on the water’s surface
Visit the majestic gardens of Amboise, a Renaissance-style château
🔹 Cultural engagement: Visit a wine cellar
Visit and dine at a troglodyte cave dwelling, a subterranean grotto still used today as chapels, bakeries, wine cellars, and more
-
Day 6: Loire Valley • Saint-Malo
🔹 Cultural engagement: Visit the Mont Saint Michel Abbey, a commune and abbey perched on granite that has attracted pilgrims for more than a thousand years
Visit St. Vincent Cathedral to see the tomb of Jacques Cartier, who is credited with discovering Canada
🔹 Guided learning: Tour Saint-Malo with your Field Director, an ancient walled city almost totally destroyed during World War II and now one of the most popular destinations in France
-
Day 7: Saint-Malo • Normandy
Visit the beaches of Normandy to see where the campaign that eventually liberated mainland Europe from Nazi's was launched
See Pointe du Hoc, another important location of WWII
See the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial and pay tribute to WWII soldiers
Visit the Caen Memorial, dedicated to reminding visitors of the fragility of peace
Enjoy dinner in the Normandy region
-
Day 8: Normandy • Paris
Travel to Paris, the City of Light
Explore art from around the world at the Louvre, home to over 35,000 objects including Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece, the Mona Lisa
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Day 9: Depart for home
Confidence • Curiosity • Global perspective • Empathy • Adaptability • Relatability • Self-Awareness
What's Included
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Transportation
Various modes of transport are tailored to your program. While some transfers are included, others may come at additional cost.
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Accommodations
Safe, comfortable lodging will be waiting for you at your destination.
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Select meals
Enjoy a combination of included meals and the freedom to explore local cuisine on your own.
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End-to-end support
Your dedicated EF team helps secure administrative approval and academic credit, provides enrollment tools, and helps establish your program’s ongoing presence on campus.
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EF Global Learning Toolkit
We offer various tools to help educators facilitate student growth abroad and on campus, including academically enriched travel programs, industry engagement opportunities, global learning resources, and a Global Competencies Assessment tool.
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Guided exploration
Gain insider knowledge and cultural perspective from licensed local guides: natural historians who provide cultural insights to enhance learning moments throughout the program.
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Field Visits
Experience academics in action during engaging visits with relevant organizations, thought leaders, and partners.