The French Exchange Program: Paris & Nantes
Who: Students in French 2 Honors & above | When: March 14, 2020 - March 26, 2020
France
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The French Exchange Program: Paris & Nantes
Who: Students in French 2 Honors & above | When: March 14, 2020 - March 26, 2020
Overview
Who: Students in French 2 Honors and above
When: March 14, 2020 - March 26, 2020
Trip Leaders: Dr. Gorica Lalic, Mr. Williams
Two years ago, students from Nantes, France were part of an exchange program with MBS, and in October they will visit again. In March 2020, it is our turn to visit them. This trip is open to French students in French 2 Honors and above – regardless if you host a student in October or not. During the first part of the trip, students will be paired with a host family to experience the daily life of a student in Nantes, France. The students will also spend another four days in Paris, exploring everything that the city of lights has to offer – from the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre to Sainte Chapelle and a cruise on the Seine River.
Full Itinerary
- Day 1 - Departure From Newark
- Day 2 - Arrive Paris - TGV to Nantes (8 Nights)
- Day 3 - Nantes
- Day 4 - Nantes
- Day 5 - Nantes
- Day 6 - Nantes
- Day 7 - Nantes
- Day 8 - Nantes
- Day 9 - Nantes
- Day 10 Nantes - TGV to Paris (3 Nights)
- Day 11 - Paris (the French Culinary Scene)
- Day 12 - Paris (Paris of the Impressionists)
- Day 13 - Departure From Paris
Day 1 - Departure From Newark
Day 2 - Arrive Paris - TGV to Nantes (8 Nights)
Day 3 - Nantes
Day 4 - Nantes
Day 5 - Nantes
Day 6 - Nantes
Day 7 - Nantes
Day 8 - Nantes
Day 9 - Nantes
Day 10 Nantes - TGV to Paris (3 Nights)
- We will travel by train from Nantes to Paris.
- Our 24-hour Tour Director will meet us at the train station and remain with us until our final airport departure.
- We will board a private coach for our transfer to the hotel.
- For the next three evenings we will enjoy the convenience of our centrally-located Paris hotel, where daily breakfast will be included.
- Paris is one of the most iconic cities in the world, filled with culture and history, monuments and museums. Known as the City of Light, Paris is a million things to a million people. No writer has ever been able to truly capture Paris in words, and only the experience of being there can begin to express the grandness and magic of this incredible city.
- In Paris, the cost of public transport is included for all group sightseeing. Escorted by our Tour Director, we will be able to experience the city in the same manner as the local people. Tour the renowned Louvre Museum with a local specialist guide. We will see Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, the imposing Coronation of Napoleon, and many of the finest paintings and sculptures from western civilization.
- Visit Notre-Dame Cathedral. Work began in 1163 on a spot that had been a holy shrine since Roman times. Over the centuries, the cathedral has been the scene of some of France's most momentous occasions, including the coronation of Napoleon.
- Tonight we will enjoy dinner in a local restaurant in the Latin Quarter, a section of the city that dates back to the Roman times; it is generally associated with artists, intellectuals, and political unrest.
- Ascend to the top of Paris’ most recognizable landmark, the Eiffel Tower, built for the Universal Exhibition of 1889. The wrought-iron tower was not meant to be permanent, and the first permit was only for 20 years. But by that time, it had proved to be a valuable communication device for radio. It is now France’s global icon and has hosted over 200 million visitors. *Pre-booking is not possible
- Daily Reflection and Group Discussion
- "We do not learn from experience, we learn from reflecting on experience" - John Dewey
- On every evening of the program, we will set time aside to update our Reflection Journal and share thoughts and impressions that have come to the fore in the course of the day.
Day 11 - Paris (the French Culinary Scene)
- During the course of our tour we will gain from the knowledge and insight of one half-day local guides while we are here in France.
- Join Parisians in a time-honored tradition and explore a French Market. Shop among locals while surrounded by aromatic cheeses, fresh vegetables, and high-energy merchants.
- Visit the ‘Choco Story’ and learn more about chocolate at the Musée Gourmand du Chocolat. Following our visit of the museum, we will watch some chocolates being produced and sample the finished product before participating in a workshop where we will work as a group to produce our own chocolate in the company of a chocolatier.
- Visit the Musée D'Orsay, which is housed in a former railway station. It features mainly French art from 1848-1915, and is best known for its impressionist masterpieces by Monet, Degas, Renoir, and Cezanne.
- Take a guided-tour of the Opera National de Paris, founded by Louis XIV in 1669. The Opera Garnier was founded by Louis XIV in 1669. The current Palais Garnier was inaugurated on January 15, 1875 and is the thirteenth theater to house the Paris Opera. Highlights of our tour will include: the Grand Staircase, built in marble of various colors; the Library-Museum, which houses a permanent gallery containing paintings, drawings, photographs and scale models of sets; the richly decorated Grand Foyer; the Salon du Glacier; and the Auditorium dominated by the immense crystal chandelier hanging below Marc Chagall's brightly colored ceiling.
- This evening, dinner will be provided in a local restaurant.
Day 12 - Paris (Paris of the Impressionists)
- Walk through the Jardin des Tuileries, the Neo-Classical gardens outside of the entrance to the Louvre and continue to La Place de la Concorde for a magnificent view of the Champs Élysées. Time permitting we will explore the Champs Élysées, which offers a beautiful look at Parisian life and architecture.
- Ascend the Arc de Triomphe, a massive triumphal arch commissioned by Napoleon. Today, it is a symbol of Paris and is home to the tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
- Visit Sacré-Coeur Basilica, a huge white church that dominates the Parisian skyline. Construction of the church began in 1875 and ended in 1914, just before WWI. Inside, we can admire the stained glass and some of the world’s largest mosaics.
- Tonight we will ascend to the Montmartre area of Paris, where we will have dinner in a local restaurant. This area was made famous in the late 19th century as an artists’ haunt. We will also spend time in the Place du Tertre, a square known for its local artwork.
- Final Reflection and Discussion Session
- This evening we make the final entries in our Reflection Journal and share some of the most significant observations and perspectives that have taken shape in the course of our travel experience and how these may be most relevant for us all as we return home.
Day 13 - Departure From Paris
Gallery
Requirements
Students must see the trip leader in person by Friday, May 3rd to have their name placed on the initial list.
Participants will be selected for the trips from that list based on the following criteria:
- Juniors and Seniors will have priority
- Sophomores and Freshmen will be selected via a lottery
- Space is limited. No more than 20 students will be on each trip.
Have Questions?
Write Dr. Gorica Lalic at
glalic@mbs.net