France
Aventure en Famille à Paris: The City of Light With Your Family
Program No. 20814RJ
Bienvenue! Experience the best of Paris with your family as you weave your way through awesome neighborhoods, discover iconic landmarks and even learn to speak a little French.
Enroll with Confidence
We want your Road Scholar learning adventure to be something to look forward to—not worry about. Learn more
Protecting the Environment
We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Learn more
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.
Read More.
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. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
9 days
8 nights
What's Included
16 meals (
7B, 4L, 5D
)
3 expert-led lectures
10 expert-led field trips
1 hands-on experience
1 performance
An experienced Group Leader
7 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
Day
1
In Transit to Program
Location:
In Flight
Activity Note
IMPORTANT: Due to increased tourism, the French government has introduced stricter quotas to preserve key sites. While we secure group reservations in advance, access may occasionally be limited. In such cases, we will offer alternative enriching experiences. Thank you for your understanding and for supporting the preservation of these remarkable destinations.
Day
2
Arrive Paris, Check-in, Orientation, Welcome Dinner
Location:
Paris
Meals:
D
Stay:
Crowne Plaza Paris
Activity Note
Hotel check-in from 2:00 p.m. Remember to bring your nametag (sent previously).
Afternoon:
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.
Dinner:
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.
Evening:
At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow participants, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.
Day
3
Art Lecture, Tour Montparnasse, Château Vaux-le-Vicomte
Location:
Paris
Meals:
B,D
Stay:
Crowne Plaza Paris
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 80 miles roundtrip, approximately 1.5 hours riding time; traffic dependent. Use of Paris Métro; unavoidable stairs; walking through pedestrian tunnels; elevators/escalators not available in most stations; standing on Metro when seats are not available. Walking up to 2 miles throughout the day; extent and duration of walking and other activities during self-directed field trips according to personal choice. Expect crowded conditions.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
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 of Romanesque and Gothic architecture and the home of patrons and artists alike, such as Fouquet, Poussin, and Monet. We will then head out via the Métro 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.
Lunch:
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.
Afternoon:
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! Adults will learn about the fine dining etiquette of the Nobles of the 17th century while the kids play an escape game. The castle was built for Nicolas Fouquet from 1615 to 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.
Dinner:
We’ll ride via motorcoach to a local family’s home and have a meal featuring traditional French dishes.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
4
Musée du Chocolat, Notre-Dame VR Experience, Arc de Triomphe
Location:
Paris
Meals:
B
Stay:
Crowne Plaza Paris
Activity Note
Use of Paris Métro; unavoidable stairs; walking through pedestrian tunnels; elevators/escalators not available in most stations; Standing on the Metro when seats are not available. Walking up to 3 miles; uneven terrain. Use of elevator during field trips. Climbing the Arc de Triomphe includes a lift followed by 46 steps to the top. Expect crowds.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
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!
Lunch:
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.
Afternoon:
We will take the Métro to visit the Eternal Notre-Dame VR Experience! it is an immersive virtual reality attraction that lets participants explore a detailed digital reconstruction of Notre Dame Cathedral. It offers a unique journey through the cathedral's history, its architecture, and ongoing restoration efforts after the 2019 fire. Using VR technology, it provides a lifelike and educational experience of Notre Dame's grandeur and cultural legacy. Later in the afternoon, we will regroup and 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.
Dinner:
On your own to enjoy what you like in Paris.
Evening:
At leisure. Share highlights of the day with fellow Road Scholars, conversing en français, bien sûr!
Day
5
French Language Immersion, Montmartre, Musée d'Orsay
Location:
Paris
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Crowne Plaza Paris
Activity Note
Use of Paris Métro; unavoidable stairs; walking through pedestrian tunnels; elevators/escalators not available in most stations; standing on the Metro when seats are not available. Use of steps or funicular.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
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.
Lunch:
In Montmartre, we will provide meal vouchers (known in France 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.
Afternoon:
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 Métro or continue your exploration of Montmartre on your own.
Dinner:
We’ll meet at a local restaurant.
Evening:
At leisure. Share highlights of the day with fellow Road Scholars, conversing en français, bien sûr!
Day
6
Île de la Cité & Notre Dame, Louvre Museum
Location:
Paris
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Crowne Plaza Paris
Activity Note
Use of Métro involves stairs, pedestrian tunnels, and limited elevators/escalators. Standing may be required on the Metro. Expect up to 3 miles of walking on field trips, cobblestone streets, uneven terrain, and up to 1 hour of standing. Crowds are common. Note: Due to overtourism and strict quotas, Louvre access may be impacted, with visits rescheduled or substituted. Your understanding and flexibility are appreciated as we strive to provide the best experience.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
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 several 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.
Lunch:
At a local crêperie.
Afternoon:
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 kids into teams and they will set off on a scavenger hunt. Meanwhile, adults 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. Group reservations to enter the Louvre Museum are highly regulated, and very difficult to secure. In case there is no group reservation, this will be a self-directed field trip. The instructor will give a lecture at the hotel covering the masterpieces of the Louvre.
Dinner:
For tonight’s dinner, we’ll receive meal vouchers (“tickets restaurant”). The Group Leader will be happy to provide restaurant recommendations.
Evening:
We will attend an evening 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.
Day
7
Open Air Market, Boat Ride, Free Time
Location:
Paris
Meals:
B,L
Stay:
Crowne Plaza Paris
Activity Note
Use of Paris Métro; unavoidable stairs; walking through pedestrian tunnels; elevators/escalators not available in most stations; Standing on the Metro when seats are not available. Walking up to 3 miles; cobblestone streets. Expect crowds. Extent and duration of walking and other activities during free time according to personal choice.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
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.
Lunch:
Picnic lunch.
Afternoon:
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.
Dinner:
On your own to enjoy what you like in Paris.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
8
Monet's House & Gardens, Free Time
Location:
Paris
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Crowne Plaza Paris
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 100 miles roundtrip, approximately 2 hours total riding time; traffic dependent. Expect crowds. Walking and other free time activities according to personal choice.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will depart 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.
Lunch:
At a restaurant in Giverny near the Monet house.
Afternoon:
Free time.
Dinner:
We’ll take the Métro to a local restaurant. Share favorite experiences and enjoy camaraderie with new Road Scholar friends.
Evening:
At leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.
Day
9
Program Concludes, In Transit From Program
Location:
In Flight
Meals:
B
Activity Note
Hotel check-out by 12:00 Noon. See your program’s “Getting There” information regarding transfers.
Breakfast:
At the hotel. This concludes our program.
Morning:
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!
Please select a day to update the map
Map details are not available for this location.
