Travel to France
Travel to France in 2013
This program provided an opportunity for eighth grade and high school honors students as well as interested adults to spend eight days learning about the history, culture, and people of France.
This program, sponsored by The Center for Gifted Studies at Western Kentucky University, was designed to provide participants with a carefully structured experience in Paris and selected points of interest outside Paris. Twenty-six qualified participants will be accompanied by The Center's Director, Julia Link Roberts.
To view pictures from the trip, please click to visit our Flickr site.
QUOTES FROM FRANCE
- "Travel to France with 25 others was so enjoyable and educational. The goal for students is to enhance their understanding of world history, art, and politics. There were many highlights of the trip which included visiting the beaches of the D-Day landings, walking in Monet's gardens, viewing the Eiffel Tower with colored lights at night, and seeing the recently cleaned Chartres Cathedral." ---- Dr. Julia Roberts
- "I've traveled with the Center three times now, and each time it was been a new adventure. We not only get to see some of the most amazing and impressive landmarks from history, but also experience the modern culture of these places. It has been a privilege to be able to meet and interact with the adults and students who go on these trips, and a great opportunity to draw on the knowledge and experience of both Dr. Roberts." ---- Madi Miller of Richmond, Kentucky.
Travel Itinerary
Monday, May 27 - Depart the USA for Paris
Tuesday, May 28 - Arrive in Paris and meet our guide. Travel by private motor coach to Caen. En route go to Giverny to visit Monet's home on the Siene River. Monet lived in Giverny for the last forty years of his life, and many of his paintings are of his garden and lily pond. Check into the hotel in Caen.
Wednesday, May 29 - Depart Caen for an all-day excursion to Mont Saint Michel to visit the town and the impressive Gothic cathedral built on a rocky island off the Normandy coast. On the way, visit the town of Bayeux to view the Bayeux Tapestry which tells the story of the Norman Conquest of England.
Thursday, May 30 - Go to Pointe du Hoc to see the German gun emplacements seized by the American Rangers on D-Day. Then travel down the Normandy beaches to visit the American Cemetery and Memorial overlooking Omaha Beach. Continue on to Arromanches, site of the artificial harbor, Port Winston, constructed to support the Normandy invasion. Visit the Circular Cinema and the D-Day Museum and have lunch. Leave Arromanches for Paris, arriving at the hotel in the early evening.
Friday, May 31 - In the morning travel by the Metro to visit the Eiffel Tower for a breathtaking view of Paris. Then walk to the Hotel des Invalides, a hospital for veterans, and visit the Dome Church, burial place of Napoleon Bonaparte. In the afternoon, spend some time shopping at the Galeries LaFayette. In the evening have dinner and tour the Louvre. This magnificent building, once the palace of French kings, now houses one of the world's largest collections of art.
Saturday, June 1 - Travel by train to Versailles to visit the famous palace and grounds. Built by Louis XIV, this palace is the largest in Europe and is noted for its extensive gardens. Have lunch in Versailles and then return to Paris to visit the Marmottan Monet Museum. This small suburban museum houses a marvelous collection of paintings by Monet.
Sunday, June 2 - In the morning, tour the Orsay Museum to view the extensive collection of Impressionist art. In the afternoon, visit the Orangerie Museum to view Monet's paintings of water lilies, "Grand Nymphéas,"and then stroll through the Tuileries Gardens to the Place de la Concorde. Walk up the famous Champs Elysées to the Arch of Triumph. Climb to the top of the Arch for another great view of Paris.
Monday, June 3 - Leave Paris for an all-day excursion to the Loire River Valley, stopping at Chartres to tour the massive Gothic cathedral famous for its beautiful medieval stained glass windows. Travel on to Amboise for lunch, and then go to Chenonceau to visit one of France's most beautiful chateaux.
Tuesday, June 4 - In the morning, visit the old city of Paris on the Ile de la Cité, an island in the Siene River, to see Notre Dame Cathedral, Sainte-Chapelle, and the Conciergerie. Have lunch in the Latin Quarter. In the afternoon tour Montmarte, the area renowned for its artist colony and the beautiful Church of the Sacred Heart (Sacré-Coeur).
Wednesday, June 5 - Depart Paris for the USA.
Upcoming Trips
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Recent Trips
2024 Fall Break: Ireland
2024 Spring Break: England
2019 Fall Break: Venice to Vienna
2019 Spring Break: Paris and Normandy
2018 Spring Break in England
2017 Fall Break in Greece
2017 Spring Break in Italy
2016 Fall Break in Ireland
2016 Spring Break in France
2015 Fall Break in the Netherlands and Belgium
2015 Summer in England
2014 Fall Break in Spain
2014 Spring Break in Italy
2013 Fall Break in Germany
2013 Summer in France
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