Tentative Program Excursions to paris

 

Paris: In our base city, we are spoiled by all the wonderful museums. We take a group visit to the Louvre, which usually leaves us breathless from the sheer number of works of art available to view.  A favorite among all of the students is the Musée d'Orsay, which houses Impressionist arts. The Cluny Museum, which displays art from the Middle Ages, is abundant with rich tapestries, statues, alter-pieces and gold jewelry as well as artifacts from the daily life of that era. The group also visits the Musée Canavalet which tells the history of Paris and the Musée Picasso which showcases some of the artist's greatest works. Students also enjoy strolling through the Pere Lachaise cemetary where Chopin, Rossini, Moliere, Balzac, and many other famous artists (including Jim Morrison) are buried.  Walking tours of Montmartre, the 17th century Marais district, the Quartier Latin, and the lovely banks of the Seine always add a lot of fun to the agenda. And, of course, the perfect end to a stay in Paris is a midnight boat ride down the Seine. What a wonderful way to say good-bye to a very beautiful city.

Chantilly and Auvers-sur-Oise: Twenty-five miles from Paris, Chantilly is the horse-racing capital of France. It is also home to a Renaissance style chateau and the Musée Condé. Nearby is Auvers-sur-oise, Van Gogh's death place.

Chartres: This city is not to be missed as its cathedral is one of the best examples of Gothic architecture, and can be seen from miles away. Like the medieval pilgrims that made their way to this wonderful site, we spend the day roaming the old city (we come by train, however, while they came on foot). We finish up our excursion with a wonderful tour of the Cathedral with a very famous guide, who will teach us how to read those beautiful stained glass windows as one would a book

Chateaux of the Loire Valley:  An unforgettable week-end excursion!  On Saturday, we visit Blois and its castle, a perfect illustration of the evolution of French architecture from the Middle-Ages to the 17th century.  At night, we attend the beautifully dramatic Sound and Light show in the castle courtyard.  After spending the night at a three-star hotel, we ride bikes through the villages and fields of sunflowers (see photo above) to the castle of Chambord, the jewel of the Renaissance, built by King Francois the first.  We visit the castle and stroll through the park and the surrounding forest.  Many students consider this trip the high point of their stay in France.

Optional Excursions

Free time is built into this program for independent sightseeing, such as museum and other cultural visits, theater and movies, as well as day-trips outside the capital. If you plan on traveling extensively, we recommend that you budget additional spending money.

from :http://www.summer.ucla.edu