France

France is, with Germany, one of the largest and most powerful countries in the E.U. Stretching from the English Channel to the Mediterranean, France has been a force in European history, culture and politics for thousands of years. Even today, France maintains a strong presence in international politics and is one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.

We will focus our time on Paris, but also visit Strasbourg, which is the seat of the Council of Europe and the European Parliament.

The academic focus of our time in France will be on the European Institutions (in Strasbourg), art history (from the vast collection of the Louvre to the Gothic Architecture of Notre Dame to the Impressionist collections of the Musee D'Orsay) and on Modern European history (our course begins with the French Revolution).

Cities Visited: Paris, Strasbourg

Strasbourg

Strasbourg, meaning the city of the roads, has been the seat of the Council of Europe since 1949.

Strasbourg is a very quaint and pleasant town to relax and get a taste of a quieter France than Paris.

Scheduled Events

In Strasbourg, we will:

• Take a tour of the city and its main attraction.
  

Free Time

During their free time, you can:

• Visit the Cathedral of Notre Dame that dates to the 12th century
• See the Pharmacie du Cerf, the oldest pharmacy in France and the Kammerzell house (Maison Kammerzell), both dating from 1268
• See the Palais Rohan, the residence of the Prince-Bishops of Strasbourg

Paris

  Is there anything to say about Paris that has not been said before?

Paris is the political, industrial, commercial, cultural and artistic center of France and is simply a wonderful city to visit.

Scheduled Events

In Paris, we will:

• Visit the Musee du Louvre, one of the world's great museums, containing oriental, Egyptian and classical antiquities as well as sculpture, painting and art pieces. Among other priceless masterpieces, we will see the Code of Hammurabi, the jewelry of Ramses II, the winged victory of Samothrace, the Gioconda (Mona Lisa) by Leonardo da Vinci, the Wedding at Cana by Veronese, the Madonna of Chancellor Rolin by Jan van Eyck, the Virgin and Child by Donatello, the Dying Slave and Rebel Slave by Michalangelo, the Venus de Milo, the crown jewels of France and much more.

Free Time 

It safe to say that you will find something to do with your free time in Paris:

• Visit Notre Dame, the cathedral of the nation. Built in the 12th century, the cathedral saw the coronation of Henry VI of England, the wedding of Mary Stuart to Francois II and a ceremony for Jean d'Arc. Outside is the zero point, from where all distances from Paris are measured. 
• Take a walking tour of central Paris from Hotel de Ville through the Champs D'Elysee to Trocadero and the Eiffel Tower
• Visit the Latin Quarter (Quartier Latin) and the Sorbonne University, a successor of a theological school founded in 1253 by Robert de Sorbon
• Visit the Musee d'Orsay to see works by Ingres, Cezanne, Degas, Van Gogh, Renoir, Seurat, Gauguin, Rodin and Lalique (optional)
• Visit Versailles, the most magnificent palace in Europe and spend some time in the gardens

Note: Itinerary may change without notice. Adaptations are made from semester to semester.