Global Journeys - Student Educational Travel - France Program Enhancements

Your program fee includes:

- Round Trip from Toronto
- Airport and City Transfers

- Flight transfer Paris/Nice
- Accommodation at University

residences in Paris and

3/4 star hotel in South of France
- Breakfast and Dinner daily
- Academic Instruction
- Course materials

- Global Journeys Backpack

While in Paris:

- City Tours of major districts

- Boat ride along the Seine

- Champs-Elysées

- Eiffel Tower

- Arc de Triomphe

- Notre Dame/Picnic on Seine

- Montmartre/Basilique du

Sacré Coeur

- St. Germain shopping district

While in the South of France:
- Nice

- Cannes

- Village of Eze

- Old Antibes

- Vimy Ridge (History classes)

Chateau de Versailles

Half Day Excursion

Once the seat of power from 1682 to 1789, the Chateau de Versailles today remains as an impressive and glorious palace with beautifully kept gardens and a fascinating history - well worth a visit. The Chateau was the final home of King Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette before they were taken to Paris during the French Revolution. Originally it was a hunting lodge belonging to his father – and King Louis XIV decided that he wanted to turn it into a palace big enough for his entire court of 6000 people. It took some 30,000 workers and soldiers to complete the structure according to the King’s extravagant tastes that symbolized wealth and power, and this ultimately was financially devastating for the kingdom. Once the Chateau de Versailles was completed it consisted of an enormous palace building with vast gardens and pools. Hundreds of artisans decorated every moulding, cornice, ceiling and door with the most luxurious trimmings, marble and woodcarvings which you will see as you wander through the ‘Grands Appartements’ and the Hall of Mirrors. You will also have the opportunity to stroll through the gardens which are famed for their geometrically aligned terraces, flower beds, tree lined paths, ponds, fountains and numerous statues situated around the grounds, created by only the finest sculptors of the period.

Chartres & Giverny

Full Day Excursion

Chartres is a very quaint and well preserved medieval town located along the River Eure with narrow streets, flower gardens and homes from centuries past. Many of the buildings where trades took place along the riverside still stand today and will give you an idea of what town life must have been like 1000 years ago. Just south of this area is an impressive gothic cathedral from the 13^th century with beautiful stained glass windows – a masterpiece named Cathédral Notre Dame, and actually built before Notre Dame in Paris. Much of the town along with the original cathedral had been destroyed by fire in the 12^th century but was rebuilt over a very short period of time by locals. After a tour of the cathedral you will have time to wander through the town to explore.

The home and gardens of Claude Monet – one the most well-known and leading impressionist painters of the 19^th & 20^th century - is now a museum located in the tiny village of Giverny. Here you will experience the breathtaking gardens and lighting that Monet captured in his paintings, together with the Japanese bridge and pond full of water lilies depicted in his painting entitled Nympheas (Water Lilies). Monet was fascinated by the effects light had on surfaces and created a series of paintings of landscapes in very large dimensions – a style which greatly influenced many other artists. The location is stunning to see in the summer!

Fontainebleau & Barbizon

Half Day Excursion

One of France’s most luxurious royal residences of the Renaissance period, Chateau Fontainebleau, was elaborately decorated and furnished, housing kings, queens and emperors for hundreds of years. The enormous forest which surrounds the town and castle, Forêt de Fontainebleau, was originally a hunting ground for the royals. Additions and changes to the structure and interior design of the chateau were commonplace as one monarch replaced another with different tastes and preferences - making this palace one of the largest in France with almost 2000 rooms surrounded by magnificent gardens, fountains and canals. We will also visit the village of Barbizon on our way back – once a hamlet for peasants and a beautiful location that inspired many painters.

Vimy

Full Day Excursion

(Included in program for History Classes)

Vimy Ridge is a very important historic site for Canadians as our soldiers fought exceptionally in this region during World War I and were awarded Canada’s highest award for bravery – the Victoria Cross.

The goal of the battle of Vimy Ridge was to break through the German lines located here – and the Canadians had a well organized plan. In fact, the British and French were unsuccessful in their past attempts to take over the ridge, as the region was heavily fortified and supplied by German factories nearby that manufactured ammunition and other war materials.

The nature of the landscape with its hills and slopes made it very difficult for invading troops as the ridge offered little cover giving the Germans an ideal position and vantage point. The Germans had built layers of trenches to attack any invading troops, and dug deep tunnels into the hill where a railroad was constructed to carry their supplies to the front.

The Canadians put forth an incredible plan to build tunnels under enemy lines, construct a railroad to bring in heavy artillery and designed a new tactic to move troops with cover – by bombarding the area with ammunition as troops moved forward. The area was mapped out and the troops practiced their tactics months prior to the attack on enemy lines. In the days leading up to the battle, enemy soldiers were bombarded with artillery – the plan was to tire out the German troops. Then, early on the morning of April 9^th, 1917 the battle of Vimy Ridge commenced. Artillery was fired before the advance of Canadian troops creating a screen to provide cover. Troops then advanced behind this screen and this was done continuously until they reached the front lines. Four Canadian divisions totaling 100,000 men fought together in this battle and successfully took the ridge that same afternoon making this battle a turning point for the Allies in the Great War.

Canadians succeeded where others had failed with their well planned tactics but at a cost since 3,600 Canadians died in this battle and over 5,000 were wounded. Today Vimy Ridge is a National Historic Site of Canada in France and a large monument stands dedicated to Canada in memory of all the soldiers who died in the battle of Vimy Ridge. You will also be able to visit the restored trenches and tunnels to get a better understanding of the historical significance Canadians played in this epic battle.

Ventimiglia (Italy)

Full Day Excursion

Students will have the opportunity to take the train to this village across the border in Italy and enjoy the beaches, markets and quaint streets. This excursion will be set up onsite by staff and the cost for the train ride will be paid by students while in France on the day of departure if they wish to join the group. The train ride will cost approximately $25 Canadian Dollars for a return ticket.

St. Paul de Vence and Grasse

Half Day Excursion

On this excursion we will visit two villages in Provence both unique and charming which will give you a true sense of the South of France!

First, the medieval town of Grasse, with colourful rooftops and one of France’s perfume production centres since the 16^th century, will enchant your senses not only with the smells but with the colourful flowers grown throughout the region that were once used to make up perfumes! The town with steep and winding roads, narrow streets and cobbled stone stairways throughout has hidden passageways that lead into large courtyards and remnants of buildings of days gone by.

Grasse was famous for its leathers and oils and used to export perfumed gloves. As perfumes became popular and the leather industry declined the two industries went their separate ways and the perfumeries flourished. The expert nez (noses) or perfumers take their craft seriously. With their incredible ability to distinguish between hundreds and hundreds of scents they are key players in the production of the combination of scents later sold on the markets. We will visit the town as well as one of the perfumeries to follow the work of the “noses”!

Then we move on to a fortified village with narrow streets, quaint windows, arched passageways, stone facades, beautiful gardens, fountains, and incredible lighting - St. Paul de Vence- which attracted many famous artists to the area to paint. This location is full of art galleries, namely, the Foundation Maeght which houses numerous original collections from artists including Giocometti, Miro, Chagall, Picasso, and Braque. The village is gothic in style with architecture from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance and offers an amazing cultural experience.

Our programs are enhanced by additional excursions which go beyond the focus of the course and give students the option to explore areas outside of the region in which our programs are located, in a supervised environment with private coaches and guides. Schedules and costs of these excursions are provided to students in March.