5 nuits en famille d’accueil, 2 nuits à Blois, et 4 nuits à Paris
Your school isn’t traveling this year? Your school’s program dates don’t work for your schedule?
This itinerary is built for students from any school to join a Language & Friendship travel group.
Enjoy several days in the capital city of Paris, several days in the picturesque Loire Valley, and round out your trip with a one-of-a-kind family stay experience for real linguistic and cultural immersion.
The group will be led by an experienced L&F teacher, and students from any school are welcome to join.
June 30 – July 12, 2022
Daily Itinerary
| Day 1 | Take connecting flight to Minneapolis to join other group members (arranged by L&F for those from other areas). Depart Minneapolis for Paris; overnight transatlantic flight with dinner and breakfast. |
| Day 2 | Arrive Paris/CDG Airport. Meet up with group members. Take a TGV train to the Loire Valley. Meet host families and begin family stay. Students are placed one per family for immersion experience. |
| Days 2-7 | This is your time to be immersed in “la vie française,” sharing the daily life of your host family. Family Stay continues until Day 7. |
| Day 7 | Say “au revoir” to host families. Travel by private bus to visit several Châteaux de la Loire (tentatively: Chenonceau and Château d’Amboise). Continue to the town of Blois and check into hotel. Explore this town designated as a “ville d’art et d’histoire.” |
| Day 8 | Visit a local supermarché and purchase supplies for a picnic lunch. Set out on a bike ride from Blois to the nearby Château de Chambord for a picnic lunch and a visit of the castle. Enjoy the countryside and villages on your return ride to Blois. Enjoy a group dinner in Blois. |
| Day 9 | Morning visit of the Château Royal de Blois. Then travel by private bus to Chartres, where you will have a guided visit of the medieval Cathédrale de Chartres. Continue by bus to Paris. Enjoy an evening stroll on the Champs-Elysées. Climb the arc and enjoy a wonderful view of Paris! |
| Day 10 | Spend the morning on Île de la Cité, the geographical center of Paris. See the exterior of Notre Dame, the interior of Sainte-Chapelle, and visit the Mémorial des Martyrs de la Déportation. Then spending the afternoon exploring le Quartier Latin, including a visit of le Panthéon. Evening free time. |
| Day 11 | Morning visit of les Catacombes de Paris. Afternoon guided visit of le Musée d’Orsay. Later, explore the neighborhood of Montmartre, including le Sacré-Coeur and la Place du Tertre. (This is a great area for souvenir shopping.) |
| Day 12 | Morning guided visit of le Musée du Louvre. In the afternoon, explore the area of Les Halles (with optional visit of le Centre Pompidou). Then ascend the Tour Eiffel, an iconic symbol of the city. Enjoy a group pre-arranged farewell dinner on a boat cruise along the Seine. |
| Day 13 | Transfer from hotel to Paris CDG airport. Return flights; lunch and snack served in flight. |
Pricing
| $4895 based on 8-9 students with 1 leader |
Additional Information
- Trip cost based on most major US airports. There may be an additional airfare supplement for remote/smaller airports.
- Students applying for an L&F Individual 10- or 13-day Family Stay Program must:
- complete 2 or more years of language study
- be recommended by their language teacher
- maintain good academic standing
- be in excellent health
- be able to navigate airport connections on their own
- agree to attend virtual preparation meetings with group leader before travel
Inclusions
- Roundtrip airfare including taxes
- Airport transfer on day 13
- Meet & Assist on day 2
- 6 nights hotel accommodations – centrally located, students 3-4 to a room, and continental breakfast
- 5 nights family-stay arrangements organized by local L&F family-stay coordinator (family meals included)
- Minibus on days 7, 9
- Train/TGV on day 2
- 2 pre-arranged dinners
- Entrance fee allowance (for sites, museums, activities as planned by group)
- Guided Visits: Cathédrale de Chartres, Musée d’Orsay, Musée du Louvre
- Travel medical insurance
- Extensive student and leader preparatory materials
Exclusions
- Passport or other document costs
- Meals not indicated as included
- Other items not listed as included
- Spending money: about $40/day suggested; less during family stay
- Baggage fees (currently one checked bag is free for overseas travel)
- Any additional costs incurred to fulfill requirements set by the US or destination-country health or government officials regarding COVID-19 testing, documentation, and/or immunization