Pre-departure meeting: Monday, February 23, 6:30 PM, Room 408 

Travel back to the French Renaissance with a visit to these stunning castles, stars of the celebrated châteaux of the Loire Valley.  Visit the labyrinthine terraces and famed double-helix stairway of Chambord, before moving on to Chenonceau, the elegant Château des Dames that gracefully spans the Cher River.

Pre-departure meeting: Wednesday, March 4, 6:00 PM, Room 408 

Gastronomic capital and a major economic hub since the Renaissance, Lyon became the center of the silk industry starting in the 16th century.  Visit the luminous historic center of this important French city, its artisanal silk workshops, and the fabulous traboules – a maze of covered passageways used to transport rolls of silk through the streets.

Pre-departure meeting: Monday, March 23, 6:30 PM, Room 408

The capital of one of the most famous wine-producing regions in the world, the glory of Bordeaux is inextricably tied to the fruit of the vine that has shaped the city’s development since the Roman era.  Less well known is the role the city, and its most famous commodity, played in overseas expansion and the development of the Atlantic slave trade.  Join this trip to learn about this layered history, and new efforts to bring to light these buried facts of the city’s past. 

Priority sign-up for students in CORE-UA 9400 On Liberation

Pre-departure meeting: Monday, March 23, 6:30 PM, Room 508

“To be surrealist is to banish the notion of ‘déjà vu’ and seek out the not yet seen.” – René Magritte. Launched in Paris in the 1920s, the Surrealist movement quickly expanded to Brussels, where the painter René Magritte became one of its most renowned members. On this trip, we will learn about the history of surrealism and visit the Magritte Museum, as well as the historic Flemish center of this major capital city.

Priority sign-up for students in ARTH-UA 9413 Cubism & Surrealism

Pre-departure meeting: Tuesday, April 7, 

6:00 PM, Room 408

Chantilly, just north of Paris, ranks as one of France's most beautiful castles. Set within a vast woodland, the château houses a magnificent art collection and the precious “Book of Hours” commissioned in the 15th century by the Duc de Berry.  Visit the château, its art collection, and its splendid gardens, designed by André Le Nôtre, the king’s gardener under Louis XIV.  From there you will travel to the Abbaye de Royaumont, a magnificent cistercian monastery that dates to the 13th century.

Priority sign-up for students in ARTH-UA 9250 The Glory of Medieval France, & CORE-UA 9722 Architecture Field Study

Pre-departure meeting: Tuesday, April 14, 5:30 PM, Room 408

The great impressionist painter Claude Monet retired to the bucolic village of Giverny at the end of his life, where he created a magnificent garden that served as inspiration for some of his major works, including the glorious waterlily tableaux on view at the Musée de l’Orangerie in Paris. On this day trip you will visit the great artist’s house and gardens as well as the Musée des impressionnismes inspired by his presence, and enjoy the charm of this lovely town.

Priority sign-up for students in ARTH-UA 9412 Impressionism to Post-Impressionism

Pre-departure meeting: Wednesday, April 15, 5:15 PM, Room 408

Located in the beautiful wine-producing region of Burgundy, Beaune is a wine and food capital, and home of the famous Hospices de Beaune, a hospital renowned for its Gothic architecture that dates to the 15th century.  Discover this splendid town before traveling to visit and wine tasting at one of the nearby wine estates.

Priority sign-up for students in FREN-UA 9865 Food in France

Pre-departure meeting: Tue, Sept 30 at 1pm

The capital of one of the most famous wine-producing regions in the world, the glory of Bordeaux is inextricably tied to the fruit of the vine that has shaped the city’s development since the Roman era.  Less well known is the role the city, and its most famous commodity, played in overseas expansion and the development of the Atlantic slave trade.  Join this trip to learn about this layered history, and new efforts to bring to light these buried facts of the city’s past. 

Pre-departure meeting: Wed, Oct 1 at 5:30pm

Glorious capital of the Lorraine region, Nancy is known for its grand baroque plazas and art nouveau architecture and decorative arts. Learn about the jewels of this city with cultural critic Romi Mukherjee, and lunch together in a renowned art nouveau brasserie.

Pre-departure meeting: TBC

The beautiful city of Lille, close to the Belgian border, has long been a major center of exchange. Today its 17th century Flemish style buildings have been restored to create a city center alive with cultural spaces, boutiques and restaurants… and a celebrated Village de Noël. 

LYON
saturday, FEBRUARY 15

Pre-departure meeting: Wednesday, February 12 at 6pm in room 408

Known as the gastronomic capital of the world, Lyon sits at the crossroads of a multitude of culinary traditions, from the north of France to the Italian and Mediterranean influences from the south.  Learn about the gastronomic riches of this beautiful city, an important economic and cultural hub since the Renaissance. 

SECRETS OF VERSAILLES
saturday, FEBRUARY 15

Pre-departure meeting: Tuesday, February 11th at 5pm in room 413

Once the residence of the kings and queens of France, the extraordinary palace and gardens of Versailles never cease to surprise through their trove of treasures and the novelties, innovations, and decadence that they reveal. From hidden rooms to private theaters and secret gardens, discover the secrets of Versailles. 

The group will take the metro & RER to Versailles and back. Students attending this trip will need to have a valid pass (or tickets) to use public transportation on the day of the trip. 

strasbourg
friday, march 14

Pre-departure meeting: Tuesday, March 4th at 5:30pm in room 508

Welcome to Strasbourg! France’s most European city, seat of the European Parliament and capital of Alsace, Strasbourg sits at the juncture of French and German traditions and history. This trip includes a visit of the Council of Europe, built to monitor and safeguard human rights within the EU, and a Q&A session with Pap Ndiaye, France's Ambassador to the Council. In the afternoon we will explore the city’s magnificent medieval center. 

CHANTILLY & ABBAYE DE ROYAUMONT
friday, march 14

Pre-departure meeting: Tuesday, March 11th at 12pm in room 401

Chantilly, just north of Paris, ranks as one of France's most beautiful castles. Set within a vast woodland, the château houses a magnificent art collection and the precious “Book of Hours” commissioned in the 15th century by the Duc de Berry.  Visit the château, its art collection, and its splendid gardens, designed by André Le Nôtre, the king’s gardener under Louis XIV.  From there travel to the Abbaye de Royaumont, a magnificent cistercian monastery from the 13th century. 

D-DAY BEACHES
saturday, april 5

Pre-departure meeting: Tuesday, April 1st at 6pm in room 508

Steep yourself in the history of World War II – the German Occupation of France and its liberation by the Allied Forces in 1944. Starting at the American Cemetery and Omaha Beach, explore the questions of history and memory that make these sites so powerful.   

GIVerny
friday, april 11

Pre-departure meeting: Wednesday, April 9th at 12:15pm in room 601

The great impressionist painter Claude Monet retired to the bucolic village of Giverny at the end of his life, where he created a magnificent garden that served as inspiration for some of his major works, including the glorious waterlily tableaux on view at the Musée de l'Orangerie in Paris. On this day trip we will visit the great artist’s house and gardens, as well as the Musée des impressionnismes inspired by his presence, and enjoy the bucolic charm of this lovely town.

brussels: surrealism
saturday, april 12

Pre-departure meeting: Tuesday, April 8th at 12pm in room 401

To be surrealist is to banish the notion of ‘déjà vu’ and seek out the not yet seen. – René Magritte. Launched in Paris in the 1920s, the Surrealist movement quickly expanded to Brussels where the painter René Magritte became one of its most renowned members. On this trip, we will learn about the history of surrealism and visit the Magritte Museum, as well as visit the historic Flemish center of this major capital city. 

rouen
friday, april 25

Pre-departure meeting: Tuesday, April 22nd at 6pm in room 508

Gateway to Normandy, the city of Rouen still holds on to much of its medieval past. Half-timbered houses line the streets; myths and markings of the city’s storied history (it was here that Joan of Arc was burnt at the stake) linger on.  Visit the Maison Sublime,  one of the oldest Jewish monuments in France, that testifies to the important Jewish presence in Rouen from the 11th to the 14th centuries, as well as the Musée de l'Histoire de la Médecine, documenting the development of medical science from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. 

loire valley castles: chambord & chenonceau
saturday, april 26

Pre-departure meeting: date & time TBC

Travel back in time to the French Renaissance with a visit to two of the most celebrated castles of the Loire Valley: Château de Chambord and Château de Chenonceau.  

LENS
friday, september 20

Pre-departure meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 17 

at 6:00 PM - Room 408

Designed by Japanese architects Kazuyo Sejim and Ryue Nishizawa, the “second Louvre” opened its doors in the former mining city of Lens in 2012.  On this improbable trip you will visit this magical museum and architectural space, as well as a former slag heap!  Named a UNESCO world heritage site in 2012, the region is recognized both for its rich industrial history as well as its transformation since the mines shut down. 

CHARTRES & RAMBOUILLET
friday, september 27

Pre-departure meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 24 

at 6:00 PM - Room 408

With its tall towers that dominate the countryside for miles around, the Chartres Cathedral is a jewel of the medieval period, renowned for its architectural innovations, extraordinary stained glass windows, and famous labyrinth.  In the afternoon, we will head to Rambouillet, for its château favored by kings for centuries, and a surprising dairy house (laiterie), given as a gift from Louis XVI to his wife, Marie Antoinette. 

ROUEN
friday, october 4

Pre-departure meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 1 

at 6:00 PM - Room 408

Gateway to Normandy, the city of Rouen still holds on to much of its medieval past.  Half-timbered houses line the streets; myths and markings of the city’s storied history (it was here that Joan of Arc was burned at the stake) linger on.  It was in Rouen that the great impressionist painter Claude Monet found inspiration, in the form of the spectacular gothic cathedral that he painted again and again in different light. 

MONT SAINT-MICHEL
saturday, september 28

Pre-departure meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 25

at 6:00 PM - Room 408 

Spend the day at the Mont Saint-Michel, the astonishing medieval abbey perched on a rocky island off the Norman coast, UNESCO World Heritage site, and pilgrimage site for centuries.  Located in a bay with some of the largest tides in Europe, the Mont Saint-Michel is open to the wind, sea, and sky, allowing for an extraordinary sight and travel through time. 

BRUXELLES
saturday, october 19

Pre-departure meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 16 

at 6:00 PM - Room 408

The recently renovated AfricaMuseum in Brussels – formerly the Royal Museum of Central Africa – opened its doors in 2018 with the mission, according to its website, to “present a contemporary and decolonized vision of Africa in a building which had been designed as a colonial museum.” Join this trip to learn more about the challenges faced by colonial-era museums everywhere as they grapple with the imperial practices that informed their history.  Students will also discover the medieval center of this beautiful Flemish capital. 

BEAUNE
saturday, november 16

Pre-departure meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 12 

at 6:00 PM - Room 408

Located in the beautiful wine-producing region of Burgundy, Beaune is a wine and food capital, and home of the famous Hospices de Beaune, a hospital renowned for its gothic architecture that dates to the 15th century.  The trip takes place during the weekend of the hospital’s famous charity wine auction, held every year since 1859.