Study Abroad in Grenoble: Cultural Excursions

Students on the French Language and Culture program will travel to Paris and Provence during the semester. Students enrolled on the Intensive French Language Program will travel to Provence. Students on both programs have the option of taking a weekend excursion to Burgundy for an additional fee.

London, England (3 days)

Included only for French Language and Culture Program students on the AIFS Flight Package

Begin your semester with a 3-day visit to London en route to Grenoble. This will allow you to relax, recover from jet lag and get to know your fellow classmates while touring England’s capital.

Take a sightseeing tour with a professional guide who will point out some of London’s most famous landmarks including Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament and the Tower of London. Have time to explore the city on your own where you can take in the gorgeous parks and gardens, see a play in the West End or shop for vintage clothes at Camden Market.

Includes accommodations, breakfast, sightseeing tour and local guide. Lunch and dinner are not included.

Paris (3 days)

Included in program fee for French Language and Culture program only

Take the TGV train from Grenoble to Paris. In the afternoon, visit the Marais district, including Paris’ oldest square, la Place des Vosges, and the impressive Picasso Museum.

The next morning visit the Opera Garnier and tour the fashionable streets around the Ritz Hotel. In the afternoon, discover the treasures of the Louvre, then spend the evening on a cruise along the Seine River.

Finally, visit the Latin Quarter with the Luxembourg Gardens, the Sorbonne and the medieval towers of Notre Dame Cathedral before returning to Grenoble.

Fee includes sightseeing as indicated, transportation to, from and within Paris, hotel, breakfast and dinner but not lunch. While in Paris, students stay at a hotel where breakfast is provided. Students receive a cash allowance for dinner.

Provence (3 days)

Included in program fee for both programs

Depart from Grenoble for wine tasting in the celebrated vineyards of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and a picnic lunch at the Roman aqueduct of Pont du Gard. Spend the afternoon exploring the historic city of Avignon and the Palais des Papes. Dinner in a provençal restaurant.

The next day, tour Les Baux de Provence and the Roman City of Arles. Overnight in Aix-en-Provence (fall) or Saintes Maries de la Mer (spring).

In the fall, take a guided tour of Aix, following in the footsteps of Cezanne, visiting markets and tasting local specialities. In the spring, spend the day in Saintes Maries de la Mer, on the edge of the Mediterranean, surrounded by salt marshes and rice fields, to discover the local culture and traditions.

Includes transportation, accommodations, museum entrances, two dinners and two breakfasts. Lunch is not included.

Optional excursion to Burgundy (2 days - $545)

Open to students on both programs

First, stop at the delightful hilltop village of Pérouges with a guided visit of the ramparts and winding streets. Evening and group dinner in Dijon.

The next day, take a morning walking tour of Dijon, ancient capital of the Dukes of Burgundy, with its timbered buildings, impressive architecture and, of course, its reputation for exquisite cuisine (mustard, gingerbread, etc). In the afternoon, visit the magnificent Hospices de Beaune, constructed in the 15th century, followed by a guided tasting, with a professional sommelier, in the cellars of a local wine producer. Early evening return to Grenoble.

Trip includes accommodation, transportation, breakfast on Sunday, dinner on Saturday and visits as indicated. If a minimum enrollment of 15 is not achieved, the tour may be cancelled.

Dates and itineraries for all excursions are tentative and subject to change.