This wonderful, vibrant city was designated a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1991 and is home to two million people. Students of modern French history will find much to delight them. The history of Paris, since 1789, has been a particularly turbulent one with no fewer than three revolutions between 1789 and 1848 and a civil war in 1871. Though it resisted German invasion in the 1914-18 the Germans got no closer than 60kms, it succumbed to a four-year occupation in 1940.
Students can investigate how early Modern and Modern history are neatly brought together at the Palace of Versailles, just 16kms southwest of Paris. Built in the seventeenth century by Louis XIV as a symbol of royal absolutism, it also saw the capitulation of the Germans in 1919 in the Hall of Mirrors and the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. Marshall Foch dismissed the treaty with uncanny precision as a ‘twenty year armistice’. The role of the thousands of French men and women in resisting Nazi occupation should not be overlooked and students can examine the inspiring stories of undaunted courage at the Musee de la Resistance.
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Key Study Areas
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Location Click here to view map
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History Excursions
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Our best value sample itinerary from £240
4 Days to Paris by Coach
Day 1:
Early morning departure from school to connect with your channel crossing. After checking into your accommodation, enjoy an overview of the city from the top of the Eiffel Tower, look out for the famous historical landmarks.
Day 2:
Tour the sites of the French Revolution including the dungeons of the Concierge , the Tuileries and Place de Concorde, where so many met their deaths under the guillotine. Explore the ancient Marais district, the only area to escape Haussman's nineteenth century rebuilding of the city. Visit the Musee Carnavalet.
Day 3:
Take a tour of Pere Lachaise Cemetery where dozens of revolutionaries were shot, look out for the tombs of the famous including Oscar Wilde and Jim Morrisson. Spend the afternoon at Les Invalides, before enjoying a cruise along the River Seine.
Day 4:
Check out of your accommodation, then visit the Musee de la Resistance before your return journey to the UK.
