France
Culture, Service, & Exchange
About the Program
Immerse yourself in French culture through this unique cultural and historical adventure. Practice your conversational French, and gain firsthand insight into day-to-day life in France. Students will participate in community service projects, engage in cultural exchanges, and explore historic sites in both rural and urban settings. This program is designed to enhance language skills while fostering meaningful connections with the local community and deepening cultural understanding.
Itinerary
Discover the exciting adventures and impactful moments that await each day on this itinerary!
- Depart from the U.S. on an overnight flight to France
- Flight arrives in Paris. Global Works trip leaders meet the group at the airport and you transfer by private bus to a comfortable hotel in the city center
- Settle into the hostel, picnic lunch, and a short orientation
- Start exploring the city with a walk to the Notre Dame Cathedral and the heart of Paris, Ile de la Cité
- Dinner at the hostel and then some well-deserved rest
- Breakfast at the hostel
- Tour the Louvre or Musée d’Orsay and see timeless works of art
- Lunch in the Jardin de Tuileries
- Take the metro to the Eiffel Tower and catch a view of the city from the top!
- Dinner as a group in town
- Breakfast at the hostel, then depart for the Arc de Triomphe. Go to the top, then walk on the Champs Elysées
- Lunch, then explore Paris underground in the Catacombs or the famous Cimetière du Père-Lachaise
- Take the metro to the artsy neighborhood of Montmartre
- Wander the narrow streets, see the Sacré Coeur Basilica and have a final Paris dinner as a group in town
- Breakfast at the hostel
- Take a high-speed train to Avignon in the region of Provence and have lunch on the train
- Settle into the group hotel, then visit the stunning Palais des Papes, a cardinal example of medeival Gothic architecture, for an interactive self-guided tour to stretch your legs after travel
- Snap a picture at the Pont d’Avignon on our way to dinner!
- Dinner as a group in town, and early to bed to prepare for the full week ahead
- Breakfast at the hotel, then visit the morning market in Avignon. Gather supplies for a picnic lunch
- Board the bus with all bags and depart for Pont-du-Gard. Walk across the stunning Roman aqueduct and enjoy a picnic lunch
- Drive to Carcassonne
- Settle into our comfy hotel for a night of language learning activities
- Spend the morning exploring the medieval Cité as a group, including the fortress & castle walls
- Picnic lunch reflection time in the Cité
- It’s time to start our service projects! Past groups have restored local heritage sites, maintained trails on the Chemin de St. Jacques pilgrimage route, and helped excavate 11th-century châteaux!
- Return to our hotel for dinner and rest
- Breakfast with our host families, then gather as a group and visit a local school
- Spend the morning meeting local students and learning about daily life for your French peers
- Lunch with local students
- Continue exchange with our school hosts in the afternoon – both in the classroom and outdoors on a relaxing nature walk
- Return to our hotel for the evening
- Visit an underground cave system to see stalactites and stalagmites on the way to Toulouse
- An afternoon in Toulouse! Walking tour and shopping to close out the day
- Final celebratory dinner and closing ceremony
- Depart for the airport according to flight schedule
Educational Focus & Highlights
Live with French Families
Stay with host families in Carcassonne, where students immerse themselves in daily life, practice French, and experience the local culture firsthand. NOTE: Homestay is optional on this program – you choose what’s best for your group!
Discover the City of Light
Visit iconic Parisian landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and the Louvre. Experience the rich art, history, and culture of France’s vibrant capital.
Preserve French Heritage
Contribute to service projects like restoring local heritage sites and maintaining trails. Engage with the community through meaningful projects and volunteer opportunities.
Gallery
Lodging
Participants
Participants stay in comfortable, dorm-style rooms that typically accommodate 4-6 students per room. These accommodations are carefully selected and often include locally run hotels and eco-lodges that reflect the culture of the area. Each location is chosen to provide private meeting spaces for group activities, ensuring a supportive environment for our programs. Homestays typically house 2-3 students. Participants stay with families who have long-standing relationships with Global Works.
Chaperones
Chaperones can expect to stay in private rooms, unless otherwise noted by the Global Works operations team. These rooms are located in the same facility as the student accommodations, allowing for a peaceful environment to relax and recharge without compromising proximity to the group. During homestays, chaperones typically have a choice to either stay with a homestay family or in a nearby hotel (location dependent).
Bring Your Classroom to the World
Collaborate with Global Works on an impactful service-learning travel program for your students.
