Excursion Information

As a MICEFA student you have access to our great excursions provided throughout the semester!  A listing and description of the upcoming excursions are listed below.  If one of the excursions interests you, you can sign up directly via the website using the sign-up form at the bottom of this page!  

Fall 2019 Excursions

ONE-DAY EXCURSION TO
RAMBOUILLET – CHATEAU & GARDENS
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28TH

Included in the “Centre des monuments nationaux” in 2009, the “Domaine de Rambouillet” is famous for its chateau, the first construction of which dates back to 1345. 

A modified 14th-century stronghold at the heart of the Rambouillet forest. This royal residence, which welcomed, notably, François I, the Count of Toulouse, the Duke of Penthièvre, Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette, Napoleon I, and many more. The royal residence then became the official residence of the presidents of the French Republic in 1883. 
In the park, you can find the Queen’s Dairy and the Shell Cottage. 
The Queen’s dairy was created to amuse Marie-Antoinette.  

In the part of the park with the English garden, stands the cottage built by the Duke of Penthièvre for the Princess de Lamballe. Its unusual decoration is made from shells and chips of marble and mother-of-pearl.  

The royal estate is now open to the public and used at intervals to receive heads of state invited to France. It contains some magnificent examples of interior decoration, such as the marble chambers, the rococo decorations in the Marie-Antoinette apartments or those used by Napoleon in neo-Pompeian style. It is surrounded by a formal garden, canals and five islands.

Trip includes: Entrance to Rambouillet Château & Garden

This trip is mandatory for CSU IP.

For CUNY students, please see Rebecca for more information about payment details. 

For other questions or to reserve your spot, please sign up below or come to the office. Your payment will make your reservation final.

Sign-up Deadline: 25 September

Schedule

RDV: 11h45 at Gare Montparnasse
Meet at the top of the escalators on level 2 (main train level Grandes Lignes) - Hall 1

Train Departs at 12h09

Arrival at Rambouillet: 12h45
Bring a light picnic lunch!

Guided tour of the Château: 14h00 (2:00pm) (for those who want)

Free time: 16h00 (4:00pm) to explore the grounds

Return to Paris:17h15 (5:19 pm train with staff or on your own - direct trains leave every hour)

Cost

10€00

Trip includes entrance to the Rambouillet Chateau and Gardens and Guided Tour

ONE-DAY EXCURSION
GIVERNY – MONET’S GARDENS
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19TH

Claude Monet lived for forty-three years, from 1883 to 1926, in his house in Giverny. With a passion for gardening as well as for colors, he conceived both his flower garden and water garden as true works of art. Walking through his house and gardens, visitors can still feel the atmosphere which reigned at the home of the Master of Impressionism and marvel at the floral compositions and water lilies, his greatest sources of inspiration.

Trip includes: Private coach transportation to and from Giverny, as well as entry to Monet’s house and gardens.

This trip is mandatory for CSU IP & for students enrolled in MIC 220 – 19th century French Painting: Impressionism and Beyond.

For CUNY students, please see Rebecca for more information about payment details. 

For other questions or to reserve your spot, please sign up below or come to the office. Your payment will make your reservation final.

Sign-up and payment Deadline: Monday October 14th

 

Schedule

8:40am: Bus leaves Paris (meeting time 8:30am on the corner of Rue Boissonade and Boulevard Raspail)

10:30am: Entrance to the Foundation Claude Monet to see Monet’s house.
Free time to visit the gardens and surrounding village.
Lunchtime: All student must bring a picnic lunch or buy food on site.

3:00pm: Bus leaves promptly from Giverny (estimated return to Paris at 5:00pm)

Cost

25€

Click image directly to sign up!

GUIDED TOUR OF MONTMARTRE
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16TH

Come discover all that Paris’ most artistic quarter has to offer on a wonderful 1 and 1/2-hour guided walking tour.  

The Montmartre neighborhood is located atop a hill in the 18th arrondissement and houses the famous Sacre Coeur Basilique.  Montmartre is known for its rich artistic history at end of the 19th century (La Belle Epoque) when many artists such as Van Gogh, Picasso and Toulouse-Lautrec lived and painted there.  At the top of the hill in the square behind Sacre Coeur painters still set up their easels.  Montmartre is also the home of the last vineyard in Paris city walls and produces a small number of bottles of wine each year!

For other questions or to reserve your spot, please sign up below or come to the office. 

Sign-up Deadline: November 9th

Schedule

10:45am: Meeting point at Metro 12 Stop Abesse

11:00am: Walking tour begins

12:30 pm: Walking tour finishes

Cost

Free!

 

Spring 2019 Excursions

ONE-DAY EXCURSION CHENONCEAU – CAVE TOUR & WINE TASTING SATURDAY, MARCH 9TH

Get ready for beautiful castles and bountiful vineyards — join us in March as we sample some of the Loire Valley has to offer.
 
Our first stop will be the majestic Château de Chenonceau. Sitting on the waters of the River Cher, this stunning 500 year-old castle is the second most visited château in France after Versailles. Discover its magnificent collection of decorative furniture, its rooms lined with intricate tapestries, and galleries full of Renaissance masterpieces. 
 
Enjoy a couple hours of free time to explore the extensive castle grounds, from Cathereine de Medici’s French gardens, to the picturesque hedge maze, to the fields of seasonal flowers. Pack a picnic lunch, or go into the town of Chenonceaux for a bite to eat.
 
After lunch, the group will hop back on the bus for a trip to the winery of Plou et Fils. With over 500 years of winemaking tradition in the Loire Valley, the Plou family offers a visit of their cellars and vineyards. Don’t miss out on the chance to try some of their excellent wines!

Trip includes: transportation to and from Chenonceau, entry to the Chateau and to the wine tasting

This trip is mandatory for CSU IP and for students & UParis Program from U Miami

For CUNY and Rutgers students, please contact your Resident Director for more information about payment details. 

For other questions or to reserve your spot, please sign up below or come to the office. Your payment will make your reservation final.

Sign-up Deadline: March 5th 

Schedule

7:45am: Meeting point at MICEFA

8:00am: Bus leaves Paris (please be on time)

10:45 am: Arrive at Chenonceau Castle and visit

12:30 pm: Explore the Grounds & Lunchtime: every student has to bring a picnic lunch or buy food on site

2:30pm: Bus leaves promptly from Chenonceau to go to the wine tasting

3:00pm: Arrival at the Cave Plou & Fils for tour and tasting

4:30pm: Departure for Paris (estimated arrival 7:00-7:30 pm)

Cost

40€

all inclusive/space is limited/first come first served
friends welcome

GUIDED WALKING TOUR OF THE MARAIS

SATURDAY, MARCH 30TH

Come discover one of Paris’s most famous neighborhoods : le Marais. Once inhabited by the French aristocracy and bourgeoisie, the Marais is now known for its trendy boutiques and art galleries, as well as the center of Paris’s Jewish and LGBT communities. The area, relatively untouched by the urbanism of the 19th century, conserves the charms of medieval Paris’s winding streets, narrow passageways, and hidden gardens and many important hôtel particulier and other important architectural monuments can still be found there. This tour will take students through the history of the Marais from its medieval origins to today and allow them to explore the unique characteristics of this quartier.

This trip is mandatory for CSU IP and for students 

For other questions or to reserve your spot, please sign up below or come to the office.

Sign-up Deadline: March 29th 

Schedule

2:30pm: Meeting point at the Pont Marie near the metro stop “Pont Marie” line 7

16:30pm:Tour will end at the Institut Suédois

Cost

FREE

all inclusive/space is limited/first come first served
friends welcome

Click image directly to sign up!

ONE-DAY EXCURSION - PROVINS THE MEDIEVAL CITY

SATURDAY, APRIL 13TH

Take a trip back to the middle ages on our excursion to Provins! 
 
The town of Provins, recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, was once an important merchant town in the historical region of Champagne. The well-preserved medieval walls and fortifications once guarded the medieval town’s international trade fairs 1000 years ago. The town served as an important link in the commerce between the North and South of Europe.
 
During our excursion, enjoy a guided visit to the mysterious underground tunnels of Provins. Originally, minerals extracted from these tunnels were used to clean fresh wool — one of the medieval town’s specialties. But through the years, the vaulted caverns have been used for various purposes: an underground network for merchants, a storage area for wines and cheeses, and even a worship area for medieval cults. 
 
In the afternoon, experience the medieval art of falconry at the show Les Aigles des Remparts. Watch birds of prey — falcons, eagles, owls, and more — take to the skies in a choreographed spectacle. Follow the story of the birds who work alongside humans of various cultures through the ages. These well-trained birds, all rescues, are sure to delight and inspire.
 
There will also be time for you to explore the ancient streets of Provins on your own time. Visit the Tour César, an imposing watchtower that guards the former Earl’s Palace — take advantage of the panoramic view from the top! Or you could check out La Grange aux Dîmes, a museum that shows you how life was like in the marketplaces of 9th century Provins. If you’re into archaeology, Le Musée de Provins et du Provinois has an extensive collection of artifacts from throughout history.

This trip is mandatory for CSU IP  

Schedule

8:15am: Meeting point at the Gare de l'Est

10:15am: Arrive at Provin

11:00 am: Visit la Tour César

12:00 pm: Lunchtime: every student has to bring a picnic lunch or buy food on site

2:15pm: Spectacle : Aigle des remparts (Falcon Show)

3:30pm: Depart on your own for Paris or explore Provins more

5:00pm-6:00pm: Arrival in Paris (depending on the train you take)

Cost

15€

all inclusive/space is limited/first come first served
friends welcome

For other questions or to reserve your spot, please sign up below or come to the office. Payment will be required after drop deadline and before trip date.

Sign-up and/or Drop Deadline: April 1st

BRING YOUR NAVIGO!

Sign up for an excursion:

NB: For paid excursions you place is not fully reserved until you go to the MICEFA office and pay!

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