School History Trip To Paris

Take to the River Seine for a relaxing tour of some of the main sights of Paris. Hopping on an open deck or glass-sided boat at Pont de l’Alma, you cruise past The Eiffel Tower, Grand Palais, Notre-Dame, Musée d’Orsay and the Louvre amongst many other sites. Tickets are valid for any cruise, so this excursion is very flexible for your itinerary.

An impressive monument of Classical inspiration, this celebration of Napoleonic success provided a model for decades of nationalist building projects. Since 1920, it has also contained beneath its vault the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, commemorating those who died in World War I.

Enjoy unsurpassed views of the Eiffel Tower and the iconic Parisian skyline from the Observatory on the 56th floor of the Montparnasse Tower. Students can explore the city’s layout and beautiful architecture. In addition to the amazing panoramic views, there are educational displays, a VR Time Travel Experience, a 360° Café and a shop. Head up to the roof terrace for an even higher vantage point! A free Magnicity web app offers an immersive city experience.

Tip: Educational work material available.

The Baroque complex known as Les Invalides was built in 1670 to house disabled soldiers and part of it is still a veteran’s residence and hospital. It is also home to The Musée de l’Armée with a huge collection of artifacts from antique armour to weapons. You can take a guided or unaccompanied tour that also visits the Dome Church containing Napoleon’s tomb. Photo © Edwin 11

Originally the Abbey of St Genevieve, this was converted to a secular mausoleum during the Revolution. This tomb is dedicated to great figures of French history, from famous authors and politicians, to more obscure French rescuers of Jews from the Holocaust. Students can get a flavour of the people who have helped shape the nation’s history and identity.

The strength of Louis XIV can be seen at the world’s grandest palace, built to house his family plus thousands of noblemen, servants and hangers-on. Students can see the opulence and symbolism of the system the Revolutionaries of 1789 opposed, and visit the Hall of Mirrors, where the German Emperor was crowned and the Treaty of Versailles was signed.

The Basilica of the Sacred Heart dominates the city skyline thanks to its position on top of Montmartre, the highest point in Paris. The Basilica of Montmartre was dedicated to atone for the sins of the Paris Commune. It is a building of great beauty reflecting the hopes, fears and attitudes of fin-de-siècle France. Behind the Sacré Coeur is the Place du Tertre with its artists’ colony.

Located on the banks of the River Seine, La Conciergerie remains the oldest part of the Palais de la Cité. Students can discover the significance of this building; from being the royal residence for the first French King to becoming the first royal palace in Paris to be used as a prison during the French Revolution. See the reconstructed cell where Marie-Antoinette was held prisoner before her execution in 1793.

Thousands of people were executed at the Place de la Revolution (Place de la Concorde) including King Louis XVI and Queen Marie-Antoinette. Explore Tuileries Gardens, the former site where the Royal Family were held, before venturing to the former Bastille Fortress (Place de la Bastille) where a mob attacked and stormed the fortress. Transport is required.

The largest museum in the world, this is the home of the Mona Lisa plus works by masters from the most important and exciting movements in the world, and essential French works such as those by Jacques-Louis David. Students can also expand their contextual studies by viewing the museum’s vast collection of Islamic art and artefacts from the Middle East.

Tip: Pre-booking is compulsory

Guided tours are available of the Museum of the History of Paris and its six hundred thousand exhibits tracing the development of the city from pre-historic times to the present day. The French Revolution Rooms contain 500 exhibits following the history of this period, including the storming of the Bastille, the Declaration of the Rights of Man, and the Fête de la Fédération celebrations (14th July 1790).