PARIS - LOCATION GUIDE
FRENCH LANGUAGE
Exceptional Tours Expertly Delivered
Our location guide offers you information on the range of visits available in Paris. All visits are selected with your subject and the curriculum in mind, along with the most popular choices for sightseeing, culture and leisure in the area.
The information in your location guide has been provided by our partners in Paris who have expert on the ground knowledge of the area, combined with advice from education professionals so that the visits and information recommended are the most relevant to meet your learning objectives.
Making Life Easier for You
This location guide is not a catalogue of opening times. Our Tour Experts will design your itinerary with opening times and location in mind so that you can really maximise your time on tour.
Our location guides are designed to give you the information that you really need, including what are the highlights of the visit, location, suitability and educational resources. We’ll give you top tips like when is the best time to go, dress code and extra local knowledge.
Peace of Mind
So that you don’t need to carry additional money around with you we will state in your initial quote letter, which visits are included within your inclusive tour price and if there is anything that can’t be pre-paid we will advise you of the entrance fees so that you know how much money to take along.
You also have the added reassurance that, WST is a member of the STF and our featured visits are all covered as part of our externally verified Safety Management System.
LANGUAGE VISITS
French Language Workshops Students take part in listening and speaking sessions based around your key topics. They are ideal for preparation and practise in the morning before going out and about in the afternoon to speak in real-life situations. Once your workshop is booked, the teacher will contact you directly to discuss your students’ abilities and study topics to ensure they will match learning objectives of the tour and keep the students attention. Our workshops are available as follows:
European Campus Sainte Thérèse: Groups staying at this centre on the outskirts of Paris can have 2 to 3 hour workshops on site in their purpose built classrooms.
Top Tip: We can offer a Language Immersion Experience here, which will give your students an intensive language learning experience. Ask us for more details.
Fiap Jean Monnet: Groups staying at this centre in Paris can have 2 to 3 hour workshops on site in their meeting rooms. Website: www.fiap.asso.fr/index-en.html Metro: Saint-Jacques
Accord Language School: Groups can have a lesson at renowned language school for 2 to 3 hours. Lessons take place in the language school classrooms.
Website: www.accord-langues.com/Gb/ecole.php Metro: Grand Boulevard, Les Halles
The Sorbonne Enjoy a guided tour, delivered in French, of the Palais Académique at the famous Sorbonne. It will improve listening and speaking skills and is a good taster for those who want to take their language studies further when they get older. Visits take place at 10.00 and 14.00 Monday to Friday only.
Top Tip: As this tour is only available in French we recommend it is more suitable for experiences GCSE students or A Level students.
Website: www.english.paris-sorbonne.fr/ Metro: Saint-Michel, Odéon, Cluny-la-Sorbonne
Montparnasse Tower Offering superb panoramic views of Paris, this is less busy than the Eiffel Tower so queues are shorter. It also has good audio and visual interactive facilities to help improve language skills.
Top Tip: The website has an interactive panoramic 360° view of Paris which is a great tool to use as you prepare your students for their visit to the city.
Educational Resources: Montparnasse Tower has a range of quizzes that you can download in advance. http://www.tourmontparnasse56.com/en/#/pros/school
Website: www.tourmontparnasse56.com/index_EN.php#/home Metro: Montparnasse Bienvenüe
Cité des Sciences The largest science museum in France packed with interactive exhibitions which are predominantly in French, so students can practise reading and listening skills whilst having fun exploring the exhibits.
Website: www.cite-sciences.fr/en/ Metro: Port de la Villette
Guided Tour of Paris – With A Twist! Enjoy the major sights and landmarks of Paris as an experienced city can guide join your coach or take you about the city on foot. But to be sure your students improve their listening skills, the commentary is wholly in French.
CULTURAL VISITS
Eiffel Tower One of Paris’ best known monuments, a trip to the top offers superb views of the city. Visitors can choose go to the 2nd floor or the top
Resources: The website offers a great iphone app and a downloadable visitors guide, both with useful info to help you prepare for your visit
Top Tip: The Eiffel Tower gets booked up very quickly so please register your interest early. Your preferred time can’t be guaranteed, so be prepared to be flexible on when you visit.
Website: www.eiffel-tower.com/ Metro: Trocadéro or Bir-Hakeim
Seine River Cruise A one hour cruise from the Eiffel Tower, up to Notre Dame and back. A lovely relaxing way to see the sights with commentary in French or English. Groups can do the tour in the evening and see Paris by night.
Website: www.bateauxparisiens.com/ Metro: Trocadéro or Bir-Hakeim
Montmartre and Sacré Coeur An artistic area of Paris filled with street artists and stalls. A visit here is a wonderful way to soak up the culture and being high up, affords great views of the city.
Metro: Anvers
Notre Dame Cathedral The famous gothic cathedral at the heart of Paris. No trip to Paris is complete without a visit here.
Top Tip: If you visit Paris in the summertime, the park behind Notre Dame (Square Jean XXIII) is a great spot for your group to stop to eat their lunch and soak up the atmosphere of Paris. Often there are lunchtime concerts there to entertain the visitors.
Website: www.notredamedeparis.fr/ Metro: Hôtel de Ville, Cité or St Michel
Champs Elysées This famous boulevard is well known for its theatres cafés and luxury shops. It stretches from the Place de la Concorde down to the dramatic Arc du Triomphe. No visit to Paris is complete without a stroll down the Champs Elysées for the perfect photo opportunity.
Stade de France Groups can take a behind the scenes tour of the national stadium of France. The 90 minute tour will take you into the players’ changing rooms, through the tunnel and out on to the famous pitch.
Top Tip: Take time to visit the museum and the shop at the end of the tour. The students can pick up souvenirs and practise their French whilst doing so.
Website: http://www.stadefrance.com/en Metro: St Denis – Porte de Paris / RER: Stade de France
Château Versailles This is a UNESCO world heritage site and the scene for many historic events. Visitors have a number of options here, dependent on time you have available and what you want to see. Choose from the palace, the palace and the gardens or add on Marie Antoinette’s estate. Most groups choose to visit the palace with an audio guide followed by free time to explore the world famous gardens which can be squeezed in to a half day visit. The Palace is closed on Mondays
Website: www.chateauversailles.fr/homepage Location: Château Versailles is located approx. 1 hours drive south west from central Paris, but can take longer at peak traffic times.
The Louvre One of the most famous museums in the world. The Louvre is free for self guided visits although groups must pre-book in advance. If you prefer a guided tour then
audio guides or English speaking guides can be booked at an additional cost. The Louvre is closed on Tuesdays.
Top Tip: If you are there at lunchtime there is a wide range of indoor and outdoor café’s where your students can pick up some snacks.
Resources: The Louvre has a guided tour app available to download on your iphone. Check out the website for other interesting apps and downloads such as the guided thematic trails from around the museum including ‘Masterpieces of the Louvre’ or ‘The Da Vinci Code’.
Website: www.louvre.fr/en/homepage Metro: Palais-Royal–Musée du Louvre
Musée D’Orsay Located in an old railway station on the banks of the Seine this museum holds an extensive collection of Impressionist and Post Impressionist art 19th Century art from well known artists including Monet and Van Gogh. Closed on Mondays.
Website: www.musee-orsay.fr/en/home.html Metro: Concorde, Assemblée Nationale or Solférino
Centre Pompidou A unique collection of 20th Century Art. The revolutionary museum building itself is a work of art and is an iconic piece of modern architecture. Closed on Tuesdays.
Website: www.centrepompidou.fr/ Metro: Rambuteau, Hôtel de Ville or Châtelet
LEISURE VISITS
DISNEYLAND® PARIS Disneyland® Paris is a unique destination with two magical Disney Parks bursting with more than 50 attractions, shows and parades!
Disneyland® Park Explore 5 themed lands filled with Disney classic stories and fairy tales featuring fantastical and fearless Disney Characters.
Walt Disney Studios® Park Feel what it’s like to be the star of stage and screen and experience movie sets coming to life.
Eating at Disneyland® Paris: Packed lunches can not be taken into the park. A lunch menu meal coupon can be pre-arranged and pre-paid, which provides 1 main course, 1 dessert and 1 soft drink. This can be used for lunch at most of the restaurants on the park. Alternatively, your students can buy food on the day at any of the food outlets around the park.
Park opening hours: During the summer months Disneyland® Park is open until approx. 10.00 pm and Walt Disney Studios® Park until approx. 7.00 pm. During
Spring, Autumn and Winter the park closes around 6.00 pm. Opening times can vary each month.
Website: www.disneylandparis.co.uk Location: Marne la Vallée – groups usually access by coach but if you are on public transport take the RER to Marne la Vallée.
Parc Astérix Only 30km north of Paris, Parc Astérix is a fantastic place to spend a day. Based on the famous characters from the Astérix comics it offers a wonderful range of white knuckle rides and themed shows.
Website: www.parcasterix.fr/en Location: North of Paris - groups usually access by coach
Aquaboulevard A large indoor aquatic park with wave pools, slides and a range of indoor activities. Ideal for an evening activity.
Website: www.aquaboulevard.fr
Bowling A visit to a bowling alley is a popular evening activity for many groups. We can pre- arrange a bowling night at a variety of locations, depending on where you are accommodated.
RESTAURANTS
Paris dining We can arrange evening meals in restaurants in the city with options to suit all tastes. Our most popular choices are:
Hard Rock Café: Groups can have a burger meal and ice cream dessert Auberge Père Louis: A traditional French restaurant with a 2 course meal option. Highly recommended for French language groups, providing great opportunities to practise French Flunch: A chain of self service, buffet style restaurants, which dotted around the city. Ideal for dinner on the go! Flams: Alsatian style pizzas at various locations around the city Montecarlo: A buffet restaurant located close to the Champs Elysées
Disneyland® Paris Restaurants Why not make the fun last that little bit longer by extending your stay and your enjoyment with an evening meal at Disneyland® Paris. Choose from:
Planet Hollywood® Rainforest Café® Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show Earl of Sandwich Disney lunch or evening meal vouchers to use at counter service restaurants