9 days
Paris, Loire Valley, St. Malo, Normandy
Discover a fascinating window into France’s history and heritage through beauty and decadence. The cathedrals of Notre Dame and Chartres inspire so much wonder today that it’s amazing such grandeur was even possible so long ago. As you travel through the Loire Valley you’ll see that the chateaux at Amboise and Chenonceau are equally awe-inspiring.

🔹 Curated experiences: Every program is intentionally designed to feature guided learning, cultural engagement, and independent exploration experiences to drive global competency development, denoted on each itinerary with a blue diamond. Learn more about these experiences.
  • Day 1: Fly overnight to France

  • Day 2: Paris

    Meet your Field Director at the airport

    Take a walking tour of the Latin Quarter, so named because the language was once commonly spoken by the Sorbonne students that populated the area

    See Notre-Dame Cathedral, known for its sculptured facade, stained-glass rose windows, and seemingly weightless vaulted ceilings, and see the progress of its restoration following the 2019 fire which damaged much of the building

    Enjoy dinner in the Latin Quarter
  • Day 3: Paris

    🔹 Guided learning: Take a guided tour of Paris

    With your expert local guide you will see:

    • Place de la Concorde, a major public square
    • Champs-Élysées, an elegant boulevard packed with high-fashion boutiques 
    • Arc de Triomphe, a monument honoring those who fought for France in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars 
    • Eiffel Tower, built for the 1889 World's Fair and an iconic symbol of Paris
    • Hôtel des Invalides, a grand hospital commissioned by Louis XIV 

    Take a guided tour of Versailles, where Louis XIV hosted his royal court to reign in their power and prevent their political rise

    With your expert local guide you will see:

    • State Apartments of the King and Queen
    • The lavish Hall of Mirrors which depicts political successes on its vaulted-ceiling murals 
    • Meticulously landscaped gardens and dozens of ornate fountains 
  • Day 4: Paris • Loire Valley

    Travel via Chartres and Chambord to the Loire Valley

    Visit Chartres Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that looks almost exactly as it did centuries ago

    Take a photo stop at the Château de Chambord and admire the Renaissance-style architecture of this 16th century marvel where the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo were stored for safe keeping during World War II

  • Day 5: Loire Valley

    Take a guided excursion to the Loire Valley 

    Visit the Château de Chenonceau, a breathtaking architectural marvel that actually extends across the River Cher, supported by submerged pillars that form a pattern of arches on the water’s surface 

    Visit the majestic gardens of Amboise, a Renaissance-style château 

    🔹 Cultural engagement: Visit a wine cellar

    Visit and dine at a troglodyte cave dwelling, a subterranean grotto still used today as chapels, bakeries, wine cellars, and more

  • Day 6: Loire Valley • Saint-Malo

    🔹 Cultural engagement: Visit the Mont Saint Michel Abbey, a commune and abbey perched on granite that has attracted pilgrims for more than a thousand years 

    Visit St. Vincent Cathedral to see the tomb of Jacques Cartier, who is credited with discovering Canada 

    🔹 Guided learning: Tour Saint-Malo with your Field Director, an ancient walled city almost totally destroyed during World War II and now one of the most popular destinations in France

  • Day 7: Saint-Malo • Normandy

    Visit the beaches of Normandy to see where the campaign that eventually liberated mainland Europe from Nazi's was launched

    See Pointe du Hoc, another important location of WWII

    See the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial and pay tribute to WWII soldiers

    Visit the Caen Memorial, dedicated to reminding visitors of the fragility of peace 

    Enjoy dinner in the Normandy region

  • Day 8: Normandy • Paris

    Travel to Paris, the City of Light

    Explore art from around the world at the Louvre, home to over 35,000 objects including Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece, the Mona Lisa

  • Day 9: Depart for home

  • Day 1: Fly overnight to France

  • Day 2: Paris

    Meet your Field Director at the airport

    Take a walking tour of the Latin Quarter, so named because the language was once commonly spoken by the Sorbonne students that populated the area

    See Notre-Dame Cathedral, known for its sculptured facade, stained-glass rose windows, and seemingly weightless vaulted ceilings, and see the progress of its restoration following the 2019 fire which damaged much of the building

    Enjoy dinner in the Latin Quarter
  • Day 3: Paris

    🔹 Guided learning: Take a guided tour of Paris

    With your expert local guide you will see:

    • Place de la Concorde, a major public square
    • Champs-Élysées, an elegant boulevard packed with high-fashion boutiques 
    • Arc de Triomphe, a monument honoring those who fought for France in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars 
    • Eiffel Tower, built for the 1889 World's Fair and an iconic symbol of Paris
    • Hôtel des Invalides, a grand hospital commissioned by Louis XIV 

    Take a guided tour of Versailles, where Louis XIV hosted his royal court to reign in their power and prevent their political rise

    With your expert local guide you will see:

    • State Apartments of the King and Queen
    • The lavish Hall of Mirrors which depicts political successes on its vaulted-ceiling murals 
    • Meticulously landscaped gardens and dozens of ornate fountains 
  • Day 4: Paris • Loire Valley

    Travel via Chartres and Chambord to the Loire Valley

    Visit Chartres Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that looks almost exactly as it did centuries ago

    Take a photo stop at the Château de Chambord and admire the Renaissance-style architecture of this 16th century marvel where the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo were stored for safe keeping during World War II

  • Day 5: Loire Valley

    Take a guided excursion to the Loire Valley 

    Visit the Château de Chenonceau, a breathtaking architectural marvel that actually extends across the River Cher, supported by submerged pillars that form a pattern of arches on the water’s surface 

    Visit the majestic gardens of Amboise, a Renaissance-style château 

    🔹 Cultural engagement: Visit a wine cellar

    Visit and dine at a troglodyte cave dwelling, a subterranean grotto still used today as chapels, bakeries, wine cellars, and more

  • Day 6: Loire Valley • Saint-Malo

    🔹 Cultural engagement: Visit the Mont Saint Michel Abbey, a commune and abbey perched on granite that has attracted pilgrims for more than a thousand years 

    Visit St. Vincent Cathedral to see the tomb of Jacques Cartier, who is credited with discovering Canada 

    🔹 Guided learning: Tour Saint-Malo with your Field Director, an ancient walled city almost totally destroyed during World War II and now one of the most popular destinations in France

  • Day 7: Saint-Malo • Normandy

    Visit the beaches of Normandy to see where the campaign that eventually liberated mainland Europe from Nazi's was launched

    See Pointe du Hoc, another important location of WWII

    See the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial and pay tribute to WWII soldiers

    Visit the Caen Memorial, dedicated to reminding visitors of the fragility of peace 

    Enjoy dinner in the Normandy region

  • Day 8: Normandy • Paris

    Travel to Paris, the City of Light

    Explore art from around the world at the Louvre, home to over 35,000 objects including Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece, the Mona Lisa

  • Day 9: Depart for home


Learning outcomes on this program

Confidence • Curiosity • Global perspective • Empathy • Adaptability • Relatability • Self-Awareness


EF Global Learning Model Post-Study Abroad Learning Resources
Academic resources

With this program, you get access to our Global Learning Resources, which include:

  • Discussion questions
  • Sample assignments
  • Journal prompts
  • Webinars
  • EF's Global Competency Assessment, a pre- and post-program assessment to measure competency development
See the resources you get
EF Global Learning Model Post-Study Abroad Learning Resources
Academic resources


With this program, you get access to our Global Learning Resources, which include:

  • Discussion questions
  • Sample assignments
  • Journal prompts
  • Webinars
  • EF's Global Competency Assessment, a pre- and post-program assessment to measure competency development

See the resources you get


Your experience includes

  • Round-trip airfare

    Your price includes round-trip airfare for your whole group

  • Accommodations

    Safe, comfortable hotels with private bathrooms will be waiting for you at your destination.

  • On-tour transportation

    Land transportation

  • Regional-style meals

    Daily breakfasts and select local dinners are included in your program. Generally, we leave lunch up to you so your group has an opportunity to explore its own tastes.

  • End-to-end support

    Your team helps to secure administrative approval and academic credit, provides recruiting tools and helps establish your program's ongoing presence on campus.

  • EF Global Learning Toolkit

    To capitalize on moments for building empathy, awareness, and adaptability in a global environment, we offer a number of different tools designed to help educators facilitate student growth abroad and on campus, including academically enriched travel programs, industry engagement opportunities, global learning resources, and a Global Competencies Assessment tool.

  • Full-time Field Director

    Your Field Director is with your group 24/7, providing deep local insight while handling all program logistics.

  • Expert Local Guides

    Your expert Local Guides are natural historians, adding cultural insight and enhancing teaching moments wherever your curriculum takes you.

  • Guided sightseeing

    Gain insider knowledge and cultural perspective from licensed local guides who join your group for select experiences on tour.

  • Entrances

    Notre-Dame, Louvre, Chartres Cathedral, Chenonceau, Amboise, Wine cellar, St. Vincent Cathedral, Mont-St-Michel

  • Worldwide support, safety and security

    EF has over 500 schools and offices in more than 50 countries worldwide. We provide 24-hour emergency support service along with a comprehensive $50 million liability policy that covers you and your institution while abroad.

  • Flexible payment options

    Give more students the opportunity to study abroad by offering them two different payment plan options, along with our TripFunder website to help fundraise for the program.


Programs in real life

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Programs in real life

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EF College Study Tours Facebook page     Facebook →

EF College Study Tours blog page     Blog →

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