Excursions
The Glories of France program provides students with several opportunities to explore France's Languedoc-Roussillon region and beyond. On the first weekend of the program, we will take a group trip to Paris (included in the program cost). We will depart Montpellier on Friday morning and return Sunday evening. We will do some activities as a group, and your professors will also design field trips for their classes throughout the weekend as well. These could be walking tours, museums, historical sites, etc. that really highlight what you're learning throughout the summer. Of course, you will also have plenty of free time to explore Paris on your own, whether it's to have a cafe creme at a Parisian cafe or to indulge in some shopping and macaron tasting on Champs Elysee!
In addition to the Paris weekend trip, we will visit sites in the area surrounding Montpellier (the Languedoc-Roussillon region). These excursions will take place on Wednesdays, with exact departure and return times to be announced once we are on site in France. Tentatively, we have a trip planned to Palavas for the first Wednesday. Palavas is a gorgeous beach town on the Mediterranean, located a short drive from Montpellier. We will take a coach bus there, but students are welcomed to also take a tram from downtown to access the beach on their free time. Please see this year's program calendar for specifics on planned excursions.
Excursion Guides
Not sure what to explore on our week-day excursions? Check out these city guides for some tips:
St. Guilhem le desert City Guide
Weekend Travel Ideas
Students on the Glories of France program have three free weekends to travel. If you've never traveled in Europe before, you may be surprised at how efficient the Eurail train system is and how little it costs to fly to other cities or even other countries on discount airlines. Check out these website for discount flights and train tickets:
NOTE: Many of the discount airlines have strict baggage requirements, so be sure to pack lightly and to check their restrictions before purchasing a ticket. You can read more about European budget airlines here: https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/transportation/budget-flights
Many students opt to head to Barcelona, Spain for a weekend, since it's only a 3 hour train ride away. Another popular destination for students is the French Riviera, while many students even choose to head back to Paris to explore the city again since one weekend as a group is often just not enough time! Unsure of where you should go? Be sure to consult our office for more tips and suggestions on easily accessible destinations.
