Maybe it got you thinking about a school trip to Paris? To see your students be as inspired by this incredible city as you were. Then you’ll want to read on as we give our top tips (and answer your most frequently asked questions) on Paris.
What’s the best time of year to visit Paris?
Honestly? Paris is amazing at any time of year.
It can get super busy in June and September when loads of trade fairs descend on the city. Accommodation can be particularly hard to get hold of during these months.
Our top tip for organising any school trip is to start planning as early as possible and this is just as much the case with school trips to Paris. As well as making it easier for you and more affordable for parents, it will give you much better choice of how you get there and where you stay.
Where should we stay in Paris?
This really depends on how you’re getting there and what you’re planning to do.
If you travel by Eurostar, you’ll need to stay in a more central location with better metro/RER links to help you get around the city. Obviously, the more central your accommodation, the more expensive it usually is. So, if budget is a concern, we wouldn’t recommend this option.
If you’re travelling to Paris by coach, as many (if not most) of our groups do, you can stay in less expensive accommodation outside the city centre. We’ll make sure your accommodation has parking available either at the hotel or nearby for your coach and you’ll be able to use that to get into the city centre each day.
Traffic into the city isn’t great (as you can imagine) but your Itinerary Coordinator will be a Paris expert and they’ll make sure you have plenty of time to get in before your first activity or visit each day.
If you’re also planning to visit Disneyland® Paris on your trip, then you’ll need to be accommodated somewhere between the city and the theme park. And the same applies if you’re planning to visit both Paris and Parc Astérix.
If you were hoping to stay with host families, we can arrange this in other cities in France - but not Paris. That’s because we require host families to always be located within half an hour of the language school – and in a city as big as Paris, it’s just not possible to guarantee this.
Are there any free visits or activities available in Paris?
If you’re trying to keep costs to a minimum on your school trip to Paris, including some free activities is a great way to do this. And, luckily, there are quite a few to choose from in Paris.
The Louvre is free for school groups, as long as you request the visit yourself (just FYI, it’s closed on Tuesdays). Many of our groups feel they don’t have the time to explore the Louvre but do want to see it (especially the iconic pyramid). And visiting the outside for a photo opp is totally free.
From the Louvre, you can stroll through the Jardin des Tuileries towards the Eiffel Tower for another photo opp with a Paris icon. If you want to go up, you’ll need to queue up on the day and (of course) there is a cost.
We actually prefer the Montparnasse Tower (which we can book in advance). This has the advantage of views across Paris that include the Eiffel Tower.
You could continue this walk across the Champ de Mars towards the Trocadéro, where you can take more pics of the Eiffel Tower (including the typically touristy ones ‘touching’ the top of the tower).
And loads of our groups like to spend a bit of time exploring Montmartre and the Sacré Coeur (for more great photo opps and iconic views of the city).
You could also take a stroll along the Champs-Elysées and explore the Place Vendôme area (near here you’ll find the Ritz, the Palais d’Elysée and the Matignon, where the French President and Prime Minister live).
Should we visit Disneyland® Paris or Parc Astérix on our school trip to Paris?
Paris is a city with many incredible attractions within the city itself. It also has a couple of fantastic theme parks nearby that can add an extra element to your trip. But how do you choose between Disneyland® Paris or Parc Astérix?
Obviously, Disneyland® Paris is the better known of the two and so, if you’re competing with other departments to get kids signed up to your trip, that could tip the balance for you. However, because it’s the more famous of the two, it’s usually the more expensive option.
Parc Astérix is a particularly great choice for French language groups because it’s more rooted in Francophone culture. Astérix is one of the more famous examples of the Franco-Belgian phenomenon of Bandes dessinées, so it’s easier to make the case for this theme park as a cultural visit (and it’s still a huge amount of fun).
Is there anything else we should know about school trips to Paris?
There are a couple of more quirky ways to see the city that are always really popular with school groups.
The first is a river cruise along the Seine. From the boat, you can see many of the city’s main sights from the serenity of the river – it’s a really lovely experience to enjoy with your group.
And for French groups in particular, the Paris Adventure Trail is also a great way to see the city. This is a self-guided tour that’ll see students complete a set of challenges as they travel around. Teachers have their own packs with the solutions, as well as practical info like safe crossing sites.
This is a really exciting way to get to know the city and can be taken at your own pace. So, you can complete it in a morning or an afternoon, or you can stretch it out for a whole day if factoring in stops at particular sites of interest.
Shall we get started?
Hopefully, you’ve found this blog useful and you’re still excited about a trip to Paris. In which case, get in touch today and let’s start planning.
And if you’re keen to go to France but you’re not sure the capital’s for you, just drop us a line and we’ll be pleased to chat through the other options with you.
