Amiens and Arras offer your students the chance to experience an authentic French Christmas on your school trip.
School trips to France are the perfect choice for many subjects, from French and history to art, geography and business studies, among others, thanks to the incredible diversity of activities and visits available.
We can arrange school trips all over France, from buzzing big cities like Paris and Lyon to the spectacular landscapes of the Opal Coast, Loire Valley and the Massif Central!
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Why visit France?
Our most popular school trip destination
France is by far our most popular school trip destination. This is for two very important reasons. Firstly, it offers exciting opportunities to bring almost any subject to life.
And secondly, the short journey times from the UK mean that educational tours to France can work for all budgets and timeframes because you can choose to travel by coach. This means that school trips to France are generally very affordable and work well for any duration, from a day trip to a whole week!
A rich, vibrant culture
France is famous for its rich culture and many groups choose to visit France on a school trip simply for the opportunity to experience this. Others want to learn more about the country's art or fashion.
And, of course, for French-language school trips, the opportunity to explore French culture through the French language is an unforgettable experience that will not only spark a passion for France in your students, it will also give them a huge boost of confidence in their language skills.
Incredible history
On a school trip to France, your students could learn about the experience of the soldiers in the trenches of WW1. Or they could discover how D-Day was the beginning of the end of WW2. You could travel even further back in time, to explore the Paris of the French Revolution!
Fascinating geography
The Massif Central in central France is the perfect destination for a geography school trip designed to help students learn more about volcanoes and rivers, and how powerful they are in terms of shaping the surrounding landscape.
And the best bit is, you can get there by coach, reducing the environmental impact of your trip.
Gourmet goals
One thing you can be certain of with a school trip to France is that your students won’t go hungry. Of course, France is famous for its cuisine and this makes it incredibly popular for food technology school trips.
But many of our other groups also choose to include some food-based activities in their itineraries too! One of the highlights for many French groups, for example, is the opportunity to visit a local bakery and learn about the cultural significance of bread and how it’s made by a real French baker.
Browse our trips
School Christmas Markets Trip to Amiens and Arras
School French Culture Trip to Disneyland & Paris
Open your students’ eyes to the magic of the French language and culture with a combined trip to Paris and Disneyland.
£429PP
School Media Studies Trip to Disneyland Paris
Where better for a media studies school trip than Disneyland® Paris, discovering one of the world's media giants?
£279PP
School Business Studies Trip to Disneyland
Discover the marketing magic behind one of the world's biggest global brands on a business studies trip to Disneyland® Paris!
£365PP
School Performing Arts Trip to Disneyland
Watch your students perform at Europe's most popular theme park on your performing arts school trip to Disneyland® Paris!
£365PP
School General & Cultural Trip to Disneyland
The magic of Disney cannot be beaten for rewarding and inspiring students!
£365PP
School Primary Languages Trip to Disneyland Paris
Your primary French school trip to Disneyland® Paris will be a magical experience for both you and your pupils!
£319PP
School Mathematics Trip to Disneyland and Paris
Explore the magic of maths with an unforgettable trip to Paris and Disneyland.
£470PP
School Science Trip to Disneyland and Paris
Discover the physics behind rollercoasters and visit one of Europe's largest science museums.
£315PP
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Activities in France that your school group will love
Disneyland® Paris
A school trip to Disneyland® Paris is sure to be an unforgettable experience for your students. A magical setting for
Bateaux Mouches
Starting at the Pont d'Alma, near the Eiffel Tower, a Seine River cruise will take you upstream to the Ile de la Cite and Notre Dame Cathedral.
Louvre Museum
Take your students to see Mona Lisa's famous smile, and countless works of the world's most famous art, at the Louvre Museum.
Mont Saint-Michel Abbey
The long history of Mont Saint-Michel is thought to date back to 708AD when Aubert, Bishop of Avranches had a
Arromanches 360 Cinema
'The Price of Freedom' shown in this innovative 360-degree cinema, blends original documentary film of the invasion with pictures of
Musee d'Orsay
The Musée d’Orsay offers a range of guided tours in English, including the Highlights of the Musée d’Orsay and the Impressionists.
Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie
France’s leading science museum hosts static and interactive exhibitions on a range of environmental and technological themes.
Futuroscope
Located on the outskirts of Poitiers, Futuroscope is a unique theme park which combines enternmainment and education in a fun
Where to visit in France
Amiens
School trips to Amiens are a fantastic festive treat, especially for French students!
On your school trip to Amiens, your students will experience a traditional French Christmas at the largest Christmas market in northern France.
As well as trying some delicious treats and picking up gifts, your students will have lots of opportunities to practise their French!
Disneyland
School trips to Disneyland® Paris are a magical option for almost any subject!
Whether you're looking for an inspiring school trip for your business studies, media studies or performing arts students, Disneyland® Paris offers some great options.
If you want to arrange a school trip your students will never forget, this is it!
Dunkirk
School trips to Dunkirk are ideal for history groups keen to learn about Operation Dynamo!
Whether your school trip is focusing on the events of WW2 itself, or the history of warfare, there are some fantastic visits in and around Dunkirk.
Your carefully designed, tailor-made itinerary will bring WW2 to life for your students on your school trip to Dunkirk.
Futuroscope
A school trip to Futuroscope offers your students the chance to explore the fascinating world of media technology!
Futuroscope is most popular with media studies groups thanks to the theme park's focus on film and communication technology. Combined with the Loire Valley, it can also make a great destination to see more of France too.
Lille
School trips to Lille offer students the unforgettable opportunity to immerse themselves in French in a charming city!
Lille is one of our most popular destinations for Christmas market school trips, which are a fantastic way to get your students speaking French.
The short journey times also make this a great destination for primary language groups.
Loire Valley
School trips to the Loire Valley are the perfect option for introducing your students to the French language and culture!
This is a region of fairy tale châteaux, romantic legends and fascinating history.
If you're looking for a school trip destination to inspire your French students, the Loire will be hard to beat!
Lyon
School trips to Lyon offer the exciting opportunity to explore the gastronomic capital of France!
France's second city, Lyon is a fantastic alternative to Paris, offering just as much history and culture.
And, with its incredible culinary reputation, you can be sure your students won't go hungry on your French school trip!
Montpellier
School trips to Montpellier are perfect for groups needing to focus on their French language skills ahead of exams!
One of our most popular French language study trip destinations, Montpellier is a wonderful city for a school trip. Easily navigable and with a youthful atmosphere, both students and teachers will fall in love with charming Montpellier.
Nice
School trips to Nice offer students the incredible opportunity to learn French on the French Riviera!
Whether you want your students to soak up the atmosphere or you need them to spend the time focusing on their language skills with total immersion in French, Nice will be an unforgettable French school trip.
Normandy
Normandy is a great destination for a variety of subjects, including food technology, French and history.
Just a short hop across the Channel, Normandy boasts a fascinating history and culture for your students to explore. Plus, the food is incredible - so you can be sure your students won't go hungry.
Opal Coast
A school trip to the Opal Coast is the perfect choice if you want to spend more time experiencing France and less time stuck on a coach!
Opal Coast school trips are a popular choice for a number of subjects including food technology, French, primary languages and general and cultural school trips because journey times are so short.
Parc Asterix
A school trip to Parc Astérix offers your students the opportunity to explore France through the eyes of a cultural icon!
Parc Astérix school trips are popular with French school groups who want to practise their French while exploring the culture at one of the country's top theme parks and is often combined with visits in and around Paris.
Paris
Trips to Paris offer exciting opportunities for almost any subject.
Whether you're looking for a destination for art, business studies, fashion, food technology, French, history, primary languages or science, Paris offers an incredible variety of educational visits and activities.
A trip to the elegant French capital is an unforgettable experience that your students won't want to miss.
Rouen
A school trip to Rouen offers your students the opportunity to explore one of France's most historic cities!
Rouen school trips are most popular among French groups preparing for exams. That's because the city is home to an excellent French language school, where we can arrange lessons and a cultural activities programme for your students. Host family accommodation is also available.
Strasbourg
A school trip to Strasbourg offers your students the opportunity to explore the capital of the Alsace region!
Strasbourg school trips are very popular among French groups at Christmas, when they visit the city to explore its atmospheric Christmas markets. Not only is this a great festive treat, but it also gives students the opportunity to practise their French in a relaxed setting.
The Somme
A school trip to the Somme offers your students the opportunity to deepen their understanding of the realities of WW1!
School trips to the Somme are popular with both history and English literature school groups, as an educational visit to this area will bring WW1 and the experiences of the soldiers in the trenches to life for 21st-century students.
South of France
School trips to the South of France are a fantastic option for groups who want to immerse themselves in French and enjoy a tailored programme of lessons and activities!
The South of France offers a warm welcome, relaxed atmosphere and friendly locals, which make it perfect for school groups. Our partner language school in the South of France is located in the spectacular resort town of Sète!
Bordeaux
Beautiful Bordeaux offers bags of history and culture in a compact centre.
Immerse your students in French language and culture in the spectacular city of Bordeaux, in southwestern France. Famous for wine (but offering so much more than that), Bordeaux is a great alternative to Paris and Lyon.
Learn more
14 Jun 2023
Why Choose the South of France for Your Next French School Trip?
Here's why you should consider the South of France for your next trip!
26 May 2023
Exploring Our New French Language Destination in the South of France
Our languages team recently had the opportunity to visit a brand new destination for French language trips in the South of France - find out more here!
04 Oct 2024
Halsbury's Top Tips for School Trips to Paris
We give our top tips (and answer your most frequently asked questions) on Paris.
28 Apr 2020
5 Interesting Facts for Your School Trip to Paris
Laura Martin, one of our experienced Tour Advisers has visited Paris several times and knows the city well. Here are her top 5 most interesting facts about the city that you need to know before you travel there on your school trip.
02 Jan 2020
Fun Facts About Disneyland Paris
Laura is one of our experienced Itinerary Coordinators and has organised many school trips to Disneyland® Paris. In fact, just this year she’s organised 51 trips to the French theme park! Here are some of her favourite facts about Disneyland® Paris!
24 May 2019
8 Reasons to Visit the Loire Valley On Your Next School Trip
Full of spectacular châteaux, linguistic adventures and exciting history, the Loire Valley is a fantastic alternative for your next school trip to France.
05 Jun 2019
D-Day 75 - 5 Films About the Invasion of Normandy
Tomorrow marks the 75th anniversary of D-Day, so we've compiled our top 5 films based on the Allied Invasion of Normandy.
26 Feb 2018
Great Accommodation for School Groups in Normandy!
Find out more about this exciting accommodation centre in Normandy that's perfect for school groups!
Why choose Halsbury?
We build your trip around you
Tell us your learning objectives, curriculum and budget and we’ll do the rest.
Contact usWe’re trusted for a reason
We’re members of ABTA, ABTOT and the School Travel Forum. We also hold an ATOL and the LOtC Quality Badge.
Read moreOur Education specialists
Laura Lucas
Tour Consultant
Paul Hudson
Tour Consultant
Laura Martin
Language Sales & Product Manager
Emma Gray da Silva
Tour Consultant
Meet our education specialists and get to know more about the people committed to making your school trip the best it can be.
Case studies
King Edward's School Witley's Trip to Futuroscope
Thinking about a trip to Futuroscope? Check out King Edward's School Witley's case study.
Kimbolton School's Trip to Montpellier
Find out what happened on Kimbolton School's language-focused trip to Montpellier!
St. George's Weybridge's History School Trip to France
What happened when St. George's Weybridge students headed out to France on their first history school trip since the pandemic?
FAQs
I know where I want to go in France, but I can't see it on this page. Can you still help me?
Of course. The destinations listed on this page are our most popular destinations in France but if you want to go somewhere a bit different we'll certainly do our best to help.
We've got great relationships with suppliers all over France (as well as several French speakers on our team) so we should be able to arrange something for you to suit your budget and trip objectives in your preferred destination.
Just get in touch with us and we'll let you know what we can do.
Do you offer travel insurance?
We do. Travel insurance is an optional extra and you can find out more about it in our travel insurance resource (which includes the policy documents and FAQs).
If you decide against arranging this insurance through us (which is absolutely fine, by the way), please just remember you must have suitable travel and medical insurance to cover your group.
Is it better to fly or travel by coach on a school trip to France?
Of course, you could either fly or travel by coach to France. Honestly, we'd always recommend going by coach, as it will be much cheaper in almost all cases. The only time when it might be less expensive to fly is if you have a very small group (i.e. not enough to fill a coach).
Travelling by coach is much better for the environment and it also means you'll have use of the coach while on your trip (if you fly, you'd have to either add a French coach or rely on public transport).
You'll also be collected and dropped off at school - which makes it super easy to coordinate. If you're flying, you'll need to ask parents and guardians to drop their kids at the airport (which might be quite a trek for them) or arrange a coach transfer from school (another added expense to consider).
If you're concerned about long journey times, then the Opal Coast, Normandy and Paris are all great options.
One thing to remember is that all coach tours are closed-door tours - which means that all passengers that board the coach on departure from school will need to still be on board on return from school (so, parents cannot collect students en-route to go on a family holiday, for example).
If you're not sure what the best option is for your group, just get in touch - we'll be really pleased to talk you through the options.
When is the best time to visit France?
France really is a year-round destination for school groups and we do have groups going out most weeks during the school year.
Destinations in the south, such as Nice and Montpellier are ideal in the spring and autumn as they'll be warmer and sunnier than the UK. They're also great summer destinations too, just make sure you prepare for hot weather and have strategies in place to keep your group cool on your trip.
And, of course, Christmas is always very popular in destinations such as Lille, Amiens and Strasbourg thanks to their famous Christmas markets. These trips are very popular with language groups as they offer the opportunity to practise speaking French with the stallholders.
Can the trip itinerary be adapted to my curriculum and requirements?
Every single trip we arrange is tailor-made, so yes, the itinerary can be adapted.
Our Tour Advisers and Itinerary Coordinators are all experienced school travel specialists. They'll work closely with you to make sure your itinerary supports your learning objectives. They'll be able to offer suggestions and advice to make sure you make the most of your time.
So, when you're browsing through our school trips, just remember that the itineraries and activities you see are there for inspiration only - your own itinerary can look as similar or as different as you want.
Equally, we've suggested trip durations based on what groups usually request - if you want to go for a shorter or longer duration, just let us know.
How far ahead should I start planning my trip?
As a general rule, we recommend that you start planning your trip 12-18 months before you want to travel. This gives you plenty of time to get it approved and launched to students and parents.
Planning early will mean you have a greater choice of accommodation and travel options - and it will make paying for the trip easier for families, as they'll be able to break it down into smaller, more manageable payments.
You can check out our trip-planning timeline for a better idea of the process and when you should expect to be doing things.
If you are looking to travel sooner than this, it is possible. It will depend on availability and you may find prices are a bit higher, but get in touch and we can see what's possible.
What accommodation options are available in France?
We're able to offer a wide variety of accommodation in France and it really depends on which destination you're going to as to what exactly is available.
In places like Normandy and the Massif Central, we have purpose-built youth-hostel style accommodation that's really great for younger groups. In some of the bigger cities, we have a range of hotel accommodation, from basic but comfortable to more luxurious options. And for French groups, we can even offer carefully-selected host family accommodation in some destinations (which makes for a total immersion experience).
On each of the trip pages, you'll see some accommodation options - these are usually the most popular for those destinations, but we often have plenty of other options available. You'll discuss accommodation options with your Tour Adviser when they're putting your quote together, so don't be afraid to let them know if you want something different.
We only work with accommodation options that are suitable for schools. As a member of the School Travel Forum (STF), you can be certain that all accommodation contracted by us complies with local legislation with respect to fire and general safety, is contracted by trained Halsbury Travel staff or reputable agents, receives a standard audit and risk assessment prior to use by Halsbury Travel and receives a supplementary audit if it is used on five or more occasions in a year.
Let's chat!