2022 St Mary’s Academy France Program

While offered through SMA, enrolling on this program represents an agreement between the traveler's family and Walking Tree Travel. Any questions regarding enrollment, payments, refunds, or other administrative matters should come to the WTT Representative listed below.
Dear Families, Friends, and Travelers – Welcome to the 2022 St Mary's Academy France Program!  To learn the basics about this once in a lifetime opportunity, you'll begin by using the Pre-Enrollment page, the purpose of which is to share exciting highlights and important info that participants will want to know before signing up. If you enroll, you'll begin using the Post-Enrollment webpage, which offers a much greater level of detail.  Please be sure to review the information thoroughly and get excited for France!! 
Travel Dates: June 11, 2022 - June 24, 2022
Group Organizer(s):
WTT Contact:
Program Tuition: $3,990 USD
Airfare not included in program tuition
Confirmed Airfare: $1,276

Tuition Calculator

There are two options for payment, including an interest-free installment plan.  Follow whichever works best for your family. If we are within 90 days of travel, only the pay in full option is possible.

Program Tuition: $3,990

Pay in Full

$3,990.00

due today

Payment Plan

Pay a $500 deposit at the time of enrollment and establish an interest-free monthly payment plan. If you enroll today, your estimated* monthly payments would be:

$174.50

per month

* This is an approximate price. Your exact total will be confirmed when your enrollment is processed.

All prices in United States Dollars.

France Cultural Journey

Vive la France! A bucket list destination for any traveler, the country beckons with history, culture, and unique flare for life. Paris is legendary and vibrates with energy while the rolling hiles, pristine beaches, rustic chateauxs and towering cathedrals of the countryside provide calming balance. Regardless of where in the country you find yourself, le patrimoine, or the millennia of history and culture that imbues every corner of France, will leave you with a powerful sense of the place, even after a short visit.

Cultural Journeys

Cultural Journeys

Cultural Journeys allow travelers to gain insights into the heritage, history and modern realities of their destination by offering a broad diversity of experience. We rely on the expertise of our local staff to plan itineraries which not only explore the prominent sites but also make time for the lesser-known local gems and are intentional about regular interaction with local people.

Program Highlights


Check out some of the featured experiences of your program!

Immerse yourself in the local language and culture by staying with a host family

Marvel at the Palace of Versailles

Enjoy a picnic lunch in the Jardin des Tuileries

Window shop on the Champs-Élysées

Visit the Arc de Triomphe, the Pantheon, the Louvre and more!

Practice French with language classes led by native speakers

The Itinerary


We do everything possible to run safe, engaging, and immersive programs for our travelers and given the unpredictable nature of international travel we must remain flexible in our planning. Changes to a schedule are uncommon but, we reserve the right to adjust programming in the best interest of the group. 

DayLocationDescriptionLodging
June 11USA - ParisFly to FranceAirplane
June 12ParisOnce off the plane we'll drop our bags in our rooms, collect ourselves and set off on a walking tour of Montmartre and see the oldest remaining windmill in Paris, discover the hidden 19th century villas of the bourgeoisie as well as the quaint backstreets that inspired countless turn of the century artists and writers. We'll swing by the Moulin Rouge, appreciate the art nouveau flourishes of the Abbesses metro stop and admire the wall of je t'aime! Of course in the midst of all this we'll make time for an afternoon snack at a neighborhood bakery. Our last stop will be the hike up to Sacre Coeur where we'll walk through the church and have just enough time to catch the view of the city at sunset. We'll finish up the evening with a typical dinner in a bistrot nearby.Hotel in Paris
June 13ParisAfter breakfast at the hotel we'll start the day by admiring the medieval vestiges around the Chatelet and Marais neighborhoods. Later we'll stop for some street food in the Jewish quarter and take in the Place des Vosges. We'll then have some time to spend wandering around the lively shopping streets known as the St. Paul village. We'll then make our way over to the Place de la Bastille before finishing the day at the Pompidou Center, admiring the architectural contrasts and exploring the interior for a look at one of France's best modern art collections. We'll have dinner at the newly renovated and rather impressive Halles shopping center.Hotel in Paris
June 14ParisAfter breakfast we'll head to Notre Dame before the crowds and learn a bit about the history and see how the reconstruction process is progressing. We'll then cruise around on bikes to see the Ile St. Louis and do a sweep of the Latin quarter. Here we will explore the Quai St. Michel and the history of Parisian academe by passing in front of the original Sorbonne and St. Andre des Arts. We'll have a picnic lunch in the jardin du luxembourg and get ready to see the Pantheon in the afternoon. We'll finish up the day with some free time to walk around or relax before dinner near the hotel.Hotel in Paris
June 15ParisThe adventures continue today with our first stop at the Galeries Lafayette to appreciate its architecture and then over to the Opera to do the same. We'll learn about its construction and significance in Paris. We'll then move on to see Les Invalides and Musee de la Liberation to learn about the impact of WWII before a picnic lunch in the Champ de Mars as we take in our first close up of the Eiffel Tower. We'll have a bit of free time to explore the neighborhood in the afternoon before dinner at a bistrot nearby. At sunset we'll hop on the Bateau mouche to see the Eiffel Tower at night.Hotel in Paris
June 16ParisToday after breakfast we'll embark on a guided tour of the Lourve to learn about the Mona Lisa as well as several other major works before having free time to roam the museum on our own. We'll break for lunch in the Jardin des Tuileries and appreciate the gardens. Afterwards we'll wind our way up the Champs Elysees appreciating the hustle and bustle of this most impressive shopping street leading us to a well earned hike up the Arc de Triomphe for another impressive view of the city. We'll end the day with dinner near our hotel.Hotel in Paris
June 17Paris - RouenAfter an early breakfast at the hotel we'll head out to spend the day visiting the city of Rouen. We'll check out the Musee des Beaux Arts Rouen as a first stop on our impressionists tour, we'll leisurely take a walkabout the city center, have lunch on a plaza to people watch, go to see the gros horloge -or the old clock-and the rest of the St Maclou histoiric neighborhood, and we'll end with a hike up colline st. catherine to see the city in the evening at sunset. We'll spend the night in this charming little city, getting some solid rest to gear up for the Monet tour in the morning!Hotel in Rouen
June 18Rouen-ParisBreakfast super early and we're off to beat the crowds at Giverny. There we'll see Monet's home and gardens and the Musee des impressionisms. We'll have lunch in a typical restaurant in Giverny and then head back to Paris in the late afternoon. We'll arrive in time for dinner and a walk to see some of Paris by night without overdoing it so as to be fresh for Bordeaux in the morn! Hotel in Paris
June 19Paris - BordeauxAfter an early breakfast, we'll take the train to Bordeaux and upon arrival drop our bags off. We'll then head straight to the Sunday market along the Garonne river and take lunch from there to eat in the jardin public. From there we'll go on a walking tour of the old center and hike up the tour pey berland for a view over the city. In the afternoon we'll meet our host families and have dinner with them.Host Families Bordeaux
June 20BordeauxBreakfast with host families and then off to our first day of French class! For lunch we'll head up to the Chartrons neighborhood to see the Cite du vin and les halles. We'll spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the neighborhood at our leisure before heading back to our host families for dinner.Host Families Bordeaux
June 21BordeauxBreakfast with host families and then off to French class! We'll have a quick lunch near the language school and then head out to see the famous Dune du pyla and the nearby seaside town of Arcachon. We'll head back to our host families for dinner.Host Families Bordeaux
June 22BordeauxBreakfast with host families and then off to French class! We'll have a quick lunch after class and then we'll go and see more of Bordeaux's history at the Musee d'aquitaine and the Basilica of St. Michel. You'll have time to roam around the neighborhood of St. Michel after a guided walkabout. We'll be back to our host families in time for dinner this evening.Host Families Bordeaux
June 23Bordeaux-ParisOne more breakfast with our host families before our final French class of the trip! We'll have a good lunch after class by the river (weather permitting) and then from there we'll grab our bags and catch an evening train back up to Paris in time for dinner, a cheese tasting and a last activity all together in the City of light before a good night's rest. Hotel in Paris
June 24Paris -USAThis morning, after a last croissant, we're headed back home to the U.S.! Your own bed, eventually!

Accommodations


In order to provide a safe and memorable experience, we follow strict guidelines when choosing program accommodations. Walking Tree partners with hotels and guest houses which are centrally located, clean and safe.  We vet and inspect the accommodations to ensure they uphold the ethos of our programs, are great values for our travelers and nice places to rest after enriching days of travel.  

Below are the accommodations we anticipate using on your trip, subject to availability. 
FIAP Jean Monnet

More than just a hotel, this international youth accommodation also functions as a conference center, a cultural venue, and a space to meet up with friends from all over the world. A truly unique experience for students in Paris. Free Wi-Fi access throughout the building keeps everyone feeling connected. Students will be grouped in their rooms according to gender and availability.

Homestay

This will be the best part of your trip! Staying with a host family immerses you in the language and culture of the destination, and can lead to deep and lasting relationships with your hosts. Initially intimidating but ultimately unforgettable, there’s no better way to begin to truly understand the place you’re visiting.

Safety and Support


 EASY FUNDRAISING & PAYMENT
EASY FUNDRAISING & PAYMENT
24/7 GLOBAL EMERGENCY LINE
24/7 GLOBAL EMERGENCY LINE
HIGHLY VETTED PARTNERS
HIGHLY VETTED PARTNERS
EXPERT LEADERSHIP
EXPERT LEADERSHIP
PRIVATE GROUP GUARANTEE
PRIVATE GROUP GUARANTEE
COMPREHENSIVE CURRICULUM SUPPORT
COMPREHENSIVE CURRICULUM SUPPORT
DEDICATION TO CULTURAL ENGAGEMENT
DEDICATION TO CULTURAL ENGAGEMENT
ALL-INCLUSIVE PRICING
ALL-INCLUSIVE PRICING

I thought all in all it was a great experience and wonderful program!! My daughter speaks about her experience daily. She had a ball!!

April
Parent of Jaylah, traveler on 2017 Program to Costa Rica

Your Adventure Includes

Estimated Airfare

In order to give our travelers the best possible price, we break out airfare from the Program Tuition. We will still handle all booking and ticketing via our flight partner who has access to special fares not available to the general public. Once confirmed, you will be invoiced for the flight roughly 75 days prior to travel. 

Program Tuition Excludes: Travel insurance, baggage fees, passport/visa fees, laundry, souvenirs, and activities not listed on itinerary.

 

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Resource center

Resource Center

Why should high school students travel abroad? What happens if a participant gets sick? How quickly do we need to enroll? We’re sure you have plenty of questions and we’ve got you covered! Visit our Resource Center to discover the answers to your most pressing questions and contact us anytime with additional questions.

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