2024 Ralston Valley France Program

Dear Families, Friends, and Travelers – Welcome to the 2024 Ralston Valley France Program! You are currently on 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 page which offers a greater level of detail.  Please be sure to review the information thoroughly and get excited for France! 
Travel Dates: March 16, 2024 - March 25, 2024
Group Organizer(s):
WTT Contact:
Program Tuition: $2,990 USD
Airfare not included in program tuition
Confirmed Airfare: $1,355

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: $2,990

Pay in Full

$2,990.00

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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!

Marvel at the Palace of Versailles

Enjoy a picnic lunch in the Jardin des Tuileries

Window shop on the Champs-Élysées

Climb the Eiffel Tower

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
March 16USA - ParisToday the group will travel from the US to Paris, France.Airplane
March 17ParisArrive in Paris and meet your Walking Tree Program Leader at the airport and head to our hotel to drop our bags and have our orientation meeing. With so much to see in Paris, we'll spend most of the day visiting monuments and amazing sites. We'll start the day at The Orsay Museum followed by a quick trip to the beautiful Tuileries Garden where we will have a picnic. Next we'll continue on to the Place de la Concorde and the Place Vendome , a square dominated by a decorated column dedicated to the famous Napoleonic battle of Austerlitz. We'll move on to the home of the current French President - the Palais de l'Élysée , where we'll enjoy the beautiful view from outside. The afternoon will be an excellent chance to do some (window) shopping at one of the most exclusive shopping districts in the world; Champs-Élysées . We'll finish up the day up at the Arc de Triomphe followed by dinner nearby our hotel. We will then head back to our hotel for a good night of sleep. Citadines Montmartre Paris
March 18ParisToday, we will have a wonderful walking tour of Paris. We'll start on the Left Bank or Rive Gauche where we will see the Luxembourg Gardens , the Pantheon , and the famous Latin Quarter , followed by the Holy Chapel. We will walk by Notre Dame Cathedral and admire it from outside . We'll stop for a picnic lunch in the nearby park and explore the Ile de St. Louis , too. Then we will continue up to the Pompidou Center , where we will see an exhibition. After the museum we will walk over to the Les Halles area and explore Rue Montorgueil , the oldest market street in Paris, and the Church of St. Eustache . We will eat dinner at a restaurant in the neighborhood and then head back to our accommodations for some rest.Citadines Montmartre Paris
March 19ParisToday we will take the RER just outside of Paris to see the palace of Versailles , one of the most opulent palaces in the world, with gardens equally as beautiful. We'll enjoy a nice picnic in the gardens and you'll also get the chance to visit the historic Hall of Mirrors - the treaty of Versailles was signed here, ending World War I. We'll take the RER back into Paris and get out at the Champs de Mars to see the Eiffel Tower up close. If scheduling allows, we will go all the way to the top! When we get back down to ground level, we'll walk over to see Invalides . After dinner, we'll head to the Palais du Tokyo, Paris' exciting contemporary art museum (open until midnight!). Here we'll see an exhibition and have an amazing view of the Eiffel Tower before heading back to our hotels for tonight. Citadines Montmartre Paris
March 20ParisIn the morning, we'll visit the Louvre and you will have your chance to see the Mona Lisa, Winged Victory and many other amazing works of art. After our visit to the Louvre, we will walk to the gardens of the Palais Royal. We will take the metro and will be walking to one of the most charming neighborhoods in Paris, Montmartre, also known as the painter's corner. Its small, steep streets constitute a network that connects the city's oldest cabarets. We'll check out some of the most well-known corners of the neighborhood, including the the Bateau Lavoir and the Cafe au Deux Molins - famous for the movie Amelie-, Moulin Rouge and Place de Clichy, Place du Tertre. If time allows we will go in the Basilica of Sacre Couer. We will have dinner at the area before heading back to hotel.Citadines Montmartre Paris
March 21Paris - Normandy (Caen - Bayeux)In the morning we'll depart by bus for Caen, Normandy, arriving at the Atlantic coast by late morning. Once on the beach, we’ll have a few hours through the countryside with a local guide to discover coastlines viewpoints to one of the major trace of the Atlantic Wall and the impressive Mulberry Harbour at Arromanches.
We will take a break at Longues sur Mer & Gold Beach. We'll have a picnic along the way. Later in the afternoon, we’ll return the bikes and head to the medieval city of Bayeux for the evening. We’ll have dinner and check into our lodging.
Hotel De Brunville
March 22Normandy - NantesAfter breakfast, we're off to the Loire Valley. We'll stop at Rochemenier and visit the Village Troglodytique, a strange 13th-century town built into stone. Then, we will drive a bit further along the Loire River and go to Saumur where will have lunch. After, we will go inside a mushroom museums a site dedicated to the fascinating world of wild and cultivated mushrooms. We will board the bus and go to Montsoreau and visit the river cliff of Saut aux Loups. We will head further east, towards Amboise. Finally we'll drive to our accommodations, check in, and have dinner.Hotel Le Blason
March 23Loire ValleyAfter breakfast, we will check out from our hotel and hop on the bus to make a visit to the Amboise Castle famous for being Leonardo Da Vinci's burial site and also the palace of the kings of France during the renaissance. Afterwards, we will tour some more of chateau country and we'll see the beautiful castle of Chambord. After lunch, we will return to Paris where we'll check in at our final hotel. This evening, we will have dinner at the Passage Brady. We'll head back to the hotel and have a quick meeting before bed.ibis Paris Gare De L'Est
March 24ParisOn our last full day in Paris, we will head over to the Jardin des Plantes after breakfast. We'll take in the beautiful gardens and greenhouses and then break for a picnic lunch. After the gardens, we will have the opportunity to visit the Grand Mosquée of Paris , built in the 1920s, and have tea on the tiled terrace. We'll walk over to the bustling Rue Mouffetard, stopping to see the Arenes de Lutece (Roman ruins) on the way. We'll have a festive final dinner where you will get to try traditional French cuisine: Frog legs, Escargot and Steak Frites. We'll head back to our accommodations early enough so that we can pack and rest up for the journey home.ibis Paris Gare De L'Est
March 25Paris - USAToday we will head to the airport for the flight home. Bon Voyage!You 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. 
Citadines Montmartre Paris

The Citadines Montmartre Paris is located in a residential area in Paris near Place de Clichy at the foot of the Butte Montmartre. It offer furnished studios and rooms, just a 10-minute metro ride from the Champs Elysées. Its apartments are equipped with private bathrooms area and some of them have balconies. Citadines Montmartre Paris has a rooftop terrace that provides a view of the city. Citadines Montmartre Paris is just 200 metres from the Moulin Rouge and 1 km from the Sacré-Coeur Basilica. The property is a 15-minute metro ride from the Gare du Nord and Saint Lazare Station.

Hotel De Brunville

Hotel De Brunville offers comfortable and well-equipped rooms with modern amenities. A continental buffet breakfast is available every morning at Hôtel De Brunville. It is ideally located in the centre of Bayeux, near the Museum of the Bayeux Tapestry, and few kilometers away from the D-Day’s beaches.  It offers an outdoor heated pool, a jacuzzi and a sauna which are accessible all year round.

Hotel Le Blason

Set in a 15th-century house in the heart of Amboise, Hôtel Le Blason offers a 24-hour reception and a patio. It is the perfect base to visit the Loire Valley. Decorated in a traditional style, all rooms feature a flat-screen TV, free Wi-Fi access and a desk. The private bathroom is complete with a hairdryer. A continental breakfast serving homemade bread, pastries, yogurt, cheese and juice is offered every morning.

ibis Paris Gare De L’Est

Located in the 10th district of Paris, in front of Gare de l’Est Train Station, ibis Paris Gare De l’Est offers a 24-hour reception, free Wi-Fi access throughout and luggage storage. All rooms are air-conditioned and feature a flat-screen TV with satellite channels, a wardrobe, desk and telephone. The private bathroom includes a hairdryer. A buffet breakfast composed of sweet and savory dishes such as eggs, fruit salad, yogurts and juices is served every day. Pastries baked on site and fresh French Madeleine cakes are also on offer, as well as a hot beverage and a piece of fruit to take away.

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

Great experience for our son. He would jump at the chance to do it again.

Daniel
Parent of Raymond, traveler on Peru Service Adventure

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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