Paris

Orientation

The Skidmore in Paris program begins during the pre-departure orientation held on the Skidmore College campus during the semester prior to studying abroad. Upon arrival in France, you will begin a one-week orientation. The orientation at the beginning of the fall term takes place at Césarges in the foothills of the Alps. The spring semester orientation is held in the the Bordeaux region. Both orientation programs focus on French language, culture and history through a series of lectures and guided tours.

Excursions & Activities

Excursions and cultural activities are considered an integral part of the Skidmore program that complements students’ coursework. You can look forward to guided tours of museums and historical landmarks such as Notre Dame, Monmartre, and Versailles, as well as frequent excursions to places of interest outside of Paris such as Normandy, Chartres, Fontainebleau, and the Loire Valley. 

At the LouvreIn the past there have been trips to Brittany and Normandy (a two-day trip including le Mont-Saint-Michel, Bayeux and the Normandy D-Day beaches), the Cathedral and the medieval city of Chartres, the Château of Fontainebleau, the South of France (a three-day trip in Provence including Avignon, Arles, Nîmes, Les Baux, Saint-Rémy, and Glanum), and the Loire Valley Châteaux (a two-day trip including Amboise, Chambord, Chenonceau, Blois, and Beauregard).