The Great Tours: France Through the Ages

Contemplating the French art de vivre and the appeal that makes France one of the most visited tourist spots; an overview of the upcoming journey across the rich cultural landscape of France; learning about the iconic figure of Charles de Gaulle.

Learning how Paris evolves from an ancient settlement to a Roman city and then the capital; studying medieval Paris through the Cluny Museum, the great cathedral of Notre Dame and the royal chapel of Sainte-Chapelle; following the growth of Paris.

Discovering the Palace of Versailles as the world of Louis XIV; noting how the landscaping surrounding the palace symbolizes features of Louis's reign and how the Versailles court prizes royal spectacle; exploring Louis's patronage of the arts.

Examining the social and political background of the French Revolution of 1789; visiting key locations in Paris where the events unfold, from a coffee house to the site of the Bastille prison and the Place de la Concorde; mapping Napoleon's rise.

Learning about Rheims and the fortunes of its historic and glorious cathedral; studying the beverage that gives this region its name; discovering the area's great champagne makers; visiting the cemeteries and memorials that commemorate World War I.

Visiting the northern French coast, where three dramatic events take place; learning about the 1066 Norman invasion of England; stopping in Dunkirk, the site of the massive evacuation of Allied troops during World War II; Normandy's beaches.