Paris - History of Art School Trip

Day 1 - Guided walking tour, Renaissance masterpieces, Art museums in Paris

Students travel to Paris by air or by Eurostar departing from London St Pancras. Upon arrival, transfer to your accommodation by coach or by metro to begin your Paris educational tour.

Begin to explore Paris with a guided walking tour led by our expert TCBC guide. Your tour will take you around incredible architectural and historical landmarks including Notre Dame, the Conciergerie, Ile de la Cité, Pont Neuf and the Latin Quarter. Finish your walking tour in the Montparnasse district. Montparnasse Tower has spectacular views across the city’s stunning landmarks. Pause your tour to explore one of the city's outstanding food markets, sampling world-famous French cuisine.

Suitably fuelled, it's time to visit the Musée d’Orsay, the National Museum of 19th-century art. Housed in a stunning converted railway station, there are many curriculum-relevant starting points here, including the outdoor scenes of Impressionists such as Renoir, Sisley, Pissarro, Monet, Munch and Klimt and the architectural models of Frank Lloyd Wright. New spaces now accommodate even more masterpieces. There is a renovated Impressionist gallery, a new temporary exhibition hall, and the opening of five floors entirely dedicated to the decorative arts.

As evening falls, students can go to the Trocadéro which offers a fantastic view of the Eiffel Tower. From here, a short walk across the bridge takes you to the foot of the Eiffel Tower. To finish the evening in style, take a Seine river cruise to drink in the sights of Paris at night. It’s a superb way to take some incredible photographs of the Parisian skyline.

Day 2 - Versailles, Impressionism and modern art

This morning, explore architectural masterpieces and Parisian art at The Versailles and Estate of Trianon, the main residence of French kings from Louis XIV to Louis XVI. An escape from the centre of Paris, the estate includes the Grand Trianon and Petit Trianon palaces, the Queen’s Hamlet, and ornamental gardens. Architectural styles displayed include neo-classical, the traditional architecture of rustic Normandy, and French Baroque.

Return to Paris centre and explore the masterpieces housed in Musée de l’Orangerie: Cézanne, Renoir, Picasso, Rousseau, and Matisse are all displayed here, making it an incredible microcosm of modern art.

Or, it’s time to get involved yourself. Take an art class inspired by the Renaissance masterpieces or Impressionism.

After dinner, take a guided evening walking tour of Montmartre, exploring Place du Tertre and the famous white-domed Basilica of Sacré-Coeur. Alternatively, visit the cinema or theatre. Theatre Mogador offers Broadway shows with a French twist, while Lost in Frenchlation shows French cinema with English subtitles.

Day 3 - Contemporary Art, Photography or textiles

There are plentiful options today for your exploration of contemporary art.

Centre Pompidou is a superb option as the first collection of modern and contemporary art in Europe, its buildings instantly recognisable. Outside, street artists promote a lively and enjoyable atmosphere.

You could focus upon painting, visiting the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris. This museum covers major modern artistic movements including Surrealism and Cubism as well as New Realism.

Lastly, you could explore different mediums. Maison Européenne de la Photographie explores the development of photography since the 1960s, while Musée de la Mode et du Textile chronicles the history of costume, fashion, and textiles from the 7th century to the present day.

From here, it’s time to travel back to the UK after a fantastic Paris History of Art school trip.