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Overview

A family journey filled with joie de vivre

Experience the best of Paris with a fun-filled, action-packed itinerary. Climb to the top of the Arc de Triomphe; compete in the Great Museum Race; explore the underground tunnels at Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte. Check off your must-see museums with skip-the-line savvy, and witness a UNESCO-listed equestrian demonstration at Château de Chantilly—where we’ll also learn to make the famous cream! 

Enjoy the Louvre all to ourselves during a private after-hours tour, and close out this extraordinary trip with a dinner cruise on the Seine on Bastille Day, taking in the fireworks and revelry from the comfort of our private boat. Bring your flair, it’s Paris after all—allons-y!

Dates

July 7–15, 2025

Duration

9 days

Price

From $10,695 per person

Trip size

42 participants

Minimum age

7 years
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Share the joy of learning

Meet our Young Explorer leaders

These razor-sharp Stanford grads and former Stanford Sierra Camp counselors love interacting with families and are experts at adapting to the personalities and interests of each Young Explorer. They fuel creativity with thought-provoking discussions and mind-bending games that keep the kids entertained while adults attend lectures. In addition, Young Explorer leaders bring the whole family together for activities such as family Olympics, trivia night and disco bingo.

Itinerary

Gardens, palaces, museums, and fun in the City of Lights

Tour the city’s most iconic neighborhoods and visit famous museums, with an exclusive after-hours tour of the Louvre. Window-shop, metro-hop, then unwind back at our centrally located, well-appointed accommodations. Plus, enjoy two day trips outside the city to Chateau de Vaux-le-Vicomte, the inspiration for Versailles, and the expansive gardens and vast art collection of Château de Chantilly.

  • Paris, France

    Upon arrival, transfer to our hotel, located on the Right Bank near the Palais Garnier. Gather with fellow travelers for a welcome drink, then take a guided stroll through the neighborhood, followed by dinner back at the hotel.

    Accommodations:

    Paris Marriott Opera Ambassador Hotel

    Included meal: Dinner
  • Paris

    Begin the day with a guided tour of the Musée d’Orsay, housed in a magnificent Beaux-Arts railway station and containing the largest collection of impressionist and post-impressionist masterpieces in the world. Enjoy lunch together at a classic Parisian bistro, then head to Saint-Germain-des-Prés for a walking tour of this quarter that was the heart of the city’s intellectual life in the 1950’s. End at Luxemburg Gardens, the former playground of Marie de Médicis. Parents tour the garden while Young Explorers battle it out in an epic game of Capture the Flag. This evening is at leisure.

    Accommodations:

    Paris Marriott Opera Ambassador Hotel

    Included meals: Breakfast and lunch
  • Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte

    This morning, journey outside the city to the baroque Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte. Its combination of architecture, interior and landscape design marked the beginning of the "Louis XIV style" and served as inspiration for the Palace of Versailles. Adults indulge in a gastronomic lunch and wine tasting while kids enjoy a fun lunch in their Young Explorer groups. This afternoon, equipped with headlamps and wader boots, young explorers embark on a series of tests of agility and logic along the underground river that flows beneath the estate. End the day with an exciting game of Family Olympics, then return to the hotel for dinner on our own.

    Accommodations:

    Paris Marriott Opera Ambassador Hotel

    Included meals: Breakfast and lunch
  • Paris

    Spend the morning walking around Montmartre, which served as home to artists such as Van Gogh, Picasso, and Toulouse-Lautrec. Climb to the hilltop Basilica of Sacré Coeur to capture some of the best views of Paris. This evening, we have the Louvre to ourselves for a private after-hours tour. Intimately explore the museum’s permanent collection, which covers Western art from the medieval period to 1848, formative works from the civilizations of the ancient world, and masterpieces of Islamic art. What a treat!

    Accommodations:

    Paris Marriott Opera Ambassador Hotel

    Included meal: Breakfast
  • Paris

    Today, we take a tour of the Musée des Arts et Métiers, a museum of science and technology with a unique collection of historical artifacts and inventions sure to bring out the curious kid in everyone! Tuck into lunch at nearby Ambassade d’Auvergne, a traditional French country restaurant and home of the best aligot (cheesy mashed potatoes) and chocolate mousse in Paris! This afternoon, take a walking tour of the Marais to glimpse hidden gardens and visit 17th-century architectural stunners such as Place des Vosges, Hotel de Sully, and the home of Victor Hugo. Visit Les Petits Pots d'Alice—a workshop making tea-based jellies staffed by young adults with disabilities. Time permitting, make a coffee stop at Mon Café Marais, staffed by people living with autism. After dinner later this evening, meet up in the Young Explorer “club” for some lively Disco Bingo!

    Accommodations:

    Paris Marriott Opera Ambassador Hotel

    Included meals: Breakfast and lunch
  • Château de Chantilly

    Travel outside of Paris today for a visit to the Château de Chantilly, created by the son of the last King of France to house his countless masterpieces and precious manuscripts, considered the greatest collection of its time. Aboard a petite train, explore the expansive grounds of André Le Nôtre, the French landscape architect who designed the gardens at Versailles and Vaux le Vicomte! For lunch, dine on French cuisine in the estate’s stylish restaurant. Then, enjoy an equestrian demonstration at the Great Stables, a veritable palace for horses whose French riding tradition has been inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Next, learn how to make legendary Chantilly cream! Travel back to Paris for an evening at leisure.

    Accommodations:

    Paris Marriott Opera Ambassador Hotel

    Included meals: Breakfast and lunch
  • Paris

    Our lecture program continues this morning, while young explorers meet and prepare for the afternoon’s Great Museum Race. Families vie for the coveted gold medal by gathering points along a route that includes the Musée de l'Armée, the Musée du Quai Branly, and other fun spots. Working off a list of masterpieces, families take creative selfie-shots, make drawings, and answer trivia questions to earn points. The race ends at the Arc de Triomphe, where we celebrate the winner and then venture to the terrace to take in 360° views of the city.

    Accommodations:

    Paris Marriott Opera Ambassador Hotel

    Included meal: Breakfast
  • Paris

    Meet up for a guided stroll through central Paris, passing the 19th-century Palais Garnier, Place Vendome, and Tuileries Garden. End at the Musée de l'Orangerie for a guided tour of the many impressionist and post-impressionist works, including eight spectacular floor-to-ceiling Water Lilies murals by Claude Monet. The afternoon is free for independent exploration. This evening, we celebrate Bastille Day with a sparkling farewell dinner on board our private river yacht on the Seine, taking in a glittering Eiffel Tower and the riverbanks beneath the majestic display of fireworks. Toast the end of our Parisian adventure and the new friends we’ve made.

    Accommodations:

    Paris Marriott Opera Ambassador Hotel

    Included meals: Breakfast and dinner
  • Paris / Home

    After breakfast, transfer to the airport to catch flights returning home.

    Included meal: Breakfast

Trip details

Start preparing for the trip of a lifetime

From top to bottom, we’ve taken care of all the details, so you can enjoy a no-stress, worry-free travel experience.

Great trip all the way around. The first four days I kept thinking ‘how could this get any better?’, and then it did.

—Lee Burnett

Pricing

Secure your spot today

The price of your trip covers a comprehensive educational program in addition to meals, accommodations, tours, and excursions. Continue reading for a full list of what’s included.

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