June 29: Departure Day, Newark to Paris
In support of program and student safety, all details regarding specific travel and accommodations are available in the parent/guardian digital locker under Essential Information.
June 30 – July 4: Le Conquet
Spend your first five days in a charming fishing village tucked into the rugged Brittany coast. Stay in a family-run farm which also serves as an inn, and get to know the friendly Breton people. Immerse yourself in village life, explore the coast by bike, and learn to surf on the pristine beaches in the area.
July 5 – 10: Paris
Take a train to Paris, where we spend six days getting to know its distinct neighborhoods and visiting the most iconic sites of the City of Lights. Stay in 17th century Old World residences in the heart of the Marais district, just a 10-minute walk from the Seine River and Notre Dame Cathedral on the Île-St-Louis. Peruse vibrant markets, experience high cosmopolitan culture at galleries and evening shows, sample cuisine from cafés to traditional brasseries, and visit renowned museums and monuments such as the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, and Montmartre.
July 11 – 17: Alsace Homestay
Immerse in French home life in the Germanic town of Colmar during a one-week stay with our welcoming host families. Both leaders remain in the same town as the students during the homestay, and the group gets together with our French brothers and sisters for excursions throughout the week. The leaders will deliver mail to students.
July 18 – 21: Aix-en-Provence
Travel south to Aix-en-Provence, where we spend four days exploring this chic university town, the cultural capital of southern France. Our little hotel is a five-minute walk from the Cours Mirabeau, the grand tree-lined boulevard lined with market vendors and cafés once frequented by painter Cézanne and novelists Émile Zola and Hemingway. Walk in the footsteps of these modernists, savor some of France’s most coveted regional products, discover the ancient Roman fountains still burbling with natural springs in the old city center. Take excursions in the Provence countryside to see Van Gogh’s home and swim beneath the Pont du Gard, a Roman aqueduct.
July 22 – 25: Saint-Raphaël and the Riviera
Spend four days on the sparkling Mediterranean coast, exploring the crystal waters by snorkel and kayak, and taking in the landscape which inspired renowned modern artists such as Matisse, Chagall, and Miró. Our family-run hotel is just meters from the beach, where we swim and take windsurfing lessons. Walk along the wharf through vibrant night markets, and try fresh seafood catch, and enjoy live music on the waterfront.
July 26 & 27: Chamonix and the French Alps
Travel by train from the coast into the Alps and the Chamonix valley. Explore the high alpine trails around the Aiguille du Midi and the panoramic views at its summit.
July 28 – 30: Argentière and the French Alps
Spend our final three days at the other end of the Chamonix valley, in a mountain village at the base of Mont Blanc. Stay in a mountain chalet run by long-time friends of Putney, who show us alpine trails and prepare traditional family-style meals such as cheese fondue. Take aerial trams up the mountain slopes and hike to monumental glaciers, zipline through alpine forests, and go rafting or canyoning with local guides.
July 31: Return Day, Geneva to Newark
In support of program and student safety, all details regarding specific travel and accommodations are available in the parent/guardian digital locker under Essential Information.