Tentative Program Itinerary

Your program itinerary is always subject to change, such is the nature of traveling! Keep this in mind, and be sure to listen out for announcements and changes to the itinerary – touch base with your faculty leaders and onsite program coordinator regularly.

A note about breakfasts: Your hotel does serve a breakfast (but what fun is a hotel breakfast?). Your OPC will provide you with 10€ daily for breakfast (except on May 17 when you will eat at Rungis Market). This might come in the form of larger bills to last you multiple mornings – it is your responsibility to keep up with your breakfast budget. Spend more, spend less, that’s up to you!

Day 1 – Saturday, May 14, 2016
Afternoon: Arrive in Paris, Rebecca Steptoe, Maccay Nimmer, Amanda Dalola and Lara Lomicka Anderson will meet CISabroad onsite program coordinator upon arrival and transfer to accommodations. Everyone else should meet at the hotel at 11AM.

Settle into rooms and re-group for a health and safety orientation, neighborhood walking tour to familiarize yourselves to the nearest ATMs, pharmacy, metro stop, etc. and complete Navigo pass registration.

Evening: Group Welcome Dinner (Dinner & 1 dégustation of choice at Bon Marché)

Meals: Welcome Dinner
Transportation: Airport to accommodations (one group transfer via airport shuttle); accommodations to dinner (public transportation and walking)

Day 2 – Sunday, May 15, 2016
Morning: Explore the Latin Quarter, Marché rue Mouffetard (led by faculty)

Afternoon: 2PM reservation at the Musée du Chocolat and experience a chocolate workshop (check out this video). Late afternoon, enjoy a Bateau Mouche tour.

Evening: 7:30PM reservation at Les fondus de la raclette

Meals: Breakfast, tastings, dinner
Transportation: Accommodations to visits (public transportation and walking)

Day 3 – Monday, May 16, 2016
Morning: Treasure hunt at a local market (TBD)

Afternoon: Pâtisserie visit – specific location (TBD)

Evening: Dinner reservation at 7PM for a Soirée Alsacienne: at Flam’s (16 rue Colisée)

Meals: Breakfast, tastings, dinner
Transportation: Accommodations to visits (public transportation and walking)

Day 4 – Tuesday, May 17, 2016
EARLY Morning: 3:50AM (that’s no joke) departure by bus for Rungis International Food Market – Tour begins promptly at 4:30AM, breakfast will be provided after the tour.

Morning: Tentative 11AM reservation for tasting and talk with MOF (if present this day) at Fromagerie Laurent Dubois

Afternoon: City-wide taste test of food of choice in small groups: Baguette or Macaron or Croissant (compare across 3 different establishments using formal rating procedure – led by faculty)

Evening: Soirée Lyonnaise: 7PM dinner reservation at Aux Lyonnaise (32, rue Saint Marc 75002 Paris)

Meals: Breakfast, tastings, dinner
Transportation: Accommodations to Rungis (coach bus); other visits (public transportation and walking)

Day 5 – Wednesday, May 18, 2016
Morning: Explore Marché Rue Cler led by faculty (this might swap with other markets to account for closures – check with your leaders on arrival for a more final itinerary)

Afternoon: 3PM Group Cooking Class at Atelier des Chefs. “Tea Time Chic” menu: Caroline à la crème de foie gras et trait de caramel; Blinis au saumon fumé, crème de chèvre à la ciboulette; Cristallin de gambas, sauce aigre-douce; Tomates-cerises en coque de sésame et poivres

Evening: Free evening

Meals: Breakfast, cooking class
Transportation: Accommodations to visits (public transportation and walking)

Day 6 – Thursday, May 19, 2016
Morning: Scavenger hunt in Montmartre (led by faculty), Lunch at Marché des Enfants Rouges

Afternoon: 1:30PM reservation at Musée du Vin Paris with tasting

Meals: Breakfast, tastings
Transportation: Accommodations to visits (public transportation and walking)

Day 7 – Friday, May 20, 2016
Day: Morning: Paris By Mouth tours (see details below)

Taste of Saint-Germain food tour – guided by Sara
Meet on the sidewalk in front of Poilâne bakery
Where? 8 Rue du ChercheMidi, 75006 Paris
10:00 AM to 1:00 PM
– Hobson, Kenneth
– Starkey, Hannah
– Hood, Logan
– Djakiew, Caroline
– Smyth, Finn
– Dalola, Amanda

About this neighborhood: Saint-Germain is a destination for visitors from all around the world who come to shop and (most importantly) to eat. For this tour, we’ll be exploring some of the tiniest and most special food shops in this gastronomically-gifted neighborhood.
What we’ll taste: Hand-shaped breads and buttery pastries from a wood-burning oven, traditional charcuterie from a charismatic butcher, artisinal cheeses from all over France, chocolates from a Maître Ouvrier de France (an MOF – the highest rank for a French chocolatier), and sweets from an acclaimed pastry chef. We’ll also take you to one of our favorite wine shops in Paris where we will sit and enjoy some incredible wines with our cheese and charcuterie.

Taste of the Marais food tour – guided by Catherine
Meet on the sidewalk in front of (not inside) the cafe
Where? 124 rue de Turenne, 75003 Paris
10:30 AM to 1:30 PM
– Bisaillon, Christina
– Steptoe, Rebecca
– Woie, Karoline
– Nimmer, Mackay
– Lomicka Anderson, Lara
– Topacio-Long, Melissa

About this neighborhood: Throughout its long history, the Marais has been home to successive waves of aristocrats, immigrants, artists, and hipsters. The northern section of this quarter is now exploding with art galleries, independent fashion boutiques, and cool new eateries.
What we’ll taste: We’ll start the day with buttery croissants and crisp baguettes from an award-winning baker, then visit a family-run fromagerie where they age their own small-production cheeses. We’ll select a range of different cheeses to taste, then add to our basket by picking up some delectable saucisson from a pig-obsessed charcutier. We’ll be stopping at a quirky cave à vins to sit and sample and taste all of these with French wine. After strolling through the oldest covered market in the city, we’ll wind our way to a charming sixth-generation spice shop that supplies some of the city’s best chefs before finishing with a blow-out sweets tasting at one of our favorite chocolatier in Paris (and therefore the world).

Evening: Visit the Louvre (tickets provided)

Meals: Breakfast, tastings
Transportation: Accommodations to visits (public transportation and walking)

Day 8 – Saturday, May 21, 2016
Morning: Independent visit of Versailles (no tour guide provided, tickets handed out onsite)

Afternoon: 4:30PM reservation at Angelina’s for an afternoon hot chocolate and a small snack (only accessible inside the château grounds)

Evening: Free evening

Meals: Breakfast, hot chocolate and small snack at Angelina’s
Transportation: Accommodations to visits (public transportation and walking)

Day 9 – Sunday, May 22, 2016
Morning: Free morning to explore in Paris.

Morning: 10AM reservation and tour booked at the Fragonard Museum

Afternoon: Lunch at Galeries Lafayette Gourmet (order your food to “à emporter” to take away and sit as a group – will have to work together to scope out seating!). Followed by a visit to the Orsay museum.

Evening: 7PM Reservation at Brasserie Les Deux Magots for a Soirée Parisienne

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Transportation: Accommodations to visits (public transportation and walking)

Day 10 – Monday, May 23, 2016
Morning: 6:45AM departure for Rebecca Steptoe, Maccay Nimmer, Amanda Dalola and Lara Lomicka Anderson (airport shuttle will take you to Charles de Gaulle for your return flight home).

Check-out is at 11am!

Meals: Breakfast
Transportation: Accommodations to airport (group transfer via airport shuttle)

Welcome to USC in Paris

Welcome to
USC in Paris