An Exciting Experience
Experience an unforgettable adventure by joining us for a 12-day stay in France and Italy. While staying in Florence, students will live with typical Italian families, allowing them to participate and be immersed in the culture. They’ll gain an intimate knowledge of Paris, the Loire Valley and Florence — while at the same time enjoying conducted trips to nearby to places like the Eiffel Tower, Mont Saint-Michel, Versailles and Rome.
What to expect on this amazing tour
Paris, Loire Valley & Florence
Paris, the capital and largest city in France has been one of Europe’s major centers for art, fashion, gastronomy, science, music and commerce since the 17th century. Its 19th-century cityscape is crisscrossed by wide boulevards and the River Seine. Beyond such landmarks as the Eiffel Tower and the 12th-century, Gothic Notre-Dame cathedral, the city is known for its cafe culture and designer boutiques along the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. With an illustrious artistic pedigree – Renoir, Rodin, Picasso, Monet, Manet, Dalí and Van Gogh are but a few of the masters who have lived and worked here over the years – Paris is one of the world’s great art repositories, harbouring treasures from antiquity onwards.
The Loire Valley, located in the middle stretch of the Loire River in central France, contains many historic towns such as Amboise, Saumur, Blois, Orléans, and Tours. It’s famous for its natural beauty, great wine and majestic castles like the Châteaux de Chambord and the Château de Chenonceau. A visit to the cities, towns and villages of the Loire Valley is like taking a journey back in time as they retain much of the charm, character and authenticity that has attracted royal patronage over the centuries.
Florence, the capital of Tuscany, is an open-air museum which has become more beautiful over the centuries. It’s a city-size shrine to the Renaissance enclosed by ancient walls that safeguard some of the greatest artistic treasures in the world. Its streets are the same ones through which Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo, Machiavelli, Dante – many of the most brilliant minds in human history – threaded their way.
A Beautiful Setting
Highlights of what you’ll experience on your 12-day trip to France and Italy
Itinerary
Spring Break and Summer
Day 1-2: Arrival in Paris
Arrive at Charles de Gaulle airport and check-in at your hotel.
Day 3: Paris Sightseeing
City tour visiting the Eifel Tower, the Notre Dame Cathedral, Arc de Triomph and Champs Elysées. Seine River cruise (Bateaux Mouche). Guided visit to the Louvre Museum in the afternoon. Free time around the Opera House area.
Day 4: Loire Valley
Guided visits to the Royal Château de Blois and the Château de Chambord, the largest castle in the Loire Valley. Afternoon visit to the town of Amboise to see the Château du Clos Lucé, where Leonardo da Vinci lived the last three years of his life.
Day 5: Fougères & Saint Malo
Morning departure to the Normandy area. Stop in Fougères to visit the castle. Guided visit to Saint Malo inside the ramparts with some free time. Continue to Mont Saint-Michel area. Dinner and check in at hotel.
Day 6: Mont Saint-Michel
All-day visit to the beautiful village of Mont Saint-Michel. Guided tour of the Abbey and free time to see the museums, shops and houses dating from the 15th and 16th centuries. Departure to Rouen.
Day 7: Versailles
Guided Visit to Versailles, the official residence of the Kings of France from 1682 until 1789. Afternoon flight to Florence. Arrival in Florence and meet host families in the evening.
Day 8: Florence sightseeing
The Duomo, Palazzo Davanzati, Palazzo Vecchio, the squares, the monuments, the Ponte Vecchio. Your guide will explain the details of Florentine life, from Roman times to the Middle Ages and through the Renaissance.
Day 9: Accademia Gallery
Introduction to Italian and a lecture on the Renaissance in the morning. Guided visit to L’Accademia in the afternoon — home to Michelangelo’s David, the most famous statue in the world.
Day 10: Rome (Optional)
Train ride to Rome in the morning. You’ll have guided tours of The Colosseum, The Forum, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps and free time for shopping and exploring.
Day 11: Uffizi Museum
Guided visit of The Uffizi which houses some of the most famous paintings of all time.
Day 12: Departure from Italy
Transfer to the airport — End of trip.Canada’s Best Educational Tours
CSLI has provided educational tour programs in Canada since 1997. Our main goal has always been to improve students’ language skills and self-confidence abroad while obtaining a unique first-hand look at the culture and people of the places they are visiting. Our focus on value and affordability, along with making our trips the most complete and of highest quality compared to our competitors is what truly makes a CSLI tour the best. We make all of the necessary arrangements for our tours, alleviating headaches for teachers and trip organizers making the trip more enjoyable and giving you time to truly explore the wonders abroad.
Canadian-owned and run
CSLI Tours is a family-owned Canadian company based in BC, driven by values and a real passion for travel. We have an excellent track record for the best customer satisfaction and have never compromised on the quality of the services we provide. Every tour we offer was designed to inspire your students and enrich their learning experience, while increasing their self-confidence and understanding of other cultures.
Safety & security
For more than 22 years the safety of our groups has been our top priority. All of our tour directors are first aid certified and well-trained to manage challenging situations. We always have contingency and emergency plans in place and we are always available 24/7 through our direct contact line to provide assistance to teachers, students, parents and school administrators if anything comes up before or during the trip.
Complete reliability
As a group leader, your travel is absolutely free and includes all meals and accommodation at carefully selected hotels. Because one of our representatives will stay with you 100% of the time, the teachers get to relax during the evenings and explore the sights and sounds of the cities they visit. We’ll make all the room checks and ensure that each evening, the students are safe in their hotel suites or with their host families.
The CSLI Experience
Program price includes
Round-trip airfare from Vancouver on major carriers
All entrance fees to attractions as per itinerary
Three meals per day
All transportation by comfortable private motor coach
All the tips
All guided sightseeing tours and city walks as per itinerary
10 overnight stays with host families and at hotels
Language and history lessons
24/7 services from our professional tour director
Professional tour guides at all attractions as per itinerary
$5,390
A deposit of $300 per person at the time of registration is required. A cancellation, medical insurance is mandatory, and can be purchased at time of enrollment. Payments can be made by cheque, Visa, MasterCard or American Express – a surcharge will apply for credit card payments. Taxes not included.