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The Course: FRE398 • The Culture of Paris
This course explores the city of Paris as it developed into a cultural beacon of excellence in French culture throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. Students will expand and apply previous knowledge in cultural studies, and their oral and written competences in French, to the study of the events that have shaped the Paris of today. Particular emphasis will be placed on extending attentive interpretive skills to the impact of historical events, city planning and promotion, and artistic celebration, and on deploying these skills to think critically about heritage in the French context.
Learn more about the course here. Please note you must be registered in this course to participate in this international experience.
Make sure to check the corresponding academic calendar and ACORN for prerequisites and enrollment requirements. Click here.
The Trip: Paris Fall Reading Week
Approximate Travel Dates: Saturday October 25 - Sunday November 2, 2025. (Plus or minus two days before and after - exact dates and times will be communicated to you at the pre-departure session).
Spend Fall reading week immersing yourself in the culture of Paris alongside your classmates, Professor Pascal Michelucci and a UTM staff member. Explore the capital through walking tours, world-famous museums and monuments, and visits to iconic sites that define Paris like the Champs Élysées, the banks of the Seine and its stylish bridges, historic department stores, and the Eiffel Tower.
Connect your in-class learning to hands-on experience, and challenge yourself to expanding your understanding of French culture, art and history. Build an understanding of French culture by roaming through the malls and street shopping stores of Paris, all while experiencing rich French cuisine.
Why Participate?
- Experience, first-hand, the rich history and culture of Paris.
- Immerse yourself in an intensive experience to develop your fluency in French.
- Engage in an active learning environment that will be educational, practical, and unforgettable.
- Add international experience to your resume.
- Establish connections with fellow students and your professor.
Sample Itinerary*
*The itinerary is subject to change based on the availability and requirements of the program.
Accommodation: Hotel
Transportation: Public Transportation and Private Shuttles
Meals: Hotel and Local Restaurants
During your trip, you will get the chance to explore different arrondissements of Paris. Throughout the week, you will see various monumental and iconic sites in Paris – you will tour the celebrated Eiffel Tower, see the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral, walk around the Palais Royal and the Comédie française, and explore the Palais Garnier Opéra, an opera house often thought to be the most famous historic symbol of the arts in Paris.
You will also stroll through the Jardin du Luxembourg (Luxembourg Garden) and around the Senate, the Marché aux Fleurs (flower market), and the Arc de Triomphe, a national symbol linked to major national events.
You will have the opportunity to visit several museums during your time in Paris, where you will not only learn about the heritage and history of Paris but also witness art and architecture. You will visit the Petit Palais at the Musée des Beaux-Arts de la ville de Paris, the Musée d’Orsay, the famed covered passages of Paris and many more!
And your trip to Paris would not be complete without visiting some of the local restaurants and sampling the food. You will dine at Le Procope, the oldest café in Paris, as well as at the Gare de Lyon, a listed historical monument founded as a convenient train station buffet around 1900. Both are also a feast for the eyes!
Payments
Estimated cost of International Component 2025-2026: CAD $4200-4500. (Final Installments will be determined based on the final trip cost).
What is Included: Flights, transportation, accommodation, meals, in-country activities associated with the course, and trip-cancellation insurance. Funding Available!
What is NOT Included: Course fees, fees associated with supplemental travel insurance, additional optional tours/activities while abroad, visa applications, medical exams, vaccinations, on-the-ground medical expenses, and any other additional costs.
Funding
Bursaries will be awarded based on demonstrated financial need (not linked to OSAP) as shown in your funding request in your UTM Abroad application. Read more about funding here!
If you have applied for a bursary, you will hear back about your bursary application at the same time as your trip application. Once you hear back, you will have about one week to decide whether to participate in the trip based on the bursary awarded. Please review the bursary policies here, and cancellation policies here.
Payment Schedule
| Payment | Amount | Due Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Installment | $250.00 | With Application |
| 2nd Installment | $950.00 | Refer to dates in acceptance email |
| 3rd Installment | $950.00 | Refer to dates in acceptance email |
| 4th Installment | $950.00 | Refer to dates in acceptance email |
| 5th Installment | $950.00 | Refer to dates in acceptance email |
| 6th Installment | $150-450 | Refer to dates in acceptance email |
*Final Installment will be determined based on the final trip cost. Each installment is due approximately every two weeks (biweekly)- Refer to exact dates in your acceptance email.
Testimonials
I could never do what we did, or learn what I did, alone. Paris has so much to offer and we saw it all (amazing sights, tourist locations and non-tourist locations) in a faster time and safer environment than I could manage on my own. - Fall 2022 Student Participant.
I think if you have any interest at all to travel, learning a new language, or indulging in food and culture this trip is for you. I look back at pictures and really miss just being in another city like Paris... I also appreciated the effort they put into planning all the activities and dinners for us because it made the days feel so long in the best way. I felt like we got the most out of every day on this trip and I have no regrets! - Fall 2022 Student Participant.
This was the best experience I had during all 4 years of my undergraduate program. - Fall 2022 Student Participant
Need To Know
- The cost and itinerary are subject to change. The information on this page is for general reference and is subject to change. Specific and up-to-date details regarding itineraries, the final cost, and additional program requirements will be communicated through email from at the pre-departure sessions. Please refer to those communications for the most accurate and up-to-date information. If you have any questions or need clarification, we encourage you to contact UTM Abroad. We look forward to your application and are here to support you on this exciting journey!
- For the full list of Terms and Conditions, please click here.
- Applicants must submit an application for admission into the course to their respective departments and will be required to abide by the corresponding UTM Abroad application requirements and deadlines to participate in the international experience.
- Fees must be paid in full by the required deadlines.
- To prepare for the trip, students attending will participate in the mandatory pre-departure sessions which occur in person on campus.
Questions?
Book a Global Learning Advising appointment through CLNx, email us at utmabroad@utoronto.ca, or sign-up for our newsletter to receive updates about UTM Abroad.