KEI organizes field trips in Paris and Versailles during the semester and summer, and an excursion to Strasbourg, Marseilles or another destination of equal value during the semester. Transportation, lodging and admission for planed activities are included in the program fee. KEI reserves the right to change planned excursions for destinations of equal value and interest. Excursions may change based on availability, local festivals, and interest. Academic year and multiple term students participate in planned field trips during their first term of study.

Paris

Students will discover Paris from different perspectives during the orientation and throughout the program. KEI’s favorite things to do in Paris:

• View the city from top to down as you ascend the Eiffel Tower.
• Contemplate the mystery of the “Lady and the Unicorn” tapestry in the Musee Cluny (Musee National du Moyen-Age).
• Ride around Paris on Velib’s La Petite Reine, a short-term bicycle rental service. Bike racks are dispersed around the city and are very easy to find.
• Musee Jacquemart-Andre. This accessible museum started out as the personal collection of Nelie Jacquemart and Edouard Andre, an art-loving couple. It is displayed in their mansion, just as they arranged it in the last century.
• Have a tea and a Turkish bath at the Mosquee de Paris (in French only). You must remove your shoes at the entrance to the prayer hall and be modestly dressed.
• Stroll in the Parc Monceau, a picturesque park with miniature Dutch windmills, Roman temples and Chinese pagodas. Bring your camera!

Versailles

Although the Louvre had been used as the royal residence for centuries, Louis XIV decided that it wasn’t fancy enough for him. He transformed his father’s hunting lodge in the country town of Versailles into a palace fit for a Sun King and officially moved there in 1682. From here he was able to oversee, and control, his courtiers and nobles. Now visitors can tour the chapel, the king’s and queen’s apartments, the newly-restored Hall of Mirrors, and the sumptuous gathering rooms. After visiting the chateau, wander through the formal gardens and hunting grounds, and see the Grand and Petit Trianons.

Strasbourg, Marseilles or Brussels

Strasbourg is the capital of the Alsace region in northeastern France, bordering with Germany. The city is fused into the Franco-German culture and has been a bridge of unity between France and Germany for centuries, especially because of its University and the co-existence of Catholic and Protestant culture. Strasbourg is the seat of several European institutions, including the European Court of Human Rights and European Parliament. The historic city center, the Grande Ile (“Grand Island”), was classified a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1988.

Marseilles (pronounced without the final s in French) is defined by its port. Ships docking in the harbor brought the first case of the plague to Europe in the 13th century. It has always been a destination for immigrants, and now has a lively and colorful ethnic mix. Currently Marseilles is known for its rock and rap music groups, a product of the mixing of cultures, and beautiful beaches.

Brussels is the capital of Belgium and one of the main capital cities of the European Union. Originally a Flemish town, French has crept up and overtaken the city to create a multicultural capital. Now Brussels is actually a French-speaking enclave in the Flemish portion of Belgium. Due to the influence of NATO and several of the major EU institutions, Brussels has a very international character. About one-quarter of Bruxellois are diplomats