6 Excursions to Add to Any Paris School Trip

Home to world-famous landmarks, striking architecture, renowned art collections, and delicious pastries, Paris remains one of Europe’s most popular destinations for school travel. Easily accessible from the UK by Eurostar, coach, ferry, or air, the French capital offers strong educational value across a wide range of subjects, paired with the excitement of exploring one of the world’s most recognisable landscapes.

Like many major cities, there's so much to see and do here. But we've made the trip-building experience a little bit easier below, by collated a few of the most budget- and student-friendly things that fit seamlessly into almost every itinerary.

The Eiffel Tower

Built in just two years between 1887 and 1889, the Eiffel Tower was originally the centrepiece of the 1889 Paris Exposition, which marked 100 years since the French Revolution and aimed to showcase French industrial and engineering progress. Although initially intended as a temporary structure, it was retained due to its value for radio transmission, including military communications during the First World War.

Today, it serves as an icon of the city, functioning as both a landmark and viewing platform. The second level, accessible by lift or stairs, provides panoramic views across Paris, while the summit (accessed by lift only) offers a higher observation point. From the ground, it remains one of the city’s most recognisable features and is widely used as an orientation point for groups.

The Champ de Mars, located directly beside the tower, also provides a practical open space for group lunches and breaks. In the evening, the tower lights up, emerging as a spectacle in the night sky at the start of every hour as it sparkles for five minutes.

The Palace of Versailles

Less than an hour from central Paris, the Palace of Versailles provides one of the most significant historical excursions in France. Originally expanded from a hunting lodge built by Louis XIII, it was transformed under Louis XIV into the seat of royal power in 1682. 

The site reflects major shifts in French history, including the French Revolution, when Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were forced back to Paris and the palace was stripped, its content redistributed across the city. It later served under Napoleon, was developed into a museum by Louis-Philippe, and hosted the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919, ending the First World War from the Palace's Hall of Mirrors. 

Restoration work throughout the 20th century has focused on returning key areas to their 1789 appearance – which is how your students will see it today. A sight to behold, the palace is adorned in gold, and features remarkable architectural touches unseen anywhere else across the capital, as well as meticulously manicured gardens reminiscent of a more indulgent time in history. A must for history-loving groups, Versailles is made for educational half-days away from the bustle of the city.

Montmartre & the Sacré-Cœur

One of Paris’s most distinctive neighbourhoods, Montmartre is known for its elevated position, cobbled streets, and strong artistic heritage. Once a separate commune, it was incorporated into Paris in 1860 and became a hub for artists in the late 19th and early 20th centuries due to its affordability and strong creative community.

Landmarks include the Sacré-Cœur Basilica, which stands tall at the highest point in the city and provides wide views across all of Paris. The area also includes Saint-Pierre de Montmartre, one of the oldest churches in the city, which dates back to 1134. Excavations around the area have also uncovered Roman baths and coins from as early as the 2nd and 3rd centuries.

Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris & Musée d'Orsay

With free entry to its permanent collection, the Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris is a great budget-friendly option to see some art in Paris. Despite its wide collection of pieces from the 20th and 21st century, it's possible to explore the entire museum in just a couple of hours – making it the perfect choice for groups with a tightly-packed schedule.

The Musée d’Orsay provides a complementary experience, housed in a former railway station and showcasing primarily French artworks from the 19th and early 20th centuries – as well as the world's finest collection of Van Gogh's masterpieces. Together, these galleries allow for a more in-depth, comparative study across multiple key movements in art history. Separately, they each provide fantastic insights into how integral art is within French culture.

Jardin du Luxembourg

The Jardin du Luxembourg is a large formal garden created in the early 17th century for the Luxembourg Palace, which now houses the French Senate. While the palace itself is not open to the public, the gardens remain accessible to everyone – and, even better than that, they're free.

This stunning large park features everything from tree-lined walkways, fountains and statues to sports areas and the central Grand Bassin, where you'll see locals sailing little model boats. For school groups, it's commonly used as a scheduled break point within itineraries due to its central location (near the Latin Quarter, Notre-Dame, the Seine, and the Pantheon) and clear, open layout.

The Seine River (& its Boulangeries and Bouquinistes)

The Seine runs through the heart of Paris and provides a natural walking route connecting many key landmarks. Along its banks, you'll find many boulangeries and pâtisseries – perfect for a quick break where you can take a moment to watch the river cruises sail by with a delicacy in hand – and the bouquinistes, which are green wooden stalls lining the river. These traditional riverside booksellers have operated here for nearly 500 years, and form an excellent stop for trip souvenirs with their collections of vintage magazines, posters, second-hand books and antique postcards.

Thinking of a school trip to Paris?

The City of Light offers a plethora of curriculum-focused excursions within its compact and accessible layout, making it suitable for a wide range of school subjects and learning outcomes. With countless world heritage sites, first-class museums, artistic neighbourhoods, and beautiful public spaces all placed within close reach of one another, Paris itineraries can be tailored to specific educational goals while remaining straightforward for educational leaders to organise and deliver.

Equity’s Paris school trips can be built around a wide range of curriculum areas, from history and languages to the creative arts and science. To explore subject-specific itineraries and build a trip around your group’s learning objectives, view the full range of Paris programmes available in our Trip Finder tool, or get in touch with our team on 01273 648248. You can also fill out our webform, and our school trip experts will get back to you as soon as we can.