logo

Rencontres du Nord au Sud

Rencontres du Nord au Sud image

12-Day Teacher-Led Language Immersion Program in France

Explore France from top to bottom! Start your program in the City of Lights and explore it all, from the Louvre to Notre Dame. Practice your language skills while being immersed in the bustling capital city, then enjoy a few days of la vie en famille and learn what French life is really like. Spend your two final days in the stunning Côte d’Azur southern region before heading home.

Program Price: $3,399

Please note that the base price does not include the cost of international flights* Prices are based on a minimum group size of 10 students. When the minimum group size is not reached, a small-group supplement will apply. Final prices are determined by dates, air arrangements, family stay communities and other program components as confirmed by Xperitas, as well as the total size of the group and number of leaders at the time of final billing. Prices are subject to change due to fluctuations in fuel prices, exchange rates, and airfare costs beyond the control of Xperitas.

🛬Email virginie@xperitas.org with your departure city for an estimated international flight cost.

🐦Save $200 when you enroll before June 15, 2026 (discount applied to final payment)

general icon

Travel Dates

All travel dates are tentative, pending teacher approval and airline confirmation.

OVERVIEW

OVERVIEW image

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DAY 1

DAY 1  image

Departure

flight icon

The adventure begins! Pack your bags and set off on an exciting journey to Paris.

meal icon

Meals Included: None

DAY 2

DAY 2 image

Paris

general icon

Bienvenue en France! Revel in the enchanting “City of Lights” while you stroll down the Champs-Elysées, enjoy the priceless treasures of the Louvre, visit the awesome Sacré-Cœur atop Montmartre and enjoy a stunning view of the city below. In the evening, enjoy a group welcome dinner.

meal icon

Meals Included: Dinner

DAY 3

DAY 3 image

Paris

general icon

Start your day with a métro ride to the lively Place St. Michel, where the streets are filled with the charm of Parisian life. Wander through the historic Latin Quarter and choose a cozy café or bustling bistro for a delicious lunch on your own. In the afternoon, explore the storied Île de la Cité, the heart of Paris where the city was born. Dive into the captivating history of this island as you stroll along its picturesque streets and admire the timeless architecture.

meal icon

Meals Included: Breakfast

DAY 4

DAY 4 image

Paris

general icon

Visit the Musée d’Orsay and take in its wide collection of impressionist art. Descend into the depths of the city and see eerie ossuary of Les Catacombes de Paris, which houses the skeletal remains of more than six million of Paris’ early inhabitants. Take in the city by night during your Bateaux Mouches Seine river cruise.

meal icon

Meals Included: Breakfast

DAY 5

DAY 5 image

En route to Family Stay

general icon

Embark on an exciting train journey to your family stay destination, which could be the vibrant city of Lyon, the historical charm of Vienne, the serene town of Nantua, the picturesque Mâcon, or the coastal beauty of Toulon. Begin your immersive five-night stay with a warm welcome from your host family, where you'll experience the authentic rhythm of French life and build lasting connections.

meal icon

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

DAYS 6-9

DAYS 6-9 image

Family Stay

general icon

Put your language skills to work while experiencing everyday life with a French family!

meal icon

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 10

DAY 10 image

Nice

general icon

Say au revoir to your host family and head to Nice, the capital of the Côte d’Azur. Unwind and get acquainted with Nice, one of the crown jewels of the Côte d’Azur. Stroll through the Place Rossetti, the heart of this city or visit the Promenade des Anglais and la Vielle Ville with its maze of narrow pedestrian streets and vividly colored buildings.

meal icon

Meals Included: Breakfast

DAY 11

DAY 11 image

Nice

general icon

Take the train a mere 20 minutes down the coast and visit the small principality of Monaco for the day. See the changing of the guards at the Palais du Prince and walk through the narrow streets of Vieux Monaco, overlooking the beautiful harbors. Return to Nice to enjoy a group farewell dinner on final evening in France.

meal icon

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 12

DAY 12 image

Return

transport icon

Transfer to the airport, depart for the United States.

meal icon

Meals Included: Breakfast

The order of this itinerary and all itinerary items are subject to change based on unforeseen circumstances that may arise prior to or during the program.

INCLUSIONS AND EXCLUSIONS

INCLUSIONS AND EXCLUSIONS image
checkCircle icon

What's Included

  • Round-trip airfare from city listed (and any airline fuel surcharges at time of booking)

  • In-country transportation (air, motorcoach, van, as applicable)

  • All overnight accommodations

  • Insurance for accidents or illness and trip cancellation coverage due to medical reasons only

  • International phone allowance $10 per day for one leader while in country

  • Xperitas Family Stay with all meals included

  • Local Family Stay Coordinator on call during family stay

  • 24/7 Xperitas emergency support while abroad

  • Meals as indicated on the itinerary

  • Entrance fee allowance of $65 per student

  • Public transit allowance of $30 per student

  • Tipping allowance of $10 per student

Activities Included

Group activity of your choice from the following options: tickets to the Atelier des Lumières, access to the Montparnasse Tower Observatory, or a cooking class where you'll prepare Flammekueche, a specialty from the Alsace region. , Ticket to Bateaux Mouches Seine river cruise , Entrance to Musée du Louvre.

xCircle icon

What's not Included

  • Airline baggage fees

  • Variance in air cost due to changes in group contract after booking or if the group size prevents using the booked air contract.

  • Costs incurred due to late or missed flights

  • Passport, visa or other document costs

  • Transportation to/from departure city

  • Any meals not indicated on itineraries

  • Spending money and gifts

  • Any fees associated with advanced seating assignments

  • Small-group supplement when group has fewer than 10 participants

  • Tips for guide(s) and/or bus driver(s)

PAYMENT AND CANCELLATION SCHEDULE

PAYMENT AND CANCELLATION SCHEDULE image
general icon

Important Deadlines

Payment reminders will be sent 1 week and 1 day before each payment is due.

Accepted Payment Methods

Payments may be made by credit card, debit card, ACH transfer, or check. A 2.9% processing fee applies to all credit and debit card transactions.

Checks must be made payable to Xperitas and include the participant’s full name and destination country. Postdated checks are not accepted and will be returned.

Family Stay Application

  • Family Stay applications are due on November 1, 2026.

Passport Submission

  • Passport information and copy of passport due on December 1, 2026/February 1, 2027

XPERITAS FINANCIAL AID

XPERITAS FINANCIAL AID  image
general icon

Bringing Equity to Student Immersion Travel

Xperitas is a nonprofit educational organization committed to making our short-term immersion travel programs accessible to as many students as possible. We provide meaningful financial aid on a “needs based” sliding scale to create equitable access. Over the past decade we have dedicated over a million dollars to financial aid, scholarship and classroom grant programs.

Financial Aid Applications Due October 15!

THE FAMILY STAY EXPERIENCE®

THE FAMILY STAY EXPERIENCE® image
general icon

Authentic Language Immersion

At Xperitas, we work with teachers to provide their students with outstanding language and cultural immersion experiences. We believe that when students have an authentic experience outside of the classroom, using their language skills in a different culture, they make a deeper cultural connection. Our programs are designed to inspire students to make personal connections with communities worldwide and gain greater cultural awareness. Benefits reported to us by teachers, parents and the students themselves are as follows: 

  • A better understanding of language and the nuance of dialect 

  • An understanding of language within the context of the culture 

  • A greater awareness of different perspectives  

  • A sense of increased independence, self-sufficiency, and cultural competence 

general icon

How are Host Families chosen?

Since 1972, we have carefully selected families who volunteer to share their home, language, and culture with our student travelers. Students live with a local host family while abroad on their language immersion program, creating an authentic language and cultural immersion experience, unmatched by other cross-cultural programs. No Family Stay Experience is “typical”; every one is as unique as the families that host.

  • Families are volunteer, not a paid service

  • Students share meals and family routines in the target language

  • Families and students explore differences and similarities in culture and tradition

These connections can last a lifetime! Many students and host families stay in touch for years afterward.

The success of our Family Stay Experience® is due to our network of of dedicated Family Stay Coordinators around the world, who work tirelessly to ensure a safe and enjoyable hosting experience.

  • Xperitas Family Stay Coordinators are local to the host communities

  • Recruit and screen families in their own networks and match them to Xperitas participants

  • Are on call 24/7 during the program to address any issues that arise