Art & design school trips to Paris

Visit the world's largest and most popular art museum on this excursion, which will bring your students up close with Leonardo da Vinci’s celebrated painting, Mona Lisa. Located by the scenic River Seine, the Louvre also houses several other top masterpieces and paintings, and is part of the Louvre Palace, which was built in the 12th century.

Once the garden of Catherine de’ Medici’s Tuileries Palace, the Tuileries Gardens became a public park following the French Revolution of the late 18th century. Since then, it’s been a place for Parisians to meet and relax. Join in with the locals and encourage your students to use their time here to reflect upon what they’ve learned so far on your trip, as well as visit the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel – the gardens’ former monumental entrance.

Running between the Place de la Concorde in the east and the Place Charles de Gaulle and Arc de Triomphe in the west, the Avenue des Champs-Élysées fills almost two kilometres with theatres, cafes and luxury shopping – with everything from Louis Vuitton to Zara to Ladurée macarons. Commonly regarded as the "most beautiful avenue in the world", the avenue is a must-visit for souvenir shopping and dining on your school trip to Paris.

One of Paris’ most famous landmarks, the Arc de Triomphe is a magnificent monument built to commemorate Napoléon’s victory at Austerlitz. As well as honouring those who fought in the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars, the arch stands atop the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from the First World War. 

There’s no better way to see Paris than onboard a river cruise along the River Seine. See the city’s finest monuments from Notre Dame to the Grand Palais as you teach your group about each landmark’s history and tales from its surrounding streets. We can’t wait to show you Paris from the water – this excursion is definitely an Equity favourite.

Visit the site of Paris's most famous landmark and the symbol of France – the Eiffel Tower. Built in 1889 by Gustave Eiffel, this engineering masterpiece dazzles at night, rightly earning its place at the centre of the ‘City of Lights’. We also recommend taking some time to explore the nearby Trocadero Gardens and its famous Fountain of Warsaw.

Originally a railway station built in 1898, this stunning museum holds French art dating from 1848-1915, including the largest collection of Impressionist and post-Impressionist art in the world. Students will be inspired by world-famous works such as Van Gogh’s Starry Night, Renoir’s Bal du moulin de la Galette, and paintings by Manet, Cézanne, Degas and Monet.

Housing the largest collection of Rodin’s works, the Rodin Museum covers two sites in Paris and in Meudon. Here, students can view up close the multidisciplinary artist’s famous white marble sculptures, drawings, paintings and ceramics – drawing inspiration from each medium. We recommend taking time to also wander around the museum’s beautiful gardens, which complement the artist’s works perfectly.

Often referred to as one of the trendiest areas in Paris, the Latin Quarter is where you’ll find university students and artists hanging out in excellent local cafés. As well as being a great place to stop for some pastries, this district boasts some of the best architecture in the city – students will love visiting both the Panthéon monument and nearby Luxembourg Gardens.

Île de la Cité is one of only two remaining river islands located in Paris, with history dating as far back as the 4th century when it was the site of a Roman fortress. Today, students can be inspired by the world-famous Notre-Dame cathedral, La Conciergerie and the royal chapel of Sainte Chapelle, as well as the city's oldest surviving bridge, the Pont Neuf.

Home to one of the most famous series of murals in the world, the Orangerie Museum offers students a rare glimpse at Claude Monet’s Water Lilies alongside a host of Impressionist and post-Impressionist masterpieces. With additional works by Cézanne, Matisse, Modigliani, Picasso and Renoir, this is one gallery that art groups really shouldn’t miss.

Located in one of the oldest quarters of Paris, this towering modern structure of pipes and staircases houses a number of exhibitions, as well as the Musée National d'Art Moderne – the national museum for modern art in France. Visiting the Pompidou Centre is free for school groups, and is an excellent option for expanding their knowledge of contemporary art.

Follow the life and work of iconic fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent at this elegant museum, which embodies Parisian style through its collection of dresses, accessories, sketches, photos and more. Housed in the studios where Saint Laurent and his team worked for almost 30 years, this museum is a must-visit for any student who wishes to learn more about avant-garde or haute couture fashion.

Students can enjoy exploring the contemporary creation of photographs at this brilliant art house, which explores the media’s progression through the 20th century to today. Through numerous exhibitions, conferences and film cycles, the centre aims to make photographic media accessible to everyone, inspiring school groups through around 20,000 works of art as it does so.

Located in the Palais de Tokyo, the Museum of Modern Art has an impressive collection of 20th and 21st century art to inspire the imaginations of your students, including Raoul Dufy's striking The Electric Fairy. Don’t miss the museum’s monumental murals, created by Raoul Dufy, Gaston Suisse and Henri Matisse.

Students can explore more than 150,000 objects in the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, which celebrates the decorative arts through a series of techniques and materials. A must-visit for art and design groups, your students can find plenty of inspiration for their next school project here, with exhibits on wallpaper, stained glass, enamel, wood, jewels, graphics, trompe-l'oeil, furniture, fashion and more.

One of the best art collections in Paris, the Musée National Picasso is an astounding museum dedicated to the life and works of the iconic Spanish artist, Pablo Picasso. Students can observe more than 5,000 drawings, paintings, ceramic works and sculptures as they walk through the mid-17th-century Hôtel Salé – a mansion befitting of the artists’ works that’s been owned by the city of Paris since 1964.

Visit the opulent palace once resided in by Louis XIV and by Marie Antionette with this fantastic excursion. We’ve seen school groups mesmerised by the wonders of the Palais de Versailles, as they explore 400 years of history – including the signing of the 1919 Peace Treaty – as well as the palace’s incredible gardens.