Step out of the classroom and into history.

The Romans in France invites students and teachers to experience Latin not as a distant language on a page, but as a living story written into the landscapes of modern France. From the hidden amphitheater of ancient Lutetia beneath the streets of Paris to the soaring aqueducts of Provence and the remarkably preserved temples and theaters of southern Gaul, this journey traces the path of Rome’s lasting influence across the country.

Over 10–12 days, students explore the places where Roman governors ruled, merchants traded, and gladiators once performed—standing inside the very monuments they’ve read about in their texts. Along the way, they connect classical studies with art, archaeology, architecture, and everyday French culture, discovering how Roman Gaul shaped the France we know today.

Take an overnight flight to Paris CDG

Day 2: After arriving in Paris, students ease into the rhythm of the trip with an introduction to the idea that Roman history is hidden in plain sight. Though today it’s a bustling modern capital, Paris began as the Roman settlement of Lutetia. The group heads to the Arènes de Lutèce, one of the oldest structures in the city, where students can walk the arena floor and imagine gladiatorial games and public spectacles that once brought the town together. Standing in the amphitheater makes the ancient world feel suddenly close and real.

From there, the visit continues to the Musée de Cluny (National Museum of the Middle Ages), built atop Roman baths. Here, students explore artifacts from Roman Gaul—coins, sculptures, everyday objects, and architectural remains—while also seeing how the medieval world grew directly out of Roman foundations. It’s the perfect first lesson in continuity: Rome didn’t disappear; it evolved.

A relaxed stroll through the Latin Quarter rounds out the day, connecting language, place, and history before a welcome dinner and early rest.

Day 3: Today focuses on Rome’s cultural and artistic legacy. At the world-famous Louvre Museum, students trace the roots of Western art through Greek and Roman sculpture galleries, mosaics, and classical architecture. Teachers can tie mythological figures and Latin inscriptions directly to classroom learning, helping students recognize familiar gods, emperors, and symbols. Seeing these works in person deepens their understanding of how Roman aesthetics influenced centuries of European art.

In the afternoon, the group travels to the Palace of Versailles. Though far removed from ancient Rome chronologically, Versailles provides an important comparison: another empire projecting power through architecture, propaganda, and grand design. Students consider how Louis XIV’s palace echoes Roman ideas of authority and spectacle—proof that Rome’s model of empire shaped rulers for centuries.

Dinner back in Paris gives everyone time to reflect and connect ancient history with later French history.

Day 4: After breakfast, the group boards a comfortable high-speed train and travels south through the French countryside to Lyon, once known in antiquity as Lugdunum—the political, military, and economic capital of Roman Gaul. The journey itself becomes part of the experience, as students watch the landscape shift from Parisian boulevards to rolling hills and river valleys, imagining how Roman roads once connected these same regions nearly 2,000 years ago.

Upon arrival, an orientation walk through Vieux Lyon introduces the city’s layered history. Renaissance façades sit atop Roman foundations, and the two rivers—the Rhône and the Saône—remind students why this strategic location became Rome’s administrative hub. From viewpoints near Fourvière Hill, teachers can point out where the forum, theaters, and temples once stood, helping students visualize the scale of ancient Lugdunum.

Dinner in one of Lyon’s traditional bouchons offers a warm welcome to France’s culinary capital and the first taste of regional culture. By evening, students begin to sense that they’re no longer just seeing traces of Rome—they’re standing where Roman Gaul once truly thrived.

Day 5: Today is a deep dive into daily life in Roman Gaul. The morning begins atop Fourvière Hill at the remarkable Roman Theater of Fourvière, one of the oldest and best-preserved Roman theaters in France. Students can climb the stone seating, test the acoustics, and imagine performances, speeches, and civic gatherings that once filled the space. Nearby, the smaller odeon offers a glimpse into more intimate cultural events.

From there, the group visits the Lugdunum Museum, where artifacts bring ancient Lugdunum to life: intricate mosaics, inscriptions, coins, tools, and everyday objects that reveal what it meant to live in a Roman provincial capital. Teachers can connect these items to Latin vocabulary, mythology, and social structure, transforming textbook concepts into tangible reality.

In the afternoon, students explore the hilltop paths and enjoy sweeping views of the city below—an ideal moment to discuss how geography shaped Roman settlement and strategy. The day wraps up with free time in town and a group dinner, reflecting on how deeply Roman life influenced this region.

Day 6: A short drive south brings the group to Vienne, a smaller but beautifully preserved Roman town that feels almost like stepping into an open-air archaeological site. Here, students experience how Roman culture extended beyond major capitals into provincial communities.

The highlight is the elegant Temple of Augustus and Livia, one of the best-preserved Roman temples in the world. Its classical columns and proportions offer a perfect example of Roman religious architecture, ideal for sketching, photography, or quick on-site lessons about imperial worship.

Nearby, the Roman Theater of Vienne provides another chance to walk through ancient performance spaces and imagine festivals and civic life. Compared to Lyon’s larger monuments, Vienne’s ruins feel more intimate—helping students understand the everyday reality of Roman towns across the empire.

After time to explore the charming historic center and enjoy lunch, the group returns to Lyon for the evening. By now, students have moved from seeing Rome as a distant civilization to recognizing it as a living presence embedded in the French landscape.

Day 7: This morning, the group travels south into Provence to Arles, once an important Roman colony and trading port on the Rhône. Almost immediately, students notice how Roman monuments are woven into daily life here—cafés and shops sit beside 2,000-year-old walls, and ancient stone glows warm in the Mediterranean sun.

The first stop is the impressive Arles Amphitheatre, a massive arena that once hosted gladiatorial combats and spectacles for thousands of spectators. Students can climb the tiers of seating and stand on the arena floor, imagining the roar of the crowd. It’s an unforgettable moment—suddenly the stories of Roman entertainment feel very real.

Next, the group descends beneath the city streets into the mysterious Cryptoporticus of Arles, a network of vaulted underground passageways that once supported the Roman forum above. Walking through these shadowy corridors offers a rare look at the hidden infrastructure of an ancient city and sparks great conversations about Roman urban planning and engineering.

In the afternoon, the journey continues to one of the greatest feats of Roman construction: the Pont du Gard. Standing beneath its soaring arches, students see firsthand how Rome mastered water management and architecture without modern tools. Teachers can connect this to lessons on aqueducts, surveying, and the practical brilliance of Roman design. It’s the kind of place that makes everyone instinctively say, “They built this how?!”

By evening, the group settles into nearby Nîmes, ready to explore another city where Rome never seems to have left.

Day 8: Today is devoted to Nîmes, often called the “French Rome” because of the extraordinary preservation of its monuments. The city feels like an open-air textbook for classical architecture.

The morning begins at the elegant Maison Carrée, one of the most complete Roman temples in existence. Its perfectly proportioned columns and pediment offer a living example of the classical forms students see in diagrams and textbooks. It’s an ideal spot to discuss temple structure, imperial worship, and how Roman design continues to influence government buildings and memorials today.

Just a short walk away stands the mighty Arènes de Nîmes, still used for events nearly two millennia later. Students can explore inside the corridors and seating levels, tracing the paths spectators once took and comparing it to modern stadiums. The similarities are striking—proof of Rome’s lasting blueprint for public entertainment.

Time in the leafy Jardins de la Fontaine or the historic center allows for sketching, journaling, or small-group exploration, giving students space to absorb everything they’ve seen. By now, Roman history no longer feels distant or abstract—it feels immediate and alive.

As the day ends, students leave with a deeper appreciation for how the Roman world shaped not only France’s past, but the very foundations of Western cities today.

Day 9: Today the group travels into the heart of Provence to Avignon, a city that tells the next chapter of European history. While earlier days focused on Roman Gaul, Avignon shows students what came after the empire—how medieval Christianity reshaped the same landscape Rome once ruled.

The highlight is the magnificent Palais des Papes, the largest Gothic palace in Europe and the seat of the papacy during the 14th century. As students explore its grand halls, chapels, and fortified walls, they can compare it to Roman administrative centers they’ve already seen. Discussions naturally emerge: How did authority shift from emperors to popes? How did architecture still project power and control?

Walking through Avignon’s cobbled streets, students notice how Roman roads and foundations still underpin the medieval city. A stop at the famous Pont Saint-Bénézet (the “Pont d’Avignon”) offers scenic views over the Rhône and a reminder of the region’s strategic importance since Roman times.

With time to explore local cafés or markets, students experience everyday Provençal life—language, food, and culture—before returning to the hotel. The day provides a refreshing historical contrast while reinforcing the idea that every era builds on the last.

Day 10: This morning, the group heads north to Orange, home to one of the most astonishing survivals of the Roman world.

The star attraction is the Roman Theatre of Orange, often considered the best-preserved Roman theater anywhere. Its massive stage wall still stands at full height—something rarely seen even in Italy. When students sit on the stone steps and test the acoustics, they quickly realize how advanced Roman engineering truly was; even a whisper can carry across the space.

Teachers can use this moment to talk about Roman entertainment, rhetoric, and public life—imagining plays, speeches, and ceremonies that once filled the theater. It’s easy to picture togas in the crowd and Latin echoing through the air.

Nearby, the Arch of Orange adds another layer of insight. This triumphal arch, decorated with reliefs of military victories, highlights how Rome used monuments to celebrate conquest and shape public memory—essentially ancient propaganda carved in stone.

After lunch and time to wander the charming town center, the group returns to Avignon with cameras full and minds buzzing. By now, students aren’t just visiting ruins—they’re recognizing patterns: theaters, temples, arches, roads. They’re starting to “read” Roman cities like historians.

Day 11: This morning, the group travels to Marseille, France’s oldest city and one of the Mediterranean’s most important ancient ports. Founded by the Greeks and later integrated into the Roman world, Marseille offers a different perspective on history—one shaped by ships, trade routes, and cultural exchange.

The day begins at the Musée des Docks Romains, where students explore the remains of ancient warehouses and harbor installations preserved beneath the modern city. Here, they see how merchants stored wine, olive oil, grain, and pottery before shipping them across the empire. It’s a fascinating look at the practical side of Roman life: logistics, trade, and the economy that sustained such a vast civilization.

Walking through the lively Vieux-Port (Old Port) area, students can imagine Roman ships once docking in the same waters. Teachers might prompt discussions about how goods and ideas—language, religion, food, art—traveled along these maritime routes. It’s Rome as a connected world, not just a military power.

Time to explore the waterfront, cafés, and local markets gives the day a relaxed coastal feel. For a panoramic view, a stop above the city offers sweeping vistas of the harbor and sea—perfect for reflecting on how geography shaped Marseille’s role as a gateway to Gaul.

By evening, students experience the vibrant Mediterranean culture that still defines the city today.

Day 12: Today’s excursion feels like stepping into an archaeological time capsule. A short drive brings the group to Glanum, an entire Roman town preserved in the countryside near Saint-Rémy-de-Provence.

Unlike grand cities like Lyon or Nîmes, Glanum shows students what everyday provincial life looked like. As they wander along stone streets, they can identify the remains of houses, baths, temples, shops, and public squares. It’s easier here to imagine daily routines—families gathering water, merchants selling goods, citizens visiting the baths—because the layout of the town is still so clear.

At the entrance stand two remarkable monuments: the Triumphal Arch of Glanum and the Mausoleum of the Julii, beautifully carved structures that commemorate both military victory and family legacy. These monuments spark great conversations about Roman values—honor, memory, status, and storytelling through stone.

With the Alpilles hills and olive groves surrounding the site, the setting feels peaceful and timeless, making it easy for students to picture the ancient world unfolding around them.

Returning to Marseille in the afternoon, the group enjoys a final evening together by the sea—reflecting on how far they’ve traveled not just across France, but across centuries of history.

Take a flight back home!