Our tours to Paris are the most popular that we run. Paris is a beautiful and fascinating city with a great range of excursions. We can offer tours that combine excellent accommodation and catering, and a
balance between visits of the greatest interest, recreation and entertainment.

ACCOMMODATION
The Novotel, N.W. Paris
The Novotel is beautifully situated, in its own secure estate and next to parkland. It is easy to walk from the hotel, through the park to the shopping centre of Cergy-Pontoise. Its position cuts transfer time on the outward and return journeys. In addition, this modern hotel offers excellent facilities, including an outdoor swimming pool. Accommodation is in one, two and three bedded rooms. Each room has cable television and en-suite facilities. There is a pleasant restaurant and a bar/ coffee lounge. We have found the Novotel to be a friendly and secure base, particularly close to the heart of Paris and within easy reach of both Disneyland and the Asterix Theme Park. We also use a range of excellent alternative hotels in central Paris or nearby.

The Kyriad Hotel. Disneyland Paris
This is a large, ultra modern hotel within the Disneyland complex.
You can expect en-suite facilities, two, three and four bedded rooms, top rate catering and security with a 24 hour reception service.

The hotel allocated will be dependent on availability, the nature of the pupils’ needs and choice. In order
to gain such suitable accommodation, early booking is recommended.

OUTLINE SUGGESTED ITINERARY
This is a sample itinerary and open to change as required. In particular, activities vary according to the age and needs of the pupil participants. We are happy to provide suggested itineraries on request. One of the advantages of having a Tour Director is that plans can be changed at very short notice, according to weather conditions for example.

DAY 1
Collection of group from school and transfer to Paris by ferry or ‘Eurotunnel’ via Dover or Folkestone. There will be a DVD on the coach and pupils can enjoy suitable films during our journey. For most special groups we prefer to use the ferry route if time allows. We have found that while the Channel Tunnel is quicker, the ferry is more interesting and often forms a valuable and stimulating feature of the tour.

Visit en-route: ‘The City of Europe’
The ‘City of Europe’ is one of the biggest shopping complexes in France. There are many familiar stores and others more typically French. They form a whole that is busy and interesting. The pupils will have the opportunity to explore the complex.

The Nausicaa Sealife Centre
According to the restraints of time we offer either a second, or an alternative visit to the Nausicaa Sealife Centre in Boulogne. This is one of the best sea life centres in Europe. Students will enjoy seeing many types of sea creatures in their large viewing tanks, finishing at the underwater shark viewing chamber. Supper in the ‘Flunch’ Service Restaurant in the City of Europe, or in the Flunch Restaurant in Boulogne. We aim to arrive at the hotel at 21.30. On arrival rooms will be allocated and pupils will settle down for the night. We have a security procedure for time spent both in the hotel and on excursions that will have been introduced to Party Leaders.

DAY 2
8.30am Breakfast
A continental breakfast of fruit juice, croissants, baguettes, preserves, tea, coffee and hot chocolate will be served in the hotel. Picnic preparation. During our transfer into the heart of Paris there will be an opportunity to see some of the city’s most famous sights.

Cruise on the River Seine
We will enjoy a one hour cruise on the River Seine with Bateaux Mouches. This will take us round the Ile de la Cite and the Ile St Louis and offer views of Notre Dame Cathedral, the Conciergerie, the Place de la Concorde and the Eiffel Tower. Our picnic lunch will be taken in one of the attractive parks below the Eiffel Tower by the side of the Champs de Mars where there is plenty of space for recreation.

The Eiffel Tower
After lunch we will walk the short distance to the Eiffel Tower where we will ascend to the first level by lift. Here there is a film to be seen as well as shops, a cafe and, of course, stunning views. The rest of the afternoon is devoted to recreation.

Leisure Park
‘Aquaboulevard’ lies on the south loop of the Peripherique and our visit to this excellent water park forms a highlight of the tour. There are extensive indoor and outdoor pools. The interior is made up of shallow leisure pools, slides, fountains, ‘beaches’ and a number of flumes ranging from easy to challenging. There are also jacuzzis and sun terraces. Pupils will have an exciting, relaxing and enjoyable time. (Swimming activities are professionally supervised.)

Supper in central Paris.

DAY 3
Disneyland Paris
Theme Park Choice
The day will be taken up with our visit to the Asterix Theme Park or Disneyland, Paris. A visit to the Asterix Theme Park is restricted by its seasonal opening time (April to October.) We are sponsored by ‘Asterix’ but in any case we feel that it is particularly suited to our groups. We can also include a day visit to Disneyland. Entrance to Asterix or Disneyland is included in the tour price.

Evening visit
During the evening we will drive into Paris to visit Montmartre, which is full of atmosphere with its magnificent views, busy shopping area, artists’ quarter in the ‘Place du Tertre’ and of course, the beautiful Sacre Coeur Church.

DAY 4
Visit en-route. The Chocolaterie and Boulangerie at Lachelle
Lachelle is a pretty village about 10 kilometres off our route back to Calais. An ancient farm has been converted into a boulangerie that bakes bread using the old method of wood burning ovens. The pupils will see how the bread is made and taste the finished product. In addition there are chocolate kitchens and participants will have a guided tour before a free tasting. They will each receive a bag of fine chocolates and there is a shop to spend their last Euros. Before departing we usually take advantage of the farm dining cafe for refreshments.

Important note
In earlier years most of the tours that we provided for students with special needs were by coach. Due to the growth of cheap flights and dramatic increases in coach hire due to fuel cost, more recently we are organising ever increasing numbers of tours by air and also by Eurostar. Certainly, with small groups it is much more economical to choose transfer by air or by Eurostar. With larger groups it is probably better by coach.