Departure from the Penn State Harrisburg campus for Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) at 11:30 a.m. Check-in at United Airlines no later than 3:40 p.m. Flight UA57 leaves for Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) at 6:40 p.m.
Arrive at Charles de Gaulle airport at 7:35 a.m. Assistance and transfer to Bayeux, a small town in Normandy. Stop for lunch on your own en route. Check into the hotel for a four-night stay. Enjoy an afternoon tour of Bayeux where your local guide will discuss local customs, money exchange, and safety. You will have a guided stroll through historic Old Bayeux, the medieval town center and visit the Bayeux Cathedral. Also, enjoy a visit to the Museum of the Battle of Normandy.
After breakfast, depart for a full day excursion following the coast from Bayeux to Juno Beach, Port-en-Bessin, Arromanches, Colleville-sur-Mer, and Omaha Beach. You will visit Juno Beach Center and Park, D-Day Landing Museum, Arromanches 360 Circular Cinema, Germany Battery with guided tour, and American Cemetery of Normandy.
Following breakfast, board the bus for a full day excursion focusing on D-Day and Utah Beach. Travel to Cricqueville-en-Bessin to visit the Pointe-du-Hoc Ranger Monument. Then drive to Sainte-Marie-du-Mont for an orientation tour and entrance to Utah Beach Landing Museum. After the museum, hike to the top of the adjoining bluff to spot where Americans first broke through Germany’s Atlantic Wall. Lunch on your own. After lunch, travel to Sainte-Mère-Église. Explore the small tour and visit the Airborne Museum and D-Day Experience Museum. On the way back to the hotel, stop at the German Military Cemetery at La Cambe.
After breakfast, travel to Mont St. Michel for a full day excursion. Mont St. Michel is one of France’s most historic and picturesque locales. The 1,200-year-old fortified abbey and medieval pilgrimage site is located on an island just off the coast of Normandy. During the day, you will walk through the tidal mudflats, visit St. Peter’s Church, ascend the Pilgrim’s Stairs to the abbey and enjoy a guided tour. Lunch and free time on your own before returning to Bayeux.
Following breakfast, check out of hotel and travel to Paris with a stop in Caen. In Caen, take a two-hour walking tour focusing on WWII events, including the Caen Memorial Museum. Lunch on your own. Travel to Paris and check into the hotel for four nights.
After breakfast, receive your three-day Mobilis Metro Pass. Depart from the hotel with your guide for a morning walking tour. Visit the Catacombs of Paris, WWII headquarters for the French Resistance. Afternoon on your own to visit the Museum of the Liberation de Paris, including Musée du Général Leclerc de Hautecloque and Musée Jean Moulin. Continue to the Arc de Triomphe and stroll along Champs-Elysées. Return to hotel by subway.
Following breakfast, depart for a morning walking tour. Arrive at the Invalides Army Museum in the Hotel des Invalides where you will visit the WWII Wing and the Charles de Gaulle exhibit. Then walk to the Museum of the Order of Liberation. Free time for lunch on your own. In the afternoon, go to the abbey of Saint Germain-des Prés and visit the church. Remainder of the day for academic studies.
In the afternoon go to the abbey of Saint Germain-des-Pres and visit the Church.
Students will spend the remainder of the day on academic studies
After breakfast, depart from the hotel for a half-day guided walking tour. Visit the historic Marais district of Paris, which includes the historic Jewish Quarter. Visit the Memorial de la Shoah, including the Memorial of the Unknown Jewish Martyr and the Shoah memorial to learn about the fate of French Jews during the German occupation. Visit Musée Carnavalet, which focuses on the rich history of Paris. Remainder of the day for academic studies.
Check-in at United Airlines counter no later than 6:25 a.m. Flight UA56 departs CDG at 9:25 a.m. and arrives at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) at 12:50 p.m. Upon arrival, meet your driver and coach to return to the Penn State Harrisburg campus.
HIST144 or HIST144H (3 credits) (satisfies GEN ED: GH, IL and US)
World War II shaped the course of the twentieth century, and France occupied a central place in the history of that war. After Germany’s victory in the Battle of France in 1940, the Nazis occupied over half of the country, including Paris. French citizens participated in the Resistance in growing numbers, conducting campaigns of sabotage and assisting the escape of downed Allied bomber crew members. The D-Day landings in June 1944, the largest military sea-borne invasion in history, marked the start of the Battle of Normandy and the beginning of the final chapter in the defeat of Nazi Germany. Students in this course will learn about World War II through the lens of the French experience and travel to France to see places where many of the pivotal events transpired. The class will tour the Normandy beaches where the D-Day landings occurred, explore the German battlements that formed Hitler’s Atlantic Wall, and walk in the footsteps of the American, British and Canadian soldiers who overcame those defenses. In the latter part of the week, students will visit sites in Paris connected to the history of the French Resistance.
COURSE REGISTRATION To register for undergraduate course credit:
1) Meet with your academic adviser to discuss how this course will impact your educational progress. Have your adviser sign a drop/add form to add this class. Forms are available at registrar.psu.edu/registration/dropping_courses.cfm.
2) Contact the travel agency (contact information on back panel) to make a deposit or pay the total cost of the trip and obtain a receipt.
3) Take your signed drop/add form and travel agency receipt to the Office of the Registrar in the Swatara Building to complete enrollment in the course. Honors students, please see Stephanie Ponnett in C114R Olmsted Building to register for the course.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
• Mandatory pre/post-trip meetings, group reading, journal, etc., during spring 2020 semester.
• Students must be free of any current conduct reviews or conduct sanctions. Eligibility will be verified, and each participant grants permission for verification by the Office of Student Conduct. Any violation of the PSU Student Code of Conduct (studentaffairs.psu.edu/support-safety-conduct/ student-conduct/code-conduct) while traveling will result in a class failure.
TRAVEL AWARDS
Award funds are available to undergraduate honors students through the Penn State Harrisburg Honors programs. The University also has funds for students traveling internationally. For details, visit gpglobalea.gp.psu.edu and select the “Scholarships and Grants” link. A limited number of travel awards are available through the Penn State Harrisburg Office of International Programs. The application deadline is October 25, 2019. Please visit: harrisburg.psu.edu/international-programs/grants-and-awards.
Hotel d’Argouges
Check-in: March 7, 2020
Check-out: March March 11, 2020
4 nights
City tax included
Address : 21 Rue Saint-Patrice, 14400 Bayeux, France
Phone : +33 2 31 92 88 86
A 9-minute walk from the Gothic Notre-Dame de Bayeux cathedral, this elegant, period-style hotel in an imposing 18th-century townhouse with a country garden is also 13 minutes’ walk from the Musée de la Tapisserie de Bayeux, home of the medieval Bayeux tapestry. Traditional rooms have modern en suite bathrooms, as well as flat-screen TVs with satellite channels and free Wi-Fi.
Ibis Styles Paris Bercy
Check-in: March 11, 2020
Check-out: March 15
4 nights
City tax included
Address : 77 Rue de Bercy, 75012 Paris, France
Phone : +33 1 53 46 50 50
Set 12 minutes’ walk from Paris-Gare de Lyon railway station, this modern hotel is also 5 km from artwork in the Louvre and 9 km from the Eiffel Tower. The bright, contemporary rooms include free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs with satellite channels, desks and chairs. Upgraded rooms add separate living areas with sofas. Pets are welcome for a fee.
• Round-trip airfare between Newark, NJ and Paris, France
• Round-trip transfers between the Penn State Harrisburg campus and Newark Liberty International Airport
• Airport taxes and fuel surcharge – subject to increase before ticketing
• Eight nights’ accommodations per itinerary (double or triple occupancy)
• Buffet breakfast daily
• English speaking guides
• Mobilis Metro Pass to travel in Paris
• Tuition
• Single room supplement +$435
• Excess baggage fees at the airport
• Optional travel insurance in case of trip cancellation
• Additional excursions or activities not mentioned in the itinerary or reserved in advance
• Transportation, except where noted in the itinerary
• Tips for tour guides and drivers
• Personal expenses
• Any services not listed above as “included”
• Passport fees – Passport should be valid until September 15, 2020
Visas are not required for United States citizens traveling to France. All international students are responsible for determining if a visa is required and should immediately apply for the visa. Please check the website at schengenvisainfo.com/how-to-apply-schengen-visa/ if a visa is not issued. Also, alert the International Programs office if you are applying for a visa.
| Departure Day | Departure Date | From (airport/terminal) | Departure Time | Flight # | To (airport) | Arrival Time (local time) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday | March 6, 2020 | Newark, NJ | 6:40 PM | UA 57 | Paris, France | 09:35 AM + 1 |
| Sunday | March 15, 2020 | Paris, France | 9:25 AM | UA 56 | Newark, NJ | 12:50 PM |
A deposit of $500 is due upon registration.
When registration is made within 60 days prior to departure the full amount of the trip is due.
Cancellations, Penalties and Fees
All changes and cancellations must be provided in writing. The following penalties apply with the number of days prior to departure:
● $350 cancellation fee + processing fee of $150: Total $500 penalty if cancelation is received between Dec 6 – January 10, 2020
● 100% of the total trip cost within after January 10, 2020 or in case of no-show
. 
Everyone needs a passport valid until September 15, 2020. If you are not an American citizen, a visa may be required. A Green Card or equivalent is compulsory.
Gineth is in charge of the Operations Department, supervising ticketing and travel planning. With over twelve years of experience in the travel industry, Gineth has exceptional leadership experience, and her passion for travel has contributed to her successful career.