History Trip to Paris (The Holocaust & Occupation)

About this trip

This is a great cost-effective alternative to Krakow and Berlin for groups studying the Holocaust and WWII. The tour provides numerous opportunities for your students to experience sites and artefacts related to Occupied France, the Resistance and the Holocaust, giving unique insights and understanding of this poignant period in history. Please see the excursions tab for further details of the suggested visits.

Sample Itinerary

Day 1 Find out more

Coach and Eurotunnel to Paris
Take a River Seine Cruise with Bateaux Parisiens on arrival
Check-in to your accommodation. Evening meal

Day 2 Find out more

Visit the Memorial de la Shoah for a guided tour
Afternoon visit to the Memorial de Drancy for a guided tour
Gare de Deportation at Bobigny guided tour
Evening meal

Day 3 Find out more

Tour Montparnasse
Visit Musée du Général Leclerc de Hauteclocque et de la Libération de Paris – Musée Jean Moulin
Afternoon visit to Musée de la Resistance Nationale
Evening meal

Day 4 Find out more

Check-out of your accommodation
Coach and Eurotunnel back to school

Day 5 Find out more

Day 6 Find out more

Day 7 Find out more

Day 8 Find out more

Excursion Ideas

Tour Montparnasse Find out more

Tour Montparnasse

Subject Range: Cultural, Business Studies

What you’ll experience: This is Paris’ only skyscraper and the tallest building in France at 210 metres. You can visit the panoramic floor for fabulous views over the city. The tower is open until late, so it’s also possible to take in the beautifully lit night time beauty of Paris.

Select Says: This is by far the best place to view of the Eiffel Tower.

Boat Cruise – Bateaux Parisiens Find out more

Boat Cruise – Bateaux Parisiens

Subject Range: MFL, Art & Design, Cultural

What you’ll experience: One of the best and most relaxing ways to see the sights of Paris is to take a Seine river boat cruise. Starting at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, your cruise will take you up stream to the Ile de la Cité and Notre Dame Cathedral.

Select Says: Trips depart every 20 minutes at peak times.

Musée du Général Leclerc de Hauteclocque et de la Libération de Paris – Musée Jean Moulin Find out more

Musée du Général Leclerc de Hauteclocque et de la Libération de Paris – Musée Jean Moulin

Subject Range: History

What you’ll experience: The museum opened in 1994 as Musée Jean Moulin to commemorate Jean Moulin, a major figure of the French Resistance, and to detail the occupation of Paris during World War II. The Musée du Général Leclerc de Hauteclocque et de la Libération de Paris is its accompanying museum and commemorates Maréchal Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque and the liberation of Paris.

Select Says: This museum is currently free to visit.

Musée de la Resistance Nationale Find out more

Musée de la Resistance Nationale

Subject Range: History

What you’ll experience: The Museum of the National Resistance of Champigny-sur-Marne presents the history of the French Resistance from its origins to the Liberation. Visitors learn about the beginnings of the French Resistance, its rise in power, its progressive unification, its contribution to the liberation of the national territory and to the definition of post-war France. It contains the most important collections relating to French resistance during the Second World War: archives, photographs, watercolours, and various objects.

Select Says: An opportunity to see a unique collection of pieces that testify to French social history from 1929 to 1947.

The Shoah Memorial in Drancy Find out more

The Shoah Memorial in Drancy

Subject Range: History

What you’ll experience: Built as a collective living space in the 1930s but never finished, the Cité de la Muette became an internment camp in 1941, and then in 1942 a regroupment camp for the Jews of France in preparation for their deportation to extermination camps. Between March 1942 and August 1944, approximately 63,000 of the 76,000 Jews deported from France went through Drancy. A permanent exhibition retraces the history and function of the camp as well as the daily lives of those interned there.

Select Says: Audioguided visits are available in English.

Memorial de la Shoah Find out more

Memorial de la Shoah

Subject Range: History

What you’ll experience: This is the French Holocaust Museum located in central Paris. There is a permanent exhibition offering a chronological and thematic visit, with twelve sequences depicting the history of Jews in France during the Holocaust. The exhibition alternates between individual stories and collective history.

Select Says: A guided tour is possible for school groups.

Accommodation Options

European Campus Sainte Therese Find out more

European Campus Sainte Therese

Our Rating:

Capacity: 130

Location: Paris suburbs

What you’ll experience: Situated at Ozoir-la-Ferrière just 25km SE of Paris and 15 minutes’ drive from Disneyland Paris. Set in 84 acres of grounds, this quality, purpose built accommodation is ideal for schools and offers excellent facilities alongside good access to Paris. Rooms: Sleep 2-4, all with en-suite facilities. Facilities: 24-hour reception, 2 dining rooms, meeting rooms, computer room with 32 computers, free Wi-Fi, extensive grounds including 3 hectares of forest, sports facilities including basketball, football, table tennis, fitness room and more!z.

FUAJ Yves Robert Find out more

FUAJ Yves Robert

Our Rating:

Location: Paris centre

What you’ll experience: The FUAJ Yves Robert is a modern youth accommodation located in an eco-district close to Butte Montmartre and the Gare du Nord. Rooms: Sleep 1-6. Please note the rooms feature shared facilities. Facilities: Wi-Fi, bar, library, relaxation area, TV room.

Meininger Paris Porte de Vincennes Find out more

Meininger Paris Porte de Vincennes

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Our Rating:

Capacity: 946

Location: Porte de Vincennes

What you’ll experience: With metro connections to the city centre and Disneyland (via RER) this hotel offers a good standard of accommodation, perfectly suited to groups. Rooms: Bedrooms sleep 2-6 people and all offer private facilities. Facilities: Restaurant, bar, breakfast room.

Première Classe – Bussy St George Find out more

Première Classe – Bussy St George

Our Rating:

Capacity: 354

Location: Paris suburbs

What you’ll experience: Located at Bussy St George, just 25 km from Paris and a short 10 minute walk to the nearest RER station. Rooms: Rooms: All rooms have en-suite facilities. Facilities: Facilities: Breakfast room, meeting room, free Wi-Fi, enclosed garden.

Reseda Hotel Find out more

Reseda Hotel

Our Rating:

Capacity: 240

Location: Porte de Bagnolet (East of Paris)

What you’ll experience: Located within easy access of a metro station that will quickly take groups into the city centre, the Reseda hotel offers recently renovated, modern, simple accommodation very suited to groups. Students may also enjoy the nearby shopping centre. Park Asterix is also within easy reach of this hotel. Rooms: Rooms sleep 2-3 people and all have private facilities. Facilities: Meeting rooms, WI-FI.

Résidence Internationale de Paris Find out more

Résidence Internationale de Paris

Our Rating:

Capacity: 102

Location: Paris centre

What you’ll experience: A modern and simple youth accommodation situated in the 20th arrondissement of Paris near to the Paris Péripherique to the east of the city centre. Staff at the Résidence are experienced in accommodating youth groups and your group is sure to have an enjoyable stay. Rooms: Spacious rooms sleeping 3-6, all en-suite. Facilities: 24 hour reception, free Wi-Fi, packed lunches and hot meals available (on reservation).

Accommodation 15 Find out more

Curriculum Links

KS4 (GCSE)
AQA: Germany 1890–1945: Democracy and Dictatorship
Edexcel: Weimar and Nazi Germany, 1918–1939
OCR: Living under Nazi Rule, 1933–1945

KS5 (A-Level)
AQA: Democracy and Nazism: Germany 1918–1945
Edexcel: Germany and West Germany, 1918–1989
OCR: The Nazi State and its Control, 1933–1945 / The Holocaust / The French Resistance