Women in Paris | June 22-29, 2025
Learning Outcomes
Gain a general understanding of the early and modern history of Paris through some major female political and artistic figures.
Identify the different architectural periods of the city and associate them with female artists and historical figures.
Final Course Program
Sunday, June 22
5:30 pm: Welcome Drinks & Introductions
7:30 pm: Welcome Dinner
Monday, June 23
9:00 am: Daily Discussion over breakfast
10:30 am – 1:00 pm: Field Seminar #1
Ancient Parisiennes & Recent Feminists
From saints to stateswomen, explore the legacy of influential women who shaped Paris across centuries.
Panthéon: Puvis de Chavanne fresco of Sainte-Geneviève; graves of Josephine Baker and Simone Veil; Saint-Étienne-du-Mont: Sainte-Geneviève’s tomb; Rue Sainte-Clotilde & placette Jacqueline de Romilly: two eras of influential Parisians; Arènes de Lutèce: remains of Roman Paris.
Afternoon: Self-Guided Study
Evening: Free
Tuesday, June 24
9:00 am: Daily Discussion over breakfast
10:30 am - 1:00 pm: Field Seminar #2
Women of Letters
A literary walk through the Left Bank to trace the lives and legacies of women who wrote—and continue to write—Paris.
Rue de Fleurus: Gertrude Stein’s former home; Reid Hall: site of Paris’s first American girls’ club; Jardin du Luxembourg: statues of queens of France; Medici fountain; replica of Statue of Liberty.
Afternoon: Self-Guided Study
Evening: Optional wine tasting
Wednesday, June 25
9:00 am: Daily Discussion over breakfast
10:30 am – 1:00 pm: Field Seminar #3
Women of Art
An intimate studio visit with a contemporary artist whose work draws on Paris’s aesthetic and architectural heritage.
Zelda Georgel’s studio in Montrouge.
Afternoon: Self-Guided Study
Evening: Free
Thursday, June 26
9:00 am: Daily Discussion over breakfast
10:30 am – 1:00 pm: Field Seminar #4
Women of Music & Sweet Seductresses
Explore women’s roles in shaping Paris’s musical history and culinary landscape—from the opera stage to the pastry counter.
Opéra-Comique: birthplace of Carmen and Manon; Grands Magasins: women and 19th-century retail; pastry shop by Nina Métayer, World’s Best Pastry Chef 2024.
Afternoon: Self-Guided Study
Evening: Optional Gallery Walk
Friday, June 27
9:00am: Daily Discussion over breakfast
10:30 am - 1:00 pm: Field Seminar #5
Women of Design
A look at women shaping the city through contemporary design and artisanal tradition.
Agnès Sinelle’s jewelry atelier near Canal Saint-Martin.
Afternoon: Self-Guided Study
Evening: Free
Saturday, June 28
Free Day / Continued Self-Guided Study
8:00 pm: Farewell Dinner
Sunday, June 29
Depart at your leisure
Pre-Course Readings
The following readings and short, animated film will help prepare you for the course. While they are not required, they have been selected by your instructor to give you context and background information, and they may be referred to during the Field Seminars. If you don’t have time to do the readings before you travel, consider downloading them or printing them out to look at during your flight!
Exceprt from Friendship, by Colombe Schneck (20 pages)
Excerpt from Paris Revisited, by Anaïs Nin (9 pages)
Excerpt from The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas, by Gertrude Stein (21 pages)
Vibrato, by Sébastien Laudenbach (7 minutes) about Louise Garnier, wife of Charles Garnier, the architect of the Opéra de Paris.
Tombstones, by Guy de Maupassant
Self-Guided Study Ideas
Le Louvre - timed tickets must be booked in advance
Musée de la Philharmonie de Paris
If any of the museums listed here are on your must-see list while you are in Paris, we recommend booking tickets in advance. None of them are included in the field seminars. Feel free to contact us with questions or for help making reservations.
Additional ideas for Self-Guided Study will be shared each day. Feel free to consult your Instructor and Facilitator for personalized suggestions.