Voyage d’immersion juin 2026: Paris, Lyon, & Marseille
Tour and immerse yourself in France with your Alliance Française de Grand Rapids friends!
Led by AF de GR President Jolene Vos-Camy, spend 8 nights in France and immerse yourself in the language, food and culture! After a day in Paris, explore Lyon’s famous food scene for two nights along with a group tour of the old city and Roman ruins. From there, head south to Marseille for five days to immerse yourself in morning French classes and with your AF de Marseille French host, and explore Marseille in the afternoons.
View the informational brochure here. Questions may be emailed to the trip organizers (Jolene Vos-Camy, Joya Bandstra, & Debra Rockey) via the AF de GR email.
Trip Details
Trip Dates: June 3-13, 2026.
Depart USA on June 3 and meet in Paris on Thursday, June 4 for an apéro.
Friday, June 5 through Sunday, June 7: we take the TGV high-speed train to France’s 3rd largest city, Lyon where we spend the weekend enjoying regional food specialties and touring the old city and the Roman ruins.
Sunday, June 7 through Friday, June 12: we take the train to Marseille, France’s oldest and 2nd largest city on the Mediterranean coast where we will stay for the week. Breakfast and most dinners are with our French hosts. We have French class mornings, 9am-1pm at the Alliance Française de Marseille. Afternoon activities include guided tours of the old port and the Panier neighborhood, a boat ride to the Frioul islands, and a hike in the Calanques National Park. Depending on group interest, there may be outings to Arles or to Aix.
Departure from Marseille after 4pm, Friday, June 12. (We expect there will be a group traveling back to Paris together.)
Information Meetings
An information meeting was held on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, hosted by Joya Bandstra. The next information meeting will be held Tuesday, Jan. 27, 7-8:30pm, hosted by Jolene Vos-Camy.
There will be an orientation meeting in the spring before the trip and other opportunities for the group to get to know each other before departure.
Cost
$2250 per person includes:
All in-country transportation until final day in Marseille, including local transportation passes. Includes train ticket from Paris to Lyon and from Lyon to Marseille. Does not include return travel from Marseille. (We expected that not everyone would want to go directly back to Paris).
Five mornings of French classes with the Alliance Française de Marseille.
Tours in Marseille: old port, Savon de Marseille museum, Château d’If and the îles du Frioul.
One apéro in Paris, one group dinner in Lyon, and one group lunch in Marseille. French hosts will provide breakfast and dinner each night June 7-11.
All accommodations: 3 nights in hotel in Paris and Lyon (single occupancy), 5 nights with a French host in Marseille.
Does not include airfare to and from France, or accommodation after leaving Marseille hosts on the afternoon of Friday, June 12. Meals included only if noted above. Rates are subject to change if the exchange rate changes significantly. Current price is calculated at 1 euro = $1.15.
Deposit of $500 required by September 1, 2025.
Full payment due by April 1, 2026. This trip is limited to 15 participants.
Checks can be made payable to the Alliance Française de Grand Rapids and mailed to Sue Murphy, AF de GR Treasurer, 4500 Thornberry Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546.
Refunds after April 1, 2026 will only be possible if someone from the wait list is able to take your spot.