The Great Tours: France through the Ages

Overview

Course No. 8012

Experience France’s breathtaking beauty, rich history, and culinary delights through this immersive 24-lecture journey with Professor Greene.

From Parisian boulevards to Provençal lavender fields, this course reveals:

• Iconic landmarks like Versailles and Mont Saint-Michel

• France’s world-renowned wine regions and gastronomy

• Artistic treasures from cave paintings to Impressionism

• Hidden gems beyond the tourist trails

Whether planning a trip or exploring virtually, discover why France remains the world’s most visited destination.

Video Lessons

Paris & Surroundings (1-4, 20-23)

• Charting Our Course (31 min) – Introduction to French art de vivre

• Birth of Paris (31 min) – From Roman city to royal capital

3. Versailles Splendor (32 min) – Louis XIV’s magnificent palace

4. Revolutionary Paris (32 min) – Bastille to Napoléon

20. Belle Époque (30 min) – Haussmann’s transformed city

• Bohemian Paris (29 min) – Montmartre to expat haunts

• Capital of Design (31 min) – Fashion, cinema & photography

23. Modern Paris (31 min) – Eiffel Tower to Louvre Pyramid

Regional Explorations (5-19)

5. Champagne Region (30 min) – Cathedrals & WWI memorials

6-7. Normandy (31/32 min) – D-Day beaches to Monet’s garden

• Brittany (29 min) – Celtic culture & megaliths

9. Loire Valley (29 min) – Châteaux & Chartres Cathedral

10. Bordeaux (32 min) – Wine country & cave paintings

11. Pyrenees (30 min) – Basque culture & Lourdes

12. Cathar Country (29 min) – Carcassonne & cassoulet

13-16. Provence/Riviera (29/30/30/28 min) – Lavender to Cannes

17-19. Alps to Alsace (29/30/30 min) – Lyon gastronomy to Strasbourg

Cultural Themes (24)

24. United France (30 min) – National celebrations & identity