ESA
European Studies Association
2025 Applications are Closed - 2026 Opens in November
Weekend
Trip
This year's 3-day, 2 night weekend trip will be to Alsace.
On Friday, we'll travel by TGV to the the charming town of Colmar, called the "Venice of France" because of the lovely canals and beautiful architecture. After checking in to our hotel, you'll have a walking tour introduction to the town. Dinner is hosted by ESA at the hotel.
On Saturday, a bus will pick us up and take us to visit the impressive Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle, a medieval masterpiece classified as a historic monument by the French Ministry of Culture. Then we'll visit charming Kayserberg with a fortified bridge, half-timbered houses and ramparts and medieval towers. We'll have time to shop or taste Alsace's famous wine. Free time for dinner back in Colmar.
On Sunday, you can have a leisurely morning at the hotel, take a last stroll through Colmar, or join us for a visit to the Unterlinden Museum where the Isenheim Alterpiece, painted by Mathias Grunewald will astonish you with its beautiful colors and ominous depictions of life in Hell. After lunch (on your own), catch the TGV back home to Paris.
Colmar
Day Trip:
Giverny
Discover both the gorgeous gardens of Claude Monet, the great impressionist painter, as well as his home.
Spend the morning photographing this splendid site and the village which has grown up around it. See the inspiration for all those paintings you've seen.
After lunch (not included) at one of the local options, visit the 18th century chateau de Bizy, where we'll have a tour and a snack. This castle saw visits from Louis XV and Madame de Pompadour as well as King Louis-Philippe in the 19th century.
Cheateau de Bizy: Theoliane, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Spend a day in Medieval Provins
Spend a day exploring the beautiful medieval town of Provins: from the Tour César, to the city's ramparts, this UNESCO world site is full of lovely sites to photograph, paint and enjoy. After a lunch in town, we'll have fun rooting for our favorite knight (or princess) at the Legends of the Knights performance.