This was my jam on our trip to Paris! I couldn't wait to visit Sorbonne and get into the Pantheon…read more As a social studies teacher, I do an entire unit on the Enlightenment period, my favorite period in history, pulling the population out of the darkness of superstition and traditions into the LIGHT of political theories and sciences. I couldn't wait to see my heroes Voltaire and Rousseau's final resting place as well as Victor Hugo and Marie Curie. We took a lengthy walk around the Sorbonne neighborhood..........absolutely beautiful! The entry fee for the Pantheon was 13.00 I think. Well worth the visit. The first floor is devoted to epic artwork and amazing statues. Descend into the catacombs to visit the internment of France's most influential thinkers and revolutionary heroes. Honestly, it was a pretty emotional experience for me. This was a 10 star event that should not be missed on any trip to Paris. I could do this 100 times and love every minute.

Well, I have unfortunately crashed in that university to study my favorite subject...English, and I…read morewas pretty much disappointed; to the point of resenting contempt towards the so-called 'English teachers' who worked there. I say 'so-called' because to my surprise -- or, should I not have been surprised -- some 'teachers' in the English department didn't speak English. As a result, something didn't square in the equation. For how could they claim to teach something they didn't know to speak?! Can a pilot be a pilot without knowing to pilot?! The teachers I met there were the most hypocritical people I had ever seen! Some teachers would tell you they were 'linguists'. But here again, it didn't square with the result because they neither knew to analyze nor speak the language they were studying. As a strategy to confuse you, they would say a huge development in French about the language but this development was disastrous because it didn't explain anything about the language. The seminars were a series of plagiarisms which the 'teachers' couldn't even corroborate. So, they kept giving you a list of what such and such person said on such and such topic. They just couldn't analyze scientific facts because they knew very little about the language. I remember a 'supervisor' telling me about the phonetics and phonology of English. But it was wrong because it was an assertion based on French observation and, most importantly, rendered invalid by phoneticians and phonologists who wrote literature on the subject in England! I cannot end without saying a word about an erudite Canadian friend of mine who spotted the plagiarism and who, for being too bright to have spotted it, got a bad mark! Well...too bad to be claiming one is so bright and knowledgeable for the sake of reputation and social welfare when the very opposite is the real truth! Learning the language on your own is even better than relying on this university, as far as English is concerned.

From the owner: Classé au titre des Monuments Historiques Créée à l'initiative de Robert de Sorbon en 1257, cette…read moreuniversité n'était alors destinée qu'à seize étudiants de théologie démunis de ressources. Elle devint cependant rapidement le siège de théologie de l'université de Paris, jusqu'à sa fermeture lors de la Révolution. En 1822, ses activités reprirent sous le nom de siège du Rectorat et faculté des Lettres et des Sciences, dans des bâtiments reconstruits et agrandis au cours du XIXè siècle - dont la cour et les galeries se visitent librement. Seule la chapelle de la Sorbonne conserve son architecture du XVIIè siècle, de même qu'elle abrite toujours le tombeau de Richelieu, mais elle n'est ouverte au public que lors d'expositions temporaires.

A lot of shady things take place here. Minors and adults are mixed, ages are lied about (by both…read morewomen and men) resulting inappropriate relationships/interactions. Classes seem to have a big jump between A1 and A2 (be aware of this if being taken for credit as you may waste your summer and money). You can get away with using chatGPT and google translate through the entire program. The program also goes so fast and while having excursions there's not much you'll really be able to say you learned at the end of the program. If you just want the credit and don't really care to learn French this might not be a bad place. Overall be very careful here if attending as an adult or if thinking about sending your child here for a summer program.

Overall bad experience. No organization whatsoever, bad communication, lots of attitude from the…read moreadministrative staff. No help from anywhere if you have a simple question. Professors not replying to your emails. Paris is the only thing that is worth visiting. Bad planning with excursions. I am not sure how can they charge so much money and pretend to be a University. it was a joke. Not worth your time. You are better off visiting Paris on your own.

More than 4 years that I am at IPAG BS and I never regret my choice, it is an amazing school, the…read morestudents are very nice, helpful and I have made friends for life. The school is located in the centre of Paris in an incredible area, within a very touristic neighborhood, the building is typically parisian and as there are several building in the area it is really niceto have a walk between classes and have some fresh air. Most of the teachers are workers and have their own company or are teacher at HEC and ESSEC as well so there is a high level education given. You can't go wrong with IPAG BS !

I attended the Catho for a semester through the Central College (Pella, IA) study abroad program…read more Paris was the only choice for those wanting to go to France, but at the time, you had the option of studying either at the Sorbonne or the Catho. It seems that has since changed and they're only offering the Catho. Not sure what happened to the former. When Central advertises "intensive language immersion," they mean it. I placed in the intermediate program and found that the intensity of the program coincided with my level of understanding of the language. I managed to not get lost in translation and wrapped up 18 credits after completing the following courses: Intermediate French Phonetics French Experience Seminar French Grammar and Civilization The Media in France French Institutions and Society The first four were mandatory; the second two electives. All of these classes were taught by native French-speaking professors, none of whom had much proficiency in English. This forced me to have to listen, read, write, speak and think in French through the duration. Side note: The cafeteria isn't the greatest, but does offer some unique cuisine you may not be accustomed to as an American, such as kangaroo.

University campus has busts of famous graduates & the majors offered inscribed in each building…read more Book shops, libraries, computer repair businesses & cafes filled the area. Security was very tight.

The actual building of the Sorbonne is quite something, there's a chapel and an imposing Victor…read moreHugo statue in the main court, the hallways are endless and the library is huge. There's a surreal feel about the Sorbonne with all it's amphitheaters and small corners, it's hard to explain, it's probably the combination of the weight of historical building with a huge hall for events (most of them exclusive) and some small classrooms and staircases that seem to missmatch that give the overall feel of been inside some sort of maze. If you ever get the chance to visit it it's well worth it. Also there's a quire practice in the evenings and some concerts/plays by students that sometimes are open to the public.

This is a lovely and interesting monument to visit. It's right across from Galerie Vivienne (also…read morerecommended). Mom and I came in on a bit of a whim--a coffee break was in order a head of our shop--and we're very pleased with what we discovered. Entry to the building is free--just pass through security and head on in while the building is open. If you want to check out the museum portion, just buy a ticket at the counter. The awesome news is the that the famous Oval Room is part of your free admission (it's one benefit of visiting an actual library). In addition to the beautiful architecture, you can head around the perimeter of the room and enjoy interactive mini-exhibits that include a virtual dress-up, trivia, and a hidden images game. On your way out (or in), stop and enjoy a coffee and a snack. The scones are great!

The National Library of France has two location in Paris: this location in Richelieu and the other…read morein François-Mitterrand. It houses a copy of all publications in Paris, and its museum traces back to 1368. My nephew had spent a lot of time studying in the Oval Room, and wanted to show it to me, since he knows I like libraries. He knew the less busy entrance, so got in after a few minutes in line, having to go through both an x-ray machine and hand search for backpacks. We didn't stay very long as the Oval Room's sitting areas were completely full, but that first view into the Oval Room is breath-taking.