There is perhaps nothing quite as synonymous with French pastries as the macaron. This elegant sandwich cookie has become known around the world since its creation, and you can have a chance to learn how to make them yourself during this approximately 90-minute French cooking class. You will learn all the techniques needed to make these delicious treats at home, while getting to sample your morning’s work at the end of your class. This experience will be open to guests on Friday and Saturday morning.

Breathe in and experience the art of crafting perfumes. Create and take home your signature scent at Molinard Paris accompanied by an expert. Discover the architecture of a perfume, the ingredients that make it up, and how they harmonize and complement each other. The Molinard perfume creation workshops allow initiates and enthusiasts to feel and manipulate rare and exceptional raw materials. Using a graduated pipette, make the association of the different species selected yourself according to the proportions recommended by the adviser-female for a harmonious and personal result. Creative alchemy takes place by combining different notes.

The Parisians of the 19th century knew the truth about shopping: it was an event to see and be seen at. Before modern-day shopping malls and the world-renowned shopping avenues we know of today, such as 5th Avenue and Avenue Montaigne, there were the Passages Couverts, or covered passages. While there were originally more than 180 of these early forms of shopping arcades, only 25 survive today. During this approximately 2-hour private walking tour, IES Abroad faculty member Truc Long Vo Tran will introduce you to some of the most famous passages today, such as Galerie Vivienne, while sharing an insider’s perspective into their history and legacy.

Enjoy a guided Champagne tasting with IES Paris 2003 alumnus and sommelier, Preston Mohr. During this 60-minute virtual tour of one of France's most famous wine regions, you will enjoy a guided tasting of three glasses of artisan, small-batch Champagnes. The tasting will take place in a historic 17th century cellar in the central Saint Germain des Prés neighborhood. Preston will walk you through the history, key grape varieties and natural features of the region, all of which make Champagne the king of wines. This bubbly experience is not to be missed! Small nibbles of hand selected French cheeses and charcuteries will accompany the tasting.

Originally built for Napoleon III to store the citrus trees of the Tuileries garden during the cold winters, Musée de l’Orangerie is today an art gallery of Impressionist, post-Impressionist and early 20th century avant-garde paintings. The museum is most famously home to Claude Monet’s Water Lilies murals, the focus of the artist’s final 30 years of his life. See these, along with works by other artists, such as Paul Cézanne, Henri Matisse, Amedeo Modigliani, Pablo Picasso, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and more during this private tour with IES Abroad faculty member Anne Catherine Abecassis. Taking place on Friday or Saturday (depending on demand) price per person TBD

Spend a quiet morning with Pablo Picasso and the artists who were linked to him with a visit to the Musée National Picasso-Paris. Located within the Marais district, housed within a 17th century hôtel particulier (mansion), and surrounded by modern-day artist galleries, the museum includes more than 5,000 works of art and tens of thousands of archived pieces from Picasso’s personal repository. This tour with IES Abroad faculty member Ulrike Kasper will include a visit to the museum, as well as a few of the nearby artist galleries, giving you a glimpse into the life and work of Picasso, as well as those of modern-day artists.Price per person TBD