From the palace and gardens of Versailles, the cathedral Notre-Dame de Paris to the extreme rush hour of Paris along with the incredible and iconic scenes of the Eiffel Tower—these are just some of the experiences that students from the Los Rios Community College District will have—along with the opportunity to enjoy them while studying abroad in Paris next summer. 

Departure for Paris takes place June 18, 2025. Students will be accompanied by Richard Mowrer, history professor at Folsom Lake College to help them embark on a five-week journey through French history and lifestyle.

As this is an actual French history class, students will be expected to do various assignments and attend various lectures along with a writing assignment that is due before the trip.  

Mowrer is responsible for starting the summer abroad to Paris program. Mowrer has previously lived in Paris and has gained an understanding and a passion for the complicated city. 

Since 2018, Mowrer has brought LRCCD students to Paris to experience a different part of the world than what they are used to. The trip can open the eyes of students who are used to living in a city like Sacramento and have never ventured outside of the region.

“To any student (who is living abroad for the first time) it changes your perspective on the world, you will see that other people don’t do things exactly like we do,” Mowrer said. 

The program requires an application process. About 20 students are selected or hand-picked to go on this French journey. These students are expected to have a passion or particular interest for French history.  

The convenience of Paris is that this is where almost all the pivotal moments in French history took place. This will be a luxury for students as they will actually experience in person what they are learning in their studies. 

“Each day, after learning about French history we take an excursion to literally where the events took place,” Mowrer said.”Or to see artifacts and artwork from the period in Paris’s incredible museums.” 

Mowrer also talks about the benefits of living abroad.

“It gives students confidence to explore the world and live abroad,” Mower said. “Students will gain a love for Paris that will never leave them.”

When it comes to the expenses, students can expect a fee of around $6,800. These expenses include housing, food, visiting many famous sites and locations, such as the Opera and more. Financial aid can help students cover some of these expenses since this is an actual class. 

More information including dates, deadlines and contact information are available here.