Episode 31: How Do We Do Worldschooling in France?

Episode Title: Episode 31: How Do We Do Worldschooling in France?

Hosts: Astrid & Clint, creators of The Wandering Daughter

(Intro clip sourced from 17:06 — Clint describing the day they were in Paris during a record-breaking heat wave: the equivalent of 120°F, with no air conditioning anywhere)

France may not have been a perfect trip — Paris in July turned out to be one of the hottest weeks on record there — but it was still full of the kinds of moments worldschooling families live for. Astrid and Clint cover the logistics of a month-long stay (Schengen rules, easy driving, a mix of house-sitting and Airbnbs), then move into the highlights they actually loved: castles dotting the countryside, a visit to Versailles that became a conversation about wealth and the French Revolution, wandering the medieval walled town of Pérouges, and a few days in Chamonix with views of Mont Blanc.

Lyon gets its own section — and deserves it. Astrid and Clint make the case for it as an underrated base for worldschooling families, with a strong museum scene (the Confluence science museum, a puppet museum, a miniature model of the city), and the ancient riverside quarter of Vieux-Lyon. Paris, despite the circumstances, still offered the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, and one of the first immersive art experiences they'd ever seen — a Hokusai and Van Gogh projection show that predated the trend. They're candid that they want to give the city another chance, and reflective about not having had the time to explore Paris's postcolonial immigrant communities the way they did in Spain and the UK.

 

🎧 Ready to dive in?

 

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📋 Episode Chapters:
00:00:00 – Introduction
00:00:20 – Welcome to Worldschooling Q&A
00:01:25 – Today's Question: How Do I World School in France?
00:01:39 – France Overview: Size, Geography & Getting There
00:02:09 – Logistics: Schengen Zone, Language & Getting Around
00:04:32 – Lodging, Money & Safety
00:07:26 – Castles, History & the Palace of Versailles
00:10:04 – Medieval Towns: Walking Through Pérouges
00:12:35 – Nature: French Alps, Chamonix & a Dormant Volcano
00:13:38 – Lyon: Underrated Museums, Vieux-Lyon & Slow Travel Done Right
00:17:06 – ↩ Source of Intro Clip: Paris in July & the Hottest Day in History
00:21:47 – Outro & How to Support the Show

 

👉 For full show notes, resource links, and a complete episode guide, visit: https://thewanderingdaughter.com/episode-31-worldschooling-in-france