 | | Tours is the capital of the Loire Valley region, an area often called “The Garden of France,” so you know it’s beautiful! |  |
   
|  |  | In “Crusaders, Castles & Cathedrals in Medieval France” you will come into direct contact with the medieval history of one of France’s most beautiful regions. Your program will consist of two three credit courses taught successively by Professors Reinert and Masschaele of the Rutgers History Department, who will be assisted by an array of local experts. The courses will focus on the region’s history under Angevin rule between the twelfth and fourteenth centuries, with special emphasis on the reign of King Richard the Lionheart. Featured areas of study will include the crusading movement, the internal dynamics of the Angevin empire, and the roles of castles and towns in shaping the period’s history.
| Course Highlights: |  |  | close working relationship in a seminar environment with two award-winning professors from the Rutgers History Department, supplemented by talks and tours given by local specialists and guides; | | field trips to well-preserved medieval sites in the area surrounding the city of Tours, including the spectacular castle of Chinon, the abbey complex at Fontevrault where numerous Angevin kings and queens are buried, and the town of Beaugency, only lightly touched by time since its medieval heyday; | | Living and studying in a vibrant French city with a distinguished history stretching back to the Roman period and even earlier. The city of Tours will itself be a classroom for our study of medieval France, in addition to being a fun and dynamic place to hang out when classes are not in session. |
| Dates | | | Application timetable: | | | Applications should be received by April 1. | | Summer | | | (6 credits): End of May to mid-July |
| Cost | | | NJ residents: | | | non-NJ residents: | | Tuition, fees, housing, excursions, and basic medical insurance are included in this fee.
Travel, food, major medical insurance, and all personal expenses are not included in this fee.
For more information on program costs, please click here
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medieval Studies in Tours 
In Tours, old-world charm meets a new-world order. You can go from sipping coffee in the medieval square to watching local farmers and students protest the over-development of the countryside. It’s the perfect place to see how medieval history and the modern world fit together. There’s so much to soak in. Watch how French people use their historical patrimony to improve the quality of their contemporary lives. Visit local bookshops, bakeries, cheese shops and experience the charming world of France’s independent shopkeepers. Above all, observe and interact with the people of Tours as they go about their lives in the vibrant and dynamic regional center you will be sharing with them. 
