University of Alabama - Organ Study Tour
Topic: Tour CalendarJune 22 to July 1, 2007
Hear and play famous French Romantic and baroque instruments in Versailles, Chartres, Poitiers, Souvigny & Paris!
The University of Alabama Organ Study Tour will be hosted by Dr. Faythe Freese. Dr. Freese is Associate Professor of Music at the University of Alabama School of Music. She holds degrees in organ performance and church music from Indiana University. Her organ teachers have included Marilyn Keiser, Robert Rayfield, William Eifrig and Phillip Gehring. As a Fulbright scholar and an Indiana University/Kiel Ausstausch Programme participant, she studied the works of Jean Langlais with the composer in France, and the works of Max Reger with Heinz Wunderlich in Germany. Dr. Freese is in demand as a recitalist throughout the United States. In addition to continuing her concert career, she recruits and teaches undergraduate and graduate organ students majoring in Organ Performance at the U of A School of Music.
Day 1 ~ Friday, June 22 - Departure
Today's the big day—we're on our way to Europe! Most of us will be flying from our gateway cities to Detroit where we'll connect with our overnight flight across the Atlantic. Next stop: Paris.
You may wonder why we selected Northwest Airlines for your tour, especially if another air carrier offers nonstop or direct service to Paris from your airport. First of all, Northwest offers low-cost add-ons to their hubs from cities throughout the country, so we can provide departures from virtually everywhere at very reasonable rates. Also, Northwest does not require that a minimum number of passengers fly together round trip to qualify for a group airfare. Thus we can use group-level pricing for all group members even if some of them are flying on other dates or on different Northwest flights. This is particularly beneficial for those who would like to fly on a different routing and wish to depart earlier and/or stay longer than the group.
We have blocked a number of seats on Northwest's nonstop flights round trip from Detroit to Paris. Most group members will fly round trip from their hometowns to Detroit and then round trip from Detroit to Paris. Travelers originating on the East Coast or in other Northwest hub cities may be flying via Amsterdam to Paris.
If you prefer to fly with another air carrier, Witte Travel & Tours will be happy to make individual reservations for you. Just indicate on your application form what you would like and one of our agents will be in touch to provide schedule and airfare options. Please note that individual airfares cannot be guaranteed until reservations are booked and tickets are issued. Ticketing for individual travelers is usually required within 24 hours of booking. Once issued, tickets are nonrefundable.
Day 2 ~ Saturday, June 23 - Paris, Versailles, Chartres
Bonjour! Welcome to France! We have just touched down at Paris' Charles de Gaulle Airport. Following customs formalities, we'll meet our driver/guide and transfer to the waiting motorcoach. In a few days, we'll be returning to the magnificent French capital for an extended stay. For now, we'll drive around the city and on to Versailles. Established as a royal hunting lodge in the early 17th century, Versailles grew to become a symbol of the French monarchy at the peak of its power and glory. From 1682 to 1789, Versailles was the country's political capital and the seat of the royal court. Louis XIV—often called le Roi du Soleil, the Sun King—is credited with the creation of the Chateau de Versailles that exists today. Upon arrival, we'll take a break for lunch. While there won't be time for an interior tour of the chateau, you might want to do a quick walk through the lovely gardens. Mainly the work of Le Notre, the gardens, with their basins, fountains, and statues are considered a masterpiece of French landscape art. We anticipate being able to hear and play the Cliquot organ in the Chappelle Royale—Royal Chapel—in the middle of the afternoon. Then we will drive a bit further south and west to Chartres, site of what has been described by many as the most beautiful church in the world. We expect to be at our hotel in the early evening. As soon as we get settled in our rooms, we'll get together for dinner.
Day 3 ~ Sunday, June 24 - Chartres, Poitiers
Sometimes called the "Acropolis of France," Notre Dame de Chartres is the sixth church to be built on this site. The present cathedral dates chiefly from 1195 to 1220. It is known for its harmonious architectural style and for its superb stained-glass windows, the finest example of medieval glass painting still in existence. Especially stunning are the three rose windows, which are over 11 meters in height. The morning is at leisure to attend mass at the cathedral, visit the Musée des Beaux-Arts or to take a relaxing stroll. In the early afternoon, we'll have an opportunity to hear and play the cathedral's contemporary organ or we'll have a guided tour of the cathedral. At 3:00 p.m., we'll be "on the road again." The routing we're following takes us south and west via Chateaudun, Vendôme and Tours to the very old city of Poitiers. Arrival at our hotel is again anticipated in the early evening and will be followed shortly by dinner. Luckily, this time, we're staying put for two nights!
Day 4 ~ Monday, June 25 - Poitiers
Situated in a bend of the River Clain, Poitiers boasts a rich history dating all the way back to Gallo-Roman times. An appointment to hear and play the Cliquot organ at the Cathedrale St-Pierre will be secured for the morning or afternoon. Before or after this visit, we'll enjoy a guided city sightseeing tour and a visit to the Baptistere St-Jean, one of France's most venerable Christian buildings. There will also be free time to explore independently and get started on your souvenir shopping.
Day 5 ~ Tuesday, June 26 - Souvigny, Moulins
We need to be up and on our way early today for a drive that will take us almost due east to the little town of Souvigny. Our objective here is to hear and play the Cliquot organ housed in the beautiful Abbaye de Souvigny. Before or after our visit to the organ, we will, hopefully, have an opportunity to explore the abbey and its gardens. Our home for tonight is in nearby Moulins, the capital of the Bourbonnais region.
Day 6 ~ Wednesday, June 27 - Paris
And now for la ville lumiere—It's Paris, of course! We'll have a drive of just over 300 kilometers—close to 200 miles—almost due north. We'll get an early start; and with a couple of quick breaks, we should be in the city by noon. As soon as we arrive, we'll stop for lunch. Then, we'll pick up a local guide for a panoramic tour of "Paris historique." Whether this is your first or 15th visit, you'll be thrilled with views of the city's famous landmarks—the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, Place de la Concorde, La Madeleine, the Opera, Place Vendôme and the Palais Royal. We'll stop briefly on the Place de l'Alma to see the gleaming replica of the Statue of Liberty's flame, which commemorates the 100th anniversary of the International Herald Tribune. This sculpture also stands above the underpass where Princess Diana lost her life in August 1997. Then we'll head for the Palais du Louvre. Constructed as a fortress around 1200, this structure was rebuilt as a royal palace in the mid-16th century and converted into a public museum in 1793. Today it houses a complex of museums that contains an inestimable fortune in paintings, sculpture, and artifacts amassed by the French government over the last five centuries. We're going to visit the Musée du Louvre. The works on display in the galleries of this museum include art from all over Europe, as well as Assyrian, Egyptian, Greek, Roman and Islamic art. Our driver/guide will pay our admissions and arrange for audioguides for those who would like to have them. Then we'll have a couple of hours to see the Mona Lisa and other highlights of the extensive collections. Around 6:30 p.m., we'll transfer to our hotel where will be accommodated for the next four nights. After check-in and time to freshen up, dinner will be served.
Day 7, Day 8 & Day 9 ~ Thursday, June 28 through Saturday, June 30 - Paris
Before us lies Paris, the amazing "city of lights." The capital of France, Paris is one of the most beautiful, historic, romantic, and exciting cities in the world. It dates from the 3rd century B.C., when a stronghold called Lutetia was founded on what is now an island in the Seine. Paris experienced a great period of growth from the 15th to the 17th centuries, when most of the notable buildings and monuments were erected. Perhaps, more than any other European capital, Paris represents the heart of its country—the center of art, culture, religion, government, commerce, education, and industry. The city is literally crammed with incredible churches, inspired monuments, fabulous museums and art galleries, shops to die for, marvelous restaurants and cafés and colorful street markets. Each day of our stay in Paris, we'll have two or three appointments to visit organs located in historic sites in and around the city. Remember, though, that this is your tour—You can come along on all of the organ visits or you can skip some in favor of independent exploration and shopping. On Thursday evening, we'll enjoy a cruise on the Seine and an ascent of the Eiffel Tower; and on Friday evening, those who are interested can join our driver/guide on a visit to Montmartre. A festive farewell dinner is planned at the hotel on Saturday evening.
Day 10 ~ Sunday, July 1 - Return
Alas, our tour is coming to a close! After a leisurely breakfast and time to pack, we'll transfer back to de Gaulle Airport to check in for our return flight to the U.S. Most of us will clear customs in Detroit before continuing back to our respective gateway cities. We hope the University of Alabama's 2007 Organ Study Tour has been an unforgettable musical and cultural adventure—and lots of fun!
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