Paris and Normandy
Topic: Tour CalendarOctober 18 to 28, 2007
featuring a 7-night cruise
Northern France offers a wealth of experiences for art and history lovers. Artists throughout the centuries have found inspiration in these regions, from the suburbs of Paris to the fishing villages of Normandy. Participants will have the opportunity to see many of your favorite Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works in the great museums of Paris and then have these beautiful paintings “come to life” as you visit Giverny, Honfleur, and Auvers-sur-Oise. Then imagine walking the beaches where the Allied forces landed during World War II’s D-Day invasion—a day crucial to victory; seeing the site where Joan of Arc was martyred; or visiting Versailles, the cradle of French “chic” under the reign of Louis XIV.
Day 1 ~ Thursday, October 18 - Departure
Afternoon departure from Grand Rapids. We’re on our way!
Day 2 ~ Friday, October 19 - Paris
Bonjour! Welcome to Paris. Upon arrival, we’ll transfer directly to the hotel. Due to our morning arrival, it is unlikely that rooms will be ready. Jane will lead an informal walking tour of our quartier. After time for independent lunch, there will be time to rest and relax. Late afternoon, there will be an informal walking tour along the Ile de la Cite, including a visit to the Notre-Dame Cathedral. Rather than including a set group meal, participants will be encouraged to form small groups in order to sample Paris restaurants on your own.
Day 3 ~ Saturday, October 20 - Paris
Today is yours to explore Paris. The museum pass includes entry into dozens of museums and historic sites. You are also invited to join Jane for an introduction to the French Impressionists. A morning visit will be made to the Musee d’Orsay to see Monet’s paintings of Rouen, Van Gogh’s paintings of Auver-sur-Oise, plus works by Degas, Gauguin, and others. After time for independent exploration, we’ll enjoy independent lunch in their elegant dining room. The afternoon will include a visit to the recently restored Orangerie to see Monet’s exquisite paintings of waterlilies. The remainder of the day is yours. From the Orangerie, you may want to stroll through the Tuileries Gardens and down the beautiful Champs Elysees Boulevard.
Day 4 ~ Sunday, October 21 - Paris, Board Your Ship
One of the joys of Paris is exploring unique neighborhoods. Today, Jane invites you to join her on an informal walking tour of the Marais, including a visit to the Picasso Museum. Early afternoon, we’ll meet at the hotel to transfer to our ship. Welcome aboard the River Baroness-your elegant home for the next seven nights! Take time to settle in to your inviting stateroom and explore the ship before dinner is served. In the evening, we’ll enjoy a boat cruise on the Seine River.
Day 5 ~ Monday, October 22 - Paris
Now that we’ve had an opportunity to explore Paris on foot and via the metro, we’ll begin our city tour with a guided bus tour starting with a drive up the grand boulevard Champs Elysees and past the Arc de Triomphe. We’ll stop for a photo opportunity at the Eiffel Tower before continuing to Place Vendome, Hotel de Ville, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Latin Quarter. Then we’ll go to Les Invalides, the Louvre courtyard and the Luxembourg Gardens, where will see a slice of daily Parisian life—gentlemen playing boules and children sailing boats on the glassy pond, as well as view Bartholdi’s model for the Statue of Liberty. Spend the afternoon on an optional tour of the Louvre, or simply relax in one of the city’s many bistros with a glass of champagne.
Day 6 ~ Tuesday, October 23 - Conflans Ste Honorine
From the charming French village of Conflans, we take you to a favored spot for artists of the Impressionist Period—Cezanne, Corot, and especially Van Gogh. The village of Auvers sur Oise may seem familiar to those who know Van Gogh’s work. He lived and died here, and in just 70 days, he painted the surrounding countryside, and many of the local sites and people of this quaint little town. The Auberge Ravoux, the Church of Auvers sur Oise, the Wheat fields, and countryside—all immortalized on canvas but also part of the everyday life in this quiet village along the River Oise. Optional Tour: Visit the stunning palace and gardens at Versailles, the official residence of the kings and queens of France from 1682 until 1790.
Day 7 ~ Wednesday, October 24 - Rouen
Today we travel back to the Middle Ages on a visit to the well-preserved city of Rouen, best known as the site where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in 1431. Our visit will take you to the stunning Cathedral of Rouen, painted so vividly by Monet; the haunting medieval quarter with its half-timbered, glazed-tile houses; the Vieux Marche—site of Joan of Arc’s punishment for her defiance; and the Gros Horloge, a Renaissance clock tower that arches overhead. (B, L, D)
Day 8 ~ Thursday, October 25 - Normandy Beaches
You’ll spend the day at the location where one of the most famous days in recent world history took place—the beaches at Normandy—site of the D-Day Invasion by the Allied forces during World War II. From the site of the Pegasus Bridge to the American Cemetery at Colleville and the Landing Museum in Arromanches, you’ll journey back into the past and visit the haunting reminders of freedom hard fought at Pointe du Hoc, the Allied landing sites at Omaha, Juno, and the Gold Beaches and Mulberry Harbor at Arromanches, a feat of military engineering with remnants that can still be viewed today.
Day 9 ~ Friday, October 26 - Honfleur
Honfleur is a charming French harbor town favored by artists such as Gustave Courbet and Claude Monet, who painted its fishing boats and slate-covered houses, among other picturesque vistas that have changed little over time. You’ll see for yourself as we take you on a walking tour from the former smuggler’s harbor of Vieux Bassin, the most often painted scene in Honfleur where the fishing village backdrop is seemingly unchanged from over 100 years ago, through the pedestrian streets lined with artists workshops, to the medieval town center.
Day 10 ~ Saturday, October 27 - Vernon (Giverny)
Visit Monet’s home in his beloved village of Giverny. The unique light of the area’s Seine River Valley in Normandy kept Monet in residence for 43 years, until his death in 1926. You’ll explore Monet’s house, furnished as it was when the leader of the Impressionist School lived here, including his precious collection of Japanese engravings. Strolling the gardens, you’ll see the familiar Japanese bridge and Water Garden shaded by weeping willows, with its pond still full of water lilies that so inspired this Master’s work.
Day 11 ~ Sunday, October 28 - Depart Paris
Disembark the ship and transfer to the airport in Paris for your flight home.
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