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The Allure of France: Paris and Normandy

Program Number: 21095RJ
Start and End Dates:
9/26/2013 - 10/4/2013; 10/24/2013 - 11/1/2013; 4/10/2014 - 4/18/2014; 5/1/2014 - 5/9/2014; 5/15/2014 - 5/23/2014; 9/4/2014 - 9/12/2014; 9/18/2014 - 9/26/2014; 10/2/2014 - 10/10/2014; 10/23/2014 - 10/31/2014;
Duration: 8 nights
Location: France
Price starting at: $2,499.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city
Program Type: Activity Level: t (see description)
Meals: 14; 7 Breakfasts, 4 Lunches, 3 Dinners    

Experience two faces of France on this journey that combines field trips led by top-notch Road Scholar experts with plenty of time for independent discoveries. Begin by discovering Paris’s grand boulevards, Gothic architecture and world-class museums. Then venture to Normandy to explore its Celtic-influenced culture, medieval history, natural beauty and tantalizing cuisine.




Highlights

• Explore Paris’s markets, museums and cafés and take a field trip to the opulent Palace of Versailles.
• Learn the story of the Allied Invasion of Normandy as you explore the landing beaches in period military vehicles.
• Discover Mont Saint-Michel, a medieval island fortress and abbey that is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.



Activity Particulars

Substantial walking; cobblestones and uneven and hilly terrain. Use of the Paris Métro, accessed by stairs.




Date Specific Information

9-26-2013, 10-24-2013, 4-10-2014, 5-1-2014, 5-15-2014, 9-4-2014, 9-18-2014, 10-2-2014, 10-23-2014

Enjoy the latest in hearing technology — listening devices — on this date.



Itinerary Summary

Arrival Paris, 3 nights; coach to Bayeux, 3 nights; coach to Paris, 1 night; departure.



Overnight flight from the U.S.A.
1 night
Arrival Paris
3 nights

Begin your time in Paris with a welcome dinner and an evening excursion to see the City of Lights by night. Explore the medieval Île de la Cité and learn about two fantastic examples of Gothic architecture: Notre Dame Cathedral and the Sainte Chapelle. Spend a morning like a true Parisian as you visit a popular market then examine the unparalleled Impressionist collection of the Musée d’Orsay. Enjoy free time to experience the neighborhoods and cafés of Paris on your own.



Coach to Bayeux
3 nights
Coach to Paris
1 night
Departure

En route to Normandy, stop to walk in Claude Monet’s colorful gardens in Giverny and to visit Rouen’s imposing Gothic cathedral. Delve into the story of the Allied Invasion of Normandy as you explore the landing beaches in period military vehicles then pay your respects at the Normandy American Cemetery. Sample delicacies of Normandy including Camembert cheese and Calvados apple brandy. Journey to Mont Saint-Michel and the picturesque port of Honfleur. Discover the Palace of Versailles, lasting monument to the excesses of the “Sun King” Louis XIV.




France

The epicurious and the curious find much to admire in Western Europe’s largest nation, whose agricultural riches and terrain of beaches, mountains and fertile fields have drawn residents for thousands of years. The northern region hosts the nation’s Parisian capital, as well as unique Breton culture, while the sun-drenched Mediterranean coast sports the chic beach-goers and the terraced vineyards of the interior.
Accommodations
Paris: Modern hotel in Montmartre; comfortable hotel near airport (final night). Bayeux: Charming hotel on a pedestrian street in the city’s old section.
Meals and Lodgings
   Hotel Mercure Montmartre Sacre Coeur
  Paris, France 3 nights
   Churchill Hotel
  Bayeux, France 3 nights
   Hotel Mercure Montmartre Sacre Coeur
  Paris, France 1 night
 Hotel Mercure Montmartre Sacre Coeur
Type: Full Service Hotel
  Description: Located at the foot of Sacré Coeur, close to the Moulin Rouge and the Haussman-Opéra district's stores, the Mercure Paris Montmartre Sacré Coeur hotel offers spacious and modern rooms. The hotel is within easy reach of the Gare du Nord station, St Lazare train station, the metro and the main tourist attractions such as the Eiffel Tower, Champs Elysées, and the Latin Quarter.
  Contact info: 3 Rue Caulincourt
Paris,  75018 France
phone: +33 (0)8 25 80 79 79
web: http://www.mercure.com/gb/hotel-0373-mercure-paris-montmartre-sacre-coeur/room.shtml
  Room amenities: Free wi-fi Internet access, flat screen satellite TV, mini fridge, tea and coffee making facilities, safe, bathroom with bathtub, hairdryer, phone, room service available.
  Facility amenities: Wifi is available in the hotel, shoe shine station, dry cleaning/ironing, hair salon, gift shop, hotel bar, room service, travel information desk.
  Smoking allowed: No
  Elevators available: Yes
  Additional nights prior: TBD Please contact Road Scholar Travel Services for rates and bookings.
  Additional nights after: TBD Please contact Road Scholar Travel Services for rates and bookings.
  Check out time: 12:00 PM

 Churchill Hotel
Type: Full Service Hotel
  Description: Located in a pedestrian street in the heart of old Bayeux, a medieval town near the D-Day landing beaches, the Churchill Hotel is just a few steps away from the famous tapestry and the cathedral. This charming hotel is in a quaint, rambling old building and is ranked one of the top hotels in Normandy.
  Contact info: 14-16 rue Saint Jean
Bayeux,  14400 France
phone: +33 2 31 21 31 80
web: www.hotel-churchill.fr/pageUK/hotel.html
  Room amenities: Direct telephone • Cable TV • Hair dryers
  Facility amenities: Internet access. Please note that hotel rooms in France are smaller than hotel rooms in the US and often do not have dressers. This hotel does not have an elevator; participants will be staying in rooms on the first or second floor.
  Smoking allowed: No


Travel Details
  Start of Program:
The program starts with the orientation at the hotel in Paris at 6 p.m. You will be staying at Hotel Mercure Montmartre Sacre Coeur that night.
  End of Program:
The program ends after breakfast at the hotel in Paris. You will be staying at Hotel Mercure Montmartre Sacre Coeur the night before.
  Required documents:
The Road Scholar Health & Safety Form is required.
  Parking availability:
Driving to this program is not recommended.
Transportation (For Independent Travelers)
  Train or bus availability: Trains and buses are available. Schedules and directions change regularly. Please consult the CDG airport website for the most up to date information: http://www.aeroportsdeparis.fr/ADP/en-GB/Passagers/Access-maps-car-parks/
To Start of Program
  Location:  Paris
  Nearest airport:  Charles de Gaulle (CDG)
  Transportation to site: An arrival transfer is organized for all participants who purchased an air inclusive program and arrive on the group date. Transfers are organized by shared shuttle. Participants who plan on arriving early and make their own way to the Mercure Montmartre Sacre Coeur hotel in Paris should notify Road Scholar prior to departure. Taxis are available readily at the Paris-DeGaulle airport and shared shuttles can be reserved ahead of time.
  From End of Program
  Location: Paris
  Transportation from site: The last program location is the Mercure Montmartre. Transfers will be organized by shared shuttle from the hotel. Times will be selected based on return flights for all participants who purchased their air from Road Scholar.
    (Additional transportation information same as above)
The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


Daily Schedule

Day 1: Departures from the U.S.
(Thursday, September 26)
   
 In Transit Overnight: Overnight flights to Paris.

Day 2: Arrival in Paris, Orientation, and Evening Introductory City Tour
(Friday, September 27)
   
 Arrive To: Individual arrivals in Paris and check in to the hotel.
 Afternoon: Program orientation led by your Group Leader. Please be in the lobby by 6 p.m.
 Dinner: Welcome dinner near the hotel
 Evening: Paris evening tour by bus: See the highlights of the city. Depending on the time of year, you may or may not see the lights of Paris.
   
Accommodations: Hotel Mercure Montmartre Sacre Coeur
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 3: Ile de la Cite, Sainte Chapelle, Notre Dame Cathedral and Gothic Architecture
(Saturday, September 28)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel.
 Morning: Explore the heart of Paris; l'Ile de la Cite discover the flower markets and Sainte Chapelle - one of the most beautiful specimens of Gothic architecture - and end the morning at Notre Dame Cathedral. We cross the Seine River over to the Beaubourg neighborhood for lunch near this famed contemporary museum and its fountain.
 Lunch: Lunch at a creperie near Les Halles.
 Afternoon: Free time: Enjoy Saturday afternoon free to explore Paris, do some shopping in Les Halles or see one of the many museums that are easy connections. Optionally, join your Study Leader who will head into the Marais for a walk in this historic and dynamic part of Paris. Visit the City of Paris history museum (Musee Carnavalet) and end the afternoon at the Place des Vosges.
 Dinner: Dinner on your own in Paris
   
Accommodations: Hotel Mercure Montmartre Sacre Coeur
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 4: Parisian Market, Orsay Museum, and the Artists of Montmartre
(Sunday, September 29)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel.
 Morning: Field Trip: Explore the life of a typical Parisian. Visit the Sunday market at Richard Lenoir. Enjoy the smells and flavors of Paris as you explore this popular little outdoor Sunday market. Continue the morning at the Orsay museum for a self guided visit using the museums audio guide system. Orsay has the largest collection of Impressionist paintings in the world.
 Lunch: Enjoy lunch at the Orsay museum.
 Afternoon: Field Trip: This afternoon we end the day at Montmartre to explore the neighborhood that was made famous by artists and continues to this day to be popular with the Parisian artists and writers. See Sacre Coeur and Place du Tertre, but also explore the back and side streets of the well-known neighborhood.
 Dinner: Enjoy dinner on your own in Paris.
   
Accommodations: Hotel Mercure Montmartre Sacre Coeur
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 5: Transfer to Bayeux, Giverny and Monet's Gardens, Rouen, and the Cathedral of Rouen.
(Monday, September 30)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel in Paris before departing.
 Morning: Depart from Paris for Normandy. En route, enjoy a field trip to explore the beautiful gardens of Claude Monet at Giverny. Learn about the history of Giverny in the Impressionist movement.
 Lunch: Enjoy lunch on your own in the historic city of Rouen.
 Afternoon: Field Trip: Explore Historic Rouen. Start at the Cathedral of Rouen, painted multiple times by Monet as he studied the impact of light. Rouen is also a city that offers outstanding examples of half timbered houses. After the visit, continue on to the hotel in Bayeux.
 Dinner: Dinner near the hotel in Bayeux.
   
Accommodations: Churchill Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 6: WWII in Normandy, the Landing Beaches and the US WWII Cemetery
(Tuesday, October 1)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel.
 Morning: This morning we explore the landing sites of WWII in a unique way using period vehicles. Start the morning at Point du Hoc to learn about the preparation to D-day and the bombing leading up to the troop arrivals. We continue the morning on the landing beach of Omaha and learn about how the beach head was taken with great sacrafice of US troops. We see and discuss many of the remaining gun positions that survive still today. Afterward we then pay our respect to the fallen soldiers at the US WWII war cemetery. Here we have a brief ceremony. The morning ends in Arromanches to see the remants of the articial harbor built by the troops to unload the equipment that won the war for the allies.
 Lunch: Lunch in Arromanches.
 Afternoon: Excursion: Calvados and Cheese: Normandy's Pride. Sample the region's renowned apple brandy at the Chateau d'Englesqueville, where the first US monument to WWII soldiers was built.
 Afternoon: Free time in Bayeux to explore the city on your own. Marvel at the beauty of the Bayeux Cathedral or discover the Bayeux Tapestry which is a famous embroidered cloth depicting the events leading up to the Norman conquest of England concerning and culminating in the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
 Dinner: Enjoy dinner on your own at one of the many restaurants in Bayeux.
   
Accommodations: Churchill Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 7: Mont St. Michel and A Farmhouse Lunch
(Wednesday, October 2)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel.
 Morning: Explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Mont St. Michel.
 Lunch: Lunch at a local farmhouse inn featuring typical local Normandy specialties.
 Afternoon: Free time in Bayeux to explore the city a bit more on your own.
 Dinner: Dinner on your own in Bayeux.
   
Accommodations: Churchill Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 8: The Charming Coastal Village of Honfleur, Palace of Versailles and the Royal Gardens
(Thursday, October 3)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel.
 Morning: Field Trip: Enjoy unique architecture during a tour of Historic Honfleur. Learn why this city has one of the few remaining all wooden churches and the important role of this city in the settlement of New France. Optional Field Trip/ Free Time: "Discover the Musee Eugene Boudin". Located in a 19th century chapel and two modern extensions with views over Honfleur and the Seine, the Eugène Boudin Museum is named after Honfleur's most famous painter, and houses some 1200 square metres of permanent exhibitions in 9 rooms. On display are works by Eugène Boudin and other great impressionists such as Dubourg, Monet, and Jongkind - many of whom stayed and worked at the Saint-Simeon farmouse on the outskirts of Honfleur.
 Lunch: Enjoy lunch on your own in Honfleur.
 Afternoon: Field Trip: Discover Versailles Palace. Enjoy visiting the inside of the castle and the Hall of Mirrors and later take some time to explore the gardens on your own.
 Dinner: Farewell dinner
   
Accommodations: Hotel Mercure Montmartre Sacre Coeur
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 9: Return to the US or Onward to your Combination Program
(Friday, October 4)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast buffet at the hotel.
 Morning: Individual shuttle transfers to the airport, shuttle operates from 5:30 AM to Midnight. PLEASE NOTE: This program can be easily combined with program 21096 Provence and for those choosing to combine this program with program 21096 to Provence, you will take the TGV (High Speed Train) from the CDG Airport Train station (ticket and travel information will be sent with your final mailing for the second program).
   
Meals Included: Breakfast

Free Time Opportunities
  
  Paris Musee Jacquemart-Andre
The Jacquemart-André Museum, founded by collector Édouard André and his portraitist wife Nélie Jacquemart, is in an opulent mid-19th-century residence on one of Paris’ posher avenues. It has furniture, tapestries and enamels, but is most noted for its paintings by Rembrandt and Van Dyck and Italian Renaissance works by Bernini, Botticelli, Carpaccio, Donatello, Mantegna, Tintoretto, Titian and Uccello. Don’t miss the Jardin d’Hiver (Winter Garden), with its marble statuary, tropical plants and double-helix marble staircase. Just off it is the delightful fumoir (the erstwhile smoking room) filled with exotic objects collected by Jacquemart during her travels. The salon de thé is one of the most beautiful in the city. For additional information, visit www.musee-jacquemart-andre.com
  Musee National du Moyen Age
The National Museum of the Middle Ages is housed in two structures: the frigidarium (cooling room) and other remains of Gallo-Roman baths dating from around AD 200, and the late-15th-century Hôtel de Cluny, considered the finest example of medieval civil architecture in Paris. The spectacular displays at the museum include statuary, illuminated manuscripts, weapons, furnishings, and objets d’art made of gold, ivory and enamel. But nothing compares with La Dame à la Licorne (The Lady with the Unicorn), a sublime series of late-15th-century tapestries from the southern Netherlands now hung in circular room 13 on the 1st floor. Five of them are devoted to the senses, while the sixth is the enigmatic À Mon Seul Désir (To My Sole Desire), a reflection on vanity. For additional information, visit http://www.musee-moyenage.fr/
  Musee de L’Orangerie
Located in the southwestern corner of the Jardin des Tuileries, this museum, with the Jeu de Paume, is all that remains of the once palatial Palais des Tuileries, which was razed during the Paris Commune in 1871. It exhibits important Impressionist works, including a series of Monet's Decorations des Nymphéas (Water Lilies) in two huge oval rooms purpose-built in 1927 on the artist's instructions, as well as works by Cézanne, Matisse, Picasso, Renoir, Sisley, Soutine and Utrillo. For additional information, visit www.musee-orangerie.fr/
  Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré
The rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré is a street in the 8th arrondissement. Although relatively narrow and nondescript (especially in comparison to the avenue des Champs-Élysées), it is cited as being one of the most fashionable streets in the world, thanks to the presence of virtually every major global fashion house.
Important information about your itinerary: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information featured on this website. Itineraries are based on our best information at this time. Circumstances beyond our control may require us to adjust itineraries or other details. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Information will be sent to you from your Program Provider approximately three weeks prior to the program start date. The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.

Suggested Reading List


1066, The Year of the Conquest


Author: David Howarth


Description: A crack medievalist and storyteller, Howarth brings to life the momentous events of 1066 in rich, anecdotal history -- a classic portrait of the Norman invasion and conquest of England.



A Moveable Feast


Author: Ernest Hemingway


Description: A treasure for anyone interested in Parisian cafe society and its luminaries circa 1925. Hemingway includes sharp portraits of Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ford Maddox Ford and others who idled on their way to greatness.



A Traveller's History of France


Author: Robert Cole


Description: This fast-moving survey covers the conquests of ancient Gaul through the heady days of revolution to modern times.



Battle of Normandy 1944 Map


Author: Michelin Travel Publications


Description: A reproduction of a 1947 map of Normandy showing the main sites of the summer 1944 battle.



Between Meals, An Appetite for Paris


Author: A.J. Liebling


Description: Liebling captures with stylish prose his coming-of-age in Paris in this elegant memoir, which is also a tribute to French cuisine.



D-Day June 6, 1944, The Climactic Battle of World War II


Author: Stephen Ambrose


Description: Written by the best-selling historian Stephen Ambrose, this well researched book draws together interviews and government documents to tell the gripping tale of D-Day. This comprehensive account contains 32 pages of photos and eight maps.



Fodor's Paris' 25 Best


Author: Fodor's


Description: This shirt-pocket map and guide includes essential information on the city's history, highlights and sightseeing, ideal for a short visit to the City of Light.



Joan of Arc


Author: Mary Gordon


Description: In elegant, insightful prose, novelist Gordon meditates on the courageous and complex young girl and the iconic status she has acquired.



Lonely Planet French Phrasebook


Author: Marie-Helene Girard, Anny Monet


Description: This handy phrasebook focuses on pronunciation, basic grammar and essential vocabulary for the traveler.



Madame Bovary


Author: Lydia Davis (Translator), Gustave Flaubert


Description: The landmark novel of a woman who suffers in search of relief from her humdrum life in a provincial village outside Rouen.



Made in France, A Shopper's Guide


Author: Laura Morelli


Description: Both a fascinating history of France's artisanal legacy and an insider's shopping guide, the book includes illustrations, maps, a primer on French shopping culture and craft festivals.



Michelin Green Guide Normandy


Author: Michelin Travel Publications


Description: A thorough introduction to Normandy and the Channel islands in the classic Michelin style, featuring brief descriptions of all the major attractions. Organized alphabetically, we like it for its broad coverage, and especially for its excellent local maps.



Monet, the Ultimate Impressionist


Author: Sylvie Patin


Description: A colorful pocket-size reference to Monet's life, paintings and contemporaries, perfect for those visiting Giverny.



Mont Saint Michel and Chartres


Author: Henry Brooks Adams


Description: First published at the turn of the century, this classic work is a meditation on the Medieval world as reflected through its most famous religious structures.



Normandy Map 513


Author: Michelin


Description: A colorful, detailed map of Normandy at a scale of 1:200,000, featuring Rouen, Le Havre and the route of the Seine from west of Paris to the Atlantic.



Paris to the Moon


Author: Adam Gopnik


Description: Gopnik writes with candor and humor about Paris and Parisian ways in these charming reflections on adapting to life in glorious exile.



Six Armies in Normandy, From D-Day to the Liberation of Paris


Author: John Keegan


Description: A provocative account of the invasion of Normandy and the battles that proceeded it. Keegan's intense descriptions of the war in northern France are accompanied by perceptive analysis of the military tactics that resulted in Allied victory.



The Food of France


Author: Waverly Root


Description: An evocative and beautifully written survey of French food. First published in 1958 and revised in the mid-1970s, the book covers the important regions of French cuisine by dividing them into domains of Butter (northern France), Fat (Alsace) and Oil (the south).



The Road from the Past, Traveling through History in France


Author: Ina Caro


Description: Time travel through France by way of its finest castles, chateaux, cathedrals and monasteries. This unusual travelogue is an invaluable companion for traveling in Paris, southern France, the Dordogne and the Loire Valley, combining personal observation with large doses of well-presented history.



The Secret Life of the Seine


Author: Mort Rosenblum


Description: After losing his Paris apartment, Rosenblum, a born storyteller, takes to a houseboat moored on the Seine. The result is this entertaining tour of the places and people he encounters during his explorations along the river.





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