Getting on/off a motorcoach. Use of Paris Métro, accessed by walking up/down flights of stairs, elevators/escalators not available in most stations, potentially crowded conditions, be prepared to stand if no seats are available. Walking up to 3 miles throughout the day, standing up to 2 hours at a time, cobblestone streets. Expect crowds at all monuments.
At the hotel, the breakfast buffet offers hot and cold choices such as eggs, breads and pastries, juice, coffee, tea, water.
Our instructor, who is a licensed expert, will give us a lecture on the origins of Paris from Roman development through the Middle Ages. Archaeologists estimate that the area has been inhabited for about 9,000 years. What eventually became Paris began in the 3rd Century BCE when members of the Parisii tribe settled on an island in the Seine River. We will board a motorcoach for a panoramic view of some of the most famous monuments and Paris sites as our Paris expert instructor continues to present aspects of the city’s history and architecture through the ages. We will also stop for photos as permitted in approved areas. Our motorcoach exploration concludes on the Île de la Cité in the vicinity of the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris.
This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
We will regroup at a designated time and place for a field trip to the Sainte-Chapelle and Notre-Dame. Begun in 1239, the Sainte-Chapelle is one of the glories of Gothic architecture. Construction on the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris began in 1163 and was not finally completed until 1345. Damaged and restored a number of times, it remains one of the largest and finest examples of Gothic architecture anywhere. A fire in April 2019 destroyed the 19th-century oak-and-lead spire by architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc and the vaulted ceiling. Repair work began almost immediately and continues. The Group Leader will accompany those who wish to return to the hotel. Those who wish to stay out and explore independently are welcome to do so.
On your own to have what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
At leisure.