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DAY
1 DEPARTURE FROM NORTH AMERICA
Enjoy full meal service on your scheduled wide-bodied flight
to Paris.
DAY
2 ARRIVE PARIS - CHARTRES - LOIRE VALLEY
(5 NIGHTS HOMESTAY)
We will be met at the airport by our Tour manager/guide, and
we will board our own private bus and transfer into the Loire
Valley. Our sightseeing begins with a visit to Chartres, where
we will visit Chartres Cathedral, the jewel in the
crown of medieval churches in Europe. We will tour the Cathedral,
which is a testimony in stone to the religious fervor of the
Middle Ages. Chartres Cathedral boasts an unrivaled expanse
of sculpture, as well as one of Europe's most impressive collections
of stained-glass windows. We continue to Loches, where we
will meet our Host Families.
DAY
3 LANGUAGE CLASSES & CHAMBORD
This morning we will begin our French Language
Classes. Our afternoon commences with a visit to the Loire
Valley's largest residence and the brainchild of Francois
I, Chateau Chambord. This massive "weekend retreat"
for Francois I took over 15 years and 1800 men to complete.
Highlights of our visit will include the Double Spiral Staircase,
thought to be the design of Leonardo da Vinci, and a walk
along the roof, providing wonderful views of the Loire. We
return to Loches for an evening with our host families.
DAY
4 LANGUAGE CLASSES & AMBOISE
This morning we will have our French Language
Classes. This afternoon we visit Chateau d'Amboise,
a one-time royal residence that was used to greet royal pilgrims
en route from Paris to Santiago, Spain during the Middle Ages.
We will see the chateau's original entrance, famous for its
huge spiral ramp which could be ridden up on horseback, and
the Petite Chapel, which features a plaque suggesting
that it is the burial place of da Vinci. We continue with
a visit to Le Clos Luce, "The House of Light," a plush
palace, where Leonardo spent the last years of his life. The
house does a wonderful job of recreating the everyday atmosphere
Leonardo enjoyed in his final years, and there are sketches
and models of Leonardo's incredible inventions. We return
to Loches for an evening with our host families.
DAY
5 LANGUAGE CLASSES & CHENONCEAUX
This morning we will have our French Language
Classes. This afternoon we travel to the little village
of Chenonceaux, where we will visit the fabulous Chateau,
the toast of the Loire! This 15th century Renaissance palace
is forever associated with Diane de Poitiers and Catherine
de Medici, responsible for much of the current design. Our
afternoon continues as we view the unique Troglodyte houses,
before visiting the famous Cave Cellars of the Vouvray
Vineyards. We return to Loches for an evening with our
host families.
DAY
6 LANGUAGE CLASSES & CHINON
This morning we will have our French Language
Classes. This afternoon we will visit the medieval town
of Chinon, where Joan of Arc came to convince Charles to unite
France. We will visit the Château de Chinon, including:
the Château du Milieu, which houses the small Museum of
Joan of Arc. We return to Loches for an evening with our
host families.
DAY
7 LANGUAGE CLASSES - VERSAILLES - PARIS
(3 NIGHTS)
This morning we say "au revoir" to our host families and enjoy
our final morning of Language Classes. After lunch
we journey to Versailles, a palace commissioned by
Louis XIV around Louis XIII's hunting lodge. Our visit commences
as we explore the ornate State Apartments, highlighted
by the magnificent Hall of Mirrors. After time to explore
the spectacular Gardens and fountains at Versailles,
we continue to Paris, "the City of Lights." This evening we
will take a Seine River Cruise, which will take us
under many of Paris' graceful bridges and past many important
landmarks and monuments along both banks - a perfect introduction
to the beauty of Paris.
DAY
8 PARIS (THE
REVOLUTION AND NAPOLEON)
Our morning commences with an ascent of the Arc de Triomphe,
a massive triumphal arch commissioned by Napoleon, today a
symbol of Paris and home to the tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
We continue with a stroll along the Champs Elysees,
Paris' most spectacular thoroughfare, which offers a beautiful
look at Parisian life and architecture. We return to the Place
de la Concorde before strolling through the Jardin des
Tuileries, the beautiful Neo-Classical gardens leading
to the entrance of the Louvre. We will enjoy a specialist-guided
tour through the museum that will include Leonardo da Vinci's
Mona Lisa and many of the finest paintings and sculpture
from Western Civilization. This afternoon we visit the cathedral
of Notre Dame, begun in 1163 on a spot that had already
been a religious shrine since Roman times. Over the centuries,
the cathedral has been the scene of some of France's most
momentous occasions, including the coronation of Napoleon.
This evening we will dine in and stroll through the Latin
Quarter, a section of the city that dates back to the
Roman times and is generally associated with artists, intellectuals
and political unrest. During our walk we will view the Sorbonne,
Paris' oldest university.
DAY
9 PARIS (PARIS
OF THE IMPRESSIONISTS)
This morning we will ascend to the top of the Eiffel Tower,
Paris' most recognizable landmark, built for the Universal
Exhibition of 1889. We continue with a visit to the Musee
d'Orsay, dedicated to the rich diversity of visual arts
from 1846 to 1914, featuring masterpieces by Delacroix, Manet,
Degas, Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh, Cezanne, Gauguin and Lautrec.
Paris is one of the most important centers of fashion in the
world, and this afternoon we will visit the elegant stores
of Au Printemps and Galeries Lafayette for a
first-hand look at the latest trends in fashion. This evening
we will ascend to Montmartre, an area of Paris made
famous in the late 19th century as an artists' haunt. We will
spend time in the Place du Tertre, a square known for
its local artwork, before visiting the Sacre-Coeur Basilica,
a huge white church that dominates the Parisian skyline.
DAY
10 DEPARTURE FROM PARIS
Our enjoyable and rewarding tour will come to an
end as our Tour manager/guide accompanies us to the airport
for the return flight home.
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