Tour of Strasbourg, Lyon & Paris

Featuring: Patchwork Europa Quilt Exposition

Tour Dates: September 14 - 26, 2004

Costs: $2700 US dollars

 

PHOTOGRAPHS FROM PREVIOUS TOURS

Monet's Gardens, Handweaving in Lyon, Silk Workshop, Colorful Memories

Tour Leaders - Jeanne Mills and Jo Anne Perkin

ITINERARY

September 14 & 15, Days 1 & 2

Today you fly to Strasbourg, France from your nearest airport, and we gather at the hotel at the end of the afternoon.

 

September 16, Day 3

We begin our time in Strasbourg, a UNESCO World Heritage city with a rich architectural heritage.  Our guided tour includes the beautiful 12th to 15th century pink-stone Gothic Cathedral with its amazing astronomical clock, and the picturesque “La Petite France” district with 16th and 17th century half-timbered houses. In the afternoon we visit the Alsatian Museum, (Musée Alsacien), a folk museum of traditional Alsatian life, housed in former Strasbourg homes.

 

September 17 & 18, Day 4 & 5

We spend two days at Patchwork Europa, the largest patchwork assembly in Europe. Quilts from all over Europe are exhibited in four small charming villages. Shuttles buses transport us from village to village. Eighty vendors from the European quilt market offer tempting wares. The end of each day finds us at our hotel in the charming little town of Kaysersberg, birthplace of Dr. Albert Schweitzer.

 

September 19, Day 6

This morning we travel by coach to Mulhouse for a visit of the Museum of Printed Textiles (Musée de l’Impression sur Etoffes) to see some of the collection of almost 3 million textile pieces. The afternoon finds us at the Museum of Textiles & Clothing (Musée du Textile et des Costumes de Haute-Alsace) at the Chateau de Wesserling. This museum reflects the highlights of the renowned Alsatian textile industry.

 

September 20, Day 7

Today we pack our bags and take the train to Lyon, giving us a chance to rest, chat, do a bit of needlework and enjoy the French countryside. Lyon is France’s “second city”, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its friendliness, gastronomy, and, since the Renaissance, as France’s silk making capital. Our hotel is located in the center of town, giving us easy access by foot and metro to museums, restaurants and shops.

 

September 21, Day 8

A guide leads us on a visit of Lyon’s Textile Museum (Musée des Tissus), which houses 2000 years of textile history. In the afternoon we visit two or three remarkable workshops from the early 1900’s, which produced the silks for which Lyon is famous. Although modern factories have replaced these ateliers, we will learn about the silk weaving process from retired artisans as they demonstrate the operation of their ancient machinery.

 

September 22, Day 9

It’s off to Paris – a two-hour ride on the TGV (the high-speed train). In the afternoon we take a guided coach tour of the City of Light, driving by and stopping at a variety of Paris landmarks, which provide us with an exciting beginning to our days here. Tonight you may want to see the city by night from the top of the Eiffel Tower or stroll on the Champs Elysées.

 

September 23, Day 10

A guide introduces us to the Impressionist Period and the resulting paintings in the Orsay Museum (Musée d’Orsay) in preparation for tomorrow’s visit of Monet’s gardens. We spend the afternoon in the fabric district, the Marché-St-Pierre. Here you can wander through the many shops looking for fabric and finding bargains.

 

September 24, Day 11

Today is a very special day. By coach we head west for the one-hour drive to visit the little town of Giverny and Claude Monet’s home and gardens. We expect to see the warm and deep-colored flowers of late summer and autumn – nasturtiums carpeting the “Grande Allée”, asters, dahlias, cosmos, and rudbeckias. The day also includes a visit to the American Museum of Impressionism, which is a few steps from Monet’s home. It is here in Giverny where American artists (Mary Cassatt for example) came to study with Claude Monet.

 

September 25, Day 12

The day begins with a visit to La Droguerie, a wonderful button, bead, and ribbon shop. The remainder of the day is free for you to enjoy and explore at your leisure – the Cluny Museum to see the Lady and the Unicorn Tapestries or the stained glass windows at the Ste-Chapelle. Don’t miss the tour of the monuments from the Bateaux Mouches (river boats) or the delightful walks along the quays.

 

September 26, Day 13

It’s time to say au revoir and depart with memories and ideas captured in photos and tucked away in your notebook. We hope new friends and the essence of France remain always with you.