Wednesday, June 20 Departures
Departures from North America to Paris.
Thursday, June 21 Paris
Upon arrival, you will be met and transported to the deluxe Hotel Au Manoir in the heart of Saint-Germain-Des-Pres. In the evening we will meet for welcome cocktails in the hotel lobby, before our Welcome Dinner at one of our favorite Parisian restaurants, La Ferme Saint-Simon.
Friday, June 22 Paris
After a morning to rest and refresh, we meet in the hotel lobby for a coach and walking tour of the historic and beautiful parks and gardens of Paris. We begin with the grand Luxembourg Palace and Gardens, built between 1615-1627 by Marie de Medici. Along with the 350,000 plants and flowers that are planted each spring (including 150 palm and orange trees) there are many sculptures throughout the grounds. The nearby Jardin des Plantes was originally a garden of medicinal plants for use and research by Louis XIII. We then visit the stunning Tuileries Garden, created by Catherine de Medicis, but opened to the public after the French Revolution. The garden also contains the Musée de l'Orangerie, home of Monet's grand "Les Nymphéas". This evening we transfer to Le Théâtre des Champs-Elysées where we enjoy a pre-performance dinner at Le Maison Blanche before attending Claudio Monteverdi's L'Orfeo (Balthasar-Neumann Ensemble & Chorus; Borchev, Bonitatibus)
Saturday, June 23 Paris
This morning we visit the famed Musée d'Orsay. Housed in the former Gare D’Orsay train station, it comprises the world’s largest collection of Impressionist art. Our private, art-historian led tour surveys the museum’s masterpieces, with works by Degas, Monet, Manet, Renoir and Van Gogh amongst others. Lunch is at the acclaimed La Petite Cour. This evening we have the pleasure to attend a performance by the The Paris Opera Ballet, La Fille Mal Gardée, at the historic Garnier Theatre.
Sunday, June 24 Paris
This morning, we gather in the lobby and depart for a tour of selected masterpieces at The Louvre. We move past the long lines for a private tour of the world’s most renowned art museum. We will enjoy an in-depth study of The Khorsabad Palace, Venus de Milo, Nike of Samothrace, Leonardo's Mona Lisa, Michelangelo's Slaves, and Gericault’s The Raft of the Medusa, while taking time to understand their significance in the history of art. After the tour we will lunch at Le Voltaire, on the banks of the Seine. The remainder of the day is at leisure.
Monday, June 25 Paris
In the morning we drive to the village of Giverny in the Seine Valley to visit the famed grounds and house of Claude Monet. Some of his most famous works, such as Water Lilies and the Japanese bridge paintings, were done here. Following lunch (included) we wind our way back through the beautiful countryside, arriving in Paris late afternoon. In the evening we will gather in the lobby for a transfer to the Opéra Bastille for a performance of Rossini’s beloved Il barbiere di Siviglia conducted by Marco Armiliato (Siragusa, Muraro, Deshayes, Christoyannis).
Tuesday, June 26 Paris
The entire day is at leisure to explore the wonders of Paris on your own.
Wednesday, June 27 Paris
Following breakfast we depart by luxury coach for Chartres, for a tour of its exceptionally preserved cathedral. The majority of the original stained glass windows survive intact, while the architecture has seen only minor changes since the early 13th century. Following lunch (included), we return to Paris for a short guided tour of the famous Père Lachaise Cemetery, where we will visit the graves of Bizet, Chopin, Poulenc and Enescu among many other historic luminaries. This evening we have the rare opportunity to attend an opera at The Palais Garnier, the primary home of the Paris Opera from 1875 until 1989, but now primarily used for ballet. It is regarded as one of the architectural masterpieces of its time. Here we will see Rameau’s Hippolyte et Aricie (Emmanuelle Haïm; Connolly, Gillet, Hill). Our Farewell Reception will be across the square, at the celebrated Le Café de la Paix before the performance.
Thursday, June 28 Departures
Airport transfers included